Softube or UAD?

[Alexander_D]

Ilok is an infinite debate. I’d start by stating that no solution is perfect and people have different, often opposite, opinions on this subject.

Ilok offers 3 ways to authorize (but not every dev uses each of them): physical dongle, hard drive authorization and cloud.

I strongly prefer the dongle, but it takes a usb port and it’s inconvenient if you move a lot (it can be damaged/lost); drive authorization doesn’t require a usb port and it’s more convenient on the move but it can be problematic of your drive fails with the licenses activated on it; the cloud allows you move between multiple machines (you only need to login) and you don’t risk to lose your licenses in case of a hardware failure, but you need a fast amd stable internet connection (and iLok servers may have some planned maintenance or outages from time to time).

Keep in mind that, once a license is activated on your iLok account, you can move it back and forth, for example remove it from the cloud ad put it back to the cloud or the “not activated” licenses… and most devs provide you 2 activations (if not 3) so you can have drive authorization when you’re on the move and dongle or cloud authorization in the studio.


For me, the dongle is the best choice, but I’m not moving my setup (maybe I can use a laptop in a different room) and I don’t want to depend on my internet connection (so cloud is ruled out).


Then the choice is yours, depending on your actual needs.

Thank you very much! I am not traveling so much as well with my device. And I was purchased the dongle to use it in one studio. Yeah, it will take a USB port. But probably it's really better than keep licenses on machine... probably I always have an internet in my studio, but it's always annoying to have notifications about their scanning and anyway it's not perfect I think in general.. so you are right. BTW can I move licenses from dongle to the cloud for example?
And as I can understand UAD got two protections... Ilok and UAD connect... Ilok is a long theme. But how UA connect working general? Any issues?
Thanks once again

[9headshydra]

how UA connect working general? Any issues?
Thanks once again

very few issues in fact, in my own experience, UA has a very solid et usefull tech support, nothing is perfect but the amount of bugs/issues are very minimal compared to others software companies.

[Harry_HH]

how UA connect working general? Any issues?
Thanks once again

very few issues in fact, in my own experience, UA has a very solid et usefull tech support, nothing is perfect but the amount of bugs/issues are very minimal compared to others software companies.

Depends very much on your setup, if you have (had) issues: in my Win 11/Live 11 UAC stopped working along one of its updates in last June.
I was without most of my 30+ native plugins until September, then the new UAC update solved the issue.
Lets see how long this happines lasts.
UA plugins are great, but the UAC makes me on the alert.

[Alexander_D]

how UA connect working general? Any issues?
Thanks once again

very few issues in fact, in my own experience, UA has a very solid et usefull tech support, nothing is perfect but the amount of bugs/issues are very minimal compared to others software companies.

Depends very much on your setup, if you have (had) issues: in my Win 11/Live 11 UAC stopped working along one of its updates in last June.
I was without most of my 30+ native plugins until September, then the new UAC update solved the issue.
Lets see how long this happines lasts.
UA plugins are great, but the UAC makes me on the alert.

Understand. Thank you.. Hope that they will improve the stability...
But yeah, seems that UAD plugins are really high quality. And with Signature 2 bundle I will close all my needs...

[jens]

But how UA connect working general? Any issues?

yeah - total POS - avoid at all costs would be my advice (wich I think I already voiced earlier in this thread already)

[jens]

See here:

Hello. I want to buy UAD Signature. Seems that right now it's on 50%sale... Native version... or better to go with Softube fxs? What's your thoughts?

Softube are quality-wise at least on par with UAD, but unlike them they add modern features not existant in whatever hardware they model.

But what's way more important: UAD either need a Ilok-dongle or an active internet-connection (Ilok Cloud) - and if that wasn't enough, they in addition require another app (UAD Connect) that constantly needs to run on your machine in the background. (I.e. unlike any other software vendor I know of, they rely on two different apps to run permanently and phone home - otherwise they won't load properly/won't work) - so: I only had some free plugins from them (because they don't need the Cloud) but got rid of them and won't touch them with a bargepole in the future - i.e. I won't even use them for free.

So my advice is: stay away from UAD - it's really not worth the trouble.

