Checking Out: New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle by 8Dio

Almost three years ago, Century Strings instantly became my go-to string library. Since that time, 8Dio has continued to explore advanced scripting, and now the New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle has received the fruits of that exploration. With true polyphonic legato, new microphones positions, and the addition of polyphonic arcs, and incredible string library has only continued to cement its place as one of the best string libraries on the market today.

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Checking Out: New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle by 8Dio

It’s been almost three years since I reviewed the original Century Strings bundle. Century Strings instantly became by go-to library and nothing has yet taken its place in my template. With the New Century Strings 2.0, 8Dio have made some excellent additions that make an already fantastic string library even better. With polyphonic legato, polyphonic arcs, new mic positions, and a quick sketch ensemble edition, the New Century Strings 2.0 are back and better than ever before.

New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle normally sells for $598.00 from 8Dio

Thoughts

It’s been almost three years since Century Strings burst on to the sampled strings scene and became my instant go-to string library. Throughout acquiring numerous string libraries of various kinds from multiple developers, no other staple string library has yet clicked with me the way this library has.

Century Strings is expressive and filled with emotion, has numerous articulations, and is one of the only string libraries on the market to develop a set of completely realistic arc articulations (natural swells that are difficult to mimic by using MIDI CC programming alone). There is a “woody” tone to this library that has been hard for me to find elsewhere. So, when 8Dio announced (around 2 years ago!) that they were working on an extensive update, I didn’t see how it couldn’t be good.

Over the last several years, 8Dio have continued to develop new sampling and scripting methods that Century Strings 2.0 has now become the beneficiary of. With the incorporation of polyphonic legato, polyphonic arcs, traditional orchestral seating mixes, and an ensemble sketching tool, Century Strings remains at the top of my list of complete, emotional, and excellent string libraries. I was first introduced to 8Dio’s polyphonic arcs through their Legion series (66 Cellos). The polyphonic arcs in that library blew me away. Now, the polyphonic arcs within Century Strings 2.0 have done the same. Adding polyphonic capabilities to the arcs have just really put them over the top for me. This is as close as I’ve been able to get to having a complete string ensemble in my studio – it’s just fantastic. I do wish 8Dio had included the polyphonic arcs within the articulation matrix with the other articulations instead of inside a separate folder as individual articulations, but that’s a very minor complaint. I also wish the polyphonic arcs had a speed control like the normal arcs do, but again, that’s a small complaint about a fantastic, uber-realistic feature.

The legato has also now been upgraded to be polyphonic legato, which sounds so, so good. You can even get portamento out of multiple keys at the same time. One of the complaints about the original Century Strings release was that the instruments were not presented in their traditional orchestral seating position; they were all recorded in center position. Century Strings 2.0 now features two new mic mixes that do just this, placing the instruments into their traditional orchestral seating position. One mix is more intimate while the other is larger and geared more toward a blockbuster sound.

I could go on and on about this library. Suffice it to say that, for me, this is the gold standard of all my traditional string libraries. The New Century Strings 2.0 took an already fantastic string library and supercharged it with even more emotional and realism. To that, I simply say “Bravo, 8Dio!”

Facts

Weighing in at a whopping 287 GB installed (574 GB for download and install), the New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle comes with 3 different folders: Century Ensemble Strings v2, Century Sordino Strings v2, and Century Strings Lite. The New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle requires the full version of Kontakt 5.8 or later. The New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle is available from 8Dio for $598.00, or you can purchase each volume separately: Century Strings 2.0 Normale Edition for $448.00 and the New Century Strings 2.0 Sordino Edition for $348.00.

New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle normally sells for $598.00 from 8Dio

Demos of New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle by 8Dio

Videos of New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle by 8Dio

Contributor Raborn Johnson reviews New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle by 8Dio
“Almost three years ago, Century Strings instantly became my go-to string library. Since that time, 8Dio have continued to explore advanced scripting, and now the New Century Strings 2.0 Bundle has received the fruits of that exploration. With true polyphonic legato, new microphones positions, and the addition of polyphonic arcs, and incredible string library has only continued to cement its place as one of the best string libraries on the market today.”