KVR Audio

wildzeke · Post by **wildzeke** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:36 pm

Is anyone else like me? Almost all the synths I have bought were at some discount price. Either through a sale or upgrade option. The only two synths I can remember paying full price are Combosister and Retrologue. My latest acquisition was Camel Audio's Alchemy. I got it for 60% off (upgrade from Cameleon 5000 which I also got from a sale) and I had a $15 credit. If I wait long enough, the next synth I want will be on sale.

Wildzeke

cron · Post by **cron** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 4:57 pm

I kind of have a (somewhat flexible) rule of not paying more than £50 for an individual synth/effect these days, but it's just a pragmatic thing. I have so much less disposable income than I used to, so I'm hugely grateful to the developers who make their software accessible to me by setting low price points or putting their wares on sale. On the plus side, I've arguably had everything I actually needed to make music since about 2006! I didn't buy anything at all for 6 years except a new host. I only started buying the odd plug-in again last year.

fluffy_little_something · Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:04 pm

wildzeke wrote:Is anyone else like me? Almost all the synths I have bought were at some discount price. Either through a sale or upgrade option. The only two synths I can remember paying full price are Combosister and Retrologue. My latest acquisition was Camel Audio's Alchemy. I got it for 60% off (upgrade from Cameleon 5000 which I also got from a sale) and I had a $15 credit. If I wait long enough, the next synth I want will be on sale.

Wildzeke

Maybe developers already know that many people behave that way and thus set the regular price too high so that promotions seem like generosity

Ghostwave · Post by **Ghostwave** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:05 pm

I'd rather pay full price for a few very nice synths than for plenty of meh synths at a discount.
Buying a new synth can be elusive as you might think that by getting a new toy, you will get better at music-making. Well, it's essentially wrong.
I own plenty of soft synths and I can safely say that I could do without half of them.
Yet, I like to keep them as I enjoy programming them from time to time.
The price of synths is relevant but the use you get out of them is even more so.
And don't forget that the money you spend on small developers helps them stay in business.

gamecat666 · Post by **gamecat666** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 5:08 pm

im just a cheapskate in general.

everything i own has been off marketplace, free, won in competitions, or in a sale. I've never payed full price for anything, but then I dont make anything from music. If i was a 'pro' then i'd not be as thrifty

Karten wrote:I'd rather pay full price for a few very nice synths than for plenty of meh synths at a discount.

I do now agree with this. I originally bought a lot of 'no brainer' stuff that I ended up selling on to pay for Komplete crossgrade. Im now trying to basically stick with Komplete for -everything-

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:50 pm

wildzeke wrote:Is anyone else like me? Almost all the synths I have bought were at some discount price. Either through a sale or upgrade option.

I take it you are a hobbyist?

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:54 pm

nowdays i use mostly zebra2 for everything but that dont stop me to buy.

wildzeke · Post by **wildzeke** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:54 pm

Numanoid wrote:
wildzeke wrote:Is anyone else like me? Almost all the synths I have bought were at some discount price. Either through a sale or upgrade option.
I take it you are a hobbyist?

Yes, this is just a hobby for me. But I have spent way too much money for my fun time.

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:02 pm

This is kind of like me and the Nintendo 64. It was $300 when it first came out. and there weren't enough to go around. Then, one day at a store, I spied 4 boxes on a rack to be put out on the shelves. Oh course, I grabbed one.
Then, as if in slow motion, I watched the price go to $200, then $100, then practically free when THE NEXT BIG THING came out.
It's just like the cliche - good things come to those that wait.

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:08 pm

wildzeke wrote:Yes, this is just a hobby for me. But I have spent way too much money for my fun time.

Then you are like me, and we can sit around waiting for the offer to come by

But those doing it for a living, who needs a particular sound/effect at once, don't care or can't wait until the offer appears, they just need to go for it there and then.

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:13 pm

osiris wrote:It's just like the cliche - good things come to those that wait.

Prices will usually drop on tech gear.

Those who stand first in line for a new product, and buy it at full price, get the advantage that they have access to the latest tech.

But you can't expect that to last forever, so you need to make hay while the sun shines

Peter Gabriel was for example smart in that matter, he rejuvinated his career by taking on the Farlight CMI.

At that time it was super expensive, but he had the money to invest, and used that technological advantage to make money in that particular time window.

Later cheaper technology will always take over, but I doubt Gabriel kicks himself for investing in the Farlight CMI, because it did a lot for him.

fluffy_little_something · Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:19 pm

Peter Gabriel is a talented musician and singer, he can make good music on any decent equipment. Most people could not make good music even if you gave them a Fairlight and Synclavier for free, however.

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:23 pm

fluffy_little_something wrote:Peter Gabriel is a talented musician and singer, he can make good music on any decent equipment.

No doubt

But talented musicians always want to explore, so it was a natural progression for him to use the best tools available at the time.

Also, it is an economic decision. Because even though Fairlight CMI and Synclavier where super expensive at that time, they were cost-effective compared to hiring session musicians. I think that is another reason to why both Peter Gabriel and Frank Zappa got quickly into such equipment.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:31 pm

I buy almost everything during sales, introductory specials, or secondhand. Seems like there are always good deals to be had if you're patient, or if you run a WTB ad in the MarketPlace.

Zombie Queen · Post by **Zombie Queen** » Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:50 pm

Never really though about it, but now I did a quick run through my virtual gear, it looks like for the vast majority of it, I didn't pay full price... Let's see, Absynth and Kontakt I bought second hand and updated when NI had half price sale for updates, Imposcar and Rhino I've got second hand too, AAS Ultra Analog and String Studio I've got in one of their crazy sales (or maybe second hand after that, but these were inexpensive buys for sure), Phosphor I've got during one or rare AD sales, Alchemy and Phonec I won in KVR monthly... Damn, it look like the only one I paid full price is DirectWave, which is ironic as it's the only one I don't use anymore and the only one I can't sell.

Karten wrote:I'd rather pay full price for a few very nice synths than for plenty of meh synths at a discount.

Point is there's always some good synth on sale. Except Zebra maybe, but this one I don't want (no offense).

Not paying full price for a synth