Best Service has released Engine Artists Library, a 1.81 GB collection of premium-quality patches for the free MAGIX Best Service Engine 2 sample player.
Engine Artists Library is a bundle of sixteen mini-libraries for Engine 2, featuring full and demo versions of various patches from Best Service’s commercial releases. The demo patches are still very playable as they, for the most part, only come with a reduced tonal range and no other limitations. There are no time limits, audio dropouts, or occasional noise bursts which are often used to remind the user that they’re playing a demo version of an audio-related product. As already mentioned, the bundle also includes a number of presets that aren’t limited in any way whatsoever.
The content covers a wide range of sounds and genres. There are plenty of world instruments to choose from, featuring a selection of presets from libraries like Ancient Era Persia, Gu Zheng, Era II Medieval Legends, and Volksmusik. Plenty of cinematic patches are also covered in libraries such as Epic World, Forest Kingdom II, and Klanghaus II. Also worth checking out are the vocals in Era II Vocal Codex and the numerous synthesizer patches found in Galaxy X, Synth Werk, and Titan 2 DEMO libraries. If you’ve ever played a Best Service library before, you’ll be familiar with the sort of quality you’re getting with these sounds. If not, expect to hear professional-quality multi-samples and patches that are well worth adding to any producer’s sound arsenal. The total amount of audio data when extracted is 1.81 GB (a 1.69 GB download).
Unfortunately, there are a few negatives that need to be mentioned, too. Firstly, the user interface is quite a bit outdated, resulting in controls and labels that are almost too small to see on higher-resolution screens. Titan 2, although packed with a large number of usable synth sounds, is the biggest culprit here. The sliders and buttons on its interface are tiny, making the extremely low-contrast color scheme even more of a nuisance. Thankfully, the large display in the middle of Titan 2’s interface displays the value of each control parameter when hovered with the mouse pointer.
Secondly, the download and activation process is somewhat complicated and time-consuming. You’ll have to log into your Best Service user account (or register if you don’t have one), complete the checkout process for Engine Artists Library on the product page linked below (you will receive a serial number at checkout), download the Engine 2 sample player separately, install Engine 2 and extract the Engine Artists Library files manually, and then finally activate your free copy of the library with a challenge/response key. I’ve seen worse, but be assured that the process will take at least 10 minutes of your time (even more if we count in the actual download period). However, if you’re looking to add some quality sounds to your arsenal and don’t mind jumping through a few hoops in the process, I do recommend downloading this freebie from Best Service.
Engine Artists Library is available for free download via Best Service (1.69 GB download size, ZIP archive, contains 16 libraries for MAGIX Best Service Engine 2).
12 Comments
George
onThanks for the tip! I believe you should note that the size of the DL is actually 1.69GB.
C.
onThank you ! Very nice review, but it would useful to know what are the reduced tonal range… If it is like i.e. Addictive Keys Free (4 octaves), it’s sufficiently usable for an enjoyable playing experience… but if it was less (i.e. 2 octaves), it would be only frustrating.
Tony Roberts
onIs it me or is it a huge pain in the neck to set these libraries up? At this point I’ve given it up as more hassle than it’s worth, leaving me unlikely to ever spend money on an Engine sample library.
Thanks for letting me rant…
Tomislav Zlatic
onIt is somewhat time-consuming, indeed. But the quality makes it worth for me. On the other hand, I’m used to testing a bunch of software/soundware on a daily basis, so I’ve kind of learned to be patient with downloading/installing free products.
B Dill
onI’m having a hell of a time getting the manual installation working in the VST. Any advice on where / how to set this up? I’m not quite sure where I even install the folder or how to get said folder to be found by the plug…
Tomislav Zlatic
onI installed the Engine 2 instrument and the Engine Artists Library in the same folder and then pointed to the library folder from the Preferences menu in Engine 2.
B Dill
onThanks, Tomislav. I got it to work. :)
Tomislav Zlatic
onGlad to hear that, cheers!
davisan
onThe tenor recorder is great! Almost 2 octaves + pitch shifting, 2RR for sustain legato and marcato, 4RR for staccato and also has some articulations.
Kami Kun
onI’m not a huge fan of Best Service or Libraries Edouardo Tarilonte. I tested the library and I will erase this useless thing.
I would prefer fewer patches, but a more useful tonal range.
Edouardo Tarilonte’s libraries are expensive and come with a lot of things I do not use. I love to use instruments, not soundscape or sonic toys I can’t use in my compositions.
So, as a demo, it will not seduce me. And I had forgotten that I hated Engine and all Magix Software.
But thank you anyway, it might be useful for others
LAGinz
onI registered the serial, but then when I pasted it in to authorize, I got a “Invalid production number” message. What a pain!
Tomislav Zlatic
onDid you paste it on their website? I remember that this part of authorization was the most confusing. Your serial should be pasted there to receive the auth code.