What are the best reasons to use VST3 over VST2? or should I just use CLAP?

[rod_zero]

See, that's the problem with trying to talk sense to True Believers. They interpret it as animosity and an attack. I'm simply pointing out why you're not going to see widespread adoption of CLAP under their current approach, so you don't grow old waiting for the Great Pumpkin to arrive.

Of all the plugins I use, I think one has released a CLAP version. As I said, I do expect Studio One will add CLAP support at some point, maybe even as soon as version 6. But I don't expect any major plugin developers with extensive plugin bundles to release CLAP versions. What incentive do they have to do that when their plugins already work in 100% of DAWs?

Steinberg had to go all in and use the leverage of Cubase 12 to force VST3 adoption.
Is Bitwig prepared to do the same with CLAP?

you are the one investing a lot of energy on this discussion, commenting on every thread about it. That shows you are emotional invested on the topic, not because you love vst3 but because you wanna be right and you want to show us the truth.

[rod_zero]

Is Bitwig prepared to do the same with CLAP?

and this sentence here just show that you have your own perspective on CLAP which seems quite dettached from reality.

[BONES]

If you have the option to use CLAP (not many CLAP plugins yet), then use it... it's better than either of the vst options.

Why? I get that it makes things easier for devs, which is enough reason to support it, but what advantages does it give us poor users?

Have you actually observed any shortcomings in VST3 yourself, or do you always outsource your thinking to others?

Interestingly, VST3 plugins without a patch browser, e.g. Olga, don't show the Studio One default patch drop-down, so you can't change presets at all with the VST3 version.

My only attachment is to reality. VST2 is dead.

Well, here's a big dose of reality for you - every DAW that has supported VST2 still supports VST2 and is likely to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. So if that's what "dead" means, I think we all need to go back to school.

VST3 is the current plugin format. Your attitude of clinging to VST2 is what's unhealthy, and developers who followed suit and stuck their heads in the sand for years over VST2's deprecation, now have paying customers who can't use the plugins they were sold because the devs didn't take care to release VST3 versions.

Are you drunk? I use VST2 plugins every day. They all still work fine. What is this fantasy land you are living in?

This just isn't true. I use Studio One, and I have had quantifiable advantages since swapping out VST2 for VST3.

And, as I said above, I've had quantifiable disadvantages and none of the advantages you mention are of any importance to me, or probably anyone else. Plugin nap, for example, only works on effects, when it's instruments that hog the CPU.

Anyway, Studio One doesn't support CLAP and one of the VSTs I use every day have CLAP versions, so I stick with VST. If something has a VST3 version, I install that. If it doesn't, then (obviously) I install the VST 2 version. I have no reason for doing so, beyond thinking that having the newest version probably makes the most sense and it saves me having to nominate an installation path. So it's laziness that informs my decision.

[jamcat]

Interestingly, VST3 plugins without a patch browser, e.g. Olga, don't show the Studio One default patch drop-down, so you can't change presets at all with the VST3 version.

This would simply fall under "bugs the plugin developer needs to address."
Other developers don't have this problem.

Well, here's a big dose of reality for you - every DAW that has supported VST2 still supports VST2 and is likely to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. So if that's what "dead" means, I think we all need to go back to school.

Cubase 12 has dropped VST3, and no new developers can obtain a license to release VST2 plugins. VST2 maintenance ended years ago. VST2 is frozen in time. That's my definition of a dead standard. In much the same way that Latin is a dead language.

Are you drunk? I use VST2 plugins every day. They all still work fine. What is this fantasy land you are living in?

You also no longer use Cubase. Neither do I. But there are many who do and are faced with this reality right now. Steinberg told developers this day was coming for a decade.

Anyway, Studio One doesn't support CLAP and one of the VSTs I use every day have CLAP versions, so I stick with VST. If something has a VST3 version, I install that. If it doesn't, then (obviously) I install the VST 2 version. I have no reason for doing so, beyond thinking that having the newest version probably makes the most sense and it saves me having to nominate an installation path. So it's laziness that informs my decision.

And now you're back to my original point, which you seem to actually be quite in agreement with. CLAP versions are practically non-existent, so for practical reasons they're not even a consideration at the moment. If VST3 is an option, then go with that.

Pretty much everything still in development is going to have a VST3 version at this point. If it's VST2 only, that's a pretty good indication that it's old and no longer maintained by the developer, which is reason to be wary of it.

[DNnX]

Oh, I finally got the reason to purchase Reaper V6!
V5 was good enough to stay with

[BONES]

Other developers don't have this problem.

Are you sure? How many instruments do you have without internal patch management? I was told it was the norm with VST3, because I had no idea why I couldn't change patches.

Cubase 12 has dropped VST3, and no new developers can obtain a license to release VST2 plugins. VST2 maintenance ended years ago. VST2 is frozen in time.

And yet all my VST2 plugins continue to work. What else should anyone care about?

You also no longer use Cubase. Neither do I. But there are many who do and are faced with this reality right now.

More fool them for upgrading. Yours is typical Mac user mindset - make a bad decision and blame everyone else because you didn't do your homework. My bandmate and I are both still on 10/10.5 because there has been zero reason to upgrade since then. If you are stupid enough to spend money on nothing, you deserve whatever misery follows.

And now you're back to my original point, which you seem to actually be quite in agreement with. CLAP versions are practically non-existent, so for practical reasons they're not even a consideration at the moment. If VST3 is an option, then go with that.

Yeah, but for me it's "do whatever is easiest", you seem to want to justify it with all manner of hysterics.

If it's VST2 only, that's a pretty good indication that it's old and no longer maintained by the developer, which is reason to be wary of it.

Why? If it works, it works, who cares if the dev has abandoned it? You don't buy a Prophet V and expect updates, do you?

[TheMaestro]

I have not delved into CLAP, but the biggest reason to aviod it is the stupid name.

[sping]

I have not delved into CLAP, but the biggest reason to aviod it is the stupid name.

Was this a Pro or Con statement?

[TheMaestro]

I have not delved into CLAP, but the biggest reason to aviod it is the stupid name.

Was this a Pro or Con statement?

I guess it's pro, if you're trying to aviod a product.

[pdxindy]

I don’t know if you are a developer. I guess not.
Avid is on the list of developers who contacted the project on their own, which surprised me.

It might be that maintaining their own exclusive AAX format is costly for Avid. In that case, the first open standard that catches some traction may well be of interest to them as a cheaper alternative.

My guess though is that Avid is interested in CLAP because Epic Games is interested in CLAP. And Epic Games has a bigger market than all the DAW's put together.

[Unaspected]

As there have been suggestions of better performance, I'd at least try the CLAP format.

[meloco_go]

Waves added third party VST3 support to their Soundgrid plugin.

[jamcat]

Other developers don't have this problem.

Are you sure? How many instruments do you have without internal patch management? I was told it was the norm with VST3, because I had no idea why I couldn't change patches.

I guess none. Perhaps because the developer needs to include it to have a complete plugin? This is a case of the developer not doing the work. That’s not VST3’s fault.

Why? If it works, it works, who cares if the dev has abandoned it? You don't buy a Prophet V and expect updates, do you?

Are you still running 32-bit?

[jamcat]

Is Bitwig prepared to do the same with CLAP?

and this sentence here just show that you have your own perspective on CLAP which seems quite dettached from reality.

So what is the reality then?
Other than CLAP will remain a niche enthusiast format, similar to Linux audio.

[EvilDragon]

That's an assumption that doesn't at all need to be true.