Izotope Music Production Pro - Subscription Now...

[X-Bassist]

They do say that the Pro versions will eventually be getting updates that will not be in the non-subscription versions of the software.

So there you have it.

Izotope regularly adds new modules, so yes, some new modules may be added to the subscription that are not in the current suite, but that's true of any levels/releases they do (standard vs. advanced...)

THey have always let me use Ozone 5, even when I updated to Ozone 8, so I expect my RX7 Advanced will last me a while (and I got it on a serious discount). I expect more companies to come up with competing products, if some modules are only available as a subscription I'll just get it elsewhere. I think they know that, and therefore will offer direct purchase for years to come.

Personally I don't mind buying modules individually, considering many sales are 50% off, the bundles aren't as great a deal as they used to be. Just wait for a big sale. Like Komplete, I'd rather just buy what I want, even if it costs a little more. Saves me SSD space and having too look through a long list of plugins or instuments to find what I need.

 

[Technostica]

Izotope regularly adds new modules, so yes, some new modules may be added to the subscription that are not in the current suite, but that's true of any levels/releases they do (standard vs. advanced...)

The Suite version 4 has a lot more software than both subscription packages combined.
The only difference software wise between the two packages is that one has VocalSynth and the other has RX.
If you want both you are out of luck via subscription unless you buy both at $45 per month.

Suite is currently $340 via some resellers whereas Music Production Suite Pro is $300 for the year.
Unless you value the extras at maybe $200 per year I can't see the deal here.

This is the oddest subscription service I have ever seen.
Did they get the intern drunk on Friday lunchtime and then get them to draw up the plan by the end of work?
Crazy.

 

[nightjar]

Music Production Suite 4 is still available for purchase from our webstore, however it does not contain the same products as Music Production Suite Pro. The products in Music Production Suite 4 will not receive the same updates and enhancements as the “Pro” versions,

Memberships and Subscription FAQ

General Questions What is different about a “Pro” version of an iZotope product? The “Pro” label indicates the subscription version of an iZotope product. “Pro” products will be receiving additio...

support.izotope.com

Correct.. this problem is what I am also stating... however I gave an alternate example of how it could/should be.

 

[nightjar]

Clarity from Izotope

Nope.. no clarity at all. So they'll continue to offer stand alone "purchasable versions" of their products.. but they have stated that these versions will not have the same updates and enhancements as the subscription versions. Only clarity here is this is NOT truly offering the same product in both methods.

 

[Polkasound]

Only clarity here is this is NOT truly offering the same product in both methods.

Subscribers will get regular updates, but if I had to guess, the only way purchasers will be able to get their product updated is to wait for Izotope to release a major revision, and then re-purchase the full product.

 

[IFM]

Nope.. no clarity at all. So they'll continue to offer stand alone "purchasable versions" of their products.. but they have stated that these versions will not have the same updates and enhancements as the subscription versions. Only clarity here is this is NOT truly offering the same product in both methods.

Seems clear to me. They are just simply including more fluff in the subscription which I don't care about.

 

[rrichard63]

We are all getting different impressions from the wording of iZotope's FAQ entry. That suggests to me that they are tip toeing around some facts that they're not willing to lie about but don't want us to fully understand either.

 

[Alex Fraser]

It's worth asking why these companies are suddenly moving to a sub model.

Is it (a) Because they're rich and want to be richer or (b) Because the market is saturated, no-one is buying this stuff any more and the company account spreadsheets are looking depressing?

I'd love to know, because if it's (b) I could probably accept or at least understand the need for the subscription model. After all, if we want nice things, we have to pay for it more than once every 5 years.

 

[easyrider]

After all, if we want nice things, we have to pay for it more than once every 5 years.

why?

I have a Martin Acoustic...it’s a rare item, sounds incredible and I paid for it once.

 

[José Herring]

why?

I have a Martin Acoustic...it’s a rare item, sounds incredible and I paid for it once.

Precisely my thought.

 

[Alex Fraser]

why?

I have a Martin Acoustic...it’s a rare item, sounds incredible and I paid for it once.

That’s a very different business model and you know it.

I don’t like subs either. I’m just playing naughty devils advocate.

If I was a software developer and kept reading forum post such as “I’ll wait until the next 50 percent sale” or “I last brought v3 of the plugin and I’m still using it 6 years later. When are they updating it for the new OS? I'll be annoyed if it's a chargeable update” ...I might consider a subs model too.

I mean, I get that subs are annoying and not always customer friendly. But from the other side...the company who writes the FTP program I use recently announced a move to a sub-like model. At first, I "got the hump" about it before realising that I've been using the program every day for 4 years and last paid the company about £30 for the program. Good for me, but what about the software dev?

If my software company was on the ropes, I might throw the dice on a last gasp sub model too.
Of course, if the Izotope move is all about the $$ and nothing else, then they deserve all the blowback they get.

 

[Pier]

It's worth asking why these companies are suddenly moving to a sub model.

