YouTube comparison: Pianoteq vs Vienna Symphonic Library Piano VST

I would have chosen the NY Spirio over the Hamburg because it seems more close to the clarity of the Vienna. Same goes for the space IR, The Studio is nowhere close to the huge Vienna Synchron Stage. This before even touching hammers and voicing. The comparison is still interesting though because it highlights the wonderful warm tone of the Hamburg.

Yes indeed! I just looked at the specs required for VSL, and they're simply eye-watering. It's an interesting video, and I think Pianoteq comes over very well. Plus VSL doesn't seem to have any of the advanced tuning capabilities (and other features) that Pianoteq has.

Well, VSL sounds pretty good, but this is not the case. When you see a comparison between sampled pianos then… maybe yes. But a comparison between sampled vs modeled pianos... expression is what we want to hear about. Not just the sound. And in expression, Pianoteq is unbeatable.

Interesting comment  (in the video comentaries section) from a pianist about VSL Hamburg Steinway:

"Jane Fleming :  ( https://m.youtube.com/user/JaneFlemingPiano/videos https://m.youtube.com/user/JaneFlemingPiano/videos )

  For me, the sad aspect of the VSL Synchron pianos is that they do not include real una corda samples. They have a fake soft pedal that has very little effect.
   For someone who only plays classical music, not having a good una corda is a detriment.
   In a post on their forum, they call una corda a "little used" item. (They later softened that comment).
   And another VSL person suggested:
   "We are currently evaluating your feature request regarding una corda.
  Just a thought for an immediate solution: Use the Vienna Ensemble Pro 7 Standalone as host and insert an EQ to shape the una corda sound. Then set automation up to control the EQ's bypass via the soft pedal."
  Seems like a lot of work to have to do on what's probably the most expensive sampled piano library.-"

To my ears both Pianoteq and those Synchron pianos sound like real pianos most of the time - or at least real enough compared to the recorded experience from a stereo playback perspective.
It's got to a point where the differences are more about elusive presentational minutiae rather than degrees of realism. One bizarre comparison in the YT comments section had someone arguing that Pianoteq actually sounded (to them) more like a plucked instrument rather than a hammered one!
Sure seems odd, but some people agreed with this poster though (then again maybe folks will agree with just about any attack on something they don't understand or do not appreciate?). Even so it makes me wonder if some people are hearing Laurel, while others are hearing Yanny..

I've been playing with PT7 the whole day and I can't seem to get the depth and warm deep sound the VSL makes. Any tricks how to achieve this? I have no knowledge about correct EQ settings etc. In my ears the VSL sounds more natural and has more body to it..

I believe you'd get more answers if you make a separate thread for this topic, but anyway, here's my take.

After struggling a lot with this myself, without finding a solution yet, I realized what the issue is. You may have listened to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb8iq4...3MPv4hQ-AA or Phil Best or the many demos here on PTQ website and they all sound much better (with the same computer and speakers) than your playing. I tried many things without success. Then I realized.

Do you think Modartt would put out something that could be improved, or would they provide already the best? Of course the latter! So why it's not best for me? I realized the solution is something available even in the Stage version: the velocity curve (and to less degree the reverb and equalization). Before I was blindly applying the linear velocity curve, or the one found on this forum for my instrument. Both are very poor. With minimal changes I've gotten great improvements. Not still how I want it, and not sure how to do it (so far I'm doing it mostly randomly), but my $0.02 is to start your experimentation there.

Of course, as an American I would love if one of Modartt presets would be an American piano, such a Baldwin, a Mason & Hamlin or a Knabe. Much more bodied and pleasant to my ear than the European instruments.... Not sure why they limit themselves to only SS which I don't like so much (not even in person). But I digress....

Have you tried to use Mint? Unison width? I was surprised how the depth/warmth of the sound was changed first time I used them. A simple way to create depth in a mix is with volume, louder sounds appear closer, quieter sounds create a sense of distance. Decrease volume 6dB, double the distance. It is possible to get a Ptq sound being intense or extreme 

Best wishes,

Stig

Wow! I'm overwelmed by the reactions!! I've just joined the forum this weekend, but have been browsing it a lot lately. I bought the Standard version in the black friday sale. With both steinways and the Petrof.

The thing that sets PT appart from the rest is not the software and it's uniqueness, but it's you, the community.

Thank you very much for helping me out. I did tweak the mint setting and I will be tinkering with the others mentioned (velocity etc) in all the posts. Thanks once again, I did not expect such in depth answers!

Edit: As a thank you, I just purchased the Bechstein and the U4, they are still on sale ^^

Exactly on all points! Pianoteq is so lightweight and bloat-free that I have it as part of my start-up programs in macOS on my Mac Mini that I use in my home theater. Whenever the mood strikes I just start jamming on some keys! There's no way I would ever want a bloated behemoth like a heavy sample based instrument always rumbling in the background.