Softube or UAD?

[jens]

Yes, exactly this, which is the very problem I was talking about.

You don't need UA Connect installed. But you do need the iLok License Manager installed. As long as the license is on your system UA Connect is NOT required. It's just a way to update plugins and install licenses. Everything else is done via iLok. So your issue is not that you don't have UA Connect installed. It's that you don't have an iLok license on your machine.

Nope - read the thread - this isn't my first rodeo...

[PAK]

Nope - read the thread - this isn't my first rodeo..

I did read the thread. You showed that your interface is blurred. It's blurred because it doesn't think you have an iLok license on your system, not because you don't have UA Connect installed.

Open the iLok Manager.. Does it show a license is assigned on your machine? If you're sharing the plugin on other machines, and using Cloud activation (rather than dongle or machine based) I think I recall UA Connect might be used to toggle the license status (I only use dongle). If that's what you chose then the way around it is to activate on an iLok dongle instead.. or leave UA Connect installed

[jens]

Nope - read the thread - this isn't my first rodeo..

I did read the thread. You showed that your interface is blurred. It's blurred because it doesn't think you have an iLok license on your system, not because you don't have UA Connect installed.

Open the iLok Manager.. Does it show a license is assigned on your machine?

yes, it does.

In fact it does so for all the UAD plugins I have (i.e. the free ones), which all won't load.

If you're sharing the plugin on other machines, and using Cloud activation (rather than dongle or machine based) I think I recall UA Connect might be used to toggle the license status (I only use dongle). If that's what you chose then the way around it is to activate on an iLok dongle instead..

I don't - as I mentioned before I only use machine-based iLok licences.

Oh, and just for the record: before I completely uninstalled UA Connect I had set the Service to manual and the plugins would complain (rather than starting the Service) as I mentioned before, and then I could start the Service manually myself and the plugins would load just fine.

[Alexander_D]

So...I decided not using UA connect... so, probably will go with another vendor or maybe with my stock DAW plugins....

[Harry_HH]

Nope - read the thread - this isn't my first rodeo..

I did read the thread. You showed that your interface is blurred. It's blurred because it doesn't think you have an iLok license on your system, not because you don't have UA Connect installed.

Open the iLok Manager.. Does it show a license is assigned on your machine?

yes, it does.

In fact it does so for all the UAD plugins I have (i.e. the free ones, which all won't load).

If you're sharing the plugin on other machines, and using Cloud activation (rather than dongle or machine based) I think I recall UA Connect might be used to toggle the license status (I only use dongle). If that's what you chose then the way around it is to activate on an iLok dongle instead..

I don't - as I mentioned before I only use machine-based iLok licences.

Oh, and just for the record: before I completely uninstalled UA Connect I had set the Service to manual and the plugins would complain (rather than starting the Service) as I mentioned before, and then I could start the Service manually myself and the plugins would load just fine.

It sounds that you have the same issue I had few months back, the symptoms are similar, anyway. And I have iLok dongle, where the UA licenses are as they should be.
What helped, after months, was a new update version of the UAC.

[PAK]

In fact it does so for all the UAD plugins I have (i.e. the free ones), which all won't load.

Oh, and just for the record: before I completely uninstalled UA Connect I had set the Service to manual and the plugins would complain (rather than starting the Service) as I mentioned before, and then I could start the Service manually myself and the plugins would load just fine.

Hmm, then this appears to be a requirement they've added for the free versions of their plugins. It doesn't do this with the paid versions (at least with a dongle based license). I guess they want UA Connect kept on there as they think it'll make it easier to sell you stuff

The irony is the paid versions don't support machine activation (Cloud and dongle only)

[The Noodlist]

]You don't need UA Connect installed. But you do need the iLok License Manager installed. As long as the license is on your system UA Connect is NOT required. It's just a way to update plugins and install licenses. Everything else is done via iLok. So your issue is not that you don't have UA Connect installed. It's that you don't have an iLok license on your machine.

Surely, it's used for the initial installation.

[PAK]

Surely, it's used for the initial installation.

