Slate Digital VCC Available Now w/ Free iLOK2 This Week Only

[mhschmieder]

I have a favour to ask:

Can someone else who got this email paraphrase its contents, given the time limit (which presumably is no later than this weekend for whatever the offer is).

My webmail shows an empty email; just the title.

I won't have access to Apple Mail again until Monday at the earliest, as my MacPro is in the recording studio and off the grid until this weekend's sessions are done.

[stephentayler]

try this!!!!

I've purchased it and installed it already

Stephen

_______________________________________________


Purchase the Virtual Console Collection and Get FREE ilok2

Its been called one of the most anticipated plugins of the decade. The Virtual Console Collection or "VCC" as it's been known, captures the sound of some of the most legendary analog consoles in the industry. Using the VCC, your digital mixer will take on the life and vibe of these great desks and will give your music the depth, dimension, space, and 3D image that you have been craving!

All this week.. Purchase VCC and Get a FREE ilok2

As a special promotion, we will be shipping out FREE ilok2's worldwide until 3/17/11.. a $50 dollar value! You will need the ilok2 to run the VCC and the VCC demo. Don't miss this amazing deal! VISIT the Slate Digital Online shop now:

http://www.slatedigital.com/shop/home.php?cat=249" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


IMPORTANT:

- The current release of the VCC is only 32bit. In many cases, if you are on a 64bit OS, the VCC will run on a 32bit DAW, but it is not guaranteed. 64 bit versions are expected in approximately 30 DAYS.

- This release is only for Intel Mac. We will have PPC versions which will work on both the ilok2 OR ilok1 in approximately 30 DAYS.

- This release does not include WIN RTAS. We expect a WIN RTAS release in approximately 30 DAYS.

- A fully functional demo of the VCC is available at http://www.slatedigital.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, but requires an ilok2 dongle.

- If you purchase the VCC this week and you require 64bit, PPC, or Win RTAS versions..you will get free updates once the above versions are available.

For any questions, please fill out a support ticket at http://www.slatedigital.com/support" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[stephentayler]

I haven't actually had a chance to listen to it yet.... just loaded it to check if it had installed properly. (I happen to already have the iLok 2)

So far there seems to be a graphic problem when trying to select the 'group' option in DP, the plugin window goes white. Seems to work as intended in ProTools.

Will do more extensive testing and listening tomorrow.

Cheers

Stephen

[mhschmieder]

Cool; thanks.

I'm a sucker for anything designed by Fabrice Gabriel, but I'm not quite clear on what these plugs do. They're referred to as digital emulations of analog summing, with one belonging on a mix buss as a track insert and the other more or less being used at the pre-mastering stage on the final mix. But there are only two controls, unless there are other pages?

Sorry; I've never used an analog summing device before, so probably I am just unfamiliar with what sorts of controls to expect on such a plug-in!

Is $250 the regular price or an incentive price? I guess the incentive -- and a big one it is -- is the free iLok2.

I think I might have missed the boat earlier on a $50 promotion for FG-X owners, but that may not have also included the free iLok 2 key?

I'm all set to order this tomorrow (Friday) when my next paycheque gets deposited, if I can be convinced the timing is right and that these really are unique plugs with unique purpose vs. yet another take on the standard retro emu. It looks to me that these are truly unique plugs.

[FutureLegends]

So you can't run these plugs at all on the original iLok? Now that is a load of ****

[mhschmieder]

Many vendors are requiring iLok2 for their next releases.

I look at this as a positive thing; getting an expensive ($50) iLok2 for free, and being able to consolidate older licenses onto it.

It should have faster access than iLok1, which will help during sessions.

It also holds more than twice as many licenses, so there's less need to have another iLok to off-load expired demo licenses.

[Steven Slate]

Hey guys, to explain a little:

When you mix through an analog desk, let's say a Neve 8048, you not only get tone from the processors that you are using such as outboard compressors and eqs.. but the desk itself adds tone due to the audio signal traveling through its circuitry. Some analog desks have been known to have a very pleasing tone that adds a certain sonic impact to the mix which to some people is very desireable.

Whats even more interesting is that most of the top mixers out there such as Chris Lord Alge, Jay Baumgardner, Ben Grosse, and Rich Costey.. are still mixing into analog desks because they prefer the vibe and tone of the desk over the DAW's digital mixer, which adds zero tone and is sonically neutral.

The Virtual Console Collection's two plugin package aims to recreate the subtle nonlinear characteristics of four famous desks, so as to give your DAW's mixer a real analog "vibe". Some say the VCC adds punch, depth, width, and "weight" to the mix, but you'll have to try it out for yourself to see what you think.

But I'm really interested to make sure that DP users don't get shafted on this and that we track DP specific bugs and get them fixed asap. So I hope no one minds if I hang out to check how things are going. I promise to only wear my "help" cap and not my "salesman" cap.

Best,
Steven

[Dan Worley]

Hey guys, to explain a little:

When you mix through an analog desk, let's say a Neve 8048, you not only get tone from the processors that you are using such as outboard compressors and eqs.. but the desk itself adds tone due to the audio signal traveling through its circuitry. Some analog desks have been known to have a very pleasing tone that adds a certain sonic impact to the mix which to some people is very desireable.

