It's not music software, but I could not get by without UltraEdit.  I don't subscribe the continuous support, but every time I upgrade to a new OS, I buy the upgrade.  Worth every penny to me.
 
Photoshop elements gives you a lot of bang for the buck as well.  I'm not unhappy at having paid full price for it.

I have spent large sums of money on some plugins but it has been well worth it. Especially if you are using them and charging for your services professionally. Like the PSP Xenon limiter at $250 worth it very much so. The Waves API 2500 compressor is always around $400 and sounds great apparently. It is around for $200 at the moment in some areas. It is a classy mastering comp. Could easily earn its keep.
 
Harrison MixBus is amazing value even at its full price but it is around $149 now I think. Excellent for bringing in either stereo tracks or mixing stereo stems. Beautiful sounding DAW. Great mastering tool. Many are using it and swear by it. I must say I like it a lot too. Any full price great sounding instrument like Camel Audio Alchmey is well worth the investment. If you are making tracks and earning money that way then very much so. Studio One is good value too for the sheer stability and dependability of the program.
 
The best value on the planet right now is Logic for $200.
 
 
 
 

Jeff Evans
I have spent large sums of money on some plugins but it has been well worth it. Especially if you are using them and charging for your services professionally. Like the PSP Xenon limiter at $250 worth it very much so. The Waves API 2500 compressor is always around $400 and sounds great apparently. It is around for $200 at the moment in some areas. It is a classy mastering comp. Could easily earn its keep.
 
Harrison MixBus is amazing value even at its full price but it is around $149 now I think. Excellent for bringing in either stereo tracks or mixing stereo stems. Beautiful sounding DAW. Great mastering tool. Many are using it and swear by it. I must say I like it a lot too. Any full price great sounding instrument like Camel Audio Alchmey is well worth the investment. If you are making tracks and earning money that way then very much so. Studio One is good value too for the sheer stability and dependability of the program.
 
The best value on the planet right now is Logic for $200.
 
 
 
 

Yes Jeff and MixBus NOW includes the Plugin Essentials Pack which was $69....increasing the value...
Existing customers can get the PE Pack for $39 this week....

Spectrasonics (Omni and trillian) I bought are worth the full price.  but even then I got guitar center % off coupons and didn't pay full price.
 
I will not buy any software now unless it's 30% off.  too may sales, to many vendors fighting for my money.  deals are aways around to be had.
 
but that doesn't mean it's not worth the full price soooo, really it matters what it's worth to YOU.

MachineClaw
Spectrasonics (Omni and trillian) I bought are worth the full price.  but even then I got guitar center % off coupons and didn't pay full price.
 
I will not buy any software now unless it's 30% off.  too may sales, to many vendors fighting for my money.  deals are aways around to be had.
 
but that doesn't mean it's not worth the full price soooo, really it matters what it's worth to YOU.

+1

I still have Spectrasonics Trilogy...never upgraded...

Simples.
 
Whatever I pay IS full price.

The ones that were worth every cent to me at the time of purchase were Ozone 3, Kontakt 3 and Melodyne Plugin,
and the start of it all, Cakewalk Pro Audio 6 :o) Untill that I had used Cakewalk Apprentice that came with a sound card.

I'll toss my hat in the ring with Stillwell's plugs.
 
I'd also say Valhalla & Voxengo as well, [although Voxengo has a small, progressive discount schedule, as mentioned above].
 
And maybe Izotope.
 
 
 

I usually buy bundles so get pretty reasonable discounts that way. You'd have to put Ozone right up there for value for money.
 
Other things are expensive but so much better than the included DAW versions that they seem worth it. Pro-Q, Pro-L, Soundtoys stuff, and a host of others.
 
As for DAWs- mostly I have superior third party plugins so buying a full price DAW would not seem good value for money these days but maybe ones that approach it from a different angle like Ableton or Reason would be worth it.
 
Just thought of another good value for money one -Klanghelm compressor

It's been a while since I bought much, but I've paid full price for Pianoteq and its add-ons and think it's well worth it. That won't stop me extolling the virtues of Sampletekk, though!