Proxima - Synapse Audio

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lobanov wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 11:14 pm
tumface wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 3:27 pm My preferred way is public+private serial key signature checking, like what FabFilter and REAPER use, which don't require activation checks. That method isn't as good at stopping key sharing amongst friends, but it does completely stop keygens.
Sorry for offtopic, but you are wrong. Signature cheking doesn't stop keygens at all and can be broken trivially. It is always possible (without additional checks) generate a new public and private keys pair, sign any user data and replace the public key used for checks.
That's incorrect. To replace the public key, you have to modify the .exe or .dll (or in this case, .vst or .vst3.) This makes it a crack, because it's modifying the original file. At that point, it's easier for the cracking group to bypass the DRM entirely, instead of finding the signature checking code, but then leaving it intact and also replacing the public key. No cracking group would bother to do what you're describing, because it's more work than a normal crack, but for no benefit.

I never said that public+private signature checks stops cracks. Nothing stops cracks.

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Well, it's too good. After demoing it on and off for a couple of days, I ended up buying it. All hail the new king of filter saturation.

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tumface wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 9:20 amChallenge-response means the software running locally on your computer generates a challenge code, which the remote server (run by the developer) is given, and then returns a response code which the software is waiting to read and verify before proceeding.
That's never how I've understood it and I see absolutely no problem with what you're describing. You're just being a hysterical little girl over nothing. Teh3e default activation mode is simply a convenience that everyone but you is happy to use. If you're not, just put your tin-foil hat on and do the offline activation.
The manual and website says that 3 activations is the limit.
Do you know of any company with an activation limit that doesn't have some method of allowing you to track them, so you can deactivate an old computer to free up licenses for a new one? I can't think of any, certainly none of the 20+ plugin vendors I've dealt with.
I need an internet connection only once to download the installer.
Well here's a trick, once you've downloaded it and before you air-gap your computer again, spend one extra minute installing and activating it. Problem solved.
If Synapse Audio's licensing servers go offline, you can't activate new installations of Synapse Audio products.
Yeah, and if Putin destroys the world, you won't be able too activate it either, and I reckon that's an order of magnitude more likely than Synapse's servers going offline for any length of time, just when you need to activate a product you've bought.
NOVAkILL : Legion GO, AMD Z1x, 16GB RAM, Win11 | Audient EVO 8 | Lumi Keys | Studio Pro 8
Korg Odyssey, bx-oberhausen, Proxima, PolyMax, GR8, JP6K, Union, Atomika,
Invader 2, Flow Motion, Olga, TRK 01, Thorn, Spire, VG Iron

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BONES wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:27 am That's never how I've understood it and I see absolutely no problem with what you're describing. You're just being a hysterical little girl over nothing. Teh3e default activation mode is simply a convenience that everyone but you is happy to use. If you're not, just put your tin-foil hat on and do the offline activation.
This is how everyone else understands it, including the developer of Synapse Audio Proxima, who replied above, starting with this post: viewtopic.php?p=9146868#p9146868

Here are some other recent examples on KVR forums in the last month of different people using "challenge response":

viewtopic.php?p=9135022#p9135022
viewtopic.php?p=9140761#p9140761
viewtopic.php?p=9134432#p9134432

BONES wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:27 am Do you know of any company with an activation limit that doesn't have some method of allowing you to track them, so you can deactivate an old computer to free up licenses for a new one? I can't think of any, certainly none of the 20+ plugin vendors I've dealt with.
Yes, I do know one. Synapse Audio, which we were discussing above. That's why we were discussing it, in this thread about a Synapse Audio product. The limit is hidden from the user and there's no way to do explicit deactivation. The developer of Synapse Audio replied above, talking about it, and discussing possible solutions. Starting from this post: viewtopic.php?p=9146884#p9146884

BONES wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:27 am Well here's a trick, once you've downloaded it and before you air-gap your computer again, spend one extra minute installing and activating it. Problem solved.
I never said that I had a problem using the activation system right now. I said, only, and repeatedly, that it becomes problem in the future, when the developer may not have the ability to keep the activation servers running, or ownership changes hands, or I simply no longer have an internet connection. Sorry to repeat myself again, but I never said that the activation system currently isn't functioning.