[Alexander_D]

But how UA connect working general? Any issues?

yeah - total POS - avoid at all costs would be my advice (wich I think I already voiced earlier in this thread already)

So, probably UAD is not working with UA connect? If I will move all licenses to the dongle?
And the main problem in UA connect, right? Because I haven't any issues yet with all my Ilok plugins...

[jens]

No, the free ones are iLok protected too (machine-bound) - it's just that they also - in addition - phone home via UA Connect. And if you set the Connect Service to manual (this is Windows - no idea how it's handled on OSX), the plugins won't call the service but insteqd just refuse to run - same when you don't have an actice internet-connection - so the UA Connect Service really needs to run in the background all the time, regardless on whether you even have a host running, not to mention having UAD plugins loaded (and these are no GoTos for me - too run-of-the-mill quality-wise for that tbh).

This is the only case I can think of where a plugin vendor insists of running two copy-protection apps at the same time, not to mention two of which both require an actice internet-connection.

1) Why would I not asume some sinister motives?
2) Why would I freely agree to this, considering all the vast and great competition?

[Alexander_D]

No, the free ones are iLok protected too (machine-bound) - it's just that they also - in addition - phone home via UA Connect. And if you set the Connect Service to manual (this is Windows - no idea how it's handled on OSX), the plugins won't call the service but insteqd just refuse to run - same when you don't have an actice internet-connection - so the UA Connect Service really needs to run in the background all the time, regardless on whether you even have a host running, not to mention having UAD plugins loaded (and these are no GoTos for me - too run-of-the-mill quality-wise for that tbh).

This is the only case I can think of where a plugin vendor insists of running two copy-protection apps at the same time, not to mention two of which both require an actice internet-connection.

1) Why would I not asume some sinister motives?
2) Why would I freely agree to this, considering all the vast and great competition?

Understand you. Thanks. Well, at this moment I have only Oek Sound, Soundtoys and Softube plugins on my Ilok. They works very well!
Regarding UAD plugins. I only have the free version of them... like Polymax, Verve etc... so, of course I can delete them anytime. I don't pay for them...
Or you mean that all companies which use Ilok system is not good? But once again, other companies works well. And maybe then I will purchase some Softube stuff for example... I sold all my Arturia Fxs and need some "analogue" style fxs...

[jens]

No, Ilok is absolutely fine - I have loads and loads of Ilok plugins without any issues, UAD and Sonnox aside - the latter kept complaining that there's no valid license even though according to the Ilok-App everything was fine - so I stopped using this crap as well. They worked less often than they didn't - in all fairness it has to be said that they still processed the audio but they didn't allow any parameter-changes.

(Luckily I only have Voxdoubler and Claro, which I both purchased when they were heavily discounted, so my loss wasn't that big - and yet that company could go down in flames too and I would watch in awe while contributing passionate applause.)


Either way I guess in that case the problem was similar to UAD - but tbh I never was willing to waste any more time on them in order to find out. And it was the same thing as with UAD: it wasn't stuff that I missed in any way after I stopped using it.
(Ironically enough I rarely ever have any problems whatsoever with the plugins I really value highly and would miss a lot.)

Oh, I need to add: the Ilok-app never gets in my way on my machine in any way - in the Task-Manager I see it's running, but it sits quietly in the background unless I need it and barely uses any ressources at all - and the same certainly can't be said about the UAD Connect POS which always found a way to get in my face when I didn't need it at all - which is why I disabed the service in the first place and which is how I found out that it is absolutely required in order to use the plugins.

[sonidomolino]

UAD plugins (DSP and native) run just fine on our (Win10) production PCs -without- UAD Connect.

iLok has generally been ok, but on multiple occasions has been "unavailable" due to some server issues. we also experience recurring "iLok Sharing Error: An iLok cannot be shared across multiple operating systems or computers. Disconnect and reconnect your iLok when switching to another OS/Computer." despite the fact that they are NOT "shared across multiple operating systems or computers". idk if this is an OS update issue or not, but is a mild PITA as the USB ports are on the rear of a rack mount system, so not the most convenience 'fix' for what should not have been an issue in the first place. The current showstopper issues with AMD are also worth keeping in mind.
...
We keep a fairly comprehensive set of plugins to support a wide range of project compatibility and find UAD plugins to be useful despite their track record of lagging in multiple ITB features (such as UI size, features, etc). recent updates have improved their competitiveness in this area.

