Just as the music industry is having to deal with the fact that fewer and fewer people are now buying albums on CD, sample producers are having to accept that, for many of us, a download is preferable to a shiny disc.
This being the case, we can see the logic of websites such as Sounds to Sample, a new resource that sells sample collections from some of the biggest companies in the business.
The site is being run by the team behind sound design company Sample Magic and features not just their own content, but also titles from the likes of Best Service and Zero-G. Samples from up-and-coming sound designers are also available.
The good news is that it's possible to buy content in just the format that you need (eg, Apple Loops, WAV, REX) meaning that you don't have to waste money on duplicated material that you'll never use.
The not so good news is that you still have to buy titles in their entirety - it would be nice to see a site that enabled customers to audition and buy samples individually in the style of Apples iTunes Store.
Still, Sounds to Sample looks pretty slick and is certainly worth a browse.
