KVR Audio

TonyVegas · Post by **TonyVegas** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:55 pm

Yes, they had a holiday sale for 50% off Alchemy. I spend hours listening to patches on youtube and watched their demo video on their site multiple times before deciding that I just have too many synths already. Was hard to resist at 50% off. But I'm sure they got one last cash grab on some people. And that doesn't sound like structured buyout to me. It sounds more like "get the money loaded into the plane before they figure out what we're up to".

Echoes in the Attic · Post by **Echoes in the Attic** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:56 pm

73 pages in two days. This will definitely eclipse the bitwig thread.

I think it's an experiment to see how big they can make a KVR thread.

beely · Post by **beely** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:56 pm

Daags wrote:I see frequently some people say it would be "bad" if they were bought out by Apple because then it would mean that going forward Camel Audio stuff would be OSX/au only. But that's not the real reason it would be bad IMO. Apple have bought companies that were already making OSX only applications and what effectively happened was: nothing. No more of that product, no product analogous to it, just a rather simple dead end. Perhaps they are taking a long, long, long time to release some new evolution of the product - or perhaps Apple just have other uses in mind for their code. So it's not the OSX/au only factor I would fret about in an Apple buy out. It would be the dead-end factor.

Yep. As has been said many times on this thread already:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 4#p5999384

Daags wrote:By the way, is it true they had a sale recently ? if so that is pretty low IMO.

Well, what's also possible? - it could have been a genuine holiday period sale. It could have been a genuine last minute sales push to bring people on board and to maximise sales before the next new release lands. All possible, and aren't dirtbag tactics...

If I remember correctly, I picked up Alchemy in a 50% sale more than a year ago - it's not exactly unprecedented.

trimph1 · Post by **trimph1** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:58 pm

TonyVegas wrote:Yes, they had a holiday sale for 50% off Alchemy. I spend hours listening to patches on youtube and watched their demo video on their site multiple times before deciding that I just have too many synths already. Was hard to resist at 50% off. But I'm sure they got one last cash grab on some people. And that doesn't sound like structured buyout to me. It sounds more like "get the money loaded into the plane before they figure out what we're up to".

Like I said.

His nature being a cynical old curmudgeon.

yessongs · Post by **yessongs** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:58 pm

Probably they have not sold the company or we would have had a smoother transition planned so as to not harm the brand and company image that is buying the company and IP.

There could be an effort to sell the IP and this is a pr stunt to show the potential buyers the value of the company because of all the freaking out in this and other forums. When we clamor for answers like this a new potential owner is surely going to be thinking they have a winning opportunity to buy a product people would buy. This could drive up the price the owners then receive and enable them to get a fat payday for their IP.

In terms of wishful thinking I would hope that Cakewalk / Gibson is involved because then I would probably get alchemy free when I upgrade to sonar x4. Probably not the case w libraries but I could live with that a long as alchemy survived in the process. Hopefully a buyer other than apple is in the chase. Apple would take it mac only. Just say no to apple.

chroma · Post by **chroma** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:59 pm

one really unique thing that the Camels have is the integration between their IOS and desktop apps... even going as far as being able to use the ios app to remote control the desktop VST. that's pretty unusual in the VST world. for someone like Apple who really wants people to buy both a tablet AND a desktop, that's the kind of killer app that pushes people that way (and the only reason I even own an Ipod touch... well, that and I bought my son a new one and got his old one

... it actually makes a lot of sense. lots of people are playing with use models that use tablets/phones and desktop computers together, Camel is about the only one I know that actually has a working and useful release...

beely · Post by **beely** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:00 pm

yessongs wrote:Probably they have not sold the company or we would have had a smoother transition planned so as to not harm the brand and company image that is buying the company and IP.

You assume that the buyer *cares* about the company/brand. This is often not the case - often a buyer wants the brain trust and talent and the IP/tech to use for themselves, not the actual current products.

mutantdog · Post by **mutantdog** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:04 pm

TonyVegas wrote:Yes, they had a holiday sale for 50% off Alchemy. I spend hours listening to patches on youtube and watched their demo video on their site multiple times before deciding that I just have too many synths already. Was hard to resist at 50% off. But I'm sure they got one last cash grab on some people. And that doesn't sound like structured buyout to me. It sounds more like "get the money loaded into the plane before they figure out what we're up to".

