Symphony Series vs. Essentials

Having trouble finding a definite comparison of features between the Symphony Essentials bundled with Ultimate and the full versions. Somewhere I read that it's mostly about multiple mic positions but I'm not sure if this is as far as the differences go. Anyone out there who can give a more detailed comparison of the two?

 

The symphony essentials are like they said "the basic" and the most essential strings/brass/woodwind and articulations for cinematic scoring music. There are more settings in the symphony series than the essentials like more mixing options, other legato options, more articulations options etc.
I've been using the symhony essentials for a long time and I'm still doubting to upgrade because I am still able to do wonderful things with the essentials..
Is Symphony Series wortth the price?: Well I know people who have them with different opinions, Some say they definitely do and others say that they regret their choise..
I've learned that kontakt 5 is one of the most powerful machines of software, literally in the world! And it is even possible to make an awesome cinematic uplifting soundtrack with the first session strings library (not even session strings pro). If you put enough time and creativity in it.
It is all a matter of what you want to do and certainly, how you want to do it .

 

Hi, thanks for your reply. I guess I'm looking for much more specifics than that though. When you say it has "other legato options, more articulations, etc" what are the other options? I have other string libraries and I'm not a stranger to the way such libraries work, so if I'm getting one I really need to know what specifically it does and doesn't do. Basically I'm considering updating to Ultimate with the sale, but how useful the Symphony Essentials will be to me is a factor in whether or not I'll do it.

EDIT: never mind, I found a full list of the articulation comparison. Looks like basically there is no true legato on Essentials, nor are there runs, and there are no divisi or mix options.

I also didn't realize these were developed with Audiobro. I already own LASS and I'm wondering if these are all new recordings or if they are re-using existing recordings from LASS. I'm guessing they are new recordings, but if they are the same recordings I already have, that would be another reason not to bother, although the interface on this looks distinctly more friendly than LASS.

 

Its all new recordings...you can actually hear the difference in the demos. I own both products and none replaces the other. LASS has that clean hollywood studio sound. The Symphony Series has a dark hall sound. Different recording spaces and mic techniques.

 

I wonder if the "essential" libraries have a "true legato" feature... honestly it's not so clear

 

It does not.

 

So some articulations are added, true legato is incorporated, new mic positions are added, is there anything else?

What about the other 5 libraries? does anyone have information on libraries other than the String Ensemble?