HALion Player - Advanced Sample Library Player

If you are looking for a stable, easily handled and affordable sample playback module for VST, DXi, AU or Rewire environments, look no further - HALion Player is your first choice. With its compelling combination of the most advanced HALion 3 technology and streamlined interfaces that have been condensed down to the essentials, HALion Player is tailored to the needs of newcomers to the software sampling game. HALion Player affords you reasonably priced access to hundreds of professional HALion libraries - without having to lower your standards for sound quality.

• HALion 3 technology at a sensationally affordable price
• Simple handling courtesy of a streamlined, self-explanatory user interface
• HALion 3 Sound Library with a huge selection of instruments and drum sounds in pro quality
• Plays all native HALion 3.1 formats (HSB, fxp + fxb)
• Import and keyboard mapping of Wav / Aif / Rex / Rex2 / Zgr / LM4 files
• 256 voices with up to 256 audio outputs and 16 sounds on 16 MIDI channels per instance
• Q controls for manipulating vital sound parameters (including MIDI Learn)
• Uniform sound category system for searching, selecting and loading sounds
• Integrates into all standard host applications (VST, DXi, AU, Rewire) and runs in standalone mode
• Cross-platform (PC/Mac)

HALion Player contains the entire HALion 3 Sound Library with a vast selection instruments and drum sounds in pro quality. What’s more, it is powered by the award-winning, surround-enabled HALion 3 Playback Engine. Premium features from HALion 3, fabulous Waldorf filters and efficient disk streaming – with all these ace appointments, exceptional sound quality and best performance are assured.

Access to Professional HALion Libraries

As the product’s name would indicate, HALion Player is the playback version of the award-winning software sampler HALion. HALion Player provides astonishingly affordable access to numerous professional libraries in HALion 3.1 format (HSB, fxp, fxb) - without having to settle for less than the best in sound quality. Some of the finest sound forges in the sample sector offer HALion libraries, including Scarbee, Garritan, Wizoo and Vienna Symphonic Library. Common audio formats such as Wav, Aif, Rex, Rex2, Zgr and LM4 may also be imported.

Integrated Sound Library

The included HALion 3 Library contains more than 160 meticulously sampled instruments for almost every application. Look no further for hip drums, strings, pianos, guitars, basses and synthesizers. The sound library is clearly organized and arranged in instrument categories, making it very easy to find the perfect sound for the occasion. Every instrument in the integrated HALion sound library offers preset Q controls facilitating fast and intuitive sound design.

Quality and Performance

HALion Player is powered by the same Sample Engine that drives its elder sibling HALion 3.1. Hence HALion Player boasts the same wonderful sound quality as its big brother, and it supports 5.1. Surround sound as well as audio files with resolutions ranging up to 384 kHz/32 bits. As a fully multi-timbral instrument, HALion Player can play 16 instruments with up to 256 voices* simultaneously. Again following in the footsteps of HALion 3, it offers up to 256 virtual audio outputs.

RAMSave™

RAMSave™ is an innovative new technology designed to boost the performance of HALion. When working with elaborate sample programs such as orchestra combinations or drum kits, frequently only a fraction of the loaded samples is actually used. When RAMSave is enabled, HALion dumps all samples that are not used in the current song from the main memory. To this end, it scans the MIDI notes and deletes all samples that are not assigned to any of these notes. This lightens the RAM’s load and speeds up loading time.

Q Controls

Even if the range of functions in HALion Player is reduced and it does not enable radical sound design, you can still adapt sounds quickly and easily to suit your taste. HALion Player offers eight Q controls offering immediate access to the most important sound parameters. Q controls were assigned individually to every HALion library program; in the event of a program change, these assignments change automatically. Many HALion libraries offered by third-party vendors feature predefined Q controls for the given instrument’s crucial parameters.

MIDI Learn

With the practical MIDI Learn function, you can assign each of the eight Q control knobs to a MIDI controller in a matter of seconds. If you wish to control sound parameters in real-time using any desired external MIDI device, MIDI Learn is on board to make remote control a piece of cake.

Waldorf Filters

HALion 3 ships with filters that come courtesy of Waldorf, the legendary synthesizer manufacturer. Featuring the unique Fatness parameter, these classic high-, low- and band-pass filters excel at delivering sumo-sized tone with breadth and warmth unrivalled by any sound found on other software samplers.

HALion Player Vs. HALion

In head-to-head comparison, HALion Player ships with a substantially more streamlined interface than HALion 3. Though this facilitates handling for newcomers, of course it also limits the functionality. HALion Player lacks the elaborate file browser and Waveloop, Key Zone and Modulation editors featured in HALion 3. And although HALion Player is able to load and play complex HALion 3 programs, its capacity to create entirely new sample programs is limited to the most important elementary sound parameters.

HALion Player indeed provides access to a sound’s critical parameters via predefined Q controls, but in contrast to the Q controls on HALion 3, they cannot be assigned individually.

You’ll find a detailed comparison of HALion 3 and HALion Player features in our comparison table.

Minimum System Requirements

The minimum system requirements state the minimal specification your computer must have to be able to use the software. A more powerful system may be required for certain tasks or larger projects. You can find more information about computer system specification and setup here.

Mac

• Mac OS X version 10.4
• Power Mac G5 2 GHz minimum / Intel core Solo 1.5 GHz
• 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended)
• 4 GB free HD space for installation
• DVD drive required for installation
• CoreAudio compatible audio hardware
• Steinberg Key and USB port required
• Internet connection required for license activation
• For using as plug-in or Rewire slave device, a VST2, AU (tested in Logic 7.2 and Digital Performer 4.6 only) or Rewire compatible host is required.

PC

• Windows XP Home or XP Professional
• Intel/AMD processor 1.6 GHz minimum
• 1 GB RAM (2 GB recommended)
• 4 GB free HD space for installation
• DVD drive required for installation
• Windows MME compatible audio hardware (ASIO compatible audio hardware required for low-latency operation.)
• Steinberg Key and USB port required
• Internet connection required for license activation
• For using as plug-in or Rewire slave device, a VST2, DXi2 or Rewire compatible host is required.

*The Steinberg Key (USB copy protection device) required to run this product is not included. Customers who do not own a Steinberg Key must purchase one separately. The same Steinberg Key copy protection device is then used for all Steinberg products that require it.