Who has the worst plugin manager/install experience?

[changozone]

Who has the worst plugin manager/install experience?

Alternatively, who has the best?

For worst, Tracktion is up there. It's so glitchy, and content packs never fully install, they get stuck at 100%, but the worst is probably Plugin Alliance's. There's no way to tell what you actually have installed, and what you actually own takes awhile to actually show up in there.


For me, Audio Damage's installers are easily the best. They're instantaneous and super easy to configure. It's one screen: Choose what version to install and install it.

[parma]

Steinberg. You've got to download a download assistant so that you can download another downloader and a media manager.

[Scrubbing Monkeys]

For me it is Waves followed by NI. Huge. Inefficient. Updates usually break things. XLN though huge....at least is logical and stable.

I'm hanging on to Waves....for now. Dropped all my NI stuff.

[Agg]

Personally? Waves, but fck Waves and their update plans anyway.

I ran into this a while back however:

https://vi-control.net/community/thread ... ng.144394/

I've seen some interesting IK stuff on sale, but the horror stories are too much.

[thecontrolcentre]

I've recently been having issues with a Softube Central download. Atlantis Dual Chambers either stops downloading before completing, or crashes the computer when it starts installing. I bought it 4-5 weeeks ago and have tried installing several times a day since without success. Softube support say it's because my internet conection is either too slow or too unstable, but I don't have any issues downloading or installing any other companies plugins, or any of Softube's other VSTs that I own licenses for.

I just installed 3 new plugins tonight using the SSL download manager ... it worked perfectly (and always has).

I tried to avoid download managers in general, for years, but these days there's no alternative with many companies. I much prefer to purchase, then download an .exe or a simple .vst3 file.

Audio Damage's installers are easily the best. They're instantaneous and super easy to configure. It's one screen: Choose what version to install and install it.

The worst has to be Native Instruments Native Access.

I agree

[edited for typos and grammer]

[jamcat]

Plugin Managers that let you select your plugin format(s) are good.
Among the best are Audio Modeling and Arturia.

The worst has to be Native Instruments Native Access.
Not only does it not let you pick you plugin format, it also has no uninstall feature. Instead it give you a link to a page telling you the locations of all the files you need to manually delete from your hard drive.

[mixyguy2]

I second Waves and NI. Also:

- Orchestral Tools ("Sine")
- Air
- Anything that requires iLok

[Hoffstein]

Melda’s plug-in manager is the seventh circle of hell. On the other hand, it’s 100% consistent with the rest of their UIs.

As for the best, I’d have to say Tokyo Dawn (TDR Collector). Seamless for installs and updates.

[cryophonik]

No problem with Waves here. It’s dead simple.

The worst offenders are the ones that install every plugin in their library - looking at you, UAD.

[telecharge]

The worst for me was Xhun Audio. Karanyi's stuff is all over the place.

With the big boys like NI and Waves, their product managers are clunky and time-consuming and have to be updated all the damn time. Also annoying that NI often doesn't provide release notes.

[thecontrolcentre]

The worst offenders are the ones that install every plugin in their library - looking at you, UAD.

T-Racks does that ... never had a problem with UAD as yet.

[changozone]

Personally? Waves, but fck Waves and their update plans anyway.

I ran into this a while back however:

https://vi-control.net/community/thread ... ng.144394/

I've seen some interesting IK stuff on sale, but the horror stories are too much.

I haven't had problems with Waves but I don't like that you have to select a "license drive". IK should move into video game development with their tactics. The fact that I can't choose to hide stuff I don't own is such a slap in the face. It's video game DLC dark patterns brought into stuff actual professionals use.

[morphex]

I genuinely adore the VST’s from NI and iZotope, and I’ve been consistently using their software since the 90’s. That’s why I’m so frustrated with the lack of communication during the last several years, and timely updates, or no updates at all.

As far as I know, they have big investors behind them. But unfortunately, that hasn’t led to a better experience as a customer. Obvious bug fixes never seem to materialize, and the Native Access mess appears to be the result of low quality control and organization.

Normally, I would upgrade both of their everything bundles every couple of years. But I’ve stopped doing that, and I’ve been looking for other options that can meet my needs. Purchasing the upgrade to Absynth 6 will probably be one of the last times that I give them my money, at least for now.

Having said that, I still wish them well. I would love to see them creating innovative products with proper functionality and support, like they used to do. Until then, indie developers are getting much more of my attention, and my cash.

[Scotty]

I give Universal Audio the thumbs down. It isn't the worst but damn I would like to be able to install only the plugins I own and not have the bloat or have to manage all the non-owned plugins with a plugin manager. Fortunately you can now choose not to install the mono versions of the plugins so that is step in the right direction. That was a PITA.

[Scotty]

IK needs to come to grips with the Custom Shop which doesn't talk to the main app. Its weird and needs to be eliminated.