• Software
  • Magix Announces ACID Pro 8 (p.2)
2018/04/24 19:56:10
msorrels
Well I've played with a bit more and my initial thoughts are pretty much unchanged.  They just recompiled it and shoe horned in some color changes and new icons (that aren't what I'd call pro or high quality).  They didn't actually address any of the issues nor did they improve or modernize anything.  It's still ACID, but then so was 7.0.  The 64bitness is a win, but they had 10 years.
 
It no longer has Quicktime support (since there is no 64bit Quicktime) and thus it can't load MP4s or MOV files.  I had thought they would do what they did with Vegas but no.  There is a Quicktime IO provider DLL (in a format Sony/SF never documented publicly, so you can't write your own) but it doesn't seem to work/do anything.  Perhaps it is 32bit only (yes the 32bit version is still selectable when you install).  So compared to 7.0 there is actually less video support.  They could have added ffmpeg support and gotten a ton of video support, but again, no.
 
Oddly enough in the directory it installs is the old 7.0 ACID_readme.htm file.  They didn't even bother making one for 8.0
 
It still has commands to publish to Acid Planet, which I guess is still running.  Odd they didn't try and funnel stuff to MAGIX offerings.
 
I still love the paint loops UI mechanism and have often wished SONAR, Cubase, Repear or Abelton would have some option to work that way.
 
They could have done so much more.  If I had done the trial I wouldn't have bothered buying the upgrade.  I would recommend that they quit offering/remove the trial, all it will do is convince people not to buy this.
2018/04/24 20:37:56
abacab
Thanks Matt.  I'll just fire up Acid Pro 6 if I get the urge to paint loops. 
2018/04/25 02:01:25
dubdisciple
I used to fire up Acid every now and then because for years it did a few unique things quickly.  At this point though, damn near every program does what Acid does, but better and faster. other programs actually handle acidized loops better than Acid now. I'll pass.  I'm not even sure i would upgrade at $49
2018/04/26 00:45:15
kitekrazy1
msorrels
So I bought the upgrade, more for old times sake than need.  I still love ACID and how it worked and what doors it opened for me.  The new UI isn't all that new or good, it's at best a bad coat of paint.  They seemed to have made little or no changes to how it all works.  If it was awkward or bad in Pro 7.0, it's still awkward and bad in 8. 
 
None of the new plugins seem to work outside of it (though I didn't even try the effects just the VSTis).  There aren't really that many included plugins to be honest, they have a "rompler" and a set of sounds for it, based on Yellow Tools Independence.  It's not very impressive.  A weak synth and a slice player without a lot of features.
 
Video support is limited to AVI and WMV files.
 
The MIDI editor appears to be the same as it was (though my memory isn't that good on the details).
 
It seemed to have a lot of trouble scanning all my Native Instrument plugins.  Had to kill the scanner a few times to get it to go through, but I was able to select each one in the Failed list and rescan it and get them added.  I suspect the problem has to do with Visual C++ Runtimes and or shared libraries.  Oddly enough their own plugins didn't make it through the scan and had to be rescaned.  But again I suspect it's one or more of my other plugins that caused the problem.  The sfvstserver app runs two processes, the first one uses less memory and starts another as the actual scanner.  If that one hangs (it hanged for every NI plugin I have, which is a lot) you can kill it and it will continue on.  Pretty much the same thing I saw with SF12 trial.
 
To get the instruments and loops you have to use a menu item under Help menu, "Download instruments and Loop Collections"  The loops they include aren't very impressive compared to what Sonic Foundry/Sony used to ship.  MAGIX isn't exactly artist friendly with their licensing either.  I'm not even sure I can use any of the loops they include.  They do send you a code to purchase one of five packages on their store, it appears the code works with buying the commercial unlimited use version, which I guess is something.
 
It doesn't really scale to my 4k monitor very well. But then most DAWs don't so I'm not sure I should give them that hard a time over it.  Most of the dialogs and non-main screen are still using classic Windows UI.  It's not really fully themed.
 
The upgrade should have been $49.99 at most.  It is 64bit which I guess is something, but not much more than that.  I'm hoping to find some other minor improvements but so far its all about the 64bit and the bad UI make over.




 So did you install all of the bloat? Seems like the loops are not worth it.  There's supposedly some included instruments. Do they have options to install the bloat off the C drive?
2018/04/26 02:02:44
msorrels
I installed everything.  It installed all the "content" to my MAGIX Content dir which is off my C: drive.  I don't remember it asking me where the MAGIX content drive was though, I think that got set way back when I installed the MAGIX Music Maker app.
 
The "instruments" are just sample sets for the Rompler (Vita) they include.  Here's the top level directories of the loops (9gigs worth):
  • EDM - Discharge
  • HipHop - Official
  • Metal - Heaven's Call
  • Pop Rock - New World
  • Rhythm and SFX Collection
  • Trap - Future Bass Anthem
 
Here's the instruments:
  • Analog Synths
  • Choir
  • Church Organ
  • Cinematic Synth
  • Concert Grand
  • Concert Grand LE
  • Drum Engine
  • Electric Bass
  • Electric Piano
  • Jazz Drums
  • Pop Drums
  • Rock Drums
  • Urban Drums
  • Vintage Organ
  • Vita
 
None of it is worth keeping really.  And the plugins only work in it, so no general usefulness.
2018/04/26 05:06:27
TheSteven
I bought the Humble Bundle Sound of Music and only installed Acid Pro 7 & SOUND FORGE Pro 11.
Am I missing anything of value in the rest?
2018/04/26 11:05:07
msorrels
MAGIX Music Maker isn't really worth installing.  I wanted to see what it was like, but given the license on their soundpacks (non-commercial) I don't think it's really worth using in general. 
 
I skipped the Sound Of Music bundle though so I'm not sure what it has.  I picked up the video one which is how I got Music Maker.  I suspect the next time I go through and purge things that aren't worth keeping, I'll uninstall it.
 
2018/12/09 18:03:01
kitekrazy1
 Still on the fence about getting the upgrade.
 
 I know some prefer the original color scheme.
 
 The major difference is 64bit support.  I don't think I would use Acid to where it exceeds the 4gb limit. Major developers still install 32bit by default (Waves, Melda).  Most modern softsynths still install 32bit like Sylenth, NI, Image Line. 
2018/12/10 12:33:46
kennywtelejazz
       
 
 
Kenny
 
 
 
2018/12/10 14:00:34
msorrels
Does ACID 7 still work on your computer?  If it does I'd say it all boils down to how much you want to use 64bit plugins without jBridge in ACID.  They still haven't added VST3 support.  They have done a couple of updates but none that added anything (or maybe I can't remember and I can't seem to find a detailed change log).
 
It's not bad really, it is pretty much ACID 7 recompiled for 64bits with some bad color changes.  And I do love ACID a lot, still even today.  And no Cakewalk/SONAR/Cubase/Ableton/REAPER none of them even come close to the workflow ACID has.  They all can do the same basic things with loops sure, but not quite the way ACID does it.
 
They appear to be bundling it with other products now, most likely because it's not selling all that well.  At one point SF/Sony considered ACID Pro a professional level DAW.  I don't think Magix thinks of it that way.
 
I think you could spend the money on other things and be just as happy.  I'm certainly not using it myself even though I love how it works.
 
 
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