I like IK products and I think their marketing is pretty aggressive which tbh is what helps keep everyone in a job. I have quite a few of their products but have decided not to participate in the 32 bit sale of the year because I already have the sampletron and don't want miroslav or sampletank because they are just way too outdated and I think Kontakt has established itself as THE sample player to own. So I guess ST3 will need to be amazing whenever it turns up. I also think the European prices are too expensive.
Bibs

ohgrant
 
Real hard for me to be upset with IK at the moment, every man has his price and mine just happens to be a free opto-compressor.
 
Not sure how others went about authorizing it. All I had to do is click buy in the CS and it automatically downloaded and installed the opto. No serial number, everything was automatic. I like that.  The opto can be launched without the CS running just like paid T-rax versions. I played with it a bit, not sure what it is modeled after, a Fairchild? In any case for the time I spent with it, sure sounds good to me. Thanks IK

I have a lot of compressors but that one is still one of my favorites.  It's not a Fairchild by the way, they do have one of those though.

I ran through the presets on the Modern Tube Lead this morning and I thought the amp sim sounded very good.  Very usable for high gain or crunch.  I haven't had a chance to try the Opto-Compressor yet.  I have been so busy with the amp sims that I haven't demo'd any of the T-Racks equipment.  I continuously hear good things about T Racks, however.

MachineClaw
uh Amplitube 3 has had 13 patches/updates in 3 years.  I'd call that fixing and supporting the product.
 
6 updates/fixes for T-Racks.
 
using your numbers.
 
I think your being a bit hyper critical.  considering that Sonar hasn't had a X2b patch to fix the problems.
 
I'd say IK are doing better than Cakewalk.
 
I'm not a huge fan of IK but come on, they have released hardware, software functionality , new products and bug patches.
 
What do you need in Amplitube 4 or T-rack CS extreme 4 (sorry to many versions to remember what exact version they are on)???????
 
iCrap sells.  Sells a LOT.  It is big business.  would you be happy if they just dropped the iCrap line and went out of business?

Yup, we have added tons of features and leaned out the performance for better CPU usage and less RAM usage along the way. WITHOUT charging you for it. Think about how many others charge for major updates that are mainly full of bug fixes, some of the biggest in the Industry treat these updates as their bread and butter. We prefer to focus on actual gear models and give you a version that works on all systems. Something we are bringing to our VIs next...
 
 

MakeShift
I don't get the hostility either Machine Claw. Pod Farm has not had any significant updates since Line 6 switched to the HD series of amp modeler s. I've basically dropped them and don't use their sims any more. IMO Amp3 has significantly passed them up in this time frame with the new releases of Orange, Fender, Hendrix and some of the newer high gain amps like Solando and Jet City. I don't really care whether they call it Amplitube 3,4 or 5, as long as they keep adding sims.

I actually think their packaging adds benefit to me. I don't own the actual Amplitube 3 sims, only the specialty packages like Orange and Fender. I got to choose which part of the program I wanted and didn't have to pay for a bunch of other amp sims I probably would never use.

 

clintmartin
@makeshift....This has been my approach also. I have Fender, Ampeg and use my Jam points to buy credits and add what ever effects or mics I may want. It works for me. 

This has been the BIGGEST thing people are/have been saying about the Custom Shop. The à la carte styled shop has been a huge plus for many. Instead of needing the whole collection, people pick and choose on what they want, need and as those needs change they can go back and add as they go and grow as musicians.
 
Not to mention for T-Racks, its far easier to install a new plug in with 1 Custom Shop installation to install 2-20 different individual T-Racks models at once instead of 20 different installers and so on. Plus across the board updates. When AAX was released it was for everything, including our CSR models. Before they'd have to wait til we got to them, now its a lot easier across the board for us too. Its a great system and we are still working to improve it.
 

gmon72
While I don't feel hostile about IK, I personally find it a little frustrating that every big sale or giveaway clearly caters to new users.  Something like 50% off all gear for a week or something would satisfy all users instead of making the giveaways gear that is part of AT3 or Tracks Grand, etc.  I have bought many IK products aside from some of the recently (last year +) AT 3 or Tracks gear that is not part of a bundle (Trex pedals, carvin amp, etc.) and these rarely if ever go on "sale."  I really don't like having to back into a sale by loading up on gear credits when the credits are on sale.
 
Speaking of which, I know IK has pointed to the Microsoft XBox credit system in the past as precedent for its system.  Looks like Microsoft is dropping its system.
http://www.theverge.com/2013/8/9/4607312/xbox-360-dropping-microsoft-points-for-real-currency
 
None of this is the end of the world, just a customer who spends a lot of money on audio gear, who would prefer not be annoyed while trying to spend money. speaking :)
 
I know Obi and Peter don't make these decisions, so it's not fair to direct frustration at them; plus they are paid go "rah rah rah" and cheer everything IK does. (I get it, I have a job too!)  However, it would be nice to get a statement from a decision maker at IK once and awhile.

 
Interesting, I'm going to be very honest. (Hope this doesn't bite me...)

We have had sales on our Gear Credits in the past (earlier this year actually) as well as given them away packed with other products. The beauty of this was explained above, but even better is that as new things are released, they can also be added without us having to redo a whole product box or package to update them. Its simply the Custom Shop and inside of it are TONS of options and possibilities.

I handle IK's social media along with Peter. We both work together and go back and forth all the time across multiple forums, social networks and websites answering for IK Multimedia. In other words, we are the mouthpiece of IK online. This means that the higher ups and the developers are giving us answers all the time one on one. So if it comes from us, you can bet it comes from the decision makers at IK. We can pass along the word to them as we frequently do, but the decisions are still theirs.
 
