Brian Walton

If I buy iRig HD 2 to enter the goup buy for a 4th time, what is it that is registed? The device itself or the software? I ask becuase I already have AT5 as one buy in from the group buy, and according to the marketing it sounds like you can't buy into the group buy with something you already have. If it is the device that is registered, I should be fine as I don't have any IKM hardware.

I think they could have done a little bit better job with the marketing around explaining the X-Gear pedals. I can confirm they do not sound like the older Amplitube Effects, algos are clearly different. Most people also associate Amplitube with the Amp Sims, of which are entirely missing from the line up (and is honestly the only physical pedal I would have been interested in), though I'm liking the Software versions they did relase of effects - I just think at that price point they have some real competition and I already have a high end pedal board that doesn't feel lacking to me. Tape Sims you have to be careful with, and I'm the first person to jump on the bandwaggon of things like "vinyl isn't better than CD, becuase it has a smaller dynamic range, introduces distortion at multiple places and almost always has a more limited frequency response" that said, Tape style saturation doesn't by nature have "limitations" other than the inherant creates distortion property, and potentially has compression. But both of those can be in flavors that are pleasing and musical to the final product. Even on a clean guitar tone, just about everyone actually wants at least just a touch of saturation truly clean tone tends to sound sterile and I think of recording in this same way. Absolutly pure and clean tone usually doesn't sound as good as a little harmonic warmth going on for just about any style other than classical. As for these tape sims, I wonder what the market perception will be for these. I think many pepole associate Tascam with porta-studio and consumer grade gear, even though they made some legit studio machines also.

Yes, 30% max, but you can buy 200 gear points (enough to get AT5) for $160 and use 30% of JamPoints off of $160.

Make sure you read threads about buying gear points to purchase AT5 (and jam points you might have). If you have enough Jam Points it can bring the $200 tier down to $112 with this method.

I'm not exactly sure how the cross grade works (as I was able to get each of those at the $199 level myself - but did have a number of related and semi-related plugins already). I can confirm the cross grade on on Miroslav 2 and T-RacksS 5 MAx is $299, as I wasn't able to get either of those despite having a number of T-Racks Plugins as well as the Lighter version of Miroslave already and I bought in at the $200 level as one of my group buys.

I'm not going to say Sunset Sound Reverb was the best thing I got out of the group buy, but I might say it is the one that perhpas exceeded my expectations the most. I was skeptical given all the other reverbs I have. I'm not suggesting it sounds "better" but setting it up as say adding some reverb to an amp plugin (AT5 or otherwise) has a very autehntic way of sounding integrated into the original sound to add the verb. It is certainly more limited in tweakability to other (if not most verbs I use) but it does sound quite nice and so far, is easy to get pleasing results out of quickly on a few things I tried.

Adding to the post above - There are a few if you don't have prevoius things that drop your cross grade type of price down. Mixbox, Modo Drum, Modo Bass, Hammond are all $300 at multiple retailers

I think it is marketing speak, unless Windows 11 broke the VST3 standard (which we would all be in deep trouble) it isn't like WAVES plugins are highly dependent on a specific version of the OS. It is more like scare tatics to make us question if we need to upgrade for fear of incompatibilty. This isn't like MAC where "native" M1 upgrades are related to coding changes.

That must have been short lived, I'm in 3 different tiers and when they released the new options I checked sometime that first day starting at the lowest tier and worked my way up to see which tier I could potentially get them on. Wasn't until I got up to the $200 tier that my account saw them as available. I agree $150 is quite steep for an effect plugin that is locked inside an echosystem (and an echosystem where the host is rather resource heavy. But they also have T-Racks units I'd say the same about $100+ for a plugin outside of group buy territory is basically madness in this market. But having them in the group buy makes it more palitable. Wish they were in the $80 tier and I'd grab all 4 of them. Got Vibe and Reverb, have to decide if I think Time is worth if for one of the very few remaining selections I have at the $200 tier. Because with the other Delays I have (think MTurboDelay, Audority Echorec, Boz Imperial, Obliq Delay, Unfiltered Audio etc) the only thing I'd be getting out of it is really the ability to put it in the effects loop within AT5.

Nice! Note you can drag the Space into the FX Loop of the amps too instead of in front of the amps (but also not after the CABS like the traditional FX Rack)

High. It reminds me of listening to vinyl. Distortion and other noise artifacts

Anyone else getting a 104 connection error with this new system when attempting to try gear? Despite being connected to the internet and AT5 saying it is online in the refresh purchases page.

OP needs a link to the group buy if this is the replacement thread. As the point is to push people to buy, over and over again and for constant updates on where we stand for more freebies.

I'd run demos to make sure they are flavors you want, but Dr. Z Wreck with matching Cab is one of my favorite AT amp sims. Maz Jr is also a famous Dr. Z offering as well.

