Beware of sonnox plugins!

[ThePrez]

Alright I'm NEVER going near Sonnox again...

I bought an Elite Bundle from someone else, first I had to pay the iLok transfer fees of $175. Can't complain I saw it coming.

But then Sonnox charges me $160 worth of their own transfer fees.

So we are at $335 worth of fees in total now. Transferring electronic files is a complex business.


So I finally get these plugins on my system. First thing I notice is the GUI is very poorly done, and the plugins are spread across like 5 different company names in Pro Tool's plugin drop-down menu. Completely disappointing for the huge price tag. Staying positive I'll just shut my eyes and focus on the sound.

Anyways after playing with the plugins I determine... I can't get used to the EQ, its too cramped/cheap-looking compared to other plugins like DMG EQuality ect. That's just my personal option, but I will say the sound quality was defiantly clean. Also as I knew from the start I didn't need the DeEsser.

So I go to sell these two plugins, BUT WAIT there's a catch... you can't sell them individually because I bought them as a bundle.

But wait wasn't I charged transfer fees PER plugin by Sonnox as if I bought them individually, paying $335 in total. This is such a double standard, and it pisses me off so much. I honestly feel like someone just scammed my credit card.

And I know people will be like "well, a user could keep buying the bundles and reselling them individually, to make a profit." But lets be honest this would be nearly impossible since they would have to run every transfer past Sonnox, they would catch on right away. On top of that the used plug-in market is so small, and people demand a huge price cut.

The thing is I'm not some studio with a big budget to keep blowing on this crap. I'm a home user.

I just wish Sonnox would stand up for these customers, instead of continually trying all they can to take advantage of them. I'll never go near these guys again.

Stick with Flux:: and DMG Audio .... Better customer support and better quality products!

And no I'm not associated with them, I'm just like I said before... a loyal customer.

[timlloyd]

I assume that you've contacted Sonnox to try and resolve your concerns? If you have not, then posting here is in poor taste imo.

[Larry Mal]

Originally Posted by ThePrez

Alright I'm NEVER going near Sonnox again...

I'm a home user. I could of easily pirated these plugins, but decided to take the higher road and pay for them. It really takes a good customer that pays $1000+ for something that is literally sitting right in front of his face for free.

Actually, no, dude. You don't do anyone a favor when you don't steal from them. If that's the case, then you should thank me every day for not smashing in your window and taking your things... after all, it's literally right in front of my face behind your windows, and if I take it, then it's for free, right?

I don't think you're gonna get much consolation from this thread with that attitude. Maybe try the plug ins for a week or so? How do they sound on your music? You haven't talked about that at all, really.

By the way, it's "could have". You meant to say "I could have easily stolen these plug ins." It would be abbreviated to "I could've easily stolen these plug ins."

Could of doesn't make sense. But neither does most of the rest of your post. Good luck, I guess. I think you're going to need it.

[ThePrez]

Actually, no, dude. You don't do anyone a favor when you don't steal from them. If that's the case, then you should thank me every day for not smashing in your window and taking your things... after all, it's literally right in front of my face behind your windows, and if I take it, then it's for free, right?

You are right, I was completely wrong when saying that. My apologies I changed it, and on my grammar as well. I hope you can understand I'm just a little frustrated.

I guess I was just trying to prove the point, I spend a lot of hard earn money on these plugins, and it gets frustrating constantly getting bullied around with fees.

I assume that you've contacted Sonnox to try and resolve your concerns? If you have not, then posting here is in poor taste imo.

Yeah, basically they said "oh this is our policy." I sent them an email pressuring them more, but I didn't hear back yet. I kind of don't feel like this is something you shouldn't have to "try to resolve", I would just like fair policies off the bat without having to 'cut a deal.'

[duvalle]

Originally Posted by ThePrez

I bought an Elite Bundle from someone else, first I had to pay the iLok transfer fees of $175. Can't complain I saw it coming.
But then Sonnox charges me $160 worth of their own transfer fees.

So we are at $335 worth of fees in total now.

i am not sure about some other points you made in your post,
but on that part i am with you: $335 is over top.

[Whitecat]

Didn't you demo the plug-ins first? Did you buy them without trying them?

