While I am aware CS's Translator and CDXTRACT (both software being hosted on AUDIOZ) can accomplish the very least of this task, I am not so very satisfied with the results of their conversions, at least in the way I am converting older sample CD patches. The resulting NKI files do not retain the original modulation values as well as effects (say for instance, an AKAI programme contains a uniform chorus in a violin chorus patch), and just feel overall naked, apart from it keeping both volume, velocity, samples (no duh), and LP/HP filters. Am I doing something particularly wrong? The "current" version of Translator is awfully buggy and hardly usable when trying to accomplish near exact reproductions of these patches. I can assure you that earlier versions of Kontakt 5 with native legacy sample CD support shows that it recognises and utilises the parameters for the effects, LFO modulation, etc.

What can be done? I look forward to any and all help on these matters.

Cheers!

 

That's the way Translator works. It's a half ass piece of shit software, with a developer who does nothing but blame the user's machine when it doesn't work anywhere remotely close to how it's advertised.I've converted plenty of my CD's with it and got nothing but a basic patch that just plays back the sample as it is. Most of the time the envelopes or filter are closed and need to be adjusted just to hear it.

On a side note, I've got tons of old Akai and EMU cd's and most of the Akai stuff doesn't seem to have anything set as far as modulation goes. Those cd's were made to go on any sampler that supported the S1000/3000 CD format, and not all of those samplers had the same internal architecture..The 'standard' S1000 for example has one LFO, the S3000 has two. The S1000 has one single filter, the S3000 has a completely different filter slope and also has an option card for a Low/High/Bandpass filter. Those more than likely only work 'the way they should' on an S1000 or S3000. Even directly converting an Akai cd on an actual EMU EIV (which has to be done painfully one program at a time), doesn't get you anything other than a basic playback program with the sample intact. As for an EMU cd.. Ever seen the modulation matrix on an EMU EIV or the number of filters in it? No way you can "translate" that to another sampler format and expect it to come out correctly. Not to mention the envelopes in those are six stage AADDRR envelopes which don't exactly translate to an ADSR very well.

 

You don't say? You'd think in 2023 they'd take notes from Kontakt (before they ousted legacy CD sample support) and some how automate that shit properly, knowing that the effects and modulation envelopes can be easily deciphered by Kontakt 5 itself. Like I literally had to take the liberty to, by hand convert each and every patch which had the full data just to make sure it's authentic.

I'd probably have to plough through the entirety of the fucking EMU ESI Classic Series using that same method given that it's basically the only "true" way to restore and convert the patches that it's akin to the original. Like having no arpeggiator patches isn't really anything for me to go apeshit over, but ffs these programmes can't tell that a patch has some generic chorus effect or sweepy LFO filter to give it a synthy feel? Not to mention, who in their right mind would use anything before Kontakt 5 for legacy's sake besides being able to run it on older synths, hence making the option to "translate" patches to Kontakt 3 NKI patches absolutely useless.

I suppose in the meantime, I can just use Kontakt 5's Virtual CD playback to do the job instead of making it into some library.

 

Really what Slavestate said. But I'd add if you want some instruments to sound the way you want them to, you can modify them and possibly share with the community.

@MokuseiFolf13 Man these sample libraries are from the last century, you can't expect them to behave well.

 

I'd love to, as a matter of fact I've uploaded a conversion of Vocal Planet on archive.org. I'm working to upload more conversions as well now that Fred Bloggs' own Kontakt Library Utility has opened many more possibilities with creating conversions.
https://archive.org/details/@mokusei13?and[]=subject:"Kontakt"

 

Thank you, man. Wow. Cheers!

 

Anytime! Sharing music's my thing

 

1. Try Extreme Sample Converter. I used it many times to convert different formats, results are mostly fine (not bad at all).

2. Why Kontakt? This is a proprietary closed platform. Try different sampler format. SFZ (this format is open, not as widespread as Kontakt but easily usable). Or even SF2 (soundfonts are an invention of EMU and there are enough decent players).

3. May be it's worth trying to convert EMU disks in EMU Emulator format. I know nothing about EMU disks. But working version of Emulator X exists.

 

Had the same experience. That Chicken develover is an aggressive mf whose buggy products demonstrate his poor programming skills, if he ever programmed anything himself and not simply outsourced it. Never deal with Chicken Systems i hope he will pewned by some cracker soon.


@MokuseiFolf13

Maybe this software could help you
command line tools for Akai images disks https://sourceforge.net/projects/akaiutil/
2nd for Extreme Sample Converter, used some time ago too https://www.extranslator.com/

 

I've just downloaded and dived into. Really awesome! Thank you very much!

 

related: https://www.fmjsoft.com/awavestudio.html#main

 

How is teh copyright situation when uploading stuff to archive.org? Can you get intro trouble?I also ahve a lot akai cds here taking dust

looks like it could get wasted time fast if the remove uploads?

 

That entire archive from Cyberyoukai was removed from Archive for a reason. I think you risk the waste of your uploading time more than anything else. Seems like it takes an actual complaint though, that was up there for quite awhile. It's also slow as hell compared to real service.

 

Last edited: Jan 28, 2023

His archives were back up pretty quickly... ;)

Never had a problem with speed from Archive.org here. I use it all the time to grab ISO's to play my old DOS games I can't rip since Apple thinks computers don't need optical drives anymore.. The torrents seem to always crap out on the last few percent every time I try to use those, but the direct downloads are always quick here. Whether it's Quake or some old Best Service library, full 700mb CD is here in about a minute.

 

Holy hell, I've heard of this software but this usually wouldn't show up whenever there was a converter that supports all this stuff, thank you! Also noted, NKI is mentioned as a viable/supported file format!

 

I did these conversions myself years ago and I was never able to do any really good conversions from these Spectrasonics CDs into Kontakt format.
Downloaded your kontakt version of Vocal Planet - and you ended up with the exact same issues like I did with doublets, choirs with ridiculous high/low notes etc.
Speaking about Spectrasonics CDs they were indeed the very best organized CDs in business at the time so it´s a converter issue, period.
....... On the other hand I had incredible success converting Spectrasonics CDs into Stylus RMX format. That worked perfectly.

 

Last edited: Jan 31, 2023

I checked the demo it works quite well and the developer still seams to develop it!
Sad is that it is only available for windows othercase I would instantly buy it

 

today we have a lot stuff ready playable in Omnisphere

 

A private annonymous storage as samples CD archive would be lovely.

 

You're welcome! I made the library wallpaper myself ^w^