Reply To: Waves – Spend $50 get 1 free plugin. Spend $80 get 2 free plugins.

[Peter DeLegge]

On Brian said

I probably had $200 into their stuff when they briefly went subscription a couple years ago.  I kicked them off my system and ate my loss.  Even though they backed off the subscription plan rather quickly, I realized they gave me nothing that wasn’t covered by my numerous alternatives.  Always was a hassle anyway when you had old versions and had to keep them all working (without WUPing).  Waves remains on my ignore list.

I can’t fault your logic. I give Waves credit for bringing down the price of high-quality plugins. When they started deep discounting the plugins that they were selling for $200 or more to $29 and $39, it changed pricing in the industry. The small developers followed, then finally, one that was hard to imagine coming down, Universal Audio, started selling plugins at similar prices. All things equal, I greatly prefer UAD plugins over Waves plugins. Then we can pick up SSL and other brands that were very expensive only a few years ago. It’s a lot like 8Dio and Cinesamples in the orchestral instrument sample library space, they are disruptors, game changers. But Waves plugins come with a catch — and their marketing practices are less than admirable.

We should do a thread about what we would buy if we were just starting out — knowing what we know now. My quick draft:

• UAD
• SSL
• Izotope
• Eventide
• Valhalla Reverbs
• Sottube
• FabFilter
• IK Amplitube Amp Sims
• Neural DSP Amp Sims

One series from Waves I love is the Abbey Road Series. I hope that UAD works with Abbey Road to replace them once the agreement with Waves expires.

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