Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra vs Kontakt 8
Specs, price and the Dubspot Score, side by side — with our verdict on which sampler to buy.
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Which should you buy?
On the Dubspot Score, Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra comes out ahead (8.8). That said, the right pick depends on your workflow and budget — read both reviews before deciding.
Specs compared
| Spitfire Audio BBC Symphony Orchestra | Kontakt 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free+ | $299 |
| Dubspot Score | 8.8 | 8.7 |
| Formats | VST, VST3, AU, AAX | Standalone, VST3, AU (macOS), AAX |
| Library family | BBC Symphony Orchestra Discover / Core / Professional | — |
| Orchestra | BBC Symphony Orchestra (Maida Vale heritage recordings) | — |
| Player | Dedicated Spitfire Audio plugin (VST/VST3/AU/AAX); Spitfire Audio App required for install | — |
| Discover size | ~240MB package; ~34 instruments, ~47 techniques, 1 mix signal | — |
| Core size | ~28.2GB; ~44 instruments, ~344 techniques, curated mix signal, legatos for melodic instruments | — |
| Professional size | ~630GB class install; ~57 instruments, ~468 techniques, ~12 mics / 3 mixes, ~20 signals | — |
| Discover price | Free (Core/Pro owners also receive Discover) | — |
| Core list price | £399 (confirm regional pricing/sales) | — |
| Professional list price | £899 (confirm regional pricing/sales) | — |
| Discover extras | Now includes BBCSO Piano (per Spitfire product messaging) | — |
| Platforms | macOS & Windows 64-bit; Intel and Apple silicon supported; recommend multi-core CPU + 16GB RAM class systems | — |
| NKS | NKS ready / compatible (edition dependent) | — |
| macOS formats (64-bit) | — | Standalone, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Windows formats (64-bit) | — | Standalone, VST3, AAX |
| Factory Library 2 | — | 40 GB ready-to-use instrument toolset included |
| CPU / RAM | — | Intel Core i5 or equivalent / Apple Silicon; 4 GB RAM (6 GB recommended) |
| Disk space | — | 2 GB free; 52 GB for complete installation |
| Free Player version | — | Kontakt 8 Player hosts NI and third-party Kontakt instruments at no cost |
See the full plugin database for more comparisons.