Izotope Music Production Suite Pro

[Bapu]

I pay just about $20/month for 2 select  subscriptions, one of which gives me $100 at the end of each year so I can pick and choose what I want to own (Kilohearts, btw). The is not a true 'subscription' per se. It's my plugged in membership with Harrison. That monthly membership fee does get me anywhere from 1 to 3 free new plugins a year and goes toward supporting Harrison's dev effort (as well as purchasing major version upgrades at a reduced cost).

I'll succumb to Slate's subscription when I get a project that uses his version of ANA or THU but only until I can convert the projects to my native versions of the products. As of right now I do own all of Slates plugins, so it's just that niggle that opening a project that uses Slate's ANA or THU will not recognize and load the actual native plug and populate his settings (stoopid, stoopid, stoopid even though I understand the reasoning).

[Fleer]

Kilohearts is pretty, pretty good. 

[Hatstand]

Got this email "Get early access to Music Production Suite Pro" Try for free. It will be interesting to see what (if any) improvements there are in the "Pro" versions.

I already have MPS3 and didn't see the point of upgrading to V4 given that it would give me a reverb and some minor additions to Nectar.

In my case it is safe to argue that If I can't get a decent sound using everything I already have, I probably have no discernible talent in mixing and mastering.

I can understand why they want to go with subscriptions and minor updates as I don't think there any many major toys they could add.

Perhaps Composer Assistant that writes the music for you, Lyric Assistant that writes the words for you, Playing Assistant that plays the instruments for you and Recording Assistant which records everything for you.?

Edited February 27, 2021 by Hatstand

[paulo]

3 hours ago, Hatstand said:

I don't think there any many major toys they could add.

Perhaps Composer Assistant that writes the music for you, Lyric Assistant that writes the words for you, Playing Assistant that plays the instruments for you and Recording Assistant which records everything for you.

You're forgetting, Singing Assistant, Promotion Assistant, Record Deal Assistant, Ego Management Assistant, Groupie Assistant, Substance Assistant, Crashing Car Assistant, Rehab Assistant, Comeback Assistant, Crashing Car Assistant V2 to name but a few....

Izotope may be good, but they have a way to go yet.

[paulo]

As far as subscription goes, then it's a big no from me. I'd feel like my bank statement was mocking me. 

[abacab]

8 hours ago, paulo said:

As far as subscription goes, then it's a big no from me. I'd feel like my bank statement was mocking me. 

And the biggest drawback is being cutoff from your own work if you ever stop paying. ?

 

Edited February 27, 2021 by abacab

[paulo]

17 minutes ago, abacab said:

And the biggest drawback is being cutoff from your own work if you ever stop paying. ?

 

Yeah, that too.  

[Dave Maffris]

I have been negative about subscription software from the get-go, but I'm starting to wonder if it's all that bad. Sure, getting locked out if your subscription lapses or you decide to unsubscribe is a huge negative, but in reality, but other than for financial reasons, you would only unsubscribe if you found better plug-ins or just weren't satisfied with them, in that case you don't need access to the software, (although you'd have to replace them on older projects). I looked at the cost of an annual payment, and it's just under $21.00/month. That's pretty affordable for most folks, although it can add up with other subscriptions (like my TV streaming); so I would think that if you anticipate not being able to afford it, you would be foolish to subscribe without a backup plan. Also, looking at the total annual cost of the subscription ($249.50), I would say it ain't much more, and possibly less, than the annual cycle of upgrades of their various products/bundles. Of course, they do have some sales, but they may be phasing those out, and even their sales are not spectacular savings--their stuff costs money, and it's good, and I rely on it, as do a lot of professional composers/songwriters making a living at it. So I'm beginning to consider it, even though the initial cost seems steep when I already own most of the current products lates versions--but not all. And regular updates at no additional cost would be nice, too.

I would, however, wonder if Izotope will automatically add brand new products to this subscription, or will they increase the annual fee...I would hope not, given that they are getting the upfront, monthly revenue stream from the subscriptions they generate, and if more folks subscribe, they can afford to develop more products (I would guess).

It is a quandary for most of us, but I'm starting to lean ever so slightly to the subscription model--as well as for other product lines--it's probably gonna continue. and since I consider myself a professional, I don't want to be penny-wise and pound-foolish. I respect other's reluctance to subscribe, especially for hobbyists, so I hope Izotope doesn't discontinue it's traditional software purchase option.

[abacab]

5 hours ago, Dave Maffris said:

It is a quandary for most of us, but I'm starting to lean ever so slightly to the subscription model--as well as for other product lines--it's probably gonna continue. and since I consider myself a professional, I don't want to be penny-wise and pound-foolish. I respect other's reluctance to subscribe, especially for hobbyists, so I hope Izotope doesn't discontinue it's traditional software purchase option.

I agree in general, but with the distinction that having an option is also important, as one size doesn't necessarily fit all.

I am dead set against subscription ONLY plans, where license ownership has been eliminated completely. Adobe is a prime example of a major company that has chosen to go down that path. My fear is that their success in that regard may tend to lead the way for others. Although Adobe caters mainly to graphics pros that can both afford and benefit from always having the latest versions.

[Dave Maffris]

20 minutes ago, abacab said:

I agree in general, but with the distinction that having an option is also important, as one size doesn't necessarily fit all.

I am dead set against subscription ONLY plans, where license ownership has been eliminated completely. Adobe is a prime example of a major company that has chosen to go down that path. My fear is that their success in that regard may tend to lead the way for others. Although Adobe caters mainly to graphics pros that can both afford and benefit from always having the latest versions.

