Magix Samplitude Pro X2 Released !

[Hink]

The (Suite) version of Samplitude Pro X2 comes with some additional plug-ins, I'm guessing these would be downloaded as well, if I decide to upgrade from Samplitude Pro X (Suite) to Samplitude Pro X2 (Suite).

I don't want to install Independence Pro, So, I'm guessing there are two versions of the upgrade download, one for Samplitude Pro X2 , and another one for Samplitude Pro X2 (Suite) ?

can you do me a favor and let me know how it goes?

[Muziksculp]

The (Suite) version of Samplitude Pro X2 comes with some additional plug-ins, I'm guessing these would be downloaded as well, if I decide to upgrade from Samplitude Pro X (Suite) to Samplitude Pro X2 (Suite).

I don't want to install Independence Pro, So, I'm guessing there are two versions of the upgrade download, one for Samplitude Pro X2 , and another one for Samplitude Pro X2 (Suite) ?

can you do me a favor and let me know how it goes?

Sure, I will report back here as soon as I decide to go ahead with the upgrade purchase.

[toothnclaw]

Trials for
ProX2:
http://dl03.magix.net/trial_samplitudeprox2_int_dlm.exe
Suite:
http://dl03.magix.net/trial_samplitudep ... nt_dlm.exe

No Independence in any of them, the Suite installed is just over a gig.
Vandal and the other Sascha plugins are included (in the Suite).

You can use the trial for a week, or 30 days, if you register.

[Muziksculp]

Trials for
ProX2:
http://dl03.magix.net/trial_samplitudeprox2_int_dlm.exe
Suite:
http://dl03.magix.net/trial_samplitudep ... nt_dlm.exe

No Independence in any of them, the Suite installed is just over a gig.
Vandal and the other Sascha plugins are included (in the Suite).

You can use the trial for a week, or 30 days, if you register.

Hi toothnclaw,

That's Great, and just what I was hoping for

Thanks,
Muziksculp

[Ph-J]

And the prices asked are completely silly, by nowadays standards. Just compare these with the prices asked by Steinberg for Cubase 8.

I don't know if the prices are silly, but it is expensive.
I still have a Samplitude 8 Pro laying around, dating back from the times apple bought logic and dropped PC support, but it's worth nothing on the marketplace seeing the upgrade prices.
(I moved to cubase, Samp 8 had no score editor, and I realized shortly I couldn't do without that. My bad. I still blame apple, though (not magix) )

[GeorgK]

@Kullervo:
Just a hint: Samplitude changed its upgrade policy, and now upgrade prices for old versions (down to 8 ) and the most recent version are almost the same (before that, versions more than one generation behind were practically worthless in terms of upgrading).
e.g. new ProX2 Suite is around 1000 Euros, while upgrade from 8 Pro to ProX2 Suite is less than 500 Euros. Maybe you can find someone that is willing to spend a few bucks for your old 8 Pro.

G.

[Hink]

@Kullervo:
Just a hint: Samplitude changed its upgrade policy, and now upgrade prices for old versions (down to 8 ) and the most recent version are almost the same (before that, versions more than one generation behind were practically worthless in terms of upgrading).
e.g. new ProX2 Suite is around 1000 Euros, while upgrade from 8 Pro to ProX2 Suite is less than 500 Euros. Maybe you can find someone that is willing to spend a few bucks for your old 8 Pro.

G.

not to be a wet blanket but it's likely a crossgrade would be cheaper, I haven't checked the prices of a crossgrade tbh, but I got in after a regular update (not a paid update, just a patch update) when they were blowing out box versions. I paid 399 then and did not need proof of another DAW.

As for the upgrade prices, before Pro X it was 250 usd roughly, then the whole two tier fiasco happened with Pro X 1 where they changed the prices (but as already stated they made good on this for every customer and no one got screwe). This Upgrade is 229usd/299usd (pro x 2/pro x 2 suite) but until Jan 15th there is a 33% discount being offered so I can get the Samp Pro X 2 Suite upgrade for roughly 200 dollars.

I have been with Samp since 2007, I dont really follow other hosts upgrade schedules. I do see them here but I really do not take note of the frequency. I was under the impression from my memory that it was Sept 2012 that Pro X came out but I think I may be wrong because on the samp forums they are saying it's been over three years since Pro X came out.

So my question is, how does this compare over time to other DAWs. Say DAW "X" updates every 18 months at 150 dollars then over three years it would be the same. Maybe other DAWs are at the 3 year update rate as well, I really do not know but if not that could be factored in.

I myself would like to never pay again for an update (and I dont with my FL) but it is what it is. Samplitude forums are full of professionals (even Bob Katz), many are not musicians and do audio work as their profession which is something I love about the samp forums (I dont post a whole lot there but I sure do learn a lot). For those people it's just the cost of doing business and they make that up with one client not to mention it's also a tax write off because it's a business expense.

