I'm also a big fan of the Noire - probably my overall favorite VST at this point. It took a little while to warm up to it, as I found that most of the factory presets weren't to my liking. But once I figured out how to tweak the sound settings and velocity, I found it to be incredibly playable and expressive, and possibly the most sonically attractive of any virtual piano I've tried. I still find it somewhat amazing how they managed to make the basic tone so malleable and customizable while avoiding any hint of sonic degradation, extraneous noise, or artificialness. And all in a package that is a fraction of the data footprint of some other VST's I have.
If you're a fan of the Noire you might also like some of the other NI Galaxy pianos, especially the Grandeur, which I believe was produced by the same team that recorded the Noire, and shares many of the same characteristics. It's based off of a Hamburg Steinway, and if anything, the tone is even warmer and more even than the Noire. The basic tone is similarly tweakable, though it doesn't have some of the more crazy options that the Noire does. Some people find it too "plain vanilla" for their liking, which I get, but I personally think it's one of the most attractive, playable, and under-appreciated VST's out there, and a very nice compliment to the Noire. NI sells it in a package with 2 other pianos (Maverick and Gentleman), which are also excellent, and if you can get the whole bundle for half price during a promotional sale ($99) I can't think of a better deal out there.
That being said, I've long been curious about the VSL libraries, and have been seriously considering taking the plunge with the Bosendorfer Imperial, assuming that it would be another level up from Noire in terms of realism and playability. But this thread is making me rethink that assumption... 🤔
