UK sample librarians Timespace have followed up their release of Galaxy Steinway 5.1 with the Galaxy II Virtual Piano Collection. Weighing only a tiny fraction of a Bösendorfer Imperial, the collection packs in a new Kontakt 2 audio engine and three top-end grand pianos for a fraction of the price and hassle of owning the real thing. From Timespace:

3 world-class grand pianos: Galaxy Steinway 5.1 (real surround and stereo version) Vienna Grand Imperial (96 keys and incredible low end) German Baby Grand (beautiful 'singing' tone, built in 1929) - more than 6000 samples of a Steinway D, a Bösendorfer Imperial and a 1929 Blüthner Baby Grand

Features:

• Up to 12 "modeled velocity zones" for a wide and smooth dynamic range
• Chromatically sampled
• real sustain resonance and release, recorded with multiple velocity and timing
• Real Una Corda Samples (Soft Pedal)
• Adjustable Hammer, Pedal and Damper noises
• Specially designed user interface
• Direct control of all important functions in the main menu
• Detailed editing in 10 special menus
• Integrated help window
• Simple and very effective ''one-knob'' control of tone colour (without EQ), warmth and dynamics
• Warp-section with 4 FX-machines for drastic sound design
• Pad machine for generating spheric and atmospheric synth pads
• Convolution-reverb with lots of rooms, halls and ambiences
• Stereo width and position adjustable
• Recorded in Galaxy Studios and Hansahaus Studios (2 Jazz-Grammy-Awards) with high end and Vintage microphones (Brauner, Neumann and Bruel&Kjaer) and state-of-the-art equipment (Neve Capricorn, SSL 9000, Preamps by Neve, Focusrite Red Series, Summit etc.)