Confused about going from version 5 to 7

billbk wrote:

Hi all.  I have "Stage" version 5.8.1
My current chosen pianos are the D4 grand piano, K2 grand piano, and  YC5 rock piano.
Maybe I'm just not seeing it, but what do I get by upgrading to version 7?

The site seems to be written as if I'm a new customer.
The site says the Stage now includes 2 piano choices - but I already have 3 (and it looks like the D4 isn't even listed anymore).
If I upgrade do I get to re-choose 2 new pianos (like one of the Steinways).
If I get to re-choose, do my "old" pianos disappear?.....or just one of them?
Or by upgrading am I only getting some new refinements to what I already have?..........and what are those refinements?
If I just get the refinements, what do I have to do to switch / or add new pianos to include the Steinway?

The site is VERY unclear, and I can't get any response from Modartt.

thanks

You don’t get to re-choose, you’ll still have your K2 and YC5 but your D4 will become the Steinway D (Hamburg) and, above all, gain a second Steinway D (New York).
And of course you’ll get those amazing refinements. Going from Pianoteq 5 to Pianoteq 7 is a huge leap. You may also consider upgrading to Standard from Stage, gaining yet another instrument pack as well as the new morphing and layering capabilities.

The upgrade from Stage 5 to Stage 7 will "just" be a change from the application itself.  You keep the models you already have but they will be updated to the use the new "engine under the hood".

The K2 and YC5 will simply be updated to use the new engine (and some default presets may change to the new ones).

The D4 will (as I understand it) change to the the new Steinway D package which includes both the New York and Hamburg models (not just one, both).  The "old" D4 is gone and essentially the New York and Hamburg Steinway D's are "just" presets of one underlying piano model (not a surprise there).

If you use the free KiViR or Bells instruments you will need to update both of those (it's just a quick download and a drag and drop).  The existing versions (in your case for v5) will not work with v7.

You do not, AFAIK, get to choose new instrument packs, but if I understand you correctly your main worry is loosing the Steinway D and you will not lose it, you will gain some extra presets split into New York and Hamburg variants.

I would be surprised if you did not notice an improvement in quality from v5 to v7, but it's hard to be sure how any individual will react to the updated sound models.

The refinements are many and the most significant change from 6.7 to 7.0 has been the new "double polarization" model for strings, which as I understand it models the string vibrations better.  If I recall correctly, the change in quality from v5 to v6 was, on it's own, generally considered noticeable (and better).  Version 7 is another step up from that.  As the Steinway D's became officially authorized by Steinway in version 6 (IIRC) you can rest assured that Steinway at least think they now faithfully represents their top concert grands (and I dare say also have significant input to any changes made).  You may find the sounds in the version 7 different from what you are used to in 5, but it will, I feel, very quickly become a welcome change.

Exactly what refinements are made from version to version is never fully known.

I think all you have to do when/if you upgrade is open the licensing dialog and activate it - your code should still work.  Your models and the default presets will be updated automatically.