I wont lie, even at 250 dollars I thought the upgrade was steep, I think for AA it was about a two year cycle and 200 dollars to upgrade. (I could be wrong, that was a while ago). I stayed with Samp version 9 (pro) until after 11 pro was released. I updated to 10 pro and a few months later went to 11 pro and both were right around 250 dollars as I said (which quickly ate up my savings on the crossgrade).

I am not a wealthy man, sadly the U.S. does not always pay disabled vets well With that said, looking back at three, what I consider to be expensive upgrades? I dont regret it, it never put me in the hole, I have also managed to buy a few nice guitars, a bunch of tube amps during that time and a lot of other gear.

So I guess it's just plain old relative, for me it has been more than worth it and it hasn't hurt me. I really have meshed very well with Samp and of the hosts I have tried it's the one that I get the most. If I was cncerned with every penny buying music gear I would still have my Cutec 4-track (one of the first cassette types, in the early 80's it cost more than Samp Pro X2 (non suite) does new. SO for me it's the price I pay for my passion, not the price of doing business. I would rather spend 200 dollars now than to get yet another DAW and learn another DAW. My dollars go to keep my DAW of choice evolving, par for the course.

Of course that is just how I feel, if someone wants to call me silly that's fine. If others think it's too expensive I dont blame them when they move on. But for myself, I probably waste more than the difference between Samp's upgrade price and that of other major DAWs (FL excluded) on things I really didn't need in just a years time. So I dont feel silly, I have no complaints about that and I have not stuck with one recording method for as long as I have had Samp (it will be 8 years this Feb).

I think Samp and it's upgrades has been an investment that has been very good for me. YMMV

[GeorgK]

You are perfectly right; 200 Euros spread over three years is not a huge amount of money. They bigger problem is: what do we get for? Other hosts make people WANT to update - there are nice new features, modernization of the GUI, some other (useful) "candy" etc. With Samplitude, people might feel FORCED to update - to get essential features, and, most likely, to get rid of the most annoying bugs.
For comparison: if someone bought Cubase 5 almost six years ago, he still has (together with the free 5.5 update) a perfectly usable and very stable system today, including 64bit and vst3. Samplitude users have to pay 200 bucks now, if they want/need Vst3 (and it is even not absolutely clear, whether Vst3 is fully implemented - the manual has only one sentence on Vst3).
Steinberg is also clever enough to throw in really good stuff like Retrologue, Padshop and REVerence with their updates, while the addition of the "high-end synth" DN-1e will be seen as an insult by most Sam users.

Anyway: in the end, most users will upgrade sooner or later, including me (as ProX is dead, and its bugs will stay forever). But these are not "happy customers". They will certainly not attract any new customers with this update.

G.

[tooneba]

With Samplitude, people might feel FORCED to update - to get essential features, and, most likely, to get rid of the most annoying bugs.

Though bug fix should be free additional essential features rather than just adding effects are usually welcomed by also existing customers. Am I wrong?

[Ph-J]

@Kullervo:
Just a hint: Samplitude changed its upgrade policy, and now upgrade prices for old versions (down to 8 ) and the most recent version are almost the same (before that, versions more than one generation behind were practically worthless in terms of upgrading).
e.g. new ProX2 Suite is around 1000 Euros, while upgrade from 8 Pro to ProX2 Suite is less than 500 Euros. Maybe you can find someone that is willing to spend a few bucks for your old 8 Pro.

G.

not to be a wet blanket but it's likely a crossgrade would be cheaper, I haven't checked the prices of a crossgrade tbh, but I got in after a regular update (not a paid update, just a patch update) when they were blowing out box versions. I paid 399 then and did not need proof of another DAW.

No big deal, anyway
Had scoring been there in version 8, I'd probably still be a samplitude user, object editing was great.
Now I'm a happy Cubase user and all is fine.

[Hink]

You are perfectly right; 200 Euros spread over three years is not a huge amount of money. They bigger problem is: what do we get for? Other hosts make people WANT to update - there are nice new features, modernization of the GUI, some other (useful) "candy" etc. With Samplitude, people might feel FORCED to update - to get essential features, and, most likely, to get rid of the most annoying bugs.
For comparison: if someone bought Cubase 5 almost six years ago, he still has (together with the free 5.5 update) a perfectly usable and very stable system today, including 64bit and vst3. Samplitude users have to pay 200 bucks now, if they want/need Vst3 (and it is even not absolutely clear, whether Vst3 is fully implemented - the manual has only one sentence on Vst3).
Steinberg is also clever enough to throw in really good stuff like Retrologue, Padshop and REVerence with their updates, while the addition of the "high-end synth" DN-1e will be seen as an insult by most Sam users.

Anyway: in the end, most users will upgrade sooner or later, including me (as ProX is dead, and its bugs will stay forever). But these are not "happy customers". They will certainly not attract any new customers with this update.

G.

I wont go tit for tat arguing hosts because imo it's a personal decision and there is no right choice for everyone. With that said I am a little confused by what I put in bold. Are you saying they should hold off on the VST3 until there are more VST3 plugins? I mean I think most companies will be charging for upgrades with VST3.