Yep, but after that all the licensing is done through iLok. The paid plugins do try to launch UA Connect, but you can just rename or delete it, and they'll work fine. It appears that's not the case for the freebies based on what Jens is saying.

[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?

Interesting. How did you install them?

I installed UA connect, installed the plugins, put the licenses on my iLok3 dongle (you can specify the iLok destination within the app) and then I deleted UA connect and all it's associated files. That's about it.

Every once in a while I reinstall UA connect to update the plugins and then delete it again. Same thing I do with almost all install managers.

[Harry_HH]

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?

Interesting. How did you install them?

I installed UA connect, installed the plugins, put the licenses on my iLok3 dongle (you can specify the iLok destination within the app) and then I deleted UA connect and all it's associated files. That's about it.

Every once in a while I reinstall UA connect to update the plugins and then delete it again. Same thing I do with almost all install managers.

”Every once in a while I reinstall UA connect to update the plugins”

This process forcess you to update the UAC to its latest version, too. It has automated forced update when you launch it.
And this, launching the new UAC version seems to be ”russian roulette” - you newer know if the new version generates difficulties, i.e. makes your UA native plugins unusable in the way or other.

How likely this is, depends on your DAW setup.

If you are lucky, you never face any troubles with the UAC.

[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?

Interesting. How did you install them?

I installed UA connect, installed the plugins, put the licenses on my iLok3 dongle (you can specify the iLok destination within the app) and then I deleted UA connect and all it's associated files. That's about it.

Every once in a while I reinstall UA connect to update the plugins and then delete it again. Same thing I do with almost all install managers.

”Every once in a while I reinstall UA connect to update the plugins”

This process forcess you to update the UAC to its latest version, too. It has automated forced update when you launch it.
And this, launching the new UAC version seems to be ”russian roulette” - you newer know if the new version generates difficulties, i.e. makes your UA native plugins unusable in the way or other.

How likely this is, depends on your DAW setup.

If you are lucky, you never face any troubles with the UAC.

Oh damn! I didn't know that. Well, I guess I'm not installing UA Connect in a while then as I already have pretty much all UA plugins that I was interested in.

Thanks for the warning!

[sqigls]

i've deleted their app and have all machine based freebies installed...

uaudio_century_channel_strip.vst3
uaudio_galaxy_tape_echo.vst3
uaudio_polymax.vst3
uaudio_teletronix_la-2a_tc.vst3
uaudio_verve_essentials.vst3

all work fine, macos sequoia

[DCrown]

Very often you will find something that's better than Softube imo

[mothra]

I had just bought a bunch of Softube stuff shortly before UAD went 'native'. Thought the American Class A channel strip was the bees knees along with the 'new' Bus Processor (I replaced the SSL with that one). And then I got the UAD API Vision, and later went back to the SSL bus comp, which has now been replaced with UAD's as well.

Softube's stuff is great, so is UAD's. It's just a bit different. I thought their API channel was a bit 'soft' compared to the UAD. The UAD sounded more like I expected an API console to sound like. The dirt you get from the preamp is totally different than the Softube's 'drive' feature and clicked with me like a real console would a lot closer then the Softube so I switched and never went back. But I also like gritty old school stuff so it was right up my alley.

UAD's comps though cannot be touched. Tried so many of the different 1176 and LA2A plugs, when I finally got the UA's it was one of those 'OOOOH so THIS is what they're talking about' moments. The company that invented them still makes the best ones, they're like magic on everything. And that API 2500 is the shit for drum busses.

[DCrown]

Waves is best in town.

How their politic regarding updates?

You should have an active Update Plan (WUP).
You should have a comprehensive bundle (focus on one developer).
Their newer products are very often innovative problem solves that simply and quickly work. All these emulations of old gear are nice but for daily work not that relevant imo.
The Waves support is top. The company is big enough to survive the rapit market development.
Waves (and Eventide) are for me the most secure bets in audio plugin industry.

Thank you very much for your opinion!

You're welcome and sorry for my typos

No man! I Really want to choose the right purchase ))) I will learn more about Softube and waves... seems that Softube is also very very good!

Waves! They developed plugins many years ago that still are milestones, easy to use with quick and satisfying results