May I ask, and please dont get mad..but i gotta know

[PointOfDeparture]

Squids if you can get IK to get rid of the dongle you let them know that I'd pony up for CSR tomorrow and AT2 shortly after that. Hell I might even bite the bullet and just get that effects package you're selling (which is damn tempting even with it).

Co-Sign Except switch AT2 with Miroslav

[HalloweenJack]

Squids if you can get IK to get rid of the dongle you let them know that I'd pony up for CSR tomorrow and AT2 shortly after that. Hell I might even bite the bullet and just get that effects package you're selling (which is damn tempting even with it).

Co-Sign Except switch AT2 with Miroslav

Include me on that...

[woodie]

hey squids...I have seriously considered IK products in the past, but decided against purchasing anything (unfortunately) simply for the fear of dongles; not only you guys, but ANYTHING dongled. I've read too many horror stories and I'm just not ready for that battle. It's enough trying to get a Windows XP (audio) computer system to work right and run smoothly; even the likes of audio magazines (SOS & Keyboard, for example) dedicate several full pages for "tweaking" an audio system...dongle(s) would only add to the possible headaches involved.

While a dongled-solution sounds good and means well....to the consumer (your revenue stream), the technology obviously has it's set of problems and for folks like me and the others here....we just don't want to take a chance on a product that requires that technology as it's not 100% fail-proof and often requires people to spend too much time troubleshooting. Also, let's not forget the additional cost involved...paying for the dongle and possibly the need for a USB hub if the USB ports are already taken AND what if the dongle gets fried? I've already had 2 USB Flash drives crap out on me for no reason, so yeah....I consider those things now a "consumable item"...not an "asset".

While I understand that Steinberg is well respected with their hosts and have gone the "dongle" route...you also have the likes of Ableton (which I use), Spectrasonics, Cakewalk and countless others whom are well-respected in the industry that are using a C/R or serial-type of protection schemes which is proven over many many products (including Microsoft!) and much-less "invasive" and actually works quite well for us (the consumers).

Anyway....sorry for the ramble as you've surely heard it all before, but since this thread exists....for the sake of the conversation, I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents and hopefully in the future they can consider a dongle-less solution.

[Squids]

Good! So there should be nothing holding you back from purchasing TRackS, SampleTank 2.1XL and Sonik Synth 2 on www.esoundz.com then? (they have no dongles and aren't likely to ever have them)

[woodie]

Good! So there should be nothing holding you back from purchasing TRackS, SampleTank 2.1XL and Sonik Synth 2 on www.esoundz.com then? (they have no dongles and aren't likely to ever have them)

he-he..."aren't likely to ever have them" - Ah! That's what scares me, though, Squids! All evidence indicates that IK is now fully supporting dongles and unless IK has made an official announcement of that, I don't like that move and I'm just not interested in supporting the idea.

When I invest in a product, I also invest in its future, so I do all my homework before I settle on whatever and in this case..."likely" still doesn't give me that reassurance that new/updated versions won't eventually require a dongle (Amplitube is a perfect example!). So far these require a dongle (basically the new products):

Amplitube 2*
Ampeg SVX*
Classik Studio Reverb*
Miroslav Philharmonik*

I was considering Amplitube at the time, but decided to hold back for v2.0...and then the rumors of a dongle (awhile before it was released)...and then the confirmation. ouch! I'll just stick with my Boss GX-700 for now.

Squids, no hard feelings here, buddy....IK's got to do what they've got to do, but I just wanted to voice out and be counted as a non-dongle lover and I would really LOVE to support you, but man....I'm sorry I just can't take that dongle-leap. As much resentment there is towards dongles (at least around here!), I wonder how much business has been lost because of them.....? Hmmmm.....

[Lagrange]

For some reason it doesnt bug me that Cubase is on a dongle but everything else.. forget it...

[Squids]

Good! So there should be nothing holding you back from purchasing TRackS, SampleTank 2.1XL and Sonik Synth 2 on www.esoundz.com then? (they have no dongles and aren't likely to ever have them)

he-he..."aren't likely to ever have them" - Ah! That's what scares me, though, Squids! All evidence indicates that IK is now fully supporting dongles and unless IK has made an official announcement of that, I don't like that move and I'm just not interested in supporting the idea.

Okay, well no need to be scared because those plugs are not going to have the key period. This I know. I have more evidence to support this.

