Subject:Can Sony Answer Me?

Posted by: The Farm-Assist

Date:7/12/2011 8:28:22 PM

I used to be an avid user of Acid, from Acid Pro 4 all the way up to the up-to-date (if you want to call it that) version 7. Over the years, I had a few complaints, but nothing major. When I had issues getting the NI Express Keyboards (from either 4 or 5), after MULTIPLE emails, nothing was resolved. It wasn't until after contacting NI a few months after purchasing AP 7 that I finally got the serial number that wasn't included with my boxed version of Acid.

But here's my thing. I used Acid for many years. The stability issues ended up being the reason I left. I couldn't do ANYTHING without Acid crashing. Granted, I use a lot of plugins, EQ and compression on nearly every track, multiple sends, etc. Everything you'd expect to see on a full mix. It wasn't my system, as I was operating on an i5 Quad 3.1gHz 8 GB RAM. And then when I switched over to my new DAW 3 months ago (I'll keep from naming it here to keep this fair), I was astonished at it's functionality. No crashes whatsoever in 3 months, and I've pushed it exponentially harder than I could ever think about pushing Acid. (Example: I ran 8 instances of Spectrasonic's Omnisphere, 15 instances of u-He's ACE, and 10 instances of Kontakt 4 each loaded up with full-CPU versions of Electri6ity, each routed to a separate bus containing multiple high CPU plugs when I first got the DAW to test how hard it could be pushed; I came to the realization that it could handle anything that my CPU could). In Acid, I was crashing anytime I got around the 20 plug-in per project marker on the same system (it happened on multiple systems, ironically more on the i5 than on my older P4 1GB)
So there's one issue...

My new DAW's functionality is amazing. I really didn't know anything like what it offers exists until then. I always felt Acid was a wonderful DAW until then. I got around to chopping up loops with a push of a button that automatically mapped them and a midi file containing the loops groove to a sampler, and was in awe at how Sony was able to call Acid a "Professional DAW."

On musicradar.com, they had/have a list of the top 11 DAWs, with Acid Pro 7 at the very bottom. In computer music magazine a few months ago, they did a DAW roundup, which contained the major DAWs on the market (10 total) and Acid Pro wasn't even in the comparison, although even Reaper's $60 affair made it into the mix.

The users of Acid have a right to know: When is Sony going to bring Acid up to scratch, and when is AP8 going to be released? Will the bugs be gone? And what is it that makes it better than AP7 (and don't include a list of nearly use-less features that sets it apart like the AP6 vs. AP7 list does), and how does it stand against REAL DAWS? Is this even a concern of the people over at SCS, or is getting our money the only thing that matters? It may seem like I'm just on an angry rant, but as someone who over the years has spent nearly $2000 on Acid and the loop libraries you sell, I'd like to know why I had so many problems that could have been avoided, considering I spent less than $1500 on my new system (including the new computer) and have none of the issues I had with Acid. I feel like we, the user's who's money you've used to feed and shelter your families, have a right to know what is going on with the products we support/ed.

I, for one, will not buy another Sony product (be it a CD/DVD/PS3/Acid/etc) if I can't get an answer for once. I don't think that's too much to ask...

Subject:RE: Can Sony Answer Me?

Reply by: Vocalpoint

Date:7/13/2011 9:41:33 AM

Jeez - with a rant like this - I will be surprised if anyone from Sony even wastes time reading this. There are right ways and wrong ways to get your point across...guess which one this is...especially with this gem tacked on the end:

"I, for one, will not buy another Sony product (be it a CD/DVD/PS3/Acid/etc) if I can't get an answer for once"

VP

Subject:RE: Can Sony Answer Me?

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:7/14/2011 1:01:09 PM

I'm kind of fascinated by it all.

If you're so happy with the DAWs you're now using (as you claim in your other posts), why are you here? As I mentioned at least once before to someone else, you obviously like ACID or you wouldn't be here...correct?

If you want honesty, I couldn't care less what the rest of the recording world thinks; they're too obsessed with razzle-dazzle and not enough substance as it is. (Witness the Auto-Tune craze.)

Iacobus

Subject:RE: Can Sony Answer Me?

Reply by: collinsylex

Date:7/20/2011 11:33:55 AM

I personally love using Acid. I've been using it for years over serveral versions and several PC's. That said, I believe it really does have some issues "under the hood"... For example... EVERY time i have tried to use a control surface with Acid, it works for a little bit then turns into a freezing crashing mess within an hour or two. How to solve the crashing???? DISABLE the control surface. YEP, i have tried with a few surfaces and each and every time no matter the machine or version of acid... freezing and crashing.. the last straw was presonus faderport. Sony acid supports this??? It crashed my Last machine and my new machine the exact same way with acid pro 7. very embarrasing when working with clients ;)

Plugin Support: I am not so bothered that Acid doesn't have a variaudio/melodyne style editor... BUT PLEASE support the plugins!! Melodyne plugin does not workin in Acid. I own it and can't use it. that means that i have to move to another DAW to tune a vocal take (unless i wanna just use that "Razzle Dazzle" Autotune which is about the only pitch correction Acid Supports... LOL)
Now, if only i could send MIDI to autotune so i could do something more creative with it!! OH but sending midi to plugins isn't supported either... BOOOOO

LIQUIDMIX.... Hardly works at all in acid... Not usable.. And if you decide to deal with the frusteration of using it in acid, you'll be re-installing acid in a week because its totally corrupted itself (more freezing and crashing than you'll be able to work with even if no longer using liquidmix) I've been thru this with different machines and installations too... keeps happening regarless of the variables.

