some one sent me a project with them

 

exs-files are used by EXS24, it's a sampler library that comes with Logic Pro X. Other than that .

 

TX16Wx.

https://www.tx16wx.com/features/

 

Kontakt 5 (not 6 and not Player) can import EXS24 patches.

 

One more reason to keep that K5 exe. around.

 

Only up to 5.1.0, in 5.2.0 and later they have a buggy version of a 3rd party (Chickensys) library, which causes all imports to fail.

 

That's good to know, I can't recall any problems but I've not needed any imports in ages so I probably was on <5.1.0.

 

Maybe Abletons sample can import them, it can import unlocked nks.

Otherwise try something like chicken systems translator

 

Logic 5 for Windows..

 

FL Studio DirectWave sampler can load them but the performance sucks so bad they're unplayable.

 

I even keep v3 around because most sample converters can convert K3 nki to other formats and sample import+mapping in Kontakt (although on a stamp-sized window) works quite well.

 

That would be MOTU's MachFive -- it can actually import and play everything. Not sure if a k'd version exists, though.

 

Old one, the almost 10 year old version 1.2/ I am not sure if a MachFive 3 comes with new DP.

 

There once was a tool called "Extreme Sample Converter" which got released by Team AMPLiFY in 2008.
Maybe it's too old but I used it a lot to convert old Sampler CD's into wav.

It supports Halion, Kontakt, GigaSampler, Akai, Sampletank, Soundfonts, etc.
and is able to convert all of them into several formats like wav, flac, aiff and others.

Would really like to try one of those exs files but have nothing around.

 

All the suggestions above about using old versions of Kontakt are probably the easiest way for anyone to play EXS instruments,
and 'most of the time' (but not always) Kontakt will translate the EXS files pretty well.

But if anyone wants to explore EXS files in their original context, here's some background info.

When emagic were selling Logic 5 for Windows, EXS24 was the built-in sampler. It can't be used outside of Logic.

But they also released a separate player version called EXSP24 that works as a VST dll plugin and does not depend on Logic.
EXS24 has changed so little in Apple Logic that, even today, you can play the EXS instruments from Apple Logic using EXSP24 on Windows.

That EXSP24 player version is a huge installation - a whole 2MB

To note:
An EXS file is just an instrument file; similar to how Kontakt uses .nki files (when used separately from the samples)
Whereas Kontakt gives you the choice to embed the samples or not, EXS files never embed the samples.
The sample files are always separate. So if all you've got is the EXS files, they're useless.
If it's just the samples you want, they won't need converting. The samples will be .wav or .aiff and won't be protected.

So...

[1] @Slavestate suggestion to use Logic 5 on Windows was actually not joking.
I still use Logic 5 on XP, W7, W8, W10; it's solid on all of them.
Logic 5 on Windows 'obviously' won't tempt you away from your preferred modern DAW
but it's tiny (smaller than Reaper), and still full of clever tricks - a beautifully functional antique.
It's about as obsolete as a 1956 Stratocaster guitar or a 300 year old Stradivarius violin.
I've never managed to throw it away!

[2] The EXSP24 plugin (completely separate from Logic) is a viable way of playing an EXS instrument in its original sampler,
used as a VST plugin wherever you want. You could use it in the miniature SaviHost and then it's like a standalone instrument.

[3] For anyone that doesn't want to explore Logic 5 on Windows or the EXSP24 plugin,
then as first mentioned, just use an old version of Kontakt.

 

Besides all listed above, these programs will load them , too

http://www.maizesoft.com/cms/?page_id=48
https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/drums/battery-4/


I am not sure if TAL Sampler does it.

 

Last edited: Jul 1, 2020

T

TAL Sampler is very limited, it's rather built to emulate old school samplers like the Ensoniq Mirage etc.
It will import SFZ files for example but only the first velocity layer...

 

Sadly, it doesn't.What's weird is that DP has been bundled with the free UVI workstation since v6, instead of a scaled-down or free version of MachFive. The closest thing you get to a sampler inside DP is Nanosampler, which is pretty great, but it's not designed to open or import different sample formats, just audio, and you can't use it in anything but DP.

 

Microsoft EXSell