KVR Audio

Lunatique · Post by **Lunatique** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:08 am

I just watched the videos available for SAWStudio at the developer's website, and holy cow I can't believe I've never heard much about it. The fast and smooth workflow, the sheer power, and resource efficiency is absolutely stunning. Why is it that a software like that is rarely mentioned, while all ther other softwares with lesser capabilities are on everyone's lips?

The only thing that threw me off was just how ugly the UI was. For something so powerful and expensive (the full-blown version), it has probably the most garish UI of any software on the planet. I wonder if that's just the developer's personal taste, or the fugly UI was intentional--maybe the way it was designed has visual/psychological benefits in workflow?

iskandar · Post by **iskandar** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:23 am

did u check out the price ?

Reverse Engineer · Post by **Reverse Engineer** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 8:31 am

Lunatique wrote:I just watched the videos available for SAWStudio at the developer's website, and holy cow I can't believe I've never heard much about it. The fast and smooth workflow, the sheer power, and resource efficiency is absolutely stunning. Why is it that a software like that is rarely mentioned, while all ther other softwares with lesser capabilities are on everyone's lips?

The only thing that threw me off was just how ugly the UI was. For something so powerful and expensive (the full-blown version), it has probably the most garish UI of any software on the planet. I wonder if that's just the developer's personal taste, or the fugly UI was intentional--maybe the way it was designed has visual/psychological benefits in workflow?

Have you seen the price of it?

It ranges from $300-2,500 and you have to pay an extra $300 for midi support.

alex zonder · Post by **alex zonder** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:25 am

Lunatique wrote:I wonder if that's just the developer's personal taste, or the fugly UI was intentional--maybe the way it was designed has visual/psychological benefits in workflow?

I suppose SAW's UI is just another honest attempt to convince people to go out and find a decent job. Or another hobby. Painting by numbers, collecting souvenir spoons.

Lance · Post by **Lance** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:38 am

SAWStudio has the worst VFM [Value For Money], ...

... and the best UFM [Ugliness For Money] on the planet!

DevonB · Post by **DevonB** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 11:43 am

Why? Because people around here bitch when a plug-in costs $199 (or hell, even when it costs more than $99.) Why in the world would they talk about a several thousand dollar host? Granted, the host is extremely CPu efficient, it's been around for longer than most of our current beloved hosts, but it's just too darn expensive for most people. I've watched someone use it before, but never have used it. For that price, I'm not much interested either.

To keep it in perspective, how many people mention Nuendo or Sequoia much around here either? That's in the same ballpark for price.

Devon

bullshark · Post by **bullshark** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:34 pm

Yeah, the price really only make sense if you run a busy recording studio, which is not KVR main demographic.

I think it's one of those app that could benefit from selling cheaper non-commercial licenses à la Reaper; expanding the user base, building brand recognition and whatnot.

Reverse Engineer · Post by **Reverse Engineer** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:43 pm

Wait til you see the price of a pyramix setup

o:o The software only version, which is limited compared to even some basic DAW's, starts at $700

Edit: IU got my sums all mixed up

bullshark · Post by **bullshark** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:52 pm

Reverse Engineer wrote:Wait til you see the price of a pyramix setup o:o

Well, the native software only is 700 bucks which is well below the 2500 per seat Sawstudio license cost...but it doesn't look any better or have any more functionalities (looks like it has even less after a short cursory glance) than, say, Reaper at 200 bucks (for the commercial license).

Turnkey systems, on the other hand, are different animals altogether.

fgimian · Post by **fgimian** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 1:24 pm

I wanted to see what all the fuss was about so I went to the SAW site and downloaded SAWStudioBasic.wmv (70 odd MB :S).

I'm sure that many on this forum have spent thousands on software and would justify this purchase if the program truly offerred an amount of features that justified the price. Watching this video, the only thing I noticed was how often he said "powerful" but watching what he was doing was nothing revolutionary. 95% of the tasks shown can be accomplished by Cubase. On top of that, the GUI of Cubase totally smokes that ugly thing. In fact, any DAW would smoke that GUI, I don't think I've ever seen such an unprofessional / Microsoft Paint style GUI in my life.

Cubase offers some huge features which SAWStudio doesn't, such as inbuilt time stretching, ReWire, high end MIDI support and editing, scoring, Play Order Track, Timewarp ... the list goes on. For that price you would be crazy not to go for Nuendo or Samplitude instead.

All I remember was trying SAW many years ago, and I added a compressor, started tweaking a knob and got the loudest noise I have ever heard !

Just my opinion.

Fots

kenn · Post by **kenn** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 5:54 pm

SAWSTUDIO is aimed at pro's (which, lets face it, is not the core constituency of KVR), many who have remained customers for years. It also has far better support than your average music store boxed product.

Yeah it can be pretty wierd looking.

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:32 pm

kenn wrote:SAWSTUDIO is aimed at pro's (which, lets face it, is not the core constituency of KVR), many who have remained customers for years. It also has far better support than your average music store boxed product.

Yeah it can be pretty wierd looking.

I don't know a pro who would lay a finger on that thing. That's not to say it sucks or pros don't use it, but it's got a really archaic structure and is missing tons of features we take for granted nowadays.

Wait: that sounds like Pro Tools. Forget what I said, I guess "pros" will eat it up!

HanafiH · Post by **HanafiH** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 6:52 pm

soundpalace wrote: I'm sure that many on this forum have spent thousands on software

Only the Cubase users.

bduffy · Post by **bduffy** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:03 pm

HanafiH wrote:
soundpalace wrote: I'm sure that many on this forum have spent thousands on software
Only the Cubase users.

I forget, HanafiH: did Steinberg kill your family or something?

HanafiH · Post by **HanafiH** » Tue Sep 12, 2006 7:38 pm

bduffy wrote:
HanafiH wrote:
soundpalace wrote: I'm sure that many on this forum have spent thousands on software
Only the Cubase users.
I forget, HanafiH: did Steinberg kill your family or something?

Or you could try the Google Suck Test...

Code: Select all

Samplitude	1,010,000	707	0.07%
Propellerhead	4,100,000	18,800	0.46%
Mackie Tracktion	72,100	404	0.56%
Cubase	8,360,000	99,600	1.19%
FL Studio	3,470,000	44,600	1.29%
Cakewalk Sonar	1,630,000	21,300	1.31%
Saw Studio	56,100	758	1.35%
Nuendo	2,130,000	38,100	1.79%
energyXT	205,000	5,950	2.90%
Protools	3,900,000	130,000	3.33%

How many Google hits for the DAW of your choice over how many hits also have the word suck.

Sawstudio sucks a bit more than Sonar but a whole lot less than Nuendo.

Poo Trolls of course sucks more than everything else put together.

SAWStudio?