BONES wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:27 am Yeah, and if Putin destroys the world, you won't be able too activate it either, and I reckon that's an order of magnitude more likely than Synapse's servers going offline for any length of time, just when you need to activate a product you've bought.
All of the other times I've been locked out of software I purchased, it was because the company management changed or the company decided to shut down the activation servers intentionally. One of them was a music software company. Furthermore, in your proposed scenario where the internet becomes unusable, it wouldn't be a problem to run the software if there were no mandatory online activation system.

I am please asking you to take the time to read what is being written in the thread before creating these replies. It is frustrating having to repeat myself to deny words put in my mouth. Thank you.

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I'll have you know I've lost 25kg this year, I don't look like that any more.
sqigls wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 11:11 am installed demo, used once then demo expired.
wheeeert
Not permanently, surely? Can't you just delete it and add a new instance for another 20 minutes, like every other time limited demo I've ever used.

I was talking to Rich on the beta forum about it and said he was sick of being asked by people to extend the 30 day trial period and decided he'd do what a lot of other vendors do. So if you want be pissed off with anyone, be pissed off at the dickheads who can't make up their minds in 30 days.
pchase wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 11:26 amPretty much sums up this type of DRM, you're not really paying for a product outright or even a *license* to use the product outright, you're paying to enter an ongoing relationship with the company where you're always under their control and you'd better hope they don't get too 'suspicious' of you, go out of business, cease to exist or just get bored and lose interest.
Yeah, isn't it a crying f**king shame that a developer might want to protect his livelyhood so he can pay his staff and provide for his family? What a c**t-act! I honestly can't believe what self-centred fucktards some of you people are. I suppose you get the shits when you go to visit a shop after hours and they've locked the doors before they've gone home?
pchase wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 12:49 pmThis is exactly that suspicion of your customers that they're buying into though - just above in this thread you have a legitimate customer who was caught by exactly the limit you mention while doing what you claim "cannot possibly be legitimate usage".
Don't be disingenuous, Vortifex explained that Synapse sorted in out for him in quick order. He also admitted that he wasn't surprised they might have been a little suspicious. So what's your f**king problem? (See my comment above.)
it always requires careful consideration.
Only if you're a paranoid lunatic.
tumface wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 11:49 amYes, I do know one. Synapse Audio, which we were discussing above.
Are you f**king stupid? Rich made it quite clear that activations are not permanently stored, the limit only comes into play when multiple activations happen in a short period of time. That's a completely different situation to the other companies you mention, who have a hard limit that applies forever and requires the user to manage it all, carefully. What Synapse does is provide a level of protection for their business without putting the onus on their users to manage it. How anyone can have any kind of problem with that beggars belief (or it would if I didn't already know what self-centered thunder-c**ts people can be).
That's why we were discussing it, in this thread about a Synapse Audio product. The limit is hidden from the user
Clearly that's not the case because you knew what the limit was, didn't you? I didn't for the simple reason that it's never been a problem. OTOH, I know exactly what the limit is for PA, Baby Audio, Minimal Audio and all the other companies who make me do all the leg work to keep my activations going, because it becomes a problem on a semi-regular basis. You make it sound like you'd rather get f**ked around than not have to worry, which seems completely arse-backwards to me.
NOVAkILL : Legion GO, AMD Z1x, 16GB RAM, Win11 | Audient EVO 8 | Lumi Keys | Studio Pro 8
Korg Odyssey, bx-oberhausen, Proxima, PolyMax, GR8, JP6K, Union, Atomika,
Invader 2, Flow Motion, Olga, TRK 01, Thorn, Spire, VG Iron

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first world problem, it's just need to save a temp project and restart DAW, can't just delete demo instance and load new one. brrrrt
cheers

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BONES wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:22 pm Are you f**king stupid? Rich made it quite clear that activations are not permanently stored, the limit only comes into play when multiple activations happen in a short period of time.
I never mentioned anything about how long activations were stored for, or in what format, or what color the text might be in the control panel, or anything like that. I said there was no way to explicitly deactivate them, and that there was a limit.


BONES wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:22 pm That's a completely different situation to the other companies you mention, who have a hard limit that applies forever and requires the user to manage it all, carefully.
That's a bit odd, because I didn't mention any companies by name, or even a hint to what they might be. Actually, all of them had unlimited activations, even within short periods of time.

