Waves by Subscription

[bayswater]

There are threads out there saying Waves will go exclusively with subscriptions starting tomorrow. Some of the sources seems pretty reliable although others say its just something that will be applied to 3rd party dealers.

I wouldn’t be surprised if they did it. The current mix of sales, WUPs, sales, multiple versions, etc is a bit of a mess. All subs would make things simple for them (and me)

[James Steele]

I have enough monthly bills. Definitely not for subscription here.

[bayswater]

I'd consider it if costs less to subscribe than to WUP every few years. The current business model at Waves is, if anything, more annoying than subscriptions.

Or this might be the trigger to stop using Waves altogether. PSP, Harrison and Eventide cover what I used to go to Waves for.

[HCMarkus]

My guess is Waves is going to stop selling thru third parties, but will continue to offer via direct sales the same Purchase + WUP approach they've long used. They may add a subscription model as well.

Look at Waves' market penetration and advertising presence... I doubt they gain much from the third party sales; they certainly gain nothing from third party WUP sales.

We should find out soon!

[nk_e]

My guess is they will retain a purchase and “sales events” model and offer subscription tiers also (similar to plugin alliance).

[HCMarkus]

My guess was wrong.

Subscription only. If you need to update a Waves plugin, YOU WILL SUBSCRIBE.

Me? I WILL NOT BE UPDATING WAVES PLUGINS.

[bayswater]

My guess was wrong.

Subscription only. If you need to update a Waves plugin, YOU WILL SUBSCRIBE.

Me? I WILL NOT BE UPDATING WAVES PLUGINS.

Same here. If the price was comparable to what I’d spend anyway, maybe, but it isn’t. There are a few plugins I still like but their plugins aren’t the must haves they once were.

I see why they’re doing it. Better for them to have a small number of customers each spending a lot than a lot of customers most spending a little.

[James Steele]

Well looks like they are indeed going to subscription judging from the new Waves Central app screen that updated today. I suspect they will do a hybrid approach like UVI where you can still buy plugs if you want, but also do a subscription.

newwavescentral.jpg (73.25 KiB) Viewed 1803 times

Looks like everything is being updated today as well. It better be just an update for technical reasons and not something designed to push users into the subscription model or I will indeed phase out my Waves stuff in favor of other vendors.

[James Steele]

One annoying thing is their updater seems wonky. I try to uncheck the Cosmo Sampler finder or whatever because I don't want it installing the sample library and if I uncheck it, it unchecks all my other plugs (or close to it). It appears that there's no way to update plugs one-at-a-time on a piecemeal basis.

I started the mass update now... but I'm serious. If this update is in order to push through something designed to coerce/prod/herd users toward the subscription, my Waves days will be over.

[Rick Cornish]

I will not be migrating to their subscription model… at least not in the foreseeable future. Even though I've purchased dozens of Waves plugins, in my current album project, I'm not using any.

It'll be interesting to see how long the current versions I have are usable.

[James Steele]

Well, well, well... I just received the email from Waves that many of you probably are receiving today... I'll save posting the entire contents of the email but it appears they are going all subscription.

Key takeaways for me:

• If you want any new plugs that you don't already own, you have to subscribe.

• If your Waves plugs cease to function properly someday, due to MacOS updates, etc., you can update if you still had WUP coverage from before the new model started. However, if your WUP expired... and you want that plugin back, you have to subscribe.

In essence... whatever WUP you have now will still be good, but once it expires, and a plugin ceases to function for whatever reason, your only recourse is to subscribe.

Quoting the most applicable part of the email here:

Can I still buy individual Waves plugins?

Starting today, Waves Creative Access will be the exclusive way to get Waves plugins. We wish to provide you a seamless way to use our massive plugin catalog, with instant updates, new plugins added as they’re released, and new AI-powered tools to enhance your creative process. To enable this, Waves Creative Access will be the way to get Waves plugins going forward.

What about the plugins I already own?

No worries. You continue to own your plugins, at the latest version you bought or to which you updated.

What about new plugins released in the future?

New plugins will be available as part of Waves Creative Access. Once you have a Waves Creative Access subscription, new plugins included in your subscription will be added at no extra cost.

What about plugin updates?

Waves Creative Access keeps all your plugins updated, always. You will get all updates for the plugins in your subscription, at no extra cost: no need for the Waves Update Plan. However, If you still have a valid Waves Update Plan, you will continue to enjoy all its benefits until it expires.

Admittedly, it may not be rational, but I'm very much against the subscription model on a very visceral level. I can tell you that when my existing Waves plug-ins someday "break" and my WUP has expired... I WILL NOT BE SUBSCRIBING TO WAVES just to get one or two particular Waves plugins I might like. There are too many decent alternatives out there.

Let me put it this way... I will cease using Waves when the day arrives that the only way I can is via subscription. The only exception to this is if the entire industry were to all follow suit and ALL adopt the subscription model, which then might force my hand. I hope that day never comes.

I don't like this. Waves and I now have a date with destiny. Our divorce is only a matter of time.

[James Steele]

I will not be migrating to their subscription model… at least not in the foreseeable future. Even though I've purchased dozens of Waves plugins, in my current album project, I'm not using any.

It'll be interesting to see how long the current versions I have are usable.

I'm in the same boat as you, Rick. I find I don't use the Waves stuff very often, and they will not push me into a subscription. I made another post as you made yours quoting from their email you probably received as well. Looks like we are covered until our existing WUP runs out, and then should a future OS update "break" a plug, subscription is the only option.

Also, if you want any Waves plug that you had not already purchased before today, again, subscription is the only option.

I think Waves may have made a mistake there. MAYBE they could pull this off if there weren't so many other options in the marketplace. If I WAS going to subscribe, I think Slate might be more appropriate for me. A lot of Waves plug ins that I own are a bit long in tooth and have been surpassed by the competition... ClarityVX perhaps being an exception.

[James Steele]

I'm gonna have to go see what sort of hell is breaking loose about this today on some other forums. I cannot imagine this is going to be popular!

[James Steele]

Okay... so I went over to Gearspace and of course there are a lot of angry posts.

Apparently, there is a full FAQ about the change at the Waves site:
https://www.waves.com/support/waves-cre ... -questions

What's disturbing is Waves worked in some "weasel language." Let me quote one of the FAQ questions:

I still have Waves Update Plan coverage on my products. Will I continue to receive updates? What happens when the coverage expires?

You will continue to receive updates for V14 plugins for the duration of your current Waves Update Plan coverage.

Once the coverage expires, it will not be possible to renew, but you can continue to use your plugin/bundle licenses on all systems and host applications that are compatible with the versions you own.

Future plugin updates will be available exclusively with Waves Creative Access.

Have you spotted what I refer to as the weasel language?

Here it is:

You will continue to receive updates for V14 plugins for the duration of your current Waves Update Plan coverage.

I guess not that big a deal in the end, but let's say Waves decides to release V15 next week. Sorry, Charlie. Your WUP does not apply to updating that plug to V15, no matter how much time you have left on it.

Interesting.

[James Steele]

Someone on another forum suggested letting Waves know what you think about this. A contact form his here:

https://www.waves.com/contact-orders

Might be best to log in first so they know you really are an existing customer. This my message I just sent:

Subject: Subscription

I won't be doing it. There are too many alternatives. You will lose me as a customer the day my last v14 plug in stops working. I will not be COERCED into a subscription. I could see if you offered it as an alternative like UVI does, but I'm not going along with it.

Your eventual former customer,
James Steele
https://www.jamessteeleproject.com
http://www.facebook.com/jamessteeleproject
Owner & Admin @ http://motunation.com