I agree wholeheartedly...

 

[Fret Flintstone]

Reading the following from Izotopes latest Email, I get the impression that at least for Ozone (Likely the rest as well?), it is 'Subscription' only from here on.

Is there any other way to read that? Sad if they are going that way only.

 

Quote

 

"Ozone Pro is our latest version of Ozone, which is now available exclusively in the new Music Production Suite Pro subscription. It includes everything in our flagship Ozone 9 Advanced software, plus—as long as you are subscribed—you will continue to receive new features and version upgrades as soon as they are ready. 

 

Upgrade your version of Ozone to Ozone Pro and get:

Master Rebalance to adjust vocals, drums, and bass in stereo files

Low end focus to clean up mud in lower frequencies

Spectral Shaper to reduce harsh frequencies

Improved Master Assistant with a new vintage mode

Performance improvements allowing you to use more instances of Ozone

Even more modules including our vintage collection, available as component plug-ins, and more

Now is a great time to see what you’ve been missing in Ozone Pro. Try Music Production Suite Pro free for 7-days and experience the new Ozone, plus Neutron Pro, Nectar Pro, RX Pro for Music, and our new Control Room filled with tutorials and tips."

 

 

Edited March 7, 2021 by Fret Flintstone

[kevin H]

It’s definitely very confusing.  I really don’t like subscription models.  Even for PA if I want anything I’ll buy the license instead.  Seems like a monthly WUP arrangement which would be terrible..

[Fleer]

Or ... Ozone Pro is just Ozone 9 Advanced plus instant upgrades while O9A users will just have to wait for Ozone 10. 
 

I hope. 

[Monomox]

I think more and more vendors will try this model... NI recently asked me to respond to a survey that had a couple of questions about subscription models

it makes sense from a developer's perspective (more stable revenue), I just don't want to pay endlessly... if you have a sub, no matter how many plugins it contains, the point will come when you've paid too much per plugin and still don't own s***

I think Netflix is different because if I stop paying, I'm not going to be stuck with a bunch of projects halfway done

[Fret Flintstone]

I own the highest tier and latest version of everything as it stands  (prior to this Pro malarkey)  and if it all goes pear shaped what I have now should keep me in good shape, plus the gazillion of other plugs ready to go, so no real biggie, but I do like Izotope.

[Monomox]

I just need to learn to stop worrying and love the bomb

year 2040: "do you guys have the link for the hack to install Ozone 9 in a Windows 55 machine?"

[Guest]

(removing acct)

Edited October 24 by Guest

[Bajan Blue]

A Scenario - because you rely on Ozone for instance, you get a subscription - you do a load of work.

Then something better or something you prefer comes out and you swap to using that - in my case I switched a while ago from Ozone to Elevate by New Fangled Audio which I really like, for most jobs but still use Ozone occasionally, although for me I could use Elevate all the time I suppose.

So you spend you limited money on Elevate and you HAVE to drop the subscription as you cannot afford both. But as others have said you then have projects that you can no longer access in their original finished state.

I was a very early user of Adobe products - i think i purchased my original copy of photoshop in the late 80's certainly early 90's

When they went subscription, i just "froze" my system so to speak and I still use my photoshop most days.

Perhaps what we should be asking the vendors to do if they want to go subscription only, is that they "give you" a frozen (stripped of features perhaps?) in time lifeboat sort of copy of their software, so that if you have to stop your subscription for any reason you can still access your work.

That would make me very much more comfortable of switching to a subscription. As it stands at the moment, I will keep what I have from Ozone but clearly not upgrade  and shall look at other products such as I have already done with Elevate.

I have already done this with both Waves and Slate products - i got fed up with Waves fleecing me each year for their Wup, so i stopped wupping and just kept them as they were until they got too old to bother with - i then had GREAT pleasure in deleting them. I reckoned i probably had just about got my money's worth - just

Slate's a different story - i got sick of the broken promises to release things such as the drum stuff and also  just basically not updating what I had already purchased and what need some bugs fixing - I just gave up on Slate quite a few years ago. - personally i would never go subscription with Slate or Waves as I don't think I could ever trust them.

 

 

Nigel

 

 

[antler]

9 hours ago, Fret Flintstone said:

Reading the following from Izotopes latest Email, I get the impression that at least for Ozone (Likely the rest as well?), it is 'Subscription' only from here on.

Is there any other way to read that? Sad if they are going that way only.

 

 

To me, I can see it suggesting one of three things:

• They are going subscription only (very bad).
• It's not going subscription only, but you get perpetual licence updates a bit later, e.g. Ozone 10 is available on sub a few months earlier. This wouldn't be so bad - there's time to iron out the bugs.
• It's a WUP-style subscription: as long as you pay you get free updates. When you stop, you get to continue using what you already have. This style of subscription a guess wouldn't be too bad as it's essentially the same as jumping to upgrade whenever a new version comes out.

[Cookie Jarvis]

I have two subscription plans- Adobe Photography Plan(Photoshop and Lightroom for about 10.00 a month) and East West Composer Cloud Pro at 29.99 a month. One of these days I'll pick up the EW libraries I use the most(I do own EWQL Pianos, EW Symphonic Orchestra Platinum Plus, and EW Symphonic Choirs with the VOTA addon) and then drop the subscription...waiting on Opus to drop!

I use software that does the year of free updates and then you need to pay a fee for another year of updates and upgrades...I get to choose when and how I spend based on my needs...if iZotope goes that way I can live with it, I just picked up MPS 4 and could probably use it for years without issue.

Bill