We are already 2018 and exactly one year ago the sample library subscription service NOIIZ starts its business. Out of pure curiosity and because of the good early bird price, I joined the subscription model. At first, I was a bit skeptical about how the whole thing will develop and if the service will still exist in beginning of 2018. Now we are 2018 and NOIIZ still exists and has even grown a lot. In this review, I would like to describe my impressions about this new kind of sample & preset service.
A Constantly Growing Online Sound Library
When everything started with NOIIZ in 2017, Early Bird users had access to over 100.000 one-shot samples and loops. In the beginning, the service had some sample libraries onboard from the best-known company Samplephonics but also some from unknown developers. Already at that time, the selection of samples was considerable and I was able to quickly find suitable samples that I liked very well. But what was not surprising with more than 100.000 available sounds. The available sounds range from classical dance, EDM, techno, trance sounds to very natural classical instruments like acoustic guitar, marimba, strings… Also, you can find many different vocals or choir samples that you can use immediately in your production.
NOIIZ promised from the first minute to deliver new sounds to the users several times a month. I’ve been watching it all over the last few months and I can confirm that the company has kept its promise. Monthly came out with several exciting releases that included high-quality samples or loops.
Unlimited Synth Presets – A Welcome New Feature
Until mid-2017, NOIIZ was a pure sample-based service where the company adds monthly new sample libraries in its online library. With NOIIZ v.2 in July, much changed for the service. In addition to an improved plugin, the company has incorporated synth preset libraries into the subscription model. Since then, musicians have access to various preset libraries for well-known software Synthesizers such as ES2, Serum, Sylenth1, Spire, or for the Native Instruments Massive or Monark.
NOIIZ keeps its promise also here and releases new preset libraries on a monthly basis. Recently, the company published the first three libraries for the Xfer Serum Synthesizer covering diverse styles. When NOIIZ announced this new feature, my personal interested significantly. Because I play around with software synths daily, I get monthly new sound feed for them. I took a closer look at the various new released libraries and was astonished by the quality. All the sound libraries were designed by professional designers and which you can step forward in any music production.
I’m relatively satisfied with the currently available libraries, but I would be very happy to see presets for the U-he plugins, especially for Zebra 2, DIVA or HIVE which are used by many music producers today.
You Have The Choice – Plugin Or Browser
Often there are hacking in such online libraries. Either you can do one only on the one side and the other only on others. NOIIZ doesn’t limit users in their usage but offers them a plugin for PC/Mac as well as a complete browser connection. This allows musicians to quickly and accurately search for new sounds through the browser or inside the plugin. The search in the plugin is solved in my opinion better because you can drop the samples directly into the new audio tracks of the DAW. For example, in Ableton Live, you can integrate individual samples directly into a Simpler instrument.
Using the plugin in its DAW has important advantages over the browser. Here you can instantly change the samples in temp, pitch or just reverse them, which does not work in the browser. Also, the samples are each stored in a NOIIZ specific folder on the hard disk. So you have always fast access to the chosen sounds. Both modes worked wonderfully in my one-year test and without major problems. In the early days, there was a bit longer loading times in the sound library but this has been made faster and smoother constantly over the last few months.
Import Samples In The New Cloud Service
In the recent first major update for 2018, NOIIZ has expanded its service with a new cloud feature. This allows musicians to upload and store up to 5 GB of own sounds to their user accounts. Once uploaded, these samples will be scanned by the NOIIZ DNA and allow you to explore similar sounds on the server. This service gives you also the possibility to browse an download your samples from anywhere. An interesting new feature in my opinion that brings again further this service. It will be exciting to see how the developers will expand this feature in the future.
iOS Is Also A Year After The Appearance Of NOIIZ A Problem
As seen here, there is NOIIZ as a plugin and in the browser. Surely one wonders how it looks like on iOS. To be honest, the service has not been optimized yet for iOS after several requests. Also, a decent iOS app hasn’t been developed. Providers like Retronyms have proven that with an app like the Audio Copy Content Store, you can easily integrate sample libraries into the iOS world.
A simple but well thought-out app would certainly make sense as it allows iOS musicians to be convinced by the NOIIZ service much easier. So iOS users can load very quick samples from the online sample directory directly into Beatmaker 3 or iMPC Pro 2. With the Apple Document Picker or the Audio Copy, the developer could guarantee a simple transfer. But unfortunately, this doesn’t exist at the moment. I hope that the NOIIZ team will improve the iOS connection there in 2018.
You Are The Owner Of The Sound Content For Eternity.
One of the arguments that convinced me to try NOIIZ in January 2017 was the license model. With the start of the subscription, the users get the right to use the samples and presets in their music. Nothing out of the ordinary for a service. NOIIZ works here differently than music streaming services. What is amazing: musicians can continue to use the sample /preset material once downloaded even after the subscription has been completed. So you buy over 100.000 samples, almost 1000 presets for an annual fee. In my opinion, a very fair license model with which one does not lose the samples again at the end of the service.
What’s next in 2018?
As NOIIZ has announced for some time, the year 2018 will be very exciting for the service. So they will continue to publish content monthly as well as a completely new product group will be introduced. In 2018, users will also have the option to download a straightforward sampler plugin that will allow them to edit the sounds from the cloud: slice, cut, reverse… Also, the developers plan to provide several instrument plugins, so a new unlimited instrument download feature will be born. How this looks, whether Kontakt 5, VST/AU or what they are based on, there is no information yet. So it will be interesting what they will present this year.
Positive
One year has passed and I can say that I still like the NOIIZ download service very much. It offers first-class sample material which is very versatile and easy to use. Here you can count on a good mix of well-known sample producers and newcomers. Every month, exciting new sample libraries come out, bringing new timbres to this online collection each time. Even though the preset area is still under construction, the user currently gets a very good selection of excellent presets for various software Synthesizers. The download as well as the saving process is straightforward and works perfectly. Also, the license model of NOIIZ could convince me whereby the samples and presets can be kept even after the completion of the yearly subscription.
Improvements & Negative
There are criticisms of the price and the iOS connection. For a regular price of $ 199 USD, the service, in my opinion, is set too high. A regular price between $ 99 and $ 129 USD would certainly be more interesting here and would convince more people. Since musicians have always been a little more skeptical about buying sample libraries, you have to offer and sell this service at a more interesting price.
I was a bit disappointed about the missing iOS connection because you can certainly use the service very well, especially with samplers and MPC-like apps. It certainly would be be most impossible task for developers to design an app because they already have a PC and Mac application. I hope a lot that they will include iOS soon to their service.
Final Verdict
By and large, NOIIZ convinced me with its excellent content (Samples & Presets) and its easy operation. With a few clicks of the mouse, it’s possible now to find the perfect sample. To the question: Is this the future for samples and presets? In my opinion yes. With new services like this, sound designers have greater and better exposure and guaranteed earning. Also, the service is perfect to give newcomers a chance to find a place in the industry. It will not replace the market for sample libraries and presets, but mix it up well. I’m curious how it will continue with NOIIZ in 2018. Good luck!
The annual NOIIZ subscription is normally available for $199 USD. Until 12 of January, you can subscribe to the annual plan for just $99 USD. For benefit from an additional $20 USD OFF, please use the SYNTH ANATOMY deal link. So you pay only $79 USD for the first year.
Available here: NOIIZ
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