Once again, no they didn't. The last time Alchemy was 50% off was over a year ago. There was, however a Phat/Space 30% sale a few months back and no indication has been given that support or transfers would cease.

I've emailed Camel to ask about whether transfers can still be made but i don't expect a reply particularly soon.

sjm · Post by **sjm** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:05 pm

Also, if there is a takeover in process, you can assume the radio silence will remain in place at least until the deal is done/the takeover fails. These things don't necessarily happen overnight - offers are made and deliberated, contracts are thrashed out etc. The negotiations can take a while until everything is complete - during which time neither party is normally allowed to mention anything about the potential deal - including not mentioning that they can't mention stuff.

If this is the case, it also means that the most likely reason the products aren't for sale is because CA are a bunch of decent folk and don't want to continue selling software whose future is unclear, as it wouldn't be fair on customers to buy a potentially discontinued product.

TonyVegas · Post by **TonyVegas** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:06 pm

It was huge sale. And that KVR residents didn't even notice is really telling of why they went out of business. They had become so outdated and irrelevant that even massive discounts didn't get noticed? The sale happened whether you saw it or not.

Daags · Post by **Daags** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:07 pm

beely wrote:
Daags wrote:I see frequently some people say it would be "bad" if they were bought out by Apple because then it would mean that going forward Camel Audio stuff would be OSX/au only. But that's not the real reason it would be bad IMO. Apple have bought companies that were already making OSX only applications and what effectively happened was: nothing. No more of that product, no product analogous to it, just a rather simple dead end. Perhaps they are taking a long, long, long time to release some new evolution of the product - or perhaps Apple just have other uses in mind for their code. So it's not the OSX/au only factor I would fret about in an Apple buy out. It would be the dead-end factor.
Yep. As has been said many times on this thread already:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 4#p5999384

many times ? really ? what you linked to was page 17. I think the thread can withstand another reminder of this same fact on page 73, especially considering the "oh noes, au only" fears still persist after you said the same thing. Is that OK with you ?

beely wrote:
Daags wrote: By the way, is it true they had a sale recently ? if so that is pretty low IMO.
Well, what's also possible? - it could have been a genuine holiday period sale? It could have been a genuine last minute sales push to bring people on board and to maximise sales before the next new release lands. All possible, and aren't dirtbag tactics...

extremely unlikely IMO. if the closure is business related (as opposed to, say, personal tragedy) there is just no conceivable scenario where they did not forsee this happening, or at least possibly happening, whilst conducting their sale. deals are hashed out over time (as has already been noted they had talks before that didn't bear fruit), and bankruptcy issues or the like don't just suddenly land in your lap either. The real dirtbag cherry on top of the poo-pie isn't the sale anyway, but the removal of transfer support - if indeed that is the case. it has been reported but perhaps just something server related, or something they may have a change of heart about.

TonyVegas · Post by **TonyVegas** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:09 pm

They absolutely had a 50% off Alchemy sale over the holidays of 2014.

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:09 pm

TonyVegas wrote:It was huge sale. And that KVR residents didn't even notice is really telling of why they went out of business. They had become so outdated and irrelevant that even massive discounts didn't get noticed? The sale happened whether you saw it or not.

Wrong.

mutantdog · Post by **mutantdog** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:09 pm

TonyVegas wrote:It was huge sale. And that KVR residents didn't even notice is really telling of why they went out of business. They had become so outdated and irrelevant that even massive discounts didn't get noticed? The sale happened whether you saw it or not.

No Toni, it did not. *yawn*

Toni, your trolling skills are deteriorating rapidly. Perhaps you need to sleep and dream up some new imaginary scenario that you can protest tomorrow.

beely · Post by **beely** » Fri Jan 09, 2015 3:10 pm

TonyVegas wrote:It was huge sale. And that KVR residents didn't even notice is really telling of why they went out of business. They had become so outdated and irrelevant that even massive discounts didn't get noticed? The sale happened whether you saw it or not.

I just had a look at the site as it was on 3rd January using the wayback machine and Alchemy was $249, it's regular price. No huge sale.

Edit: hmm, I think the shop page is from an earlier snapshot so that might not be accurate...

Camel Audio ceasing sales? [Update: CA acquired by Apple]