This whole thing is a ridiculous media farce. The number of studios who advertise and shop business is about 1/100 of Waves' customer base, which includes a huge number of hobbyists and underground studios. The studios they are able to discover with an undercover investigator are the least likely to be pirating in the first place. I think it speaks volumes to their absurd business strategy which continues to punish their most loyal customers with no real impact on their bottom line. After having spent years communicating with this company and some of their technical team, I'll tell you that it's all about the paranoia, never about the paying customer.

I like their software. I dislike the company. When I see evidence that the company has changed its attitude, then I'll be highly inclined to be a fan again. This sort of poop, however, is the opposite of an attitude adjustment. It's just Business As Usual in Waveland. Sad, sad, sad.

ORIGINAL: droddey

These studios probably don't know that there are cheaper alternatives to waves

But that's the thing, there really isn't. There are alternatives for individual plugs certainly. But if you want to have a single package from a single company that covers the whole gamut, where else can you go?

I agree with Droddey and will add this....
I believe these studios know what is out there as alternatives - it is their business to know - You know don't you?

God bless

This has been an interesting read. Especially since I have a buddy that uses Nuendo and Waves in his pro studio. He keeps telling me how great their stuff is and that I should plunk down the money for one of their bundles. But from what I have read here it appears to me they have 1)converted to a charging model that is geared toward professional studios (I sell the same type of pricing model to enterprise companies for some of the software I sell, emphasis on enterprise where this tyoe of pricing model makes sense), 2) they seemed to have a desire to limit their market size by excluding the home studio, mobile studio, and hobbyist.

I'd rather have differnet packages from different sources. There are plenty of great plug=ins from more affordable sources, that are efficient and operate without being resource hogs, (some exceptions of course).

But still pirating isn't right and reasonably priced software is always available.

Just on a little off topic, my mate who is a pro audio dealer has told me not to buy anymore Waves plug-ins (even though I would buy them from his company) since "there long term support is looking very shaky".
I don't own any waves stuff but was interested in the SSL bundle until then, but if WUP and support stopped I would be stuck if something went wrong.
Anyone else know anything about this, I've asked on other boards but no one knows.
studiopl

Well, could you ask your friend to be more specific?

Sure will.
I got the impression when I spoke to him last about the SSL bundle that Waves was struggling and the support and updates could be a problem in the future, he suggested holding off buying anything from Waves for the moment so that I didn't get stuck. He didn't try to sell me anything instead so hopefully he is just being cautious. It was only when I started looking in the forums that I realised that some thing maybe going on with Waves.
Hopefully it is just a worry, I would still love to buy the SSL bundle.
Just incase, how would no support effect the plugins?
Many thanks
studiopl

Well on one hand, I sometimes do wonder how plugin producers stay in business, especially now that hosts such as Sonar provide such excellent bundled effects anyway.

On the other hand though, this story seems to contradict the first one. If they are concerned about financing future updates etc I can't imagine them employing private eyes to police the recording studios...

good point.
I'll hold off for the moment, and keep my fingers crossed.

ORIGINAL: studiopl

Sure will.
I got the impression when I spoke to him last about the SSL bundle that Waves was struggling and the support and updates could be a problem in the future, he suggested holding off buying anything from Waves for the moment so that I didn't get stuck. He didn't try to sell me anything instead so hopefully he is just being cautious. It was only when I started looking in the forums that I realised that some thing maybe going on with Waves.
Hopefully it is just a worry, I would still love to buy the SSL bundle.
Just incase, how would no support effect the plugins?
Many thanks
studiopl

They are financially sound.

They are financially sound.

But, are they sonically sound?