Should I buy VPS Avenger, or should I wait for VPS Avenger 2 and a better copy protection?

[StardragonEX]

I've been thinking in buying VPS Avenger, but then I began to hear about CodeMeter and that it works at all times even when I'm not using VPS Avenger and that it's more like a spyware. I'm afraid to buy it now. I would prefer if it used a dongler like elicenser, because I already have my elicenser pendrive for Nexus 2.

What should I do? I really like the sounds of this synth and its expansions.

[SirkusPi]

I'm still bitter that VPS switched Avenger to CodeMeter after I had purchased it. I will never install CodeMeter, and will never buy anything from VPS ever again, period.

But that being said, in terms of your decision, I'm not aware that VPS has any current stated intention of moving away from CodeMeter in v2. So if you want Avenger, I don't know if there is any point in waiting. Although to be fair, I haven't exactly been keeping up with the latest VPS news, so maybe I'm mistaken and they have announced new plans.

[MMaarrkk]

The relationship between Avenger and CodeMeter does not look to be stopping anytime soon, as it's been expressed that that's their preferred way of going about things as it has been working quite well for them. So no luck most likely.

[Tannaliini]

I don't quite understand why VPS Avenger is using this code meter system, but then there are many synths doing fine without it? Why VPS Avenger doesn't use similar copy protection system as those synths?

Especially since the Avenger's copy protection system has been blamed for making the synth more unstable, causing problems with workflow etc... Things that shouldn't be part of a high price VST plugin.

And I know, some might say "I haven't had any problems". That's not the point, the point is that there are several people having similar issues with the synth. Not just 1 or 2 people. And these issues are NOT something like "I don't like the gui", but the issues are about the usability of the VST (+ the fact that you need the code meter running)...

[nIGhT-SoN]

@Tannaliini I 100% agree with you. It feels like some developers put more thought in protecting their software instead of fixing bugs and making it better. For me that's a sign not to buy from them. They seem to care more about those that use the software without paying and not their potential buyers or actual customers

[dermage]

I see this similarly. I've been using Avenger for some time, but there were bugs which I reported which didn't get fixed for years, until I stopped checking and moved to other synths. Even before their CodeMeter move for their 1.x version, which I think is a very bad sign for their customer relationship. My impression from that is, that they do not care as much as others for their customers.

In my opinion there are pretty good alternatives now like Rapid, PhasePlant, Icarus2, Dune3, Serum, Hive2 which do things that Avenger did for me, oftentimes even better. I have ZERO problems with bugs there and the developers are (very) responsive and caring. If there's a bug it's usually fixed within a few weeks or less. All these use quite friendly copy protection schemes and I never had problems with them.

[chk071]

What should I do?

You should decide for yourself whether or not you want to part with your money.

[Caine123]

Get RAPID instead!

[hivkorn]

i have a v 1.4 installed and i will not upgrade because of codemeter.I really consider selling it because i think vengeance sound will not change the copy protection even when V2 will be released... so sad i was REALLY in love with this synth.So if anyone want to buy, i sold it with 1 expansion (doom)..just pm me.

[SLiC]

i have a v 1.4 installed and i will not upgrade because of codemeter.I really consider selling it because i think vengeance sound will not change the copy protection even when V2 will be released... so sad i was REALLY in love with this synth.So if anyone want to buy, i sold it with 1 expansion (doom)..just pm me.

There are so many Avenger licences being sold at the moment its hard to get a good price...

[hivkorn]

i have a v 1.4 installed and i will not upgrade because of codemeter.I really consider selling it because i think vengeance sound will not change the copy protection even when V2 will be released... so sad i was REALLY in love with this synth.So if anyone want to buy, i sold it with 1 expansion (doom)..just pm me.

There are so many Avenger licences being sold at the moment its hard to get a good price...

yeah i see a few people sell it .... maybe we can hope for V2 with ilok ...it would be better than codemeter

[wombat778]

For what it’s worth, I have been using CodeMeter for about 15 years as I have some non-music software requiring it. It has never given me any problems at all, and has worked flawlessly on multiple different computers and OS installations over the years. Even my ancient CodeMeter dongle that has received a lot of abuse over the years is still working just fine.

[SirkusPi]

@wombat778, I am sure your experience has been fine. Maybe if I installed CodeMeter, it would work fine for me too. But that's not the point.

If VPS had advertised Avenger as using CodeMeter from the start, then I wouldn't be complaining - I simply would not have purchased and moved on with my life.

But VPS chose to market Avenger as using a keyfile protection system. VPS presumably made this choice to increase Avenger's marketability; all of VPS' previous plugins had used eLicenser, which some people don't like. And indeed, I specifically relied on the existence of a keyfile protection system when I made my purchase: I long ago decided (when I abandoned AutoTune for moving to CodeMeter, well before Avenger did) that would never buy a CodeMeter product.

And then, after they had my money, VPS decided to move to CodeMeter. They decided effectively to punish me, because their gamble to increase sales by moving to a keyfile system didn't pay off (due to piracy). And to be clear, VPS is a longtime developer - they plainly understood the potential risk of moving from eLicenser to a keyfile system. I don't think VPS intended this to happen from the start. But having chosen to make a gamble to increase sales by moving from eLicenser to a keyfile system, they should live with the fallout of that gamble, win or lose, rather than punishing consumers.

So the fact that CodeMeter may work OK for some people is irrelevant to me. They sold me something (a synth ecosystem advertised as CodeMeter free), and swapped it for something else (a synth with CodeMeter). I understand I can still use v1.4. I don't think I have a court case. But not only did I invest in a synth that will never be updated for those of us who refuse to install CodeMeter - something we were specifically told we didn't need when we gave VPS our money - but I don't even get the benefit of bugfixes of problems that exist in 1.4.

I have no respect for, and will never again deal with, a company that thinks that kind of behavior is OK.

[starflakeprj]

I am neither religious nor superstitious, so I couldn't care less about what type of copy protection a software use. As long as I'm not forced into buying something I don't have, like a dongle, to protect the software. That, for me, would have been a deal breaker. IF a software changes its copy protection along the way I still wouldn't care, unless I have to buy something additional.

But I guess we are all different.

[rj0]

I bought Avenger when it was keyfile. I initially tried to make the move to 1.5 and CodeMeter when they made the changeover, ran into too many complications and problems (I sure would prefer iLok), gave up, and stayed with 1.4. To-date, I haven't owned any other software (of any kind) that is so tied to the internet and the continued viability of the company, and I'm not sure that I really want to start now, especially with all the reported bugs and hassles. Maybe someday.