And one final point, I don't get paid to go Rah, rah, rah for IK. I get the pleasure of being paid to do something I was doing before I worked for IK. I wrote tons of reviews on the entire IK VI library before working for IK and a few of their apps before working for them. I was specific in comparing Miroslav Philharmonik to my own experiences in playing in orchestras since I was 12 years old, comparing my original hardware to their sample libraries of the same gear and fell in love with AmpliTube Fender. (I got caught up for 2 hours making my way through the first three presets, for TWO hours) T-Racks had just released the Pultec and Fairchild emulations and I loved what the Opto compressor did on background vocals and my acoustic guitar.
 
You know whats even crazier? I got IK's attention (Or the rep that used to do what I currently do now at least...) by calling her stupid on another popular forum I used to moderate. Flat out stupid. I didn't believe ARC would work compared to acoustic treatment and thought I was all knowing off of a few articles/videos written by a popular owner of an acoustics company (Meaning ARC was a threat to his business and his $ bottom line). She checked out my music, realized I wasn't a total dipsh*t as my music was up to par and not just randomly attacking her. She took the time to explain ARC, I tried it and was sold.

I don't tell that story often, just thought I'd let you know I wasn't always for IK. Having played music since I was a kind and well into my second decade now at a still young 25 (26 later this month...) I always trusted my ears. I realized at a young age I heard things differently and with more detail than others as I was gigging paid gigs in Jr. High, by High school I had consistent money by doing so and working for a local (Huge music chain that rhymes with sitar mentor and technicians mend...) music companies and gigs. In my humble, not IK paid at the time, opinion IK sounded great. Eventually I had to stop writing reviews as people would have considered me biased now that I work for IK. So I've kind of left the site on the wayside, but do plan on redoing it to showcase my music and work.
 
Fast forward 4ish years and here I am. Talking to you. The mouthpiece of IK. ;)

dke
I would say IK is better than most at giving customers both new & existing than most as well as keeping their software up to date, ST3 aside.  If you already have everything they sell (that you're interested in) just what kind of deal are you expecting them to give you? 
 
Odd's are a good portion of what you do have was obtained during group sales that give a ridiculous amount of software away for free, to both existing and new customers, more than I've seen any other company do with their flagship products.
 
IK have decided to go the ala carte system with CS and apparently most like it.  They don't need an Amp 4+, TRacks 10 etc, they just need to keep the core programs updated which they are doing, there's plenty of new Amplitube/Tracks stuff to buy if you want it.  ST3 will probably be the same.
 
Who are you to tell them what to develop for in the first place?  They could easily have decided to exit the PC business and concentrate fully iStuff, they haven't there has been plenty of PC development in the last 3+ years,  they don't owe you or me anything and it isn't our place to tell them how to run their business.
 
I'm not an IK fanboi, in fact I haven't bought anything new IK has put out since they began their CustomShop, just don't care for the model, but I'm certainly not going to bad mouth them for no rational reason which is what it seems to me, you're doing.
 
Dan
 

Just an FYI, when the first iRig blew up, before the Custom Shop happened, this was seriously on the table. We didn't go that route. We have stuck to creating the best sounding software we can on multiple platforms and growing with hardware, accessories and new updates/releases regularly. Something we are super excited for, especially in the last quarter of the year.

Thank you for the kind words, when I started doing this I had a really bad time dealing with all the negativity. I was thin skinned and a bit naive, making my day to day grind very hard. As I've grown and realized that everyone posts anonymously they say things they wouldn't exactly say to ones face, I've been able to focus on the positive and continue seeing positive things come from IK. Posts like this made my days easier when I started and still make me smile. Thanks for that. :)
 

ohgrant
 
Real hard for me to be upset with IK at the moment, every man has his price and mine just happens to be a free opto-compressor.
 
Not sure how others went about authorizing it. All I had to do is click buy in the CS and it automatically downloaded and installed the opto. No serial number, everything was automatic. I like that.  The opto can be launched without the CS running just like paid T-rax versions. I played with it a bit, not sure what it is modeled after, a Fairchild? In any case for the time I spent with it, sure sounds good to me. Thanks IK

The opto was always one of my favorites as I've mentioned in many threads. Its still my go to on acoustic instruments and vocals. Super clean, clear and entirely an IK original. The story goes like this:

IK's CTO (Chief Technical Officer, he's been the main guy inventing this stuff since the 90s) was working on a hardware mixer and wanted to see if he could write dsp for this mixer in the box. Thus was born the original T-Racks Classic modules. Based on a mixer he was fixing in Italy. Well since he is very skilled in hardware he has a couple of custom pieces he's made himself, an opto compressor being one of them. So one day he brought it in to model and thus was born the opto compressor. That's an IK original, even the hardware its modeled on is IK all day!

I like the Custom Shop.  Should I get therapy?

vintagevibe
I like the Custom Shop.  Should I get therapy?

I'd stick with the freebies first. Way cheaper than therapy. ;)
 

gmon72
Thanks for the thoughtful response Obi. Hopefully IK will continue to follow Microsoft by doing away with credits and just selling gear for real currency.

Of course, I want to answer any and all questions I can around these parts. :)
 
As for us changing to real currency, I'll be sure to notate it with our other requests/suggestions.

We can't make everyone happy, I've long given up on that. But, still glad we can make a few people's day with some freebies in the Custom Shop. Plus, we have some big improvements on the way when it comes to usability and functionality as well.

I'll pass that along, but it is designed after the actual hardware he made and designed. So it wouldn't surprise me if the Hardware compressor has needle meters.

That was happening to me as well with the Amplitube CS when I first downloaded it. I ended up having to delete, down load and install again to get it to work.

Hmmm...I've never had that problem.