Anderton

ramscapri
Why $79 even for Platinum users ? Shouldn't it have been a free update as part of the new model ? Whats the point ? After all the upgrades and updates and new models and all that taking us upto Platinum by shelling out dough, why again $79 for Platinum users ? It should have been part of the monthly upgrade system for Platinum owners
 
This will simply play as a deterrent and discouragement to renewing the annual membership. Why would I want to renew if I am charged additionally for upgrades to synths that are part of CW's main lot and which I have been owning and using for ages ?!

Two important points.
 
1. The Membership program is a SONAR membership program, not an "everything Cakewalk makes" membership program. The instruments were included with SONAR as later add-ons, they are not part of the core program.
2. Do the math...the cost of the year-long membership is $149-$199 depending on when you buy. Rapture Pro goes for $99. That uses up half of what you paid for and doesn't leave much for spending on new SONAR features, fixes, and content.
 
If someone has spents $$$ on lots of 3rd party virtual instruments and is part of the SONAR membership program, I'm sure they'd rather see what they spent go toward SONAR improvements than more instruments.
 
 

1. If it was a completely new instrument, I go by that. But Rapture Pro is a build on Rapture and Dim Pro I believe, should have been an update, at least to Platinum users, Platinum currently being the top-of-the-line purchase model.
2. I didn't suggest at all that in providing Rapture Pro with the Platinum model, the core program improvements be compromised by any extent whatsoever. Over and above the core improvements is what I meant, not compensatory.

Having purchased DimPro, Rapture, Zeta2 and various add-ons separately, and being a Producer level ProAudio/Sonar/SPlat consumer, I also am very interested to see what is new in this hybrid. I, too, own ZebraHZ and the late, great Alchemy, among others.

I have no issues purchasing new software if it is good. Of course, there is always a risk the software may be offered at a discount or bundled free in the future. Cakewalk has done this with all of their synths; U-He never does. Different business strokes for different business folks. Both offer discounts for early adoption.

It's a question of paying for the latest competitive edge. A hybrid of DimPro/Rapture/ seems redundant to me, and the EDM spin is not enough to pry open my wallet. Perhaps some raw patches and synth process descriptors would be more intriguing. Sampling, Granular, Wavetable, FM, Additive, Subtractive, Monkeylazers, tin can and strings....???

AF

cparmerlee
1) Is this synth restricted to SONAR only or will it work as a general VST?

 
My understanding is that Rapture is a general VST (the 'Sonar only' variants of VSTs pretty much always clearly indicate this in their name).
 

2) Does it support a 32-bit VST2 interface (for example) in addition to VST3, for compatibility with other programs that aren't as up-to-date on the interfaces?

 
Just found this info on t'Cakewalk website:
 
"Formats: VST2i, VST3i, Standalone Version (32 or 64Bit)"
 
Nice!  No VST3 ftw
 

maybe introduce a "everything Cakewalk makes" membership option?

It's not fair cakewalk should pay me to use their new synth ..... Er....

kitekrazy1
 
 I like that they are doing this but I'm at the point I don't need another synth in my life.

I know exactly what you're saying, but it sounds, and look awesome...
 
And at $99, I am sorely tempted to invest :D

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]
Rapture and Dimension Pro combined but with an adaptive workflow and GUI along with new sounds and features. The GUI has also been redesigned and adapts depending on what you are doing (composition, live performance, sound design).
 
Check out the web pages and sound examples. Very powerful synth and we are excited to finally announce it.

Please see if you can get Anderton to do a basic sound design demo/tutorial using Rapture Pro. 

cparmerlee
Several questions that may be obvious, but I don't see them addressed above:
1) Is this synth restricted to SONAR only or will it work as a general VST?
2) Does it support a 32-bit VST2 interface (for example) in addition to VST3, for compatibility with other programs that aren't as up-to-date on the interfaces?
3) Will the Platinum price be available when the program actually ships or is this a "you must act now" offer?

 It's VST/AU, works in any host that supports those formats. It will work as 32- or 64-bit on Windows. And yes, the intro price will be available through the end of May. We'll be shipping before that.

mudgel

Andrew Rossa [Cakewalk]

mudgel
After many years of parity or near parity with between Australian and US currency the 30% difference at the moment is putting software/hardware for overseas out my reach. Gonna have to pass this one.

What's your expectation for pricing for Rapture Pro, just curious...

I'm not suggesting that Rapture is badly priced, just for those of us in Australia, everything is at at a premium when incomes haven't changed. I'm retired and on a pension so the difference between $79 and $105 in real terms is significant but to be honest I probably wouldn't buy Rapture Pro at any price at the moment because I have some debts to clear first. I started with Platinum on the monthly plan. Only an eBay sale of some of my studio gear allowed me to change to annual. In fact all my software acquisitions in the last year have been eBay financed.

Ok, I was just trying to understand a little more. We've made great strides to try and offer price parity on our store and support more local currencies.

ramscapri

jih64
Since the new way of doing things with the membership program, there seems to be a number of people, from what I have read, who are expecting things, everything for nothing, I mean yeah, if cakewalk said Rapture Pro was going to be a freebie, sure, thank you very much, but Come on, to expect it ?

I think we are getting more than enough stuff virtually for free already, and am thankful for that. As I have said before, if all I was getting was regular updates/bug fixes, and no added extras, I would be quite happy, and still think that what I got for the money I paid was a bargain.

The more you give some people the more they want, I don't get it. I'm quite happy to pay the $79 ($105 AUD) for Rapture Pro I think that seems like a steal, I'd still buy it at twice the price, like I've paid for other synths.

Id rather be thankful for the things we get, thankful for the fact that we get it for $79/$99, (Cake don't even HAVE to do that) instead of ****ing and moaning that everything should be free, I wonder if those who think it should all be free, would be so willing to give away the fruits of their work for nothing ?

Thank you Cakewalk, love your work

Doesn't make sense. The point is that if it's given as part of the new model, it's actually not for free, it's priced already. All I am saying is it seems unfair that it's priced additionally for people on the new model, in particular the Platinum users. Isn't the whole point that you pay for the updates on a regular basis versus the previous way where we use to do point-in-time upgrades ? It's not about expecting something new here, that was what the new model was supposed to provide. And "The more you give some people the more they want..." doesn't apply here because if that were the case, nobody would have ever upgraded to the new model paying the annual price for it. Many people would have considered that it should have been a free "X3f" update or something.
I didn't suggest for a moment that Cake give it free to one and all.
 
And by the way, there are many including me who do at times give away the fruits of their work for free, its a good feeling...
 
And there's no denying all the great stuff we have got and all the good work that Cakewalk is doing...this is not about the technical efforts...its about how you shape a payment model and then it sort of turns an other way...

Our SONAR team primarily focuses on SONAR and features that enhance the experience. In the coming months, we'll have a Drum Replacer tool that is elegantly integrated into the program. This could have been something we sold, but we wanted it to be part of SONAR and felt it was a great fit for the program.

We also have a separate DSP team that focuses on Instruments and FX. They work independently of SONAR and make products that reach more customers outside of just the SONAR world. These are considered new products, even though they do work in SONAR. Having a SONAR Membership doesn't mean you get everything that Cakewalk makes forever. There's a roadmap for SONAR and then there's a roadmap for new products that we will sell. Every company does this and the reason is so they can support these new initiatives.

If we just gave everything away for free, we'd be out of business (to put it more bluntly). We think the upgrades are priced pretty fairly. Obviously, it's hard to make everyone happy but we try to pick the best path that will make the majority of folks happy customers. And we try to reach out to customers who are not to explain our position.