Waves new WUP

[kdm]

Thought this might be of interest to Waves and non-Waves users - most have heard they have a new WUP plan - $200/year - maximum for any product. I shelved my Gold bundle a few years ago at version 3 due to it being rather out of date compared to other plugin options, and the high cost to update it with little in return.

So I just emailed Waves about the new policy to see if it applied to this aging Gold 3.0 bundle, and it does - for $200 I would get v7, and all of the new plugins since v3. Better I guess.

Edit - to qualify this, I assumed the new Gold plugins would be worth the $200 - the old plugins aren't up to today's standards unless they've been revamped (anyone know?). Imo, there are better comps and EQs from other vendors now, and there are several alternatives to IR-L for convo reverb.

Maybe it's a good deal for other bundle owners. Fwiw.....

[Sound Drifter]

To be honest, I wish I never got rid of my waves gold bundle. I fell into one of those peeps who was fed up about WUP and moved to UAD. Waves are excellent plugins. I think I was at v4 or 5.. can't remember exactly.

[TAFKAT]

I just wish these guys would be a little more flexible in allowing purchase of individual plugins instead of just the bundles .. :-(

[kdm]

They now have a customizable option now ("Do it your Waves") where you can pick your own bundle (seems to require at least 3 plugins). I still think the prices are rather over-inflated vs. comparable options.

[TAFKAT]

Hey Dedric,

Thanks for that, yeh the prices are definitely inflated compared to the bundle packages .., try building a comparable bundle and compare prices.

I suppose at least they have attempted the option, now to make it viable, at the moment its look a little half hearted.. IMO.

[nikki-k]

Hmmm...
I guess NDA's from 7 years ago still prevent me from saying much. I did use the printed NDA's I signed as liner for guinea pigs though. And for all my efforts over a few years, I got a nice gift... I got to get downgraded to the Gold bundle ver3 I had come in with. After being raped, I see no reason to pay the one who violated me for more, erm, "pleasure." I busted my butt for them, nothing in return. If their headquarters *disappeared* tomorrow, at least I would have a good laugh.

[Animus]

I just wish these guys would be a little more flexible in allowing purchase of individual plugins instead of just the bundles .. :-(

Yeah that's what I was thinking. Waves are really over-valued and overpriced. The price of Mercury native is laughable when considering over half of the plugs could be 10 years or so old. Waves takes the idea of "licensing" to its extreme. You basically just lease/rent the plugs for a yearly fee after a huge downpayment.

[kdm]

You basically just lease/rent the plugs for a yearly fee after a huge downpayment.

And get average plugins for the most part (except the older batch which imho are below average), for the price at least. I'm sure some here and there are great, but $9800 for the lot....

I think for $9800 for Mercury, one would be be better served putting together a 3rd party package, and it would be a very nice one at that, including specialized options for post (Dolby, DTS, metering), or music (vintage emus) - not to mention having Lexi's PCM reverbs to start things off.

There are so many other options out now - just checked out the demo for Artsacoustic's CLMS-1 Comp - very nice side chain comp for $230.

[kstevege]

In all reality, how does WAVES compare to UAD? I am in the process of building new DAW and to know whether I should stick with UAD or try WAVES.