When it comes to happy vs unhappy customers I think the customers are reacting similar to the release of any update from any company, some happy and some not. IMHO if I stay with Pro X1 the truth is I am not getting stuck with an unstable or unusable DAW so I dont get what you are trying to say there. Since installing Pro X1 I have not had a crash or a freeze, Pro X1 has been awesome and none of the bugs affect me that's why I am on the fence for updating. Last week I was sure there would be nothing major in this upgrade that would be a game changer and I was right. However I suspect that most DAW users are going feel this way sooner or later because there are not a lot of groundbreaking things going on. There are many samp users several versions behind because they do not need everything samp has to offer.

I was not prepared to see so many useful little things, I was not prepared for zplane which I already own. (curious to see if it's easier to use when it's integrated into samp). Sure some of these things should have been added long ago, but that's just how it is. I dont know if this will attract new customers, I dont know that it wont. TBH I kinda see Magix trying to use consumer grade products to entice people to want to buy full versions and the truth is over the years I have been very hard on Magix when it comes to Movie edit and bugs that remained in it (I'm talking a few versions back now, I gave up on them). But a few small things can be worth it if they improve my enjoyment of Samp.

This is why I dont argue which host is better, I'm sure that there will be many people who mesh well with Samplitude as I do and many more who will hate it (it's a very unpopular host, but anyone who knows me knows that is not at all part of my decision making). Frankly I have tried the Cubase lite that always comes with hardware and while I have no general complaints I didn't just hit the ground running like I did with samp and that was with Samp 9 Pro. Before I bought Samp 9 Pro I tried the demo for Sam 8 because one of the two companies I was seeking to build my computer had a deal if you bought Samplitude (I believe it was Sonica, I went with PC-Audiolabs) so I thought I would give it a shot and I didn't like it. The I got the deal on 9 pro, I was tired of using FL for midi and AA for audio, I was not comfortable with AA adding midi in AA3 (I never got that upgrade) and I was ready for something that suited me better and Samp was it. It could have been Cubase just as easily TBH, but it wasn't and I am not complaining.

So who knows how this will go over in the future or if I will upgrade at all

[DaveClark]

Hi all,

Although it won't affect most users, or so I assume: Support of DirectX plugins has been withdrawn in X2 and X2 Suite, but the new manual accompanying the demo showed that it was still there in the VST / DirectX / ReWire documentation.

Tim Dolbear confirmed that withdrawal was planned for this update.

Regards,
Dave Clark

[Hink]

well, that was fairly painless...fastest I have ever updated samplitude both in installation time and the quickest after a new upgrade has been released. Santa arrived early at my house and Pro X2 was an xmas present...so technically I just saved a nice chunk of change. So as for feeling ripped off, between a good friend getting me this for xmas and what I saved when I first jumped on the Samp bandwagon with a crossgrade combined with the frequency of paid updates I figure it will take about a decade's worth of rip-offs before I am behind.

I really like what I see so far, like the new channel eq's are no longer limited to a 3 band parametric eq, now you can have up to 6 bands. I have a lot to explore and set-up still but I'm all smiles and I truly believe that I have the best DAW on the market for me and very current...thanks santa.

What a great time to be a gi-tar playin recordin man

[DaveClark]

Hi all,

Anyone know how much the charge is for shipping of the physical product? I don't see anything before entry of the credit card number. Free shipping? Doesn't seem possible....

Thanks,
Dave Clark

[Hink]

so far things are smooth here, very happy with how smooth my install was and yes they did implement many things that were most wanted when the did a poll. Some are mad that ARA didn't come with Samp but zplane did, but really ARA is different so I wouldn't be surprised to see that in the future. I like zplane, but I have only messed around with it (I have had it for a couple of years), it's nice having it a part of Samp.

The 116EQ as the channel eq's is really nice, not always because you have two more bands though. You can selct up to six, or as little as one which makes for a nice quick low pass or high pass filter...or both which I like to do on my tracks of miked guitars.

The plugin and effect routing changes are still something I have to dive into as are the multi-outs. I still find out if there is mono outs now. I like the zoom changes, the little object changes, automation changes all are good of course. VST3 I have to wait on, I have none. I really like the tuner, sure beats my little korg tuner, still there is nothing mind blowing there...just little things to make life easier and actually enough including some changes to elastic audio to make it a good update. If you're going to be using Samp part of that is knowing that the upgrade price is higher, so if the update is worth it is quite subjective. Staying current is not without it's benefits especially when there is someone out there like kraznet making vids.

But then comes in the new synths, drums, organ, EP, strings...some of which aren't anything to look at tbh, but it aint how they look and they sound pretty good. DN-e1 is interesting, again simplistic gui but some nice tones. IMHO they do up the value quite a bit...my biggest complaint is that the logo for the quicklink shortcut is dark now and doesn't show up well in my task bar.