In reply to Tyler Eaves.

+1. I've now taken to using NotePerformer for all full orchestra scores. Despite the fact that VSL bring higher quality samples, NP produces a much more musical end result than the SE version at any rate which is what normal mortals are able to run (which doesn't mean that Vienna doesn't have a place in smaller ensembles where the emphasis is more on individual timbre rather than musical ensemble).

For what it's worth, I come strongly down on the side of Tyler and others who regard a good playback engine as an essential part of notation software. NotePerformer has this intelligence built in (at least to some degree) but if the notation software was able to make musical sense of conventional sample libraries, it would be a huge step forward. Not everyone is able to get complex works for full orchestra performed by live musicians for instance.