I would also like to use the Sonnox Supressor on busses. Hmmm, whatever i do, it puts stuff out of time because ACID can't deal with the plugin latecy correctly... BOO again...

I also own Protools 9, Cubase 6, Logic 9 & Ableton Live. The only program i want to use for tracking and mixing sessions is ACID. I like that when i hit record, it thows a new track in and is recording right away. I like that it does things in a logical and simple way, and very quickly at that. The acid workflow is stellar! BUT, if you wanna work with plugins that are a bit more advanced, you gotta get out of ACID and use a real modern DAW. Its totally sad. What the heck, is sidechaining to Razzle Dazzle???

this is 2011, and acid should support Razzle Dazzle plugins (or shall we say, more advanced VST's). Its not up to me in a clients session to say... "you shouldn't want the razzle dazzle for your project... " THATS the OPPOSITE of what creative people want to deal with, especially when they come to you to get the razzle dazzle they can't do on their own.

Basically, from what i understand, sony doesn't support alot of modern plugins because they refuse to be co-operative with the plugin creators, or they refuse to modify they way they have ACID setup. well, time to make some changes on the system and let it grow up and join the present day.

Just rememeber, i Love Acid and use it several hours a day. It makes me sad that my best tools for audio work do not function in Acid. really sucks

Subject:RE: Can Sony Answer Me?

Reply by: jackn2mpu

Date:7/21/2011 10:08:25 AM

I've said it before and I'll say it again: as daws go, Acid is a great loop making program. It's NOT a serious recording program. You want serious daw software on a pc? Try Sonar or ProTools or even the essentially free Reaper. Yeah, I know Reaper has the nag screen if you don't pay but that's a minor annoyance at best. And if you do pay it's easy on the credit card.

I have Acid 4, 5, and 6 and hardly use them except for making loops. If you just want to use loops any major daw will work.

Jack

Subject:RE: Can Sony Answer Me?

Reply by: deusx

Date:7/25/2011 11:08:58 AM

It's not about what's a serious DAW or not. It's about people using them.

The number of features and plugins one needs is inversely proportional to the lack of talent they posses. So, whoever thinks ACID is not enough to produce serious music, should probably re-evaluate their talents and consider an alternate career.

Subject:RE: Can Sony Answer Me?

Reply by: collinsylex

Date:7/25/2011 12:07:29 PM

ACID IS good enough to make good music, no question about that... but its really a downer when the artist says, "I really want to use that harmony effect on my hooks for this track... " (a hook that was performed just fine) and i have to say "Oh, thats gonna be a real headache as we have to leave our current DAW and move this project into something that supports that plugin"... The plugin being a VST, which is something i thought ACID was supposed to support!!! When I buy a plugin and it works with everything but ACID, i think there is a problem ;)

Subject:RE: Can Sony Answer Me?

Reply by: deusx

Date:7/25/2011 8:21:50 PM

>>>I really want to use that harmony effect on my hooks for this track.<<<

Your answer: "Sure. I'll add as many tracks as necessery and you sing your heart away with those harmonies, you are a real singer, aren't you?". "Plug-ins?? we don't need no stinkin' plug-ins".

Real men use hardware effects by the way. [link]http://www.tc-helicon.com/products/

Subject:RE: Can Sony Answer Me?

Reply by: collinsylex

Date:7/26/2011 2:27:00 AM

^^Haha good one! I guess if i wanted to start a singing school that would work!!! and just imagine... I could get a Tape deck to record people singing & log their week to week progress ;)

It would be really cool if everyone that came thru my door could naturally bust out a futuristic robot voice that sings notes notes based on the rules of music theory!!! I actually apply music theory to the plugin settings and automation if it makes any of you feel better LOL (i've had loads of theory planted in my brain, so at least someone in the control room has had it****)

but for real, I know that Sony isn't gonna say nothing about the next version before its done... I can relate to the O.P wanting answers, nerves are thin now for a while with the current level of hope.

At the moment, my wishlist of issues to overcome:

midi to audio plugins
multichannel outputs for VST's, (say four or 6 channels supported)
get me some plugin delay compensation on the busses
get DSP processors to work correctly for the UAD guys and my liquidmix
get the control surface stuff sorted out... I have a fadeport collecting dust just waiting for the next acid release to give it another go. Or, how about euphonix support (ok ok i know thats going too far for the next release LOL)