• Software
  • (Resolved) XLN upgrade path confusing?
2014/12/29 12:23:26
Thatsastrat
I find the upgrade path that XLN (AD2) has is very confusing.
Ok the two upgrade options listed are straight forward enough, just upgrade to AD2 or upgrade with option for additional ad pack.
Where the waters get muddier is with the holiday sales offerings with the bundles.
I purchased the Fairfax 1 and 2 bundle thinking that this would upgrade me to AD2 along with the Fairfax kits.
No so. Although I do have AD2 now, with the Fairfax kits, it's not considered an upgrade. So none of the content I have with AD1 will migrate over to AD2. So now it looks like I need to shell out another $80 to get the upgrade. I just find it very confusing, as I am sure others have been confused as well. It would have been nice in regards to the bundles if it would have stated that they were not considered as upgrades, and  I would not have purchased it, I would have opted for the true upgrade option. I am posting this here so others do not have the same thing happen to them. I am disappointed with XLN. 
 
UPDATE:
They finally got back to me with an upgrade offer that I felt was fair. Just be sure that if it is an upgrade you want, that you buy nothing but the upgrade.
 
2014/12/29 12:30:48
Mesh
Since you got the Fairfax2 Bundle, have you tried to contact XLN and ask them to upgrade all your XLN libraries to AD2?
They're excellent with their customer support.
2014/12/29 12:47:55
Thatsastrat
Mesh
Since you got the Fairfax2 Bundle, have you tried to contact XLN and ask them to upgrade all your XLN libraries to AD2?
They're excellent with their customer support.


I did submit a customer support ticket. I guess I'll wait and see. It's still confusing.
 
Update: Got a reply from XLN to confirm that the bundle I purchased does not qualify as an upgrade, and that an upgrade would need to be purchased ($80 at today's offer) to be able to migrate AD1 content. No other offers of help to try and resolve my issue. So there you have it.
Do not repeat my error. If you want to upgrade buy nothing else but an upgrade, or else you will have AD2 and nothing else.
2014/12/29 14:20:15
Mesh
Sorry to hear that........I was hoping they would work something out.
2014/12/29 14:39:02
azslow3
They had really good deals for upgrade at the beginning. But that time is over.
 
I hoped I can any time get additional upgrades to Win 8 Pro for 30 euro... But the deal was time limited. I still prefer that price strategy over Waves "every day is selling day".
 
What I do not understand, which AD2 components people get with $59 SONAR Producer upgrade.
2014/12/29 16:52:39
cecelius2
Thatsastrat
I find the upgrade path that XLN (AD2) has is very confusing.
Ok the two upgrade options listed are straight forward enough, just upgrade to AD2 or upgrade with option for additional ad pack.
Where the waters get muddier is with the holiday sales offerings with the bundles.
I purchased the Fairfax 1 and 2 bundle thinking that this would upgrade me to AD2 along with the Fairfax kits.
No so. Although I do have AD2 now, with the Fairfax kits, it's not considered an upgrade. So none of the content I have with AD1 will migrate over to AD2. So now it looks like I need to shell out another $80 to get the upgrade. I just find it very confusing, as I am sure others have been confused as well. It would have been nice in regards to the bundles if it would have stated that they were not considered as upgrades, and  I would not have purchased it, I would have opted for the true upgrade option. I am posting this here so others do not have the same thing happen to them. I am disappointed with XLN. 
 


Sorry to see this happen to you also.  I had the exact same experience with the Black Friday sale.  I purchased the Artist Bundle and got the 2 Fairfax kits and that AD2 engine.  I had sent an email to xlnaudio asking if the AD2 engine upgraded my AD1, but I did not receive a reply until the sale was over.  I found out the hard way (like you) that the AD2 engine include in those bundles does not upgrade the AD1 kits.  I did  post my experience on this forum (in this thread: http://forum.cakewalk.com/Addictive-Drums-2Artist-Bundle-issues-m3124808.aspx )
 
I had to purchase the upgrade myself (in addition to  the Artist Bundle) a week or so later but will say that the xlnaudio support people eventually gave me the upgrade at a good sale price in a week or so after the Black Friday sale, and that was when they had another 50% off sale (two weeks later).  Whether they will have more 50% off sales I can not know or say, but that is your best, probably only way of upgrading.  I suspect they will have more of these sales because they do have sales frequently and you may have to wait for a good sale and then Upgrade then.  I admit that My mistake was clearly my error, but I fully agree with you that their info about the AD2 engine in the new bundles is very confusing and unclear.  I even asked them by email to rephrase their info on the AD2 engine in the bundles to clarify that it does not upgrade the AD1 kits.
 
You are wise to warn others of this confusion.  Again, it happened to me; it happened to you; it will happen to others.   My advice is to buy the upgrade when they have a sale.  Getting the AD1 kits upgraded into the AD2 engine was worth me buying the extra upgrade path.  It was a pain, but worth it.  Sorry this also happened to you.
2014/12/30 00:40:53
mettelus
This thread is a scary read and comes across as messed up as a soup sandwich... I have not upgraded to AD2, and after reading this it is highly unlikely I ever will.
2014/12/30 03:13:29
Scoot
It will be interesting to see if Cake bundle a version in the next X4. I wonder if a deal was made and then XLN moved the goal posts.
 
I was fortunate, I upgraded to X3 at a good point. Others just weeks around me seemed to get a Fairfax kits as well as the 3 studio kits upgraded from AD1. So I didn't get stuff others did, but didn't feel like I had lost out. I can see how not getting these 3 kits, feels like loosing out. These three kits are legacy kits, rather than their leading kits. You'd think they'd find some compromise for the benefit of securing customers.
 
I have now 7 kits, and three keys from them, and I'm happy, they have a loyal customer from me for the time being, they seem to really be missing out on having others and have lost them to competition.
 
2014/12/30 08:45:53
Mesh
I also was fortunate in getting X3 at the right time, and when AD2 was released, I got a free upgrade. I only had the Black Velvet kit at the time and they upgraded that to AD2 as well.
 
@mettelus: XLN's products are very good and their customer service has also been equally good........it looks like their advertising (especially on these bundles & upgrade paths) seems confusing. If you're planning on upgrading, I'd email their support with all the questions you have before pulling the trigger. IMO, AD2 is much, much better on all aspects than AD1 and is worth upgrading. Like Cecelius said, just wait for a good sale.
2014/12/30 09:52:07
mettelus
I have never had an issue with XLN, and absolutely love their installer (I wish CW had the same thing actually). That was more my reaction after reading those two threads, as I would not expect the response that was given via email or that AD1 material must be ported into AD2 to be used. It came across similar to R-Mix or Breverb not working in X3 without an additional fee to port it from X2. Perhaps a bit more extreme of a reaction than it should be.
 
My only real hard spot with AD1 is the inability to import samples into their engine (which is rather slick), so I went the route a year ago to get the sounds out using Geist. After experiencing the full potential of layering pads and an extremely complex sequencer, the "locked in our box" view is not appealing anymore.
 
To be fair, the AD2 Demo has been loitering in the XLN installer for some time, so I need to take the time to test drive it before jumping to conclusions.
12
© 2025 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1

Use My Existing Forum Account

Use My Social Media Account