impulse purchase...I hate the internet
Yeah, I definitely agree. Turn off everything in the FX. The samples are good, the effects sound like you paid $100 for drum sounds, and $1.75 for all effects.
I would totally recommend Transient Monster for help with the snare crack thing. I can't remember the last time I didn't use it on the snare bus.
I have both SSD and EZD/SD. I tried and tried to like SSD (got it for free from SS himself!!) but I couldn't wrap my head around all the work to get them to play nicely. I started out with EZD and it was so simple, kind of spoiled me for anything else. I recently cross-graded to Superior Drummer and I enjoy the added processing I can do with them. I'm still coming up to speed on it, but there's so much you can do... or not do and they still sounds great.
For my feeble mind, getting EZD/SD into a work flow is so much simpler. And I'd rather spend my time scratching my head over anew song than scratching my head on how to get software to work.
I've not tried the other brands....but I do have both EZ Drummer and Superior Drummer, and really think that Toontrack made a couple of great products.
I had EZ for awhile, but never really used it, and then when I finally decided to mess around with it, I almost immediately added SD, and never went back EZ, though I have a bunch of EZ drum packs that I use with the SD player/mixer.
EZ is just that easy.
SD is not that hard at all to figure out, but it does give you more pro options to mess with and much more control over the individual kit elements. EZ is great if you just want a quick drum track without a lot of work, but if you want the same control as if you miked up a kit with individual mics and had each recorded to it's own track, then SD is the better way to go. I also have some of the SD add-on drum packs, so I've got at least a dozen or more kits I can now assemble from the EZ/SD packs.
I have Addictive and I'll admit I struggle constantly to get a decent enough snare sound out of it... otherwise I like it... but maybe it's user error if no-one else has similar issues...
My 2 cents;
I use Addictive Drums when programming drums for clients, previous to recording live drums or when using them for the actual recording. I find I can get close to the sound needed quickly. EZ Drummer was my first muse, but after moving to AD it just became closer to what worked for me.
I still use Steven Slate Trigger Platinum samples to replace the snare always. I have never found a snare on AD that I liked. EZD snares were never even close IMO.
Keep in mind, that the particular genre that a drum program is needed for, has much to do with what samples/platform will work. Not to mention which particular kit you are using.
To make a programmed drum track 'believable' takes a buttload of work. Still, I rather play live cymbals along with any drum program I have used to make it even close to sounding real.
I have only experience with SSD, AD, and EZDrummer.