Also, like I said, I am trying to convince IK not to bother with the key for other products because it is a hassle and an extra expense (you know it does COST the company to do it so it's not like they want to). I am trying to get IK to move away from that and just do what has worked well for the other products. The upcoming Studiophonik will not have a key for example. Still scared? Dont' deprive yourself of good music tools dude!!!!!

[woodie]

well Squids...THAT is wonderful news, indeed! I just hope IK is giving you what you deserve as I gather that you are basically the "voice" for them around here. What would they do without you, eh!

In a way, I feel for you as over the past year, I've seen you take alot of heat because of the dongle-move on those latest products esp. with that never-ending Amplitube thread here; BUT! I have to give it you...eventhough I don't own any of yours or IK's products....I've been keeping an eye on you as I've really taken notice of your customer-support, Squids. Bar-none...it's top-notch and that is really important for the greater good of the "business". I really like the idea of the Bundled packages and that surely caught my eye, but again...the whole dongle-thing bummed me out.

StudioPhonik surely looks the beez-kneez, Squids, but unfortunately I own several products that really already cover what that's offering, i.e. Stylus RMX (I am so in love with THIS!), Dimension Pro, ManyGuitar/ManyStation + 6-string acoustic + 12-string acoustic + 3 electrics + Boss GX-700..among some other stuff. So of the IK products, I'm really keeping tabs on:

1) Amplitube 3/StompIO (only IF non-dongled!) - NI Guitar Rig...not even an option...see my NI comment below (let's PLEASE don't make this another "support" debate...just trying to explain here "why for me")

2) CSR (this looks really yummy, but shoot...it's dongled!)

3) Miroslav (Dongled; I'm lacking a good orchestra package eventhough DPro DOES have a nice subset of GPO and Garritan apparently is now working on GPOA and will have that as an "expansion" package as well for DPro; hmmm...we shall see. I've read nothing but good things about Miroslav, though!)

4) T-Racks (looks to be right up my alley [easy to use/understand], but I'm not really not quite ready for a proper mastering plugin yet + I've read somewhere that T-Racks is also due for an update...?).

5) any kind of ETHNIC package in the works?? Not at all interested in using any kind of NI product-based stuff + EastWest stuff is just way overpriced (for me at least). Don't know why really....just don't like the interface of Kontakt/Kompakt and in general, NI support seems to be lacking in all the wrong places.

Anyway, Squids....a little more info than I intended to write, but hey...at least it'll give you an idea of what someone like me is thinking; let's call it "feedback" for the sake of the discussion. I don't work in the music business nor do I make any kind of money making music; I'm just a music fanatic that loves to make music for the good of my soul and love the tools I use. Not an everyday thing, but when I have time...wife & kids...please do not bother Daddy.

[harmony gardens]

Too bad you missed the World GB that Squids had about a year or so ago. Maybe if you asked nicely, they would have an extra one laying around they could sell ya.

[dgkenney]

The upcoming Studiophonik will not have a key for example. Still scared? Dont' deprive yourself of good music tools dude!!!!!

Squids,

That's GREAT news. I am not one who is dongle-phobic. Been using Cubase since VST32 when it had a parallel port dongle. Never been a problem. I also use AT2 and CSR again with no problem.

Lately however I have been doing a lot of traveling and it's nice to take some music tools along. Having the ability to have ST2XL, SS2 and someday (in the not too distant future ) Studiophonik on both my home rig and laptop will be fantastic. I understand you can do that with dongles too, but the wear/tear/loss potential has always bothered me.

BTW (and completely OT but may be of interest to fellow traveling-hotel room guitar players) I recently got a M-Audio Black Box and the thing is a real trip for guitar based songwriter types. In additon to amp sims it also has a audio-interface/mic input channel and a basic drum machine built-in all for under $200. A nice feature is you can split the guitar input into wet and dry and therefore have a nice clean signal for use with AT2. Has some interesting filter effects similar to (but not as deep) Roger Linn's Adrenalinn. Team it up with the RAW package, ST2XL etc. and you are good to go for "away from home" composition.

Dan

[trixie]

What am I missing here? I have Cubase and Miroslav, as well as a couple of demos on the same dongle and it's absolutely no problem to use one USB port for this reason.

The problem is that if your dongle gets broken, you'll have to return it to the manufacturer (say, Steinberg). They will replace it and renew your Steinberg licenses - but the fun is that they will not return the broken dongle so you won't be able to ask, say, IK Multimedia to renew your IK licenses. You may end up pretty much screwed when storing licenses from multiple manufacturers on a single dongle. THIS is the problem with dongles.