Waves Platinum This is crazy

[Double Tap]

Waves Platinum
This is crazy.
Sixty plugins
so call me maybe.

[kritikon]

I got a little interested and went to look at the Waves site - out of the 60 plugins I counted 5 that I would possibly want to use: EK drum channel (at a push but unlikely), Enigma, 1 of the Maximisers (definitely don't want or need 4), Ultrapitch, possibly RBass. OK for that price I suppose, but...meh. Only really Enigma and Ultrapitch that hold any real attraction, especially ultrapitch as the obvs alternative to me is Eventide which are tools of satan with their iLok shite. All the rest look old and tired and any useful ones such as comps, limiters, analysers, delays - I already have far newer decent alternatives (likely better quality). I guess if you don't have a decent DAW with its own plugins or any other decent independent ones then it's a great deal. Otherwise it's pure GAS. Have to say they look mostly bog standard.

[Teksonik]

Never upgraded or updated, because all plugins still work fine after many years

So does that mean you're still using versions of the plugins that are "many years" old?

They still work but do you have the latest features, bug fixes, and quality of sound updates?

If you're saying there were no new features, bug fixes and/or quality of sound updates worth paying for in all those years then you've just declared that WUP is nothing more than a money grab that provides nothing of substance to those who pay to ride the WUP train.

I'm not the poster, but I have v10 plugs on my Windows main rig and they work perfectly. There have been some updates I believe like resizing and sometimes new GUIs but not really fussed - nothing that affects basic operation or sound.

The WUP has but one essential function - new versions if an OS change requires it. Much more of a deal on macs, I've upgraded my mac bundle just recently so it's silicon native compatible. Yes you also get 2nd licenses, but to pay the WUP every year to get that benefit makes little sense when 2nd permanent licenses can be cheaper than even one year's WUP when getting sale upgrades.

So you're basically admitting that people are paying for an "Update" plan that is little more than a maintenance plan that brings no new features or improved sound quality.

You're also admitting that Windows users are subsidizing Mac users that need plugins updated every time Apple changes a line of code in their OS.

The problem for me is not so much Waves' generic sound in 2023 but all the blubber they install on your system, some of which wants to run at startup and runs as a background process designed to gather user data.

Waves Central, Waveshell, Waves Local Server, etc etc. There are few companies who have more bloatware than Waves.

These are simple FX plugins. They shouldn't need all that blubber to function. I just don't get why people keep falling for this business model in 2023. Sure maybe in 2003 Waves plugins might have been relevant but today? Nah....

[noiseboyuk]

So you're basically admitting that people are paying for an "Update" plan that is little more than a maintenance plan that brings no new features or improved sound quality.

You're also admitting that Windows users are subsidizing Mac users that need plugins updated every time Apple changes a line of code in their OS.

The problem for me is not so much Waves' generic sound in 2023 but all the blubber they install on your system, some of which wants to run at startup and runs as a background process designed to gather user data.

Waves Central, Waveshell, Waves Local Server, etc etc. There are few companies who have more bloatware than Waves.

These are simple FX plugins. They shouldn't need all that blubber to function. I just don't get why people keep falling for this business model in 2023. Sure maybe in 2003 Waves plugins might have been relevant but today? Nah....

Admitting? Do you think I am employed by Waves?

The WUP is what it is. You get the OS thing up to date, which is absolutely a much bigger deal for mac users, but even there you should get 3-4 years before you need to renew. You get a few other improvements and bug fixes, and as I said they don't amount to much so you're better off buying two licenses than relying on the WUP if you regularly use them on two machines.

As for the blubber, I've had zero issues with the waveshell or any other background activity. Waves Central was a total nightmare for years, but I think around about 4-5 years ago it became solid and reliable and my experience is that it has stayed that way.

If people want to make a point of principle about stuff like that, or the WUP that they probably don't need, or the licensing, or the stupid ultra-short-lived stunt they pulled in March - fine. Plenty more fish in the sea. For many of us, warts and all, it remains a decent deal. And - important this - for most of us who invested many years ago and just pay modest upgrade fees once in a while - it is much cheaper to continue with our reliable tools than to throw it all out on some lofty point of principle and spend a ton more money buying stuff from somewhere else that does much the same thing.

[jens]

Which part?

https://www.waves.com/support/waves-update-plan

[...]

...if you want a second license, Waves themselves are saying you need a WUP.

I'm not saying - you'll have to find out yourself.


Yes, they say that. They also say that:

Waves Central recognizes computers by their Network Interface Cards’ (NIC) MAC address. Hardware MAC addresses are assigned by the manufacturer and cannot be changed

https://www.waves.com/support/how-to-tu ... ess-on-win

That's really as big a hint as you can expect from me.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

So what you're saying is: what I said was true but you've found a hack that allows you try get around their licensing?

Not much different than piracy.

[jens]

Nope, it's not at all similar to piracy. You seem to be quite confused.

Not even in the slightest. It only would start to be once you would start using the plugins on two different machines AT ONCE.

Their license however clearly allows you to switch machines.

You can do this - and are absolutely allowed to - by transferring the licences to and from USB-memory and/or the cloud at any time.

They also can't legally prohibit you from applying any changes you want to the computer you are using the plugins on.

Again: as soon as you start using the plugins on two different machines AT THE SAME TIME,
you need a second licence or else it's basically piracy.

But again, that is NOT AT ALL what I meant. I would never suggest to do that!

[standalone]

Nope, it's not at all similar to piracy. You seem to be quite confused.

Not even in the slightest. It only would start to be once you would start using the plugins on two different machines AT ONCE.

Their license however clearly allows you to switch machines.

You can do this - and are absolutely allowed to - by transferring the licences to and from USB-memory and/or the cloud at any time.

They also can't legally prohibit you from applying any changes you want to the computer you are using the plugins on.

Again: as soon as you start using the plugins on two different machines AT THE SAME TIME,
you need a second licence or else it's basically piracy.

But again, that is NOT AT ALL what I meant. I would never suggest to do that!

You are right, I remember Waves promoting this case scenario when they switched from iLok to their own system. They wouldn't let you chose a USB drive at the Target Device for Licenses panel if they wanted your licenses to be tied to a single computer.

[musicproducerdee]

It's the year 3049, people are still crying about the WUP, and yet I have never bought a WUP even once, ever, and the plugins still work just fine!

[revvy]

Indeed.

And as a Mac user, if you do need WUP, you get the cost subsidised by Windows users. Thanks guys!

[ralfrobert]

Waves Platinum is really good for me!

Mercury is even better

I picked up Platinum in the sale. My price was 56 bucks as an update. The plugins may be old, but they really get the job done faster than most other solutions.

If I need Mercury or Horizon... I don't know.

And all the negative things that can be read about Waves. I will try to get the best out of the bundle in the next year and then decide what to do. I am on Windows, so no direct need to WUP.

[sQeetz]

Do Waves plugins still need Waweshell or what ever it's called? it was waveshell.dll on Windows if I remember right....

[ralfrobert]

Do Waves plugins still need Waweshell or what ever it's called? it was waveshell.dll on Windows if I remember right....

Waveshell is still there, yes. It is a bit of a dinosaur.

[sQeetz]

bummer

[noiseboyuk]

Honestly, waveshell gives me no issues, don't really see the problem.