Is it (a) Because they're rich and want to be richer or (b) Because the market is saturated, no-one is buying this stuff any more and the company account spreadsheets are looking depressing?

I'd love to know, because if it's (b) I could probably accept or at least understand the need for the subscription model. After all, if we want nice things, we have to pay for it more than once every 5 years.

I've always wondered if companies like Izotope make sales so frequently because they've found out they actually win more money by selling more discounted products, or because people don't buy if products aren't on sale.

 

[JonS]

No interest in subscription models for any kind of software.

 

[Alex Fraser]

I've always wondered if companies like Izotope make sales so frequently because they've found out they actually win more money by selling more discounted products, or because people don't buy if products aren't on sale.

Both, I think.

I can only comment from my own experience of selling online, but there's a core group of customers who will only buy in a sale. There's enough proof on VIC for that I think.

That said, once you go down the "always a sale" route, it's a hard slope to climb out of. Companies who are doing well (e.g Spitfire) have sales too, but much less frequent.

 

[nightjar]

Seems clear to me. They are just simply including more fluff in the subscription which I don't care about.

Really? Product "updates and enhancements" do not sound like fluff to me.... they sound fundamental to the product's function.

iZotope's own words:

The products in Music Production Suite 4 will not receive the same updates and enhancements as the “Pro” versions.......

 

[jcrosby]

I've always wondered if companies like Izotope make sales so frequently because they've found out they actually win more money by selling more discounted products, or because people don't buy if products aren't on sale.

They most certainly are making more money now than ever. Check the crunchbase link below...

It seems pretty clear to me that this isn't about being competitive in a starving or overly competitive marketplace, it's about filling up the coffers... Got to keep those financial partners happy

iZotope - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding

iZotope develops technology solutions for audio recording, mixing, broadcasting, and sound designing.

www.crunchbase.com

Here's my theory... They have a base of users who feel dependent on their AI algorithms. (Based on how often I see people saying they 'consult' Neutron/Ozone's AI to compare their own choices against its... So... Now they feel they can market that dependency by selling the idea that their AI can make better decisions than you can... (Which is far from the case if you know what you're doing...)

In reality who knows... But seeing how tech companies tend to use a dependency on tech to exploit the users' sense of dependency that's my theory and I'm sticking to it...

 

[Alex Fraser]

They most certainly are making more money now than ever. Check the crunchbase link below...

It seems pretty clear to me that this isn't about being competitive in a starving or overly competitive marketplace, it's about filling up the coffers... Got to keep those financial partners happy

iZotope - Crunchbase Company Profile & Funding

iZotope develops technology solutions for audio recording, mixing, broadcasting, and sound designing.

www.crunchbase.com

Here's my theory... They have a base of users who feel dependent on their AI algorithms. (Based on how often I see people saying they 'consult' Neutron/Ozone's AI to compare their own choices against its... So... Now they feel they can market that dependency by selling the idea that their AI can make better decisions than you can... (Which, at least IME playing with their 'assistant' features, is far from the case if you know what you're doing...)

Well, there you have it. $$$ in the end.
Will stock up on popcorn for when NI announce a sub to please the new investors too..

 

[jacobthestupendous]

Just did some maths. Since I got on the iZotope Music Production ____ train in 2016 (with Music Production Bundle 2, upgraded from Iris, which I got very cheap), I've upgraded every year an a half when there was a convincing sale and a big enough upgrade to warrant moving. Including the cost to buy in in the first place, I have spent an average of 148 USD per year (or a bit over $12 per month).

I am seriously considering upgrading to MPS 4 now for $125 through JRRshop, which would improve my already substantial holdings by Neoverb, RX8, and Stutter Edit 2, along with another year of Groove3, which was really helpful when I needed to learn how to synch Logic to picture last year, and which will be imminently useful again in teaching me to use the wealth of uhe synths I just bought in December.

If I get another year and a half before they convince me to upgrade again, my overall average will be down to $10.71 per month, and if I never upgrade again, that average will continue to fall with every additional month I add to the denominator. I feel like this is a pretty solid deal. Plus, I get to keep using the software even if I decide never to pay iZotope again, which is not true of the "Pro" subscription.

Also, the year of Groove3 would cost $100 by itself.

Whenever I get grumpy about how expensive it all seems, I go clean up some audio with RX and immediately remember that this software is magic.

 

[rrichard63]

... along with another year of Groove3 ...

Maybe not. When I upgraded from MPS 3 to MPS 4, they gave me the same Groove3 voucher code they had given me the time before, and it didn't work the second time. If I recall correctly, you used to get a new year of Groove3 with each upgrade. But I don't think you do any more. At least I didn't.

 

[jacobthestupendous]

Maybe not. When I upgraded from MPS 3 to MPS 4, they gave me the same Groove3 voucher code they had given me the time before, and it didn't work the second time. If I recall correctly, you used to get a new year of Groove3 with each upgrade. But I don't think you do any more. At least I didn't.

That's disappointing.

And it seems wrong. I'm not seeing any fine print that would indicate that. Did you talk to anyone from support about it?