|
Subject:Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Posted by: MiamiMusicMan
Date:9/26/2003 3:49:07 AM
Hello All, First, I want to start by saying how wonderful I think it is that Acid and Sound Forge and the rest of Sonic Foundry’s products and assets are now part of the Sony Family brand name. Personally I feel that a lot more audio professionals will give these classic applications a “day in court” so to speak. Next up, Sony…If you’re listening…. Please change your upgrade policies! It is completely ridiculous to think that any hard working audio professional would pay to “upgrade” to say ACID Pro 4.0 for $299 when you can buy it “NEW” at any Guitar Center or Sam Ash for $199. Just recently I received an email stating that I could upgrade to Sony Sound Forge 7 for $99. Now that’s a lot more Reasonable! Please extend your upgrade on this permanently and not just make it a “limited time upgrade special”. Personally I know of at least 5 other registered Sound forge user’s that switched to using Cracked versions in anger because when Sound Forge 6 came out the upgrade price was as much as it would cost new. People felt as if they were tricked. Hence the expression “Buyers Remorse” or in this circumstance “User’s Remorse”. Speaking for myself and I’m sure a lot of other users would agree that its quite understandable to think that you the developers need and deserve to profit from your ingenious works of art. My suggestion is raise MSRP. An extra $199.00 on these product and bundle them with “Limited” version of the Sony Oxford EQ that can later be upgraded to the full version. Also it’s almost the Year 2004. Don’t you think its time to enter into the Mac Os game? For good sakes the new OS is Unix based, not to mention Apple is practically spoon-feeding developers. Simply put there is nothing else like Core Audio and Core Midi. The Idea of an audio engine running within the OS is nothing less than astonishing. Still, I hear the classic rebuttal: Apple only has 5-6% of the entire Computer Market”. And that may hold water. However I’ll tell you something else that’s very true. Consider this: what are the main applications used by audio professionals? First and foremost Digidesign Protools. Even after introducing Windows XP support a little over 80% of their client base Is 100% Mac. Let’s not forget about Emagic now owned by Apple. And finally MOTU’s Digital Performer also totally and completely 100% Mac. A lot of user’s argue that Cubase/Nuendo/Sonor are Professional applications. Personally I’ve seen little evidence of this in a commercial studio environment. Also take into consideration that aside from Bias Peak there really isn’t any Stereo WAV/AIFF editor for the Mac. Let me Spell it out for you. THERE IS A LOT OF ROOM IN THE MARKET AVAILABLE. So many peak users are over that crappy excuse for an Audio Application. And as far as ACID is concerned the only comparable product for OSX is Ableton LIVE. Onther keynote I’d like to point out is that for the most part good portions of Mac user DESPISE cracked software. We pride are selves on using only legit software and supporting the developers they make the tools we love and use. One more final bitch………. Even if you do stay WinTel only please do something about the ugly GUI of your applications, especially your effects plugins windows. Windows XP has a beautiful GUI. I’m sure you guys could come up with something better for ACID and SF. Just some food for thought. J Thanks for reading! J.S Miami, FL USA P.S Hopefully I haven’t offended anybody here on this forum. But I had to get this off my chest. I know a lot of you probably hate the Mac (only because you haven’t owned one). But I assure you all that if these great products are developed for the other side I’m convinced it could improve sales. Thus creating a better product for us all. P.S.S If and when any of this would happen I personally Beta test for a number of different audio application’s and would love the chance to be apart of a Beta Team. |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: Ben
Date:9/26/2003 5:18:05 AM
Haven't got the time to respond to all of this nonsense, suffice to say, ugly GUI of SoFo/Sony applications? Err, I take it you've seen Pro Tools? What do you want, shiny knobs and glistening windows? That doesn't make software look professional to me, more like a toy. I find the SoFo/Sony GUI's very elegant, efficient, functional and extremely pro-looking. Ben |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: Rednroll
Date:9/26/2003 12:29:58 PM
Actually, there is an article with a review of Vegas in this month's "EQ" magazine. That was one of the comments that the GUI is not super flashy, then further mentioned it is the GUI that let's you get down and take care of business though. I'm tossed between this, there are some really cool looking GUI's on the Mac side, and Windows ala XP side also. Have you seen the latest Sonar 3.0 GUI? That mixer section is probably more along those glistsy style. Actually, it looks more like a rip off of Logic Audio Platinum....Infact by just looking at, I'll have to post a question. Q: What do you get when you cross Vegas's track view editor, Logic Audio Platinum's Virtual Mixer, and Cakewalk 9's Track meter views? A: Sonar 3.0 |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: Chienworks
Date:9/26/2003 12:31:54 PM
Beauty is definately in the eye of the beholder. Personally i think XP's default GUI is horridly ugly. I was so pleased to find the "98SE" skin for it. Now i don't feel like my computer is on drugs anymore. Find me a 98SE skin for the Mac, and a place where i can buy a Mac as powerful and cheap as a Windows PC, and i might consider using one. |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: drbam
Date:9/26/2003 2:50:32 PM
Not to get this tired old myth started again, but personally I think the "mac is better" argument is simple snobbery. I've owned 6 of them, including a G4 (I'm writing this on an imac) and although there are wonderful things to say about them and even prefer the mac for some things, the PC, especially now with stability and performance of XP, offers as much in every way, and in some areas, like upgradeability and customization, not to mention costs, it is obviously superior. At this point, my favorite thing about my macs is that I haven't got any worms or viruses. ;-) drbam |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: Rednroll
