Subject:Upgrade to Audio Suite?

Posted by: Andreas S.

Date:11/13/2015 4:37:13 PM

I own pretty much one of everything of SCS software, including version of SF from version 3 to present.

I feel stuck because I'd LIKE to get Spectralayers, but the cheapest upgrade path (buying new) means I can get Izotope RX5 for basically the same price.

Does anyone know if there's any kind of upgrade to one of the Audio Suites? Is there a super-secret code so I only have to spend $200 instead of forking out full price? Crossgrades? Anyone....anyone....Bueller?...Bueller?...Bueller?

Subject:RE: Upgrade to Audio Suite?

Reply by: Cielspacing

Date:11/20/2015 3:17:24 PM

Interestingly SC had an offer for US$200 plus, a few months ago, for such upgrade.
This kind of offer was new, not seen in 2014 or 2013.

However one of the disastrous marketing policies SC has followed is charging US$200 for yearly Spectralayers upgrades!! Meaning that loyal SL customers had to "buy again" each new released version.
This has happened every year since launch, at 2013 and again at 2014, so the few ones who ventured into acquiring SL at first release and have endured this upgrade path, have already paid more than thrice RX5... despite the fact SL has quite steeper learning curve than iZotope's spectral tool.
As a result, our SL user's community is quite small and feedback at this forum has not even crossed the 100 threads in its three years of life, few of them related to usage modes or advance trickery as this powerful tool deserves.
That said, it gives some hope witnessing a change in SCS marketing strategy. We all will benefit from our user's community growth.
However I wouldn't advise anyone to purchase SL now in this time of the year. We may see the terrible pricing strategy so far enforced (of expensive upgrades) that provide us with a new version number, next one Spectralayers 4, that will surely resolve bugs and some workflow issues, worded into new naming schemes, but I wont expect radical new features.
It would probably be best to wait till SONY Creative either shares plans about future releases (won't happen) or the December to April typical release months lapse pass.
Have in mind that SONY C has a policy of non charging for paid updates/upgrades to those customers that have purchased their product just 30 days before release.

Subject:RE: Upgrade to Audio Suite?

Reply by: Sneddy

Date:11/22/2015 9:33:34 AM

I agree with what you say here. I never got beyond SL1 due to the reasons I have stated in previous postings. My recent postings have been focused on musical examples where I used
competing software (RX4 Advanced and Audition 3.0.1) to try and solve problems. These include
downloadable before and after .wav files where SL users could see how SL works on them and share their results with us on this forum. If SL forum users weren't interested maybe SCS would get the hint and do this to create forum interest which as you pointed out isn't setting records. Maybe SCS powers that be don't want their support human resources to spend much time on SL? There is a real need for spectral repair solutions as iZotope and Cedar certainly know. Adobe was on to this years ago (or maybe Syntrillium prior to the Adobe take over).

Subject:RE: Upgrade to Audio Suite?

Reply by: ChristoC

Date:11/22/2015 1:25:52 PM

I find both SpectraLayers and RX5 equally useful - sometimes the results for a particular "problem" are similar but I find I prefer one or the other; that is generally unpredictable.
One big difference is SpectraLayer's ability to handle multichannel files (surround, up to 8 channels), which I find very useful - RX5 can only handle Mono or Stereo.

Subject:RE: Upgrade to Audio Suite?

Reply by: Andreas S.

Date:11/23/2015 10:44:52 AM

Interesting that you noted SCS's "buy again" upgrades...the Izotope Forums are saying the same thing about Ozone 7 and RX5.

The Black Friday sales aren't quite what they used to be. I do have a colleague who has RX5, so for the timebeing I'll probably just keep doing what I've always done: (phone rings) "Hey Dave, can you fix this nasty audio a client gave me?"

I'd rather do it myself (just for the new skill), but the work is still too infrequent to justify the cost.

Subject:RE: Upgrade to Audio Suite?

Reply by: Sneddy

Date:11/24/2015 1:17:27 PM

Any chance we could hear some of the fixes you've done with both RX5
and SL3? I posted in another thread on this forum, my spectral repair
attempts using Waves WNS, RX 4 Advanced, and Audition 3.0.1. These
are before and after .wav files which can be found at www.bobcroquet.com/spectral.htm
I welcome anyone to download these for the purpose of working on them to
improve their restoration skills. It's sad to visit this forum and see such little activity.

Subject:RE: Upgrade to Audio Suite?

Reply by: UKharrie

Date:7/23/2016 7:48:43 AM

Andreas S.
You put yr finger on the problem... COST.
The Business-Model for software is reasonably simple, IMHO. You make good software with an upgrade path that doesn't hurt.

If Linux got rid of all "versions" and concentrated on: User and Nutter ( Wash my Mouth.), - they could sweep Microsoft off the planet - but there is no Chief at the head controlling what the minions do, partly because it's OpenSource.

I don't think Microsoft need worry for a lot longer - but this could change almost overnight, since MBO and peripherals are more-or-less common components.

In Audio, we don't have too much a problem with microphones - we accept their differences and take advantage as we afford special kit.

However, a "Buy again" upgrqde is a wretched model, IMHO - and you can see the User-Base shadow, ( by the number of Entries on the SL Forum. i.e. Here ) . . . one suspects that SL is way down in Marketing numbers . . . to the extent SCS wonders why they keep it.

Detached Frame ( daft name -difficult to recall ) - owns SL - and it may be ( but one suspects not???) - they won't allow a more Progressive update path, because they can't work harder than they already do. It may be that in-house "Testing" is just too difficult, whereas a new-version removes errors better . . . .

NOTE
The ann. about Magix ... may have some benefits . . . but could result in SL being deleted due to poor sales . . . . maybe giving someone else the Opportunity to create a new piece of software that can accept SL as a Plug-in - like SF is, to Sony Video Editors. -OR- could they go-it-alone like Hitfilm does for Particle and GreenScreen effects?

I never understand why software isn't available in differently-pitched versions of the same thing. It seem BONKERS to me that you learn an Easy program and then have to relearn where things are on the "Better" version . . . . You'd think, by now, there was an International Human Acceptance that things work "Like This"

Buy Again - Not me!
Let's hope the Upgrade Policy is less painful - since folks don't have to Buy Again . . . they can go elsewhere, esp. with so many 30-day Trials available.