However, there is nothing in their catalog that does not have a more than acceptable equivalent from another vendor (we have a list). If your interest is in a suite/catalog, then Softube along with the likes of Overloud, Arturia or even Melda are all worth exploring. In addition there are a number of smaller devs with great products for specific applications (or meticulously modeled pixels of analog gear) if that makes a difference in the sound for you.

UAD's recent pricing 'strategy' targeting new users over longtime customers has put any future purchases on hold. We also choose not to use anything from Waves or IK due to their onerous 'customer engagement' practices. That's just a business decision for us. ymmv.

[Alexander_D]

No, Ilok is absolutely fine - I have loads and loads of Ilok plugins without any issues, UAD and Sonnox aside - the latter kept complaining that there's no valid license even though according to the Ilok-App everything was fine - so I stopped using this crap as well. They worked less often than they didn't - in all fairness it has to be said that they still processed the audio but they didn't allow any parameter-changes.

(Luckily I only have Voxdoubler and Claro, which I both purchased when they were heavily discounted, so my loss wasn't that big - and yet that company could go down in flames too and I would watch in awe while contributing passionate applause.)


Either way I guess in that case the problem was similar to UAD - but tbh I never was willing to waste any more time on them in order to find out. And it was the same thing as with UAD: it wasn't stuff that I missed in any way after I stopped using it.
(Ironically enough I rarely ever have any problems whatsoever with the plugins I really value highly and would miss a lot.)

Oh, I need to add: the Ilok-app never gets in my way on my machine in any way - in the Task-Manager I see it's running, but it sits quietly in the background unless I need it and barely uses any ressources at all - and the same certainly can't be said about the UAD Connect POS which always found a way to get in my face when I didn't need it at all - which is why I disabed the service in the first place and which is how I found out that it is absolutely required in order to use the plugins.

Thank you very much! Now all is clean for me. BTW what's the best way to keep Ilok licenses? Honestly at this time I have much: Soundtoys, Soothe 2, two plugins from Softube and Air fro Slate... most of them activated to my machine. But I was purchased dongle. Don't know now.. do I need them.... And at this moment I am thinking... Seems that most of All companies use their software app... waves, ni, Arturia etc... So I am seriously think about using plugins which don't need Ilok, like Fabfilter, Valhalla, U-HE and the stock plugins of my Cubase.. but honestly - Love Soundtoys and Soothe...

[jens]

Yeah, at some point I really considered getting away from iLok - but that's nigh impossible for me - too much stuff I really love and use all the time is Ilok protected. Personally I only use machine based Ilok - nothing else will do for me.

And after it happened twice to me, I basically completely lost the fear of being unable to access the device the license are stored on - the process of getting them back is painless and mostly done in a few days.
One vendor - Wave Arts - took literally the better part of two years to approve my "location reset" request, but at that point I had stopped using the one plugin I own from them (Trackplug) and lost all interest in them (again, they are a bad company to begin with in my book, asking serious money for rather inconsequential updates) - the other vendors approved swiftly, partly the same or the next day.

[Alexander_D]

Yeah, at some point I really considered getting away from iLok - but that's nigh impossible for me - too much stuff I really love and use all the time is Ilok protected. Personally I only use machine based Ilok - nothing else will do for me.

And after it happened twice to me, I basically completely lost the fear of being unable to access the device the license are stored on - the process of getting them back is painless and mostly done in a few days.
One vendor - Wave Arts - took literally the better part of two years to approve my "location reset" request, but at that point I had stopped using the one plugin I own from them (Trackplug) and lost all interest in them (again, they are a bad company to begin with in my book, asking serious money for rather inconsequential updates) - the other vendors approved swiftly, partly the same or the next day.

Indeed! I also don't know how I can create without Soundtoys. But the are don't need a second app and it's great... but for example if your machine was.down for some reason, how then you can reactivate your license?
And what's the best "analog" Fxs then which I need to try? Softube? Or maybe Pulsar audio?
I am seriously thinking now to use mostly Cubase stock plugins. Interesting, does someone use only stock with a great results... most of YouTube guys using a lot of third-party stuff... also UAD ))))))

[bmanic]

I also don't have any issues with UA connect. I don't even have it installed and all my plugins work just fine without it. This is on Mac.

Maybe it's because I keep all my licenses on a iLok 3 dongle?