carl
Their site is on 'maintenance'
Releasing 8.5 today

Ok, so I watched all the videos I could find.
 
So among the new features, [some of which are fairly neat], I don't actually see a reason for me to update to this version, which I was otherwise actually quite looking forward to.
 
I never use any loops [call me old fashion but I still and always will play all my parts out on actual instruments]; I never use the Media Bay; I have yet to even try Retrologue 1, let alone have any need for version 2; I don't collaborate at a distance with anyone, and the current VST Connect in 8.0.30 was something I had yet to use, but looked sufficient as is.
 
Th other short cuts and menu enhancements are fine, but whether I click the 'new way' here a couple of times or the 'old way' there a couple of times really doesn't matter to me and hence doesn't change anything from my current perspective.
 
I never use punch in or out either, nor the chord tracks or pads, since I'm a piano player first and foremost, so no troubles with chords, progressions and ideas for me there.
 
But I can see how these things would be a benefit to others, particularly those who do use loops and pre-recorded samples, etc. and hope that many will utilize these new improvements.
 
None jump off the page for me right now - but that's just me.
 
8.0.30 is running very nicely, and I don't want to 'wake the giant' so I'm just gonna leave it as is and look forward to 9.0.
 
Meanwhile, I'll take my $50, and put it into Sean Costello's new 'Plate verb' instead, which has received some really nice feedback here. 
 
Thanks for the info Carl.

I figure I'd get it now & use the new features until V9 comes around. I'll pay $49.99 upgrade from 8.5. instead of the full $99.99 from 8.0. It's just a matter of time either way.
Nothing I couldn't live without using 8.0 though.. So far import tracks from projects is nice although I wish it included groups.
Haven't tried many of the new features yet, plus I'm working on projects in Plat as well.


I picked up the Valhalla plate too but haven't used it much. I got Reverberate v2 at the same time & that's getting used more atm. Both excellent products.

jimusic
Ok, so I watched all the videos I could find.
 
So among the new features, [some of which are fairly neat], I don't actually see a reason for me to update to this version, which I was otherwise actually quite looking forward to.
 
I never use any loops [call me old fashion but I still and always will play all my parts out on actual instruments]; I never use the Media Bay; I have yet to even try Retrologue 1, let alone have any need for version 2; I don't collaborate at a distance with anyone, and the current VST Connect in 8.0.30 was something I had yet to use, but looked sufficient as is.
 
Th other short cuts and menu enhancements are fine, but whether I click the 'new way' here a couple of times or the 'old way' there a couple of times really doesn't matter to me and hence doesn't change anything from my current perspective.
 
I never use punch in or out either, nor the chord tracks or pads, since I'm a piano player first and foremost, so no troubles with chords, progressions and ideas for me there.
 
But I can see how these things would be a benefit to others, particularly those who do use loops and pre-recorded samples, etc. and hope that many will utilize these new improvements.
 
None jump off the page for me right now - but that's just me.
 
8.0.30 is running very nicely, and I don't want to 'wake the giant' so I'm just gonna leave it as is and look forward to 9.0.
 
Meanwhile, I'll take my $50, and put it into Sean Costello's new 'Plate verb' instead, which has received some really nice feedback here. 
 
Thanks for the info Carl.

I could just about have written the exact same thing - these comments are totally on the mark.  I'm quite disappointed that there's not a single cannot-live-without feature mentioned in the new-features videos.  Better flexibility in placement of group and FX tracks is the only thing that even gets my juices flowing even a little.  And I bet you still will not be able to reorder tracks in the mixer view.
 
Well, at least we can continue to complain about the absence of Bezier curves in automation for at least another year.

The new workflow features with the midi and drum editors look cool as does the independent punch in from the cycles. Nothing earth shattering but some of the features look like worth having.

$149 for me to upgrade from 7.5 to 8.5.  think I will hold out til 9.  no new features that I cannot live without and 7.5 works just fine for me.
 

My take is that the .5 upgrades divide my yearly upgrade in to 2 payments and lets me learn less new features at once.  It's a no brainer for me.

vintagevibe
My take is that the .5 upgrades divide my yearly upgrade in to 2 payments and lets me learn less new features at once.  It's a no brainer for me.

 
Yeah, I feel the same.  In this case, however, although I will buy it, I'm in no hurry to install and use it.  I'll let other early adopters go through the grief of finding the things that don't work.  When 8.5.2 is released, then I'll switch.

jimusic
I have yet to even try Retrologue 1

Retrologue is a gem. One of the only 3rd party synths I bothered to install when I upgraded the studio computer. I love that plug-in.

Hmmm... I'll defintely spent some time with it Rain. Thanks.