Pro Tools 2023.9 released

[sdelsolray]

Nice update.

Also, Avid has returned to offering perpetual licenses (through resellers), lowered the price of PT Ultimate and simplified renewals by merging annual support and update plans with "get current" plans for the same price.

[jim1960]

I see they've made it easier to reorder plugins and we no longer have to leave contingent spaces in case we decide to move one elsewhere.

Here's the new pricing, in case anyone is curious...

• Pro Tools Artist Perpetual Licence - $199
• Pro Tools Artist Perpetual Upgrade - $69
• Pro Tools Studio Perpetual Licence - $599
• Pro Tools Studio Perpetual Upgrade - $199
• Pro Tools Ultimate Perpetual Licence - $1,499
• Pro Tools Ultimate Perpetual Upgrade - $399
• Pro Tools Studio Perpetual Upgrade EDU for Students & Teachers - $99
• Pro Tools Studio Perpetual Upgrade EDU for Institutions - $99

Ultimate's price came down significantly but I think everything else is the same.

[DupleMeter]

I'm just happy perpetual is back...and Ultimate is $1k lower than previously for a new perpetual license.

[Bob Womack]

I think the industry got a wake-up call with the Waves subscription debacle.

Bob

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by Bob Womack

I think the industry got a wake-up call with the Waves subscription debacle.

No doubt, but I do think the subscription-only paradigm was bound to catch some flack before too long because of the limitations and forced compromises that come as part of the territory.

Making my meaning clear, and this probably becomes truer the further down the food chain any studio finds itself. In isolation, a single subscription seems an affordable way to have a variety of plugins at your fingertips for a very low investment. And that can work so long as that subscription offers you everything you need.

But we're not simply creatures of need. We like shiny objects. When our attention is drawn to a plugin offered in some other subscription that we think we might like better than the alternative in our current subscription, we're faced with a dilemma: ditch one sub for the other or subscribe to both.

The problem with replacing one subscription package for a rival package is it renders every mix done on the first package undone. Some people may be able to live with that but for anyone trying to build up a studio business, it could become the kiss of death should an old client ask to revisit some previously finished track. The other problem comes when tools that had become familiar and easy to dial in are now fully replaced with a brand new lineup of plugins. And while new toys are exciting, they're going to slow down the workflow quite a bit in the beginning.

The problem with carrying both subscriptions is this is a story that will likely repeat itself from time to time. For the studios at the bottom of the food chain, this really does limit the tools they can have at their disposal at any given time. After all, how many subs can one of the bottom feeders carry at once?

The individual purchase model can be more expensive in the long run but I think it also forces fewer compromises in the long run since the studio can pick what they think is the best of all offerings. Sure, there may be some compromises because of expense, but I think that's preferable to being forced to stay with one or two sub plans.

[KevWind]

As usual mixed reviews over on the DUC.

One thing that strikes me as fly in the ointment with "get current" plans being the same price as the annual support and upgrade renewal price,,, is it can tend to kill the incentive to keep renewing every year, and just sit out for a few years before opting for "get current". Which IMO is kinda a slap in face for loyal yearly customers
Of corse the problem with that strategy is Avid is so inconsistent with offering the "get current" option, with no guarantee that the option will be available in the future

[sdelsolray]

The new Avid choices are an improvement. The merger of (i) staying current (timely purchasing another year of updates and support) with (ii) reinstatement (purchasing another year of updates and support after a prior year has lapsed) for the same price is an example. Waves has done this for decades for perpetual license holders. My current PT Studio update and support plan expires at the end of this year. I don't have to worry about letting my plan lapse, knowing that to reinstate it has a cost penalty ($349 vs $199). It is now $199 whether or not I let it lapse.

However, I echo Kev's thought about Avid's past practices. I remember in April 2022 (when the new Intro, Artist, Studio and Ultimate versions were introduced) that the announcement was on the day before it took effect. This time the announcement discussed above was made on the very day it took effect along with the release of PT version 2023.9. In the future, Avid could easily announce changes to the current choices/options without any advance notice.

I'm patiently waiting for Apple to release iMacs with M3 processors (seems like it will be early next year). In the meantime, my 2019 Intel iMac is working just fine with current versions of Pro Tools Studio, Studio One Professional and many third party plugins.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by sdelsolray

The new Avid choices are an improvement. The merger of (i) staying current (timely purchasing another year of updates and support) with (ii) reinstatement (purchasing another year of updates and support after a prior year has lapsed) for the same price is an example. Waves has done this for decades for perpetual license holders. My current PT Studio update and support plan expires at the end of this year. I don't have to worry about letting my plan lapse, knowing that to reinstate it has a cost penalty ($349 vs $199). It is now $199 whether or not I let it lapse.

However, I echo Kev's thought about Avid's past practices. I remember in April 2022 (when the new Intro, Artist, Studio and Ultimate versions were introduced) that the announcement was on the day before it took effect. This time the announcement discussed above was made on the very day it took effect along with the release of PT version 2023.9. In the future, Avid could easily announce changes to the current choices/options without any advance notice.

I'm patiently waiting for Apple to release iMacs with M3 processors (seems like it will be early next year). In the meantime, my 2019 Intel iMac is working just fine with current versions of Pro Tools Studio, Studio One Professional and many third party plugins.

Good to know So your intel iMac is now on 2023.9 with what OSX ?

I am still on PT Ultimate 2023.6 with Ventura 13.2.1 And Studio One 6.2.1 but working great ... In fact working so well I don't see myself considering a new Mac for a number years yet

[KevWind]

Just saw a post over on the DUC that the new 2023.9 release is also working better with the Avid Carbon and some of the Plugin Alliance Plugin that were slow to go into DSP mode

[sdelsolray]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Good to know So your intel iMac is now on 2023.9 with what OSX ?
...

Monterey 12.7

Originally Posted by KevWind

...
I am still on PT Ultimate 2023.6 with Ventura 13.2.1 And Studio One 6.2.1 but working great ... In fact working so well I don't see myself considering a new Mac for a number years yet

Studio One Pro 6.2.1 runs great, as does PT Studio 2023.9. No issues with the third party plugins I use either. I agree, the Intel iMacs run this software quite nicely.

[jim1960]

Typically, I hold off on PT updates until I hear what bugs exist. I did just update my OS to 13.6 since OS14 is coming out tomorrow (Tuesday). 13.6 is likely where I'll sit for the next year or two.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

Typically, I hold off on PT updates until I hear what bugs exist. I did just update my OS to 13.6 since OS14 is coming out tomorrow (Tuesday). 13.6 is likely where I'll sit for the next year or two.

Be interested to hear how OS 13.6 is working ? I am still on 13.2.1

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Be interested to hear how OS 13.6 is working ? I am still on 13.2.1

I'm not seeing any issues with PT or anything else. Are any people reporting problems?

[dnf777]

Call me old fashioned, but I still like ordering a piece of hardware, having the big brown truck deliver it, opening the box and inhaling that wonderful new electronics smell, and plugging it into my patchbay!

No username/password to forget and have to reset, no subscription to renew, no upgrades to fall into incompatibility issues.....

Yeah, I know.....STAY OFF MY GRASS!!!

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I'm not seeing any issues with PT or anything else. Are any people reporting problems?

Not that I know of