Personally I use Sonnox plug-ins every day and love them.

[T_R_S]

Originally Posted by ThePrez

first I had to pay the iLok transfer fees of $175.

You could have bought a new ilok and then loaded them on it the advised Sonnox you were removing the ilok to sell the plug-ins. ( Sonnox will do this they did for me )
The new buyer gets the ilok and adds it to his account.
Total cost $50.00 not $175.00

[_Morph_]

Originally Posted by duvalle

i am not sure about some other points you made in your post,
but on that part i am with you: $335 is over top.

+1

Never pulled the trigger on the Elite bundle because of their policies. They are ripping people off, unfortunately. These transfer fees are outrageous.

[ThePrez]

Originally Posted by whitecat

Didn't you demo the plug-ins first? Did you buy them without trying them?

Personally I use Sonnox plug-ins every day and love them.

I did and after time I just couldn't work with the EQ. And like I said I knew right away when I got the bundle I didn't need the DeEsser. I'm not trying to sell them all, just those two. Which is reasonable I feel.

My main frustration here is, I'm being charged individual fees, but can't resell the plugins individually.

[timlloyd]

On the face of it, that does seem very silly.

[mfx]

That's why I don't have Sonnox in the rig. I rarely sell on plugins but any company or dev' with high transfer fees are a no no in my book.

Unfortunately this is where the double standard of software arises and can grind on people's attitudes. Companies want their products to be valued and treated as if it was hardware yet do not treat it as ownership. You buy a license to use the product(s).

There is work involved in transferring serials etc. But not that much.

Anyway that's my bit said and done apart from 'there is no excuse for theft'.

What some user can and do do (that's a shit line), is have a different email and generic name for each license/account. That way the account get's moved along. But again this is open to fraud and scams unless the new owner immediately updates the account info and ties the existing email account to his or her existing or new one for security measures.

[T_R_S]

Originally Posted by ThePrez

I got the bundle - I'm being charged individual fees

You are contradicting yourself.
On my bill from Sonnox I purchased an elite bundle. So Sonnox like Waves and many other companies you can't sell them individual. This is an established policy of many companies who bundle their plug-in you get a discount for the bundle.

Sonnox charges a fixed license re-registration fee of GBP 25.00 per license. The maximum re-registration fee we will charge in a single transfer transaction is GBP 100.00. So, if you have 4 or more licenses (i.e. Elite Bundle) to transfer, the re-registration fee will be 'capped' for bundles at GBP 100.00.

[ThePrez]

On my bill from Sonnox I purchased an elite bundle.

Yes mine too. But my other bill with tons of individual license fees.

And I agree it is rather nice how Sonnox caps this fee. We should thank them. Instead of paying $400+ in fees only $335.

And I guess I was contradicting myself a bit, assuming if a bought a bundle thinking they could be treated as individual things, since I had to pay individual fees.

Any other "bundle" I've purchased in my life, I was able to sell the thing I wanted to individually. I guess I just don't understand the complexity of these iLok license.

[TNM]

Originally Posted by T_R_S

You are contradicting yourself.
On my bill from Sonnox I purchased an elite bundle. So Sonnox like Waves and many other companies you can't sell them individual. This is an established policy of many companies who bundle their plug-in you get a discount for the bundle.

Sonnox charges a fixed license re-registration fee of GBP 25.00 per license. The maximum re-registration fee we will charge in a single transfer transaction is GBP 100.00. So, if you have 4 or more licenses (i.e. Elite Bundle) to transfer, the re-registration fee will be 'capped' for bundles at GBP 100.00.

yes but waves charge you a transfer fee for the bundle. Sonnox charge you individual, then don't let you split. It could be all under one ilok asset like "elite bundle' but they have gone the long way to make money off transfer fees.

[drumster]

I own the Sonnox Elite bundle, but I don't use Sonnox plugins that much anymore. The only plugin that I still use regularly is the limiter, which I think is very good. It's not that there's anything wrong with their plugins, but in the last few years the market has become so competitive that there are many current offerings that are as good or better. Even though Waves and several other companies have dropped their prices, Sonnox still continue to charge some of the highest prices in the market. I'll probably keep my Elite bundle for life because there's little financial gain in selling it.