Whats even more interesting is that most of the top mixers out there such as Chris Lord Alge, Jay Baumgardner, Ben Grosse, and Rich Costey.. are still mixing into analog desks because they prefer the vibe and tone of the desk over the DAW's digital mixer, which adds zero tone and is sonically neutral.

The Virtual Console Collection's two plugin package aims to recreate the subtle nonlinear characteristics of four famous desks, so as to give your DAW's mixer a real analog "vibe". Some say the VCC adds punch, depth, width, and "weight" to the mix, but you'll have to try it out for yourself to see what you think.

But I'm really interested to make sure that DP users don't get shafted on this and that we track DP specific bugs and get them fixed asap. So I hope no one minds if I hang out to check how things are going. I promise to only wear my "help" cap and not my "salesman" cap.

Best,
Steven

Good for you. That's cool.

In case you didn't see it, a few posts above, Stephen did notice a problem with the graphics.

So far there seems to be a graphic problem when trying to select the 'group' option in DP, the plugin window goes white. Seems to work as intended in ProTools.

Since I don't have an iLok2 to test drive the VCC, I was kind of wondering why there aren't any Before and After audio samples available. You guys must have run hundreds of hours of music tracks through the VCC and did A/B test after A/B test when fine-tuning it, why not share some of the final ones when you knew you had it as close to right as you could make it?

It is a killer idea. I'm very intrigued by it. Because of the price point, it's a product I most likely won't be able to resist, nor would I want to if it comes through.

I pray you success.

c-ya,

Dan Worley

[stephentayler]

Hi Steven

Really great to have you here!!!! I have been awaiting the release since I first heard about it and was eager to jump on board.

My only listening test so far has been on the mix buss, and the results are very promising. I shall be doing more testing and listening soon, but thought I would just point out the initial issues I am seeing in DP7.22.

On either a channel plug or mix buss plug, when I click on the Group feature, the plugin window becomes blank (white). On closing the window and then reopening the plug, DP shuts down. I have reproduced this several times.

I'll keep investigating and reporting back

kind regards

Stephen

[stephentayler]

Hi again.... more tests, more issues.

I think that this is sounding really great..... unfortunately without access to the group feature it is impossible to do an A B test with a full mix.

But.........

every time I close the plugin, Channel or Mixbuss, and then open it again, DP just shuts down after a couple of seconds of spinning beachball. Have tried it over ten times, the same every time.

Another issue, after adjusting any of the controls with the mouse, DP is robbed of any keyboard controls until you click outside the plugin again.

Cheers

Stephen

[Dunc]

These issues are exactly the same as the beta issues that I and I'm sure most other users of VCC in DP have reported to the Slate support team month's ago.
I'm hesitant to install this release if virtually none of the problems with VCC have been addressed.

Dunc

[stephentayler]

Sorry to hear that....

Steven?

Stephen

[Killahurts]

On either a channel plug or mix buss plug, when I click on the Group feature, the plugin window becomes blank (white). On closing the window and then reopening the plug, DP shuts down. I have reproduced this several times.

Yes I concur, happening in DP 7.2.1 as well.

I purchased and installed this yesterday, didn't bother with a demo. VERY well done Slate!

I already tested all four emulations out last night and this morning. Because the group thing didn't work, I just A/B'd by doing multiple mixes without changing anything except the emulations. All the models are outstanding.

Steven (Slate), thanks for hanging with us here! I know you'll get all the little problems ironed out eventually, but it sounds great as of right now, and I'm just about to begin mixing an album, so it couldn't have come at a better time for me. THANKS!

[mhschmieder]

Cool; thanks for clarifying the intent of this plug, and also that it serves a very different purpose (and would be used at different points of the workflow) from tape saturation plugs such as Nomad Factory Magnetic.

I notice Front End Audio lists the special as well, with an end date of 17 March:

http://www.frontendaudio.com/Slate-Digi ... lick=23692

I only post that for the description. I do business with Front End Audio for mics and such, but when it comes to software, it seems better to let the vendor get a bigger cut (since there's little to no labour involved in the resale), by ordering direct from Slate.

Oh, another advantage to iLok2 is the size: less fragile, and easier to place alongside other USB devices and dongles.

I had to take measures in the studio last weekend to place my iLok in a way that no one could possibly bonk into something and stress it or cause it to crash into something else. The iLok makes me VERY nervous in that regard; moreso than eLicenser. The iLok2 should be less fragile as it doesn't jut out so far.

[Killahurts]

Many vendors are requiring iLok2 for their next releases.

Yes, a trend that will continue because apparently they are much harder to crack than iLok 1, so it's a good thing.

I look at this as a positive thing; getting an expensive ($50) iLok2 for free, and being able to consolidate older licenses onto it.

That's what I did. If you pay for "Zero Down-Time" like I do, It saves you money, because the ZDT annual fee is per iLok, not based on its contents.