Are the days of the high priced plugins history?

[bmrzycki]

I'm a bit surprised this has become a "Zebra is too expensive" thread.

Camel Audio Alchemy -> $249
FXpansion Synth Squad -> $249
Fabfilter Twin -> $174
Tone2 Electrax -> $189
Nexus2 -> $299
FM8, Massive, Absynth5 -> $199
HALion 4 -> $249

Sure you might find some of them at better prices on the KVR market place, some may sometimes have a sale or coupon or bundle pricing.

But if you wanted to buy one of the above from the manufacturer's "buy now" button those are your prices. Synthmaster is the exception, not the rule, for synth pricing.

If you're willing to jump through hoops to lower the price of any of the above products then I don't see how that's markedly different from jumping through hoops to get Zebra cheaper too.

[Uncle E]

U-He never does a sale

Not unless you were one of the lucky ones who bought DIVA in the early stages.

[T-CM11]

The statistic he's referring to is here http://de.statista.com/themen/293/durch ... einkommen/. They're talking about 2700€ per household, not per person.

It means both One person _or_ one household
(see the description under the graphic there)

So it's a worthless statistic.

[Uncle E]

If however someone isn't fortunate enough to afford a 200$ piece of gear, let alone the computer to run it, then this would surely be the least of his concerns.

And while I'm applauding you, I'll point out that you also offer free instruments. FREE. Both Zebralette and Tripplecheese are excellent. So Urs, can't you make your free instruments a bit cheaper? Couldn't you send a few deutschmarks to everyone who downloads Zebralette?

Yes, only an ingrate would criticize u-he for their prices. The companies that release payware often times release some of the highest quality freeware available, too.

[dblock]

Smart company recognize the economic realities of the day if they're to continue to compete. Look at Waves. They were at the top price end for years till the economy went south and now their prices are much lower. Same with the auto industry's low interest rates to attract buyers.They need to create incentives to vie for buyers in a slow economy. At the same time, there will always be a demand for the best quality which will always demand a premium or there's no incentive to make things better.jmo.

[BERFAB]

I agree with the premise of this thread. Exhibit A is the number of people on KVR that now own Waves plugins, myself included. I never would have dipped my toe into this pond if it weren't for their radical change in pricing strategy/policy.

I think generally, it's a very crowded market. As pointed out above, you can still find quality plugs that are relatively high priced, but to sustain that price point, they have to really have something unique AND high quality that they bring to the table.

And, even many of those STILL have specials and sales every once in a while (and that's usually when I get 'em).

To the extent that some might think Zebra is too expensive, I think that might have more to do with Urs' principled stand on the integrity of his products' price points. FWIW, I shelled out for the Uhbiks, and never regretted it. However, I have never had the need for Zebra at the full price point. But for like-minded folks, you might recall that Zebralette and Zebra CM are both extraordinary freebies, and really does level the playing field, at least for me. YMMV.

Cheers
-B

[Uncle E]

Smart company recognize the economic realities of the day if they're to continue to compete. Look at Waves. They were at the top price end for years till the economy went south and now their prices are much lower.

When iLok got hacked, Waves laid off nearly their entire staff and it's by now working with a relatively skeleton crew that they're able to have such low prices.

[dreamkeeper]

The statistic he's referring to is here http://de.statista.com/themen/293/durch ... einkommen/. They're talking about 2700€ per household, not per person.

It means both One person _or_ one household
(see the description under the graphic there)

So it's a worthless statistic.

Isn't that a tautology?


About "average":

If you're sitting with your naked butt on a hot oven plate, with your feet in a bucket full of ice water... then you're exposed to perfectly comfortable conditions - on average.

[ErikH]

A Roland System 100 synth sold for some $2000 when it came out (end of the seventies).
What did you get for that money? A basic module with one vco, one simple vcf and vca,a ring modulator; an expander module with about the same, a primitive sequencer and a kind of mixer. And several patches cables.

Compare this with these prices and say that softsynths are expensive.

[Uncle E]

A Roland System 100 synth sold for some $2000 when it came out (end of the seventies).
What did you get for that money? A basic module with one vco, one simple vcf and vca,a ring modulator; an expander module with about the same, a primitive sequencer and a kind of mixer. And several patches cables.

And it was glorious.

[bduffy]

Smart company recognize the economic realities of the day if they're to continue to compete. Look at Waves. They were at the top price end for years till the economy went south and now their prices are much lower.

When iLok got hacked, Waves laid off nearly their entire staff and it's by now working with a relatively skeleton crew that they're able to have such low prices.

But iLok got hacked almost immediately, like, well over 10 years ago. I'm not sure if I buy that as the prime reason, unless it took 12 years for them to downsize...

[Crackbaby]

You can reach so many customers with internet. I think every customer would love to have twice the amount of plugins, but for the same amount they have spent.
If i buy two plugins for 50 instead one for 100 means equal gain for developer but twice the amount for me. it's software! It can be copied! If a developer has 1000 customers paying 50 or 500 customers paying 100 shouldn't matter!

Anything below 100$ that i like i will most likely buy. Above that ...... well, then i will start to compare its value of happiness with guitars, toys for my dog and tools for handcraft.

I don't think anyone thinks that they can get "Analog Emulation Synth of choice" and be happy with just that. They will want to spread their wings and try another one. And another one. Same with other kinds of synthesis, samples and effects.

[Tricky-Loops]

There is no "average income" in Germany of 2,700€, that's nonsense.

Total money earned by legal aged German citizens / number of legal aged German citizens = average income of legal aged German citizens

Maths.

That formula is too complicated for me... (joke beside, of course I do know math!!)

I rather ask people of how much income they get, and there are only a few people who earn 2,700€ a month or more. That's reality. Forget these useless "average" statistics...

[dblock]

Smart company recognize the economic realities of the day if they're to continue to compete. Look at Waves. They were at the top price end for years till the economy went south and now their prices are much lower.

When iLok got hacked, Waves laid off nearly their entire staff and it's by now working with a relatively skeleton crew that they're able to have such low prices.

But iLok got hacked almost immediately, like, well over 10 years ago. I'm not sure if I buy that as the prime reason, unless it took 12 years for them to downsize...

I agree. If you look at the timing, the economy's troubles coincide with the price drops far closer than the hacking issues and are longer lasting along side the slower economy.

[dblock]

I agree with the premise of this thread. Exhibit A is the number of people on KVR that now own Waves plugins, myself included. I never would have dipped my toe into this pond if it weren't for their radical change in pricing strategy/policy.

I think generally, it's a very crowded market. As pointed out above, you can still find quality plugs that are relatively high priced, but to sustain that price point, they have to really have something unique AND high quality that they bring to the table.

And, even many of those STILL have specials and sales every once in a while (and that's usually when I get 'em).

To the extent that some might think Zebra is too expensive, I think that might have more to do with Urs' principled stand on the integrity of his products' price points. FWIW, I shelled out for the Uhbiks, and never regretted it. However, I have never had the need for Zebra at the full price point. But for like-minded folks, you might recall that Zebralette and Zebra CM are both extraordinary freebies, and really does level the playing field, at least for me. YMMV.

Cheers
-B

For me,whether or not Zebra or any other plugin is too expensive is all relative to what you're doing with it and getting out of it.
This year I started collecting my first royalties on music I've had licensed. That put a whole new light on what I paid for these plugins. They don't seem so expensive now in hindsight. Depends on where you're at with it.
That's not to say I'd pay any price for any plugin, just that it's all relative to what you expect to get out of it in the short term as well as the long term.