[ThePrez]

Originally Posted by TNM

yes but waves charge you a transfer fee for the bundle. Sonnox charge you individual, then don't let you split. It could be all under one ilok asset like "elite bundle' but they have gone the long way to make money off transfer fees.

You guys can give me crap, and disagree about some stuff I posted. But this is EXACTLY the point the I'm trying to make.

On my iLok my Waves bundles even show up as bundles.

Sonnox individually.

... Please remember we also allowed you re-register the products at special fixed bundle price of 100GBP. This is considerably cheaper than the cost of the individual transfer fee of 25 GBP per licence which also goes in line with our bundle sale and discount policy. ...

This is in the response I got back from Sonnox. How are they giving me a 'discount' on fees? They created these fees that no one else has, then claim they are doing the customer a service by cheapening them?????

[T_R_S]

Originally Posted by TNM

yes but waves charge you a transfer fee for the bundle. Sonnox charge you individual, then don't let you split. It could be all under one ilok asset like "elite bundle' but they have gone the long way to make money off transfer fees.

Sonnox transfer price is $100 for a bundle or $25.00 per license - they do charge a bundle rate they don;t charge per license if you transferring an Elite bundle. Waves is $150.00 per bundle plus you WUP must be up to date

[oweng]

i have the illegal dl ...

those are good plugs ...


one song i am working on now 103 illegal plugins i am very proud to say ...


i have pirated software my entire life ...

noone has EVER said one word about it until ... i came here//


ya'll are a bunch of rich white bullies --- damn you ...

will be giving myself a third strike in the next couple days .... im outie yo

i don't appreciate being bullied ...

and constantly reminded that my life was destroyed by criminals just like you.....

gfy

[timlloyd]

I think you're misunderstanding my position a little bit

[rhythmtech]

wheres silver sonya????

[Mr. Shore]

It always makes me laugh when I read about corporate pirates complaining about pirates. Sonnox is just one of the bunch.

[dougfatheruk]

It's interesting, the tides appear to be turning a little with software companies and their rip-off policies.

I was a Waves hater for many users and refused to buy on the basis of WUP, however when McDSP finally released their version 5 plugins they made the ilok assets 'NFR' making them overnight IMHO the worst plugin manufacturer out of the lot. I sincerely hope they addressed this because this is complete BS IMHO.

Sonnnox is expensive, and their GUI's are terrible but their plugins are good, and with the 64-bit updaters they have updated the GUI's moderately.

Waves don't appear to charging transfer fee's on bundles under $700 RRP, i purchased SSL4000 native recently and we only got hit for the $25 ilok transfer. The WUP thing is making more sense nowadays, if i can cap at $200 for a major OS shift then thats pretty good, spreading across multiple vendors can get very expensive, very fast. Also, without doubt, Waves support is the best out their, i have never had to wait more than a few hours for a response and i'm in the UK. Even bundle transfers, all done in a day.

[jonathan jetter]

quick thoughts on a few companies-

Waves + WUP - for a moderate yearly fee, i get tons of new plugins free (Mercury Bundle), as well as the ability to get in touch with a real live human being if i have a problem, and the problem gets fixed. money well spent IMO.

Sonnox- the EQ doesn't do anything that any other digital EQ doesn't do. the compressor is similarly fine but not special. the inflator is just flat-out bad sounding IMO. De-esser, Transient Designer are quite good. Limiter is a good, but Slate FG-X is such a game changer for my workflow.

McDSP - never understood the hype. at all.

[verve92]

This is why I use hardware.

[ritelec]

Originally Posted by oweng

i have the illegal dl ...

those are good plugs ...


one song i am working on now 103 illegal plugins i am very proud to say ...


i have pirated software my entire life ...

noone has EVER said one word about it until ... i came here//


ya'll are a bunch of rich white bullies --- damn you ...

will be giving myself a third strike in the next couple days .... im outie yo

i don't appreciate being bullied ...

and constantly reminded that my life was destroyed by criminals just like you.....

gfy

just browsing a bit............ makes me feel great reading stuff like this............

I could have saved thousands.