Scoot

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]

thornton
why is z3ta 2 not included in platnium

Because it's an amazing, paid instrument that we spend time developing and supporting on it's own. The upgrade is $49 for Platinum customers which is a steal for such a great synth.

Sorry are you saying that the upgrade from x4 pro to Plat is a difference of $49 and that includes z3ta 2, or that Plat user can pay a further $49 and receive z3ta 2
 
I'm guessing the latter, but just checking.

The latter. Platinum customers can upgrade to Z3TA+ 2 for $49.

I have no issues with the membership model (if I have my head around it), I won't be using it, but it's another option for some.
 
Being I have 7 AD2 kits, I currently have no interest in 3 more, so this makes Plat. less appealing
 
From what I can see, x3 prod users get Rematrix Solo, and Anderton FX chains by upgrading to either Prof or Plat.
 
Features:
New! VocalSync in Plat only
New! Pattern Tool
New! FX Racks
New! Expanable Sends (this isn't a mistype by me, it from the features page)
New! Control Bar Enhancements
New! Mix Recall
New! Audio Snap Enhancements
FX Stacking
Expandable Sends
PRV Enhancements
MIDI Enhancements
Direct Stream Digital
Recycle/Pin Plugin Windows
Command Center
VST Enhancements
 
These are all nice but nothing is jumping out as must have but collectively they add up to a more flexable experience
 
So we have a new base if I understand right, that x4 won't become x5, but stay x4 with it developing in steps instead of jumps. So I can jump on when something really grabs me as more must have, or if something else changes. I may loose out on $50 off for the intro offer, but I may wait 6 months and join in after the dust has settled a few more things are added and have saved $100 for the 6 months wait. A year passes, I receive the new stuff that devolps since jumping in, and I can hold off a while until enough of the next wave of developments have me worth paying for another chunk.
 
I am unclear if this would amount to the same value as a version upgrade. If cake are going to look at bundling some fresh 3rd party stuff annually to make that appealing, because Play users would have the current stuff anyway. Or whether there will be a different pricing for having been a member for a year
 
My quandary now is, Plat or Prof? Vocal align looks interesting, but not alone enough, and the drum re placer being I don't use live drums is not expected to be of value to me.  What will happen if I go for Prof, and latter a Plat only development makes the upgrade from one to the other worth while. Will it be $50, will that jump entitle me to a XLN Artists 2 pak offer, as I'd already of had 1 AddPak with x4Prof.
 
It seems that Producer upgrades to new version of Producer have had a financial benefit making investing in the fully fledge version worth it in the long run, when the next big step occurs. I'd hate to save money now, just to pay out in over years time, taking x4 prof to the next chunk  Platinum.
 
I'm just hoping XLN come out with a some new Kits in the near future that will make Platinum suddenly a valid option for me, and save me any headaches
 
 
 

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]
The latter. Platinum customers can upgrade to Z3TA+ 2 for $49.

Cool, that's fair enough.

Scoot

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]
The latter. Platinum customers can upgrade to Z3TA+ 2 for $49.

Cool, that's fair enough.

As a Z3ta+2 owner I can vouch that $49 is indeed a steal, no need for further updates IMHO it works great as it is and I never had a single issue with it.

Is there a list of the bug fixes for this new release? If not, more importantly, will the bug list be available before
the intro price is up? The new features are not a selling point for me. Bug fixes would be however.

Ha! My mock-up of how I thought the control bar should work, from three years ago:
 

 
 
 
 

You overlooked the paint roller

Nice though - glad Cake was listening

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]

Greeny
This is what we have been waiting for? Well done gibson = bye bye customers. $149 for what exactly?

Not sure why you think this is bad. This is exactly the same as we've always done except now you'll be getting 12 months of membership which entitles you to even more features, fixes, updates and content. And you keep everything you own. Not sure what you are upset about. Essentially right now you'll be getting what would have been X4 and X5.

I think it would be more realistic to say you'll be getting what would have been x4e and x5a, translating to the release and bugfix model of the most recent cycle. Or another way of looking at it is you might receive a feature in month 11 of your subscription year's membership but it might not be fixed until month 13, meaning you would have to renew for another whole year to receive a bug fix that you can keep. (Is this su5p1cion about month 13 correct?)
 
I don't mean to say there's something wrong with the new plan, just that it might not be quite fair to call it two releases in one.
 
Edit: OK, in another post (edit: fixed) an answer has been found to my "month 13 question:

You wil continue to keep everything you own after the 12th month. So say you continue to renew for 6 more months and then decide for whatever reason that you don't want to be a member, you'd keep everything you received up until month 18. However, once you opt out, you'd have to do another 12 month membership or pay upfront.

Paul G
We get 12 months of 'Membership' for free this time around.  After that, we'll be paying it forward for the updates, fixes and new content etc., (upgrade plus patches).

 
I must be dense.  How can having to pay 100+$ upfront or 10+$ a month be considered free ?
 

Anderton
No, you don't have to pay an additional $200. The $150 you pay now gets you X4 and feature updates, not just patches, for a year. The updates and content that would have sat on the shelf after being developed over the next year would have become X5, but instead, you'll get them as they become ready for prime time over the next 12 months.

 
 
Yeah, but it'll be X5 with no updates until you pay the next 200$.  There hasn't been a patch-free version since I've been around (X3 didn't have 5 patches for nothing) so my argument stands :  X4 + X5 = 150 + 200 = 350$.
 
I'm not complaining, just trying to clarify things.  I also wonder about the new content that will be continuously appearing.  Just how much new stuff can you add to Sonar in a year ?  And every time you add something new, you can expect to have to patch it sooner or later.  It'll be interesting to see how often people will have to re-download Sonar during a year.
 
 
 

John T
Ha! My mock-up of how I thought the control bar should work, from three years ago:
 

 

 
Scary...     
 
 
 
 
PS... And one of my favorite "just by reading" features so far.