Studio One 7.2

[Vocalpoint Studios]

Did anyone try to come in touch with their support and ask where are the promised high quality updates? Any answer so far?

I talk to many Presonus insiders all the time. Silence is the result when the topic of "what's in the pipeline" comes up. All I ever get is - testers are out there, NDA's are in effect - the usual stuff.

And as far as the "promised updates" go - whenever that topic comes up - insiders always seem point to the latest PDF of S1 Release Notes and say "here they are - what is the problem?"

One critical element of all of this discord is the basic premise that what "WE" think should be "major updates" are not necessarily what the DEV team thinks are "major updates". To them - anything that is new - is an update - and the "majorness" of that update - lies with the end user.

Basically - most of these updates might appear to be lame to you and I - but to others - they are gobsmacked. So - everyone has their definition. BUT - if you do not think a specific update is huge - that is not their fault.

Generally - the majority of the user base that I engage with - feels about the same. This cycle is "worrisome". What did I actually get for my (now doubled) cost for update? Used to be about 2 years before we had to shell out $149 - now it is just one year.

One thing is for sure - none of the "major updates" thus far in this v7 cycle can be categorized as "must have", "game changing" or whatever overblown, hypey phrase you want to apply to it.

And - I have not come across any user yet who was over the moon with the value they got for their $149.00 - yet.

I will give Presonus the benefiy of the doubt - at least to Oct 10. When I decide to re-up my annual updates - or stand down.

VP

[thebutler]

I will give Presonus the benefiy of the doubt - at least to Oct 10. When I decide to re-up my annual updates - or stand down.

VP

Curious. If you 'stand down' this time, what will that actually mean for you.? Won't you be 'dead in the water' come Oct 11.?

I think a lot of folk would like to chat through the options... would returning to v6.x.x path instead be a (short term) answer.?

[EDIT - am happy here on v6.6.4 for my occasional S1 'needs'..]

[Vocalpoint Studios]

Curious. If you 'stand down' this time, what will that actually mean for you.? Won't you be 'dead in the water' come Oct 11.?

To "stand down" - as of Oct 11 - would mean no more annual update plan for me.

I would remain on a v7 perpetual license - at whatever version we are at as of Oct 10. Let's say it's still v7.22. So - no further updates - but also no sending Presonus another $149 either.

I could simply use v7.22 until such time that something "update wise" came out that would be worth renewing the annual update plan. Or not.

And yes of course - using v6.6.4 would be fine as well.

VP

[thebutler]

Ok - thanks VP... I misunderstood things (quite) a bit. I thought, without an active sub, the app wouldn't even run. Phew.!

[Vocalpoint Studios]

Ok - thanks VP... I misunderstood things (quite) a bit. I thought, without an active sub, the app wouldn't even run. Phew.!

Want to clarify - very clearly - that I am not on a sub.

I am a perpetual license holder and always have been. My $149 annual payment - goes toward gaining access to 12 months worth of "updates" - and that is it.

No sub here and no access to sub content either. Just so there is no additional confusion.

VP

[Crossinger]

Want to clarify - very clearly - that I am not on a sub.

Wasn‘t one of the benefits of the new subscription model, that without renewal of the subscription the core application turns into a perpetual license after a year?

[Vocalpoint Studios]

Wasn‘t one of the benefits of the new subscription model, that without renewal of the subscription the core application turns into a perpetual license after a year?

Yes - correct. If you were on a sub and did your 365 days of "sub" time - but choose not to renew at the end of it - on Day 366 - you automatically switch to a perp license.

But for me - I am a perp user already - so none of that applies. My $149.00 "renewal" -if I choose to as of Oct 10 - simply allows me access to the next 12 months of "updates" - and that is all.

VP

[Crossinger]

Yes exactly. But it also can be considered as an advantage. Maybe Presonus is not yet aware of it, but iirc Bitwig advertises their sub model this way: renew your subscription whenever you feel it’s worth the price (again). [Disclaimer: no, that’s not their official claim, just paraphrased by me].

[Vocalpoint Studios]

Yes exactly. But it also can be considered as an advantage. Maybe Presonus is not yet aware of it, but iirc Bitwig advertises their sub model this way: renew your subscription whenever you feel it’s worth the price (again). [Disclaimer: no, that’s not their official claim, just paraphrased by me].

Trust me - Presonus knows. They spoke about this at length in that keynote video from last year.

Given the lackluster update sequence thus far this year - would not be surprised to see many users simply stop their updates until something comes along that is worthwhile.

Of course - if enough people do this - and the bottom line @ Presonus is affected in a really bad way - that could morph into another more serious disaster that no one wants.

It is a very interesting challenge in that Presonus needs to deliver or users will start looking elsewhere.

TBH - I can't say they have delivered anything so far since Oct 9, 2024 that has really made that $149.00 I spent - feel like an awesome bargain.

VP

[Crossinger]

What annoys me most is the fact that even things like an improved stem separation model are not simply offered for download between updates. Instead, you get the grumpy response in the Studio One forum that the available off-the-shelf models are more or less the same for all DAWs anyway.

[Vocalpoint Studios]

Instead, you get the grumpy response in the Studio One forum that the available off-the-shelf models are more or less the same for all DAWs anyway.

Which they are - largely.

Like many other DAWs - my understanding is that Presonus licensed the tech from the 2 or 3 places that write this sort of thing and wrapped it in a nice S1 style vibe.

The reason you are not seeing updates for this on a regular cadence may be two fold - the actual company that makes this tech - are the only ones who can actually update it - and haven't.

OR - if an update WAS in the pipeline 4 months ago - Presonus makes a bigger deal by labelling it as a hot new "update" and wedges it (4 months late) into a mainteance release - given more credence to the illusion of quality in updates we are getting.

VP

[J Veronica]

I wonder if the synths we get each update are outsourced too.

[Proteinshake]

My $149.00 "renewal" -if I choose to as of Oct 10 - simply allows me access to the next 12 months of "updates" - and that is all.

Or the the lack thereof! And there really are a ton of places that could use an overhaul:

The color palette still is garbage.
No option for fixed plug-in slots.
No dual mono option for plug-ins.
Plug-in icons are a complete mess.

The list goes on.

[Crossinger]

Like many other DAWs - my understanding is that Presonus licensed the tech from the 2 or 3 places that write this sort of thing and wrapped it in a nice S1 style vibe.

Yes, it looks like they simply added Stem Separation from zPlane's portfolio as a long-time licensee. This is also supported by the fact that zPlane's own plugin (zPlane Peel Stems) for stem separation supports the same four types: drums, bass, vocals, other. Even the color coding is identical.

[Digivolt]

MixFx is another thing they have seemingly abandoned although it being a cool premise, Softube are the only external company to do anything with it and just a single plugin, why ? Their own mixfx stuff are no longer available locked behind the sub although I'm sure at the time they disappeared from the store they said it was only temporary and they would be back



I'd like to see non Presonus plugs get better mixer displays similar to above as well, like if you could set your own window view from a specific plugin to appear in the mixer rack and not have to pin all the plugins I want to see at the same time