Date:9/26/2003 3:50:04 PM
Personally i think XP's default GUI is horridly ugly. I was so pleased to find the "98SE" skin for it. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that. The first thing I did was change it to "standard windows" theme, to get away that dumbed down Mac look. |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: kbruff
Date:9/26/2003 4:42:52 PM
I agree with you Ben. SF6, and SF7 are very pleasing interfaces. The more the interface looks pretty, the more memory in takes to do whatever you want to do. Therefore simple and straight forward better directs the user to the original objective: which is audio editing. |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: risri
Date:9/27/2003 7:19:27 PM
I would bet a substantial amount of $$$ that Sony will have OSX versions of the entire software product line. Don't forget Sony is one of the most successful companies of our time...they are what they are today because they understand how to run and keep a successful company. It would be illogical for a company with their resources to decide not to support the world's most widely accepted "professional" OS. Also,, I keep hearing this ridiculous comment about Apple having only 5% of the computer market share. What does that have to do with the music software developers. 5% of the market share means that 1 in every 20 computers is an Apple. I assure you that the other 19 computers are not all being used for audio applications. What the audio software developers need to look at is what % of the people using computers to make music are using Apple's. It is almost 50%!!!! Theoretically, a PC only software company could double their sales by adding Mac support. Over 80% of Pro Tools users are using MAC!!!!!!!! 80% people...do the math...over 60% of the Logic users were on Macs prior to the buyout...100% of the Digital performer users are on Mac...something like 35% of the steinberg users are on Mac...I think it is logical to say that Mac has a very strong (if not majority) market share in professional audio. On top of that (and I am sure Sony knows this), Mac users have been requesting Mac compatible versions of Sonic Foundry software for so long that by now there must be thousands of pent up Appleheads that will jump at the oppurtunity to own Acid etc...if you build it, they will come... |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: Chienworks
Date:9/27/2003 10:03:11 PM
risri: how do you define "professional"? Are you simply writing off the hundreds of millions of people around the world who make their living using Windows? I'm one of those hundreds of millions, by the way. If instead you are saying that Windows is the most widely accepted "professional" OS, then perhaps you've missed it, but SONY/SonicFoundry already supports it. |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: elemmons
Date:9/27/2003 11:15:08 PM
Lucky you on the $99 upgrade offer. I've purchased every version of Sound Forge since 4.0 and I didn't receive an upgrade offer for $99. I paid $169 to upgrade my copy. I do agree that the upgrade prices are high. I've raised the issue with Sonic Foundry before the Sony acquisition. No luck. I'm a little steamed now after hearing about the $99 upgrade offer. I purchased SF 7.0 as soon as it was available for download from the web. Eric |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: Ben
Date:9/28/2003 7:57:45 AM
Jeez, then phone customer support and they'll sort you out. Ben |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: drbam
Date:9/28/2003 9:06:47 AM
<<I would bet a substantial amount of $$$ that Sony will have OSX versions of the entire software product line.<< I'll take that bet! How much and how would you like to set up the escrow? ;-) drbam |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: MiamiMusicMan
Date:10/1/2003 6:55:22 PM
Just thought maybe you folks from Sony would like to see this. Go to this link and Check it out. http://www.osxaudio.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4219 |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: MiamiMusicMan
Date:10/25/2003 3:31:56 AM
Hey, I know I'm beating a dead horse but somebody from Sony has got to read this thread http://www.osxaudio.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4759 |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: Iacobus
Date:10/25/2003 1:55:30 PM
Not to stir a hornet's nest or anything, but exactly how is Sound Forge's GUI "hideous"? I find the statement absolutely laughable. Is it because Sony's GUI's aren't "pretty" but rather functional and straightforward? Such statements confirm my belief that Mac users are attracted to only the bright and shiny things. (My apologies to Mac users in this forum.) sorry, I just have a migraine today Iacobus ------- RodelWorks - Original Music for the Unafraid mD's ACIDplanet Page |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: billybk
Date:10/25/2003 2:18:06 PM
As they say, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder". As far as I'm concerned, Sound Forge and ACID Pro's GUI's look absolutely gorgeous and are far more functional than most of the Mac orientated audio apps out there. Have you seen Bithead's Phrazer 2.0? Now that is a toy looking UI, for a 12 year old, if I ever saw one. I'll take ACID Pro's sleek look and user friendly functionality any day, over that monstrosity :P Phrazer for the Mac, yuck! It's painful just to look at! Billy Buck |
|
Subject:RE: Whats The Future of Sound Forge and ACID PRO?
Reply by: billybk
Date:10/25/2003 4:59:33 PM
Hey, I just upgraded from SF5 to SF7, to get in on the deal, before the October 31st deadline. I would not have upgraded from 6 to 7 alone, but the additional features between 5 & 7 really made it worth my while, I especially like the dockable Plugin-Chainer & Manager, nice for easily creating your own mastering plugin preset chains and auditioning with the click of a mouse in real-time. The ability to do envelope node effect automation is a welcome feature as well.......mmmmm........SONY Sound Forge.......has a nice ring to it. Hey, maybe SONY users will get a good deal on one those SONY Oxford EQ's too! :P Billy Buck |