Slate new subscription licence debate.

[Mago]

So again here since the NAMM thread kinda got derailed? haha good call

200 USD voucher for the slate store...not sure if it would get you far, since so far no voucher I tried was available to use during sales.

I don't think I'll be spending 240usd on slate products a year (that would really depend on the options and pricing of the vmr modules).
I don't think I spent 240usd a year on slate products since I started using them.

Together with all the down sides of the subscription stuff I don't think I'd be jumping on this. Also because I already own most of their stuff.

But time will tell...if it's cheaper and stable (not funky down times because of internet, payment or activation issues) then maybe.

 

[pikachu69]

I don't think I'll be spending 240usd on slate products a year (that would really depend on the options and pricing of the vmr modules).
I don't think I spent 240usd a year on slate products since I started using them.

I think I have to agree with you here.
I already own all of the slate mix plugins so it will be a while before the subscription becomes of some use to me.
as I have staggered my purchases I have not spent $200 a year on his plugins either, nor do I intend to so for me that makes the subscription option more expensive a this time. Maybe in a year or so when he has 20 more plugins out, but for now I am happy with my plugin collection.

 

[GeertSamuel]

I don't get the fuzz. Options..you have options, which is a good thing.
I have most Slate plugins (except FG-X and the VMR).

Was thinking about buying VMR, but I might as well just go with the subscription, and if I like it in 12 months I'll buy it.

 

[Studdy]

I don't get the fuzz. Options..you have options, which is a good thing.
I have most Slate plugins (except FG-X and the VMR).

Was thinking about buying VMR, but I might as well just go with the subscription, and if I like it in 12 months I'll buy it.

You just answered your own question. You won't buy vmr because why not just subscribe? This is exactly why people who put the money out to own them all are frustrated/upset about it because this was not an option a month ago when a lot of people bought the plugins. It has nothing to do with not wanting others to have great tools cheaper, it has to do with fairness. Lets turn it around and use a hardware example which really shouldn't make a difference. If you bought a mic preamp for 2000 and then tomorrow you find out that the company now let's you use one a brand new one whenever you wanted for 20 bucks a month, you would be put off, because you saved/invested in it already? Now I know you can rent a used preamp somewhere for the day but you get the point I'm trying to make. Really it isn't a big deal either way it isn't world crisis it's a plugin, The plugins are fairly low cost anyway and I always get them at their cheapest , so not a big deal, but at the same time I find it really weird that people do not see how the current customers that already own it all would not be put off by this. It must be because so many people want the idea so they don't want to admit it's downsides for current customers. Starting now would I buy all slates plugins or just rent them all? The answer is simple for me I would rent them come mix time for 19$ and cancel when my mix was complete, also most likely the cost of buying new plugs and new modules will be raised higher in order to make the rental system a more logical option for everyone. Current vmr owners were under the impression and looking forward to low cost modules. Most bought vmr for 149 for 4 modules and framework. Making each module wort 37.50$ at most, of course these numbers are not accurate as new new modules or addins to any software are always more than the original bundle but you see my point. I will be curious to see additional module purchase cost now that the subscription system is in place. It won't be immediate but im only guessing in around a years time or so owners will see that originally buying wasn't a better option. Oh well those are the breaks, I just didn't expect it from these plugins, I thought they would have a more "boutique" feeling to them and this makes them feel less "special" now to me. Remember this is all opinion and by know means is what I'm saying the only way to look at it , but obviously it is the way a lot of current owners feel. On a purely positive note slate does make great tools and all of this conversation/hype over this is evidence how well they are liked. Cheers guys!

 

[pikachu69]

^^^^^^

My feelings exactly.

I also want to repeat what was said above about future pricing.

Slate is making a big deal about the fact they wanna release up to 10 new plugins a year as the attractive part to the subscription BUT he is also calling each module within VMR a separate plugin in its own right to back up this statement which means Slate can not justify charging any more than $40 full retail for each module to buy separately outright with out making the whole thing look stupid and an obvious push to make people subscribe.

 

[mstone564]

I feel like the subscription should cost a little bit more for this to be completely fair. That way the people who actually bought the full plugin would be getting the best bang for your buck and not the other way around.
Also, the person who subscribes and wants to buy the full plugin could get a discount depending on how long they subscribed for so they're not getting totally screwed either.

I honestly don't care though because I own everything already and wouldn't want to rent haha.

 

[Line666]

I will say that the subscription model had better light a fire under their asses about bug fixes. Their focus on dev and hype of new stuff has left a lot of issues with older products. I'll certainly acknowledge they've stepped up recently but I'm still suspicious. My overall impression of slate stuff is positive and I hope steady money keeps them more grounded in the needs of current users.

I'm not a big fan of rentier based services when the option to purchase outright is available but to add to this one would assume that a business model heavily reliant on subscription would necessitate more professional levels of support for fear of immediate customer backlash. As an example, although not something I'd ever watch, I've seen news reports recently detailing the failure of the WWE's new online subscription model that replaced PPVs and the subsequent customer dissatisfaction and eventual boycott which has left them in a pretty perilous financial position.

When you purchase a product you're unfortunately stuck with the product as it is with not a lot of leverage but with rental services users can at least leverage a company significantly by their wallets in a union of sorts.

For Slate it's something I'd consider if their product base was a bit more expansive in certain areas like reverbs etc.

 

[xphen0m]

I've seen news reports recently detailing the failure of the WWE's new online subscription model that replaced PPVs and the subsequent customer dissatisfaction and eventual boycott which has left them in a pretty perilous financial position.

It's actually not failing as of January 2015. I am a lifelong wrestling fan and am hoping to get into the business this year. The boycott was a minority of fans; WWE's stock rose the day after the debacle that was the 2015 Royal Rumble last Sunday, which is just funny. And with the launch of the Network in the UK, they finally reached their goal of 1,000,000 customers. Therefor, they're finally breaking even on it. However, BEFORE January, the Network WAS failing, but there's a reason they're doing a free February: The free November saw them KEEP a lot of new subscribers. And with more content being added to the Network (mainly past/old shows) it's a keeper for a person like me. Barely anyone cancelled the Network like they said they were going to do last Sunday, so that particular boycott never even happened.

I think the main problem with the Network was WWE's expectations. Obviously, they expected 1 million subscribers at launch (for some dumb reason) but that was never going to happen.