Ivory 3 American Concert D vs BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano Core

The fundamental difference between these two grand piano VSTs lies in their underlying sound engine technology. While the Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano Core relies purely on sampled audio, the Synthogy Ivory 3 American Concert D employs a hybrid engine that combines sampling with modeling for its sound generation.

This difference in engine design results in distinct technical and sonic characteristics. The Ivory 3, with its Real-time Gradient Blending (RGB) Engine and "Continuous Velocity" feature, aims for a seamless and highly expressive velocity-to-timbre response. Its significantly larger library size of 38 GB, compared to Spitfire Audio's 2.81 GB, and inclusion of four microphone positions also contribute to a potentially more detailed and customizable sound. The Spitfire Audio piano, part of a larger orchestral ecosystem, provides a curated mix signal designed to integrate with orchestral compositions.

Choose the Synthogy Ivory 3 American Concert D if you prioritize advanced expressiveness through continuous velocity, detailed sound customization via multiple microphone positions, and a larger, more comprehensive sound library. Opt for the Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano Core if you require a streamlined, high-quality Steinway Model D that integrates seamlessly with orchestral projects, particularly within the BBCSO ecosystem.

Products Compared

• Ivory 3 American Concert D
• BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano Core

Insights from Real-World Use

Ivory 3 American Concert D

• Each piano has a unique tone signature, suitable for different songs.
• I listened to the review twice and what my uneducated ears heard was Ivory 3 sounding a bit more airy with ambiance baked in. The piano seems a bit more open.
• It sounds slightly hollow in the mid highs. It’s missing some weight that makes it sound really static.
• American D is brighter (halfway to a Yamaha), while German one is darker.
• I listened to the review twice and what my uneducated ears heard was Ivory 3 sounding a bit more airy with ambiance baked in. The piano seems a bit more open.

BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano Core

• BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano is a go-to for BBC Symphony Orchestra, saving time on blending and positioning.
• The Pro version offers an instant cinematic sound, is versatile, stunning, and highly dynamic.
• The piano library's embedding into the BBC Symphony Orchestra plugin is brilliant, eliminating plugin searching.
• The free BBC Symphony Orchestra Piano is great value.
• The real beauty of this piano (and where it excels after 6 months) is its ability to work with BBSCO. Perhaps if you are doing a piano solo without an orchestra then another piano may be in order.