If you buy straight from Melda I think you are right that you forfeit using a referral code . However if you buy plugins from a 3rd party off the bat, I think you can still use a code. I recall using a code after I had melda plugins but it was my first time buying direct. At least that is what I remember happening.

As much as I don't like WAVES this is a unique plugin and getting it free a few times over the past couple years means enough installs to not deal with the usual WAVES cripple hammer. Good deal here.

Good article there overall, but also incorrect and lacking in a number of spots. (I do agree that the Z-wreck shares some in common with the Liverpool, but I mentioned the Rocket becuase frankly the LIverpool had a fair amount of variation from each one that was made - where the Rocket all were built with a pretty strict ethos in mind and there were only 5 of them - but the Z-wreck is a bit more pedal friendly like the Rocket and lower gain (where some liverpools can punch up the gain more than the Z-wreck design) As far as the AT5 Z-Wreck, coupled with the Z-wreck cab I have to say it is my favorite AT5 amp generally speaking. That said, I think the real Z-wreck is also basically one of the best amps IKM has modeled, so even if they didn't nail it the bar for tone and response were already higher than other amps in the stable. It can be setup to be fairly responsive and I think the recorded tone is suprisingly good and a whole lot less fuss than trying to record the real thing. It was THE amp in the AT lineup that made me re-evaluate the idea of plugin based amp simulation. Out of that journey also landed on the Brainworx offerings (UAD and PA - same thing) which offer something special "in the box" as well. But as for within the AT echosystem, I'm of the opinion the Z-wreck is one of the must have amp/cab combos and while I appreciate that it is only at the MAX level (hey it is a premium amp) or ala cart, I tend to wonder how many people miss out on this gem of an amp becuase the masses don't really even know much about it, so it might not be an amp most people would seek out like a JTM45, Bassman, Twin Reverb, Plexi, etc... I know I ran the demo for about 2 minutes before figuring out how to order it through the custom shop (again the matching cab is essential, IMO for getting the right sound out of it)

Z-Wreck is quite a bit different than the Train II Train II is based on an Express model and the Z-Wreck was a design Kenny helped Dr Z with, but is a much lower gain (closer to a Rocket style amp---though certainly NOT a Rocket as someone who has access to a real one)

I'd say it depends on the "intstrument" with the newish UI. Many of the instruments are straightforward and fully-scalable. Honestly I'm having trouble thinking of any actual competetor to this product that is both a sample based player and synth that has a great UI with anywhere close to this kind of featureset in it. I do agree the UI and search function/layout of how to select the instruments could be improved. Haven't done any CPU benchmark tests but I've found other Melda production products to be among the most efficient on the market. Synths and Samplers by nature can tend to tax systems depending on what it is doing. This one also has a more robust effect featureset than anything I could possibly think of. Even the LE verion has effects possibilites other synths/samplers wouldn't even dare touch. The free version is annoying becuase it looks like it has a bunch of stuff but that is all locked until you buy it outside of like one piano and a synth.

There is an option to revert to the standard GUI, so it is the best of both worlds with this update. I bought Msoundfactory LE in the hopes of the eventual expeansion into more non-synth style products such as the excellent free piano. Why the "hate" from your current perspective?

I haven't played a Blackstar amp in likley 15-20 years. So I'm judgeing it mostly on its own merits. The high gain channel is crazy high gain to absurd range, unusable for pretty much anything but metal or similar. Like a swarm of bees. Low gain side has a more usable range but cranking the master introduces unplesant artifcat-like sounds, so keeping that in check and setting the gain and eq right, there is some usable stuff in there. The tone is about what I'd expect outside of the absurd gain on tap, but in terms of feel, dynamics and response, I'd say it isn't up to par with some of the better paid in the box amps out there. If I didn't have an arsenal of paid options, I'd be very grateful to have this for free.

Agree, I don't know exactly how they are counting things but the day counter page seems to change in the morning EST. Which would suggest we have less than a day left.

Are you sure? I haven't done it myself but I thought there were posts about people selling previous products and noting which group buy tier they qualify for. Maybe they purchased but never redeemed them but seems unlikely to me given the lists I saw on KVR.

Cosidering I owned over 15 products before the Group Buy, I think it is fair to assume you purchased quite a few before the event (or bought in at a very high level to get all the T-Racks stuff, All Amplitube packages, All the Sampletank Add-ons, etc. such that those individual products were included in the "Max" type of program. Amplitube alone is 13 different products unless you had Max. And I'd imagine T-Racks is more than double that if you don't buy "max"

Just a push/reminder to everyone that you can buy in multiple times. I did 3 times and even with that won't have everything they make. (and I owned a number of products before the Group Buy started)