Waves...smh

[vurt]

a reversal is one thing, further changes probably not going to happen.

[noiseboyuk]

So continue to "scream", people.
DO NOT let them get away with this.

Ah thanks for screaming at me.

Until last week I was okay with the system. Didn’t love it, but it was okay enough. I feel pretty much the same way this week. This is the ideologues vs the pragmatists.

[Scotty]

I recall two Mac OS updates that forced a updates for Waves Plugins. One of those times I had updated the OS automatically and instead of rolling back I just paid for the WUP. Another time was related to Pro Tools and RTAS. I used to keep a Pro Tools license active as I'd have the occasional project come through the studio that was in Pro Tools format. I no longer do this. I paid WUP at that time. My costs that I stated were in CND dollars , closer to $200 USD than the $300 I stated.

Scotty there you go making sensible nuanced contributions. Curious what previous OS updates required you to WUP. Between MacOS 10.13 and today I have had to WUP my Waves once, for M1 Silicon native support.

[ramseysounds]

This one is fresh from the newsletter

Dear Waves community,

We would like to update you that effective immediately, you can once again renew your Waves Update Plan in order to update perpetual plugin and bundle licenses. This option will remain in place going forward.

In addition, we are working to bring back the option to purchase new perpetual licenses for plugins and bundles. We will make this option available to you as soon as possible, and will let you know when it is ready.

We are committed to making your preferred options available to you. For ongoing updates, please consult this news page.

All the best,
The Waves Team

I just checked my account and the WUP.

No good-will, no auto-upgrades, no discounts. Just back to "the old habits" of bull-sh#ttery regarding calculating WUP.


I am not supporting this.
And neither should you.

Too little, too late.

So subscribe then and quit your whingeing you self entitled person

[Compyfox]

So subscribe then and quit your whingeing you self entitled person

Ah yes, the self proclaimed "advocate for Waves" that doesn't see no harm in what they (Waves Audio) did, continues to defend their shenanigans towards their users, only selectively reads and quotes what users have said (like in my case: not supporting subscription at all, no matter which company - especially as only option, on top of still considering the WUP being an imbalanced money milking concept), plus insulting other users on top.

Such behavior was/is the reason why all other threads were closed.
Way to go for having an adult conversation, where every opinion is valid and all.



Listen... if you don't have any problem with "Waves Audio", that's your prerogative. All the more power to you. You like those tools, you seem to have the money to burn.

No need to rub it into others noses that "we", as in the ones that have been put off by their recent decisions, and now voicing our disdain towards their handling (locking threads, hiding posts, insisting on saying "you matter to us", and then still doubling down on "pay us more"), are apparently in the wrong here, and should rather "suck it up" (figuratively speaking).

Some of us actually still use/like their products. In my case, I high enjoy the recently bought Waves Harmony. And as mentioned several times over, even regarding the "fan list of alternatives", there currently really isn't any 1:1 replacement. Probably not happening for a long time even.

Which is why this recent move by Waves Audio was such a slap in the face. Updating only if you go "subscription only" (in my case: all tools I have are only in the "Ultimate" Plan), no chance to keep your plugins up-to-date unless you "keep investing", no chance to upgrade your old plugins, no warning about this move, only a statement "we'll change the activation mechanic". And that was it.

The handling of the situation by Waves Audio in recent days has been less than stellar. Now reverting everything, because they realized "we might loose out on a lot of money otherwise", and then still doubling down with "oh hey, thanks for your concerns... but back to old mechanics... no harm done, right?!"....

Yeah, that's not really something I'd call "winning back trust".



Again... you got your opinion. I have got mine.
No need to go out of your way to attack other opinions.


But thanks for the conversation.

[ramseysounds]

As your first sentence is factually incorrect I can’t be bothered to read all of your diatribe. If me saying ‘screw you Waves’ as quoted by Teknosonik is supporting them, then you really have no idea what you’re talking about. I dont have money to burn, but they are going back to their previous model. Im happy with that.

[Compyfox]

Fair enough, and your choice...

...hopefully this thread is back on track then.

[ghettosynth]

Well, I did it. I got out my (virtual) checkbook to pay my WUP so I could keep using what I have...and I gave to to Ableton to take advantage of their 20% off sale on the Live 11 upgrade.

[ramseysounds]

Well, I did it. I got out my (virtual) checkbook to pay my WUP so I could keep using what I have...

This is the issue, that this lie is continually spread. You do not have to WUP to keep using Waves. Why keep on saying it?

[jamcat]

You do if you want to keep using Waves on a second computer.

[abc1mce2]

You do if you want to keep using Waves on a second computer.

That's correct if you have Two seats. If not, put your Waves licenses on a USB flash drive and move it from computer to computer as needed.

[jamcat]

Or just uninstall Waves and use something else, because they’re just not special enough to be worth the hassle.

Waves consistently overestimates their own value.

[jens]

You do if you want to keep using Waves on a second computer.

Not even that is true.

[jamcat]

It’s true that using Waves plugins isn’t worth playing Waves’ games.

[sin night]

Well, I did it. I got out my (virtual) checkbook to pay my WUP so I could keep using what I have...

This is the issue, that this lie is continually spread. You do not have to WUP to keep using Waves. Why keep on saying it?

It’s not a lie, it’s more a “shortened”/ “poorly worded” version of the story…


Let’s try to straigh it out once for all:
- Waves licenses are (unless you go subscription) permanent and you can keep using them even if you’re out of wup plan… of course, you’d have to stick to the last version you bought wup for.
- those plugins live in a ecosystem of hardware and software (your pc hardware, your operating system, your daw…) and you may need to update those (because you need new features or because they break… you name it!): those updates may not be compatible with the Waves plugins currently installed on your system, so you may need to update your Waves plugins as well.
- if you’re on the most recent version of Waves plugins (currently V14) and they release an update, then it’s all good, regardless of you wup plan status; but if you’re not on the current version or Waves decides to release a new major version (and you have no wup active, otherwise you’d be automatically upgraded to the new major version), then it’s time for a paid update, namely wup.
- Waves stayed on V9 for years and it was possible to live without wup, then they started releasing new major versions with a schedule of roughly 1-1.5 years, so if you want to stay current, you need wup.
- most people want/need to keep their systems updated, so they end up having to pay for wup when incompatibilies arises… maybe they don’t have to pay exactly 365 days after their purchase, but they don’t have years without wup ahead either.
- needless to say, but a license not compatible with your current hardware/software ecosystem is useless… that’s when your permanent license stops working unless you buy wup.


Maintenance costs are part of the lifecycle of a product. When buying a Waves plugin, it’s well know (or at least it should!) that paid updates are needed at a certain point down the line (and with a certain frequency). And that cost has to be budgeted at the moment of purchase (and while I don’t like it, I don’t really complain for it either… paid upgrades/maintenance is not a Waves exclusive).

And let’s make it clear: nobody buys a software product with the idea of replacing with a product from a different vendor every new year. A stable (yet evolving?) environment is highly desiderable, people want to focus of productivity rather than software migrations.

Maintenance costs are part of the equation… and in case of Waves is called wup.

So, you don’t need wup… but you need wup if you want to keep using your permanent licenses on a current hardware/software environment, because you need to keep those Waves licenses current as well.


(And by the way, you also need wup coverage if you need assistance, even if you’re on the latest major version… but, to be honest, I never needed to call support, I only need software updates).