BONES wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:22 pm What Synapse does is provide a level of protection for their business without putting the onus on their users to manage it. How anyone can have any kind of problem with that beggars belief (or it would if I didn't already know what self-centered thunder-c**ts people can be).
My posts in this thread about license activation are detailed and non-rude explanations of why I have some hesitations about buying products that have mandatory online activation, and the problems they can cause for users. In your last two replies to me, you even include quotations and reply to the reasons I have. I am an existing Synapse Audio customer. I also explained that I will still sometimes buy and use products with online activation, anyway, if it seems worth it to me.

BONES wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:22 pm Clearly that's not the case because you knew what the limit was, didn't you? I didn't for the simple reason that it's never been a problem.
No, we didn't, and still don't, know what the limit is. The manual and Synapse Audio website say that the license allows you to install on up to 3 computers, which I've never tried to exceed, because I respect the license agreement.

You then write a post (here: viewtopic.php?p=9146744#p9146744 ) saying that there was no limit. I replied saying that it's good that the activation server doesn't actually enforce a limit.

Then, another user replied (here: viewtopic.php?p=9146850#p9146850 ) saying that they have hit a limit before due to BIOS upgrades for their new motherboard.

The developer at Synapse Audio then replied (here: viewtopic.php?p=9146868#p9146868 ) stating that there is a limit, but not saying what the actual limit is. From this, a reasonable thing to conclude is that there is a limit, it's above 3, it's hidden from the user, and it may or may not have a time window after it resets. The developer didn't offer any further details into the exact limits of their system, and I didn't want to try to pry it from them.

BONES wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:22 pm Clearly that's not the case because you knew what the limit was, didn't you? I didn't for the simple reason that it's never been a problem. OTOH, I know exactly what the limit is for PA, Baby Audio, Minimal Audio and all the other companies who make me do all the leg work to keep my activations going, because it becomes a problem on a semi-regular basis. You make it sound like you'd rather get f**ked around than not have to worry, which seems completely arse-backwards to me.
I specifically said in an earlier post (here: viewtopic.php?p=9146923#p9146923 ) that I do not prefer mandatory micro-management of activation slots, and would rather just have unlimited activations.


Please, again, I'm asking you to read earlier posts before creating these replies to me. It's frustrating having to reply to deny words being put in my mouth.
Last edited by tumface on Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:46 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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I can delete the demo instance and reload a new one just fine in FL Studio. No need to restart the DAW.

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damn feeble Live 11
f**k that, i'm moving to Bitwig

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BONES wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:22 pm Yeah, isn't it a crying f**king shame that a developer might want to protect his livelyhood so he can pay his staff and provide for his family? What a c**t-act! I honestly can't believe what self-centred fucktards some of you people are. I suppose you get the shits when you go to visit a shop after hours and they've locked the doors before they've gone home?
So? I understand that prerogative and sympathise. But this is a consumer product not a charity and it is not really relevant.
BONES wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 12:22 pm OTOH, I know exactly what the limit is for PA, Baby Audio, Minimal Audio and all the other companies who make me do all the leg work to keep my activations going, because it becomes a problem on a semi-regular basis.
Ah, so you do have some understanding of why DRM can affect the nature of a product. The rest of your post is pretty disingenous, then.

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Just going by the demos alone, it sounds good. It seems to emulate the P600 pretty closely. But add me to the list of those who try to avoid c/r activation (i already have iLok and PA/NI). That's also the reason i don't consider Cherry and the like. Additionally, the price is on the high side.

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Some of my favorite Bass presets:


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seafire wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 7:57 am
satYatunes wrote: Sat Oct 25, 2025 7:55 am Amazing synth. It's simplicity is it's power. Congrats Richard and team.
Just playing around and making some no talking preset demo videos. The first one is for Texture presets.
Will you be doing a light skin? :hyper:
I am not very sure if there would be enough interest for a light skin. Can't promise anything at the moment but it IS in my to-do list.

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satYatunes wrote: Sun Oct 26, 2025 9:09 pm Some of my favorite Bass presets:
This video has a lot of artifacts in the audio. There's some kind of ringing noise going on the whole time.

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