KVR Audio

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:02 pm

Well, I didn't "take them up on their offer" because Little Microshift required an ilock, which I didn't have and therefore couldn't get the freebie. Now they've done away with the dongle, and offera significant discount only to people who signed up for the original, which I was unable to do. And now, the difference between $49 and $89 is the difference between me buying this or not buying this. So I have to agree, why not make the initial price the same for all? Like I said, at this price it just isn't worth it for me. I'll spend more and get H3000 Factory instead.

billcarroll · Post by **billcarroll** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:08 pm

robotmonkey wrote:
Breeze wrote:
Kaboom75 wrote:
Zero dB wrote:Does this mean the rest of the Soundtoys plugins can now be bought and used without a physical iLok?
Unlikley it might mean Soundtoys having to pay ilok a load of money to rearange it all.
For companies depending on a dongle for copy protection, going "dongle-less" must be a bit like swimming without your life-jacket. It's likely SoundToys is testing the waters with this plugin to see how it goes before committing the cash cows.
But it does not make a lot of sense. There are so much quality stuff out there that using an dongle is a competitive disadvantage. The fact is that software that uses an dongle is just not as good investment as software that uses serial, for example. And there is a lot of choice these days.

For me these days dongle = immediate no-buy. Soundtoys makes great plugins but not that great that I can not do without them. First I do not need any new plugins at all. And second, even if I'm going to buy something new this year, I'm gonna get u-he Uhbik and maybe Waves MetaFilter. These are more or less directly competing products. Moreover if I get those products I'm even less likely to buy Soundtoys bundle down the line. In today's competitive landscape dongle is becoming more and more deterrent to sales.

I think it's great SoundToys and others use iLok. Easy to move my licenses between computers. Never had an issue with iLok, and can't say the same for the various other ways companies attempt to protect their software.

DrGonzo · Post by **DrGonzo** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:08 pm

cowudders wrote:check out DMG Audio's Pitchfunk. Don't know why this is still kind of a underdog.

I have nothing but the highest respect for Dave Gamble but I couldn't stand the interface.

/C

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:20 pm

With my short testings... I'm not sure. I already own the Waves Doubler (and use it a lot) and have also the H3000 Factory.
Microshift is easier to use, Waves Doubler has more options. For typical stuff of widening or thicken up bass/synth etc. I think I prefer Waves Doubler.

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:26 pm

4damind wrote:With my short testings... I'm not sure. I already own the Waves Doubler (and use it a lot) and have also the H3000 Factory.
Microshift is easier to use, Waves Doubler has more options. For typical stuff of widening or thicken up bass/synth etc. I think I prefer Waves Doubler.

I had just the opposite impression. I used to like Waves Doubler, but it gets some pretty phasey sounding artifacts a little too easily for my taste - to the point where I really can't stand using it anymore and I've just gone to short delays with some modulation instead. MicroShift has a much more natural, smoother effect. I A/B'ed them quickly yesterday and the difference was pretty noticeable - MS has a much bigger sweet spot, and yeah, definitely easier to use.

Klinke · Post by **Klinke** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:43 pm

billcarroll wrote:I think it's great SoundToys and others use iLok. Easy to move my licenses between computers. Never had an issue with iLok, and can't say the same for the various other ways companies attempt to protect their software.

Maybe you missed this:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-co ... tware.html

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:43 pm

If I understand this correctly, Microshift is using some M/S for the "focus"... this is of course a completely different implementation not found with other similar tools.
There is a bit this "smooth" sound (maybe more natural) compared to Doubler. Waves Doubler can use a modulated pitch which tends to sound a bit like a chorus/phasey. IMO Microshift is also using pitch-modulation but it's "hard-wired" (emulated after the H3000/AMS).

billcarroll · Post by **billcarroll** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:46 pm

Klinke wrote:
billcarroll wrote:I think it's great SoundToys and others use iLok. Easy to move my licenses between computers. Never had an issue with iLok, and can't say the same for the various other ways companies attempt to protect their software.
Maybe you missed this:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-co ... tware.html

The overwhelming majority of iLok users had no issue.

Gamma-UT · Post by **Gamma-UT** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 5:16 pm

4damind wrote:If I understand this correctly, Microshift is using some M/S for the "focus"... this is of course a completely different implementation not found with other similar tools.

The Focus knob is calibrated in terms of frequency so I would guess that there is a bandpass or emphasis filter behind it to concentrate the effect on a given range. I haven't had a chance to try it yet so could be wrong, but as this effect typically relies on hard panning, I'm having trouble envisaging how an M/S control would work.

chroma · Post by **chroma** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 5:42 pm

also a shout to to WOK for the free emonizer plugin, which is also pretty good, though of course very different, for those who don't have microshift...

http://music.service-1.de/html/wok_emon ... pitch.html

The Dissonance · Post by **The Dissonance** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 6:02 pm

Klinke wrote:
billcarroll wrote:I think it's great SoundToys and others use iLok. Easy to move my licenses between computers. Never had an issue with iLok, and can't say the same for the various other ways companies attempt to protect their software.
Maybe you missed this:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-co ... tware.html

"UPDATE: June 25, 2013 14:00 PST

This warning is no longer in effect."

The Dissonance · Post by **The Dissonance** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 6:03 pm

this is smoother than CMX and that and microshift are both better than doubler for my uses.

Klinke · Post by **Klinke** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 6:16 pm

billcarroll wrote:
Klinke wrote: Maybe you missed this:

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-co ... tware.html
The overwhelming majority of iLok users had no issue.

This may be the case, but when you play russian roulette the majority has also no issue. And i have never seen a comparable failure from any other copy protection system.

Robmobius · Post by **Robmobius** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 6:27 pm

Never had any issues with iLok expect for some minor annoyances with their recent change over. And that was sorted out easily enough.

Great little program for $49 (if you have an ilok).

4damind · Post by **4damind** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 7:10 pm

I'm now in testing-mode

Tried some stuff... first sounds are with automated mix parameter so it shows the dry/wet... and then all together

Microshift Dance

Soundtoys Microshift is out with No ILOK Dongle required