AIR Instrument Expansion Pack 2.0 Upgrade Path (updated)

[kaiserpathos]

UPDATE: SEE http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=341527

Mods, pls feel free to modify the thread's main subj line if that's possible. Thx!

-----------------------

...per e-mail from Duane, "Customer Success Specialist" for InMusic Brands

I wrote AIR on their site contact form asking about 1. AAX64 for IEP 1.0 and 2. if upgrade pricing will be available for IEP 2.0. First answer was:

"Thank you for contacting us regarding PTIEP.
Airmusictech is now part of inMusic Brands and no longer part of Avid.
You can signup to be notified when PTIEP is available at the link below."

...to which I responded "ok, but what about the IEP 2.0 upgrade pricing?" (paraphrased). Mr Morris answered:

"Once the Pro Tools Instrument Expansion Pack for Pro Tools 11 is available you will need to purchase it as there is no upgrade path from the version 1 that you purchased from Avid."

So....to recap:

Obviously IEP 2.0 is a brand-new product, will have no relation to IEP 1.0 by Avid -- but it looks like (other than any intro pricing) we're paying full price to upgrade to 2.0.

All I can say is, for me to even consider IEP 2.0 at all, it BETTER not just be a port of 80% of IEP1.0 over to VST/AU/AAX64 --- there better be compelling content & features.

Why even call it "Instrument Expansion Pack 2.0" since that name has an Avid/Digi connotation and makes people expect an upgrade path/pricing when it launches?

[danander11]

That wouldn't a happy thing at all..

I've manage to divest myself of everything except Velvet so it's not a huge loss... There are others offering some nice Velvet-type VI's these days so I'll look there I guess.

[Southsidemusic]

Sorry to be "thick" but does that mean nothing from the PTIEP 1 will be AAX64 updated at all or does it mean that if we want IEP 2 we need to pay up? It said before that AAX64 version updates were gonna be free except if we wanted version 2.0

I am soo confused about this... We basically only need Structure and Transfuser as the other ones are so so ..

Thanks guys
Chris

[kaiserpathos]

Originally Posted by Southsidemusic

Sorry to be "thick" but does that mean nothing from the PTIEP 1 will be AAX64 updated at all or does it mean that if we want IEP 2 we need to pay up? It said before that AAX64 version updates were gonna be free except if we wanted version 2.0

Yes we'll have to pay full price for IEP 2.0. As for IEP 1.x getting AAX64 -- if you just go by AIR site's KB area FAQ on the matter - it leaves a reasonable person wondering if IEP 1.0 even gets AAX64 update in the future:

Q: What about the original AIR instruments – Strike, Structure, Velvet, Hybrid and Transfuser? Will those be updated to AAX?

A: Yes. We do not have an availability date for when these instruments – Strike, Structure, Velvet, Transfuser and Hybrid – will be available for purchase as AAX. We're working on this now.

http://www.airmusictech.com/kb/artic...pdate_schedule

And then there's AIR's official IEP page which is just 2.0 oriented: http://www.airmusictech.com/product/...expansion-pack

I have no real idea for sure, but it seems reasonable reading the above that (while we SHOULD get AAX64 for our existing IEP 1.x) updated AAX64 IEP Instruments are pay-only?? Not certain here, just what it seems their pages/FAQs indicate

[Darryl Ramm]

He's just specializing in some other customer's success, not yours

[kaiserpathos]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

He's just specializing in some other customer's success, not yours

lol exactly what I was thinking!!

Looking at this on AIR's "Instrument Expansion Pack" page makes it look like the jig is up for IEP 1.x being dead and end-of-life:

"AIR Music Technology created the original Pro Tools Instrument Expansion Pack, providing a rich array of software instruments to legions of Avid Pro Tools users. With the launch of Avid Pro Tools 11, AIR has released an updated and expanded AIR Instrument Expansion Pack, offering immediate compatibility with the latest Pro Tools 64-bit AAX format." <---- read that again: updated / expanded and offering 64-bit AAX.

This is from their IEP Product page which has the above and then lists 2.0 products only....reasonable people will see this as: "if you want IEP in AAX64, you're buying 2.0".

Combine the above with their FAQ answer on IEP, and it all seems to add up to 2.0 being our only way to get Velvet etc in PT11.

[Southsidemusic]

Originally Posted by kaiserpathos

lol exactly what I was thinking!!

Looking at this on AIR's "Instrument Expansion Pack" page makes it look like the jig is up for IEP 1.x being dead and end-of-life:

"AIR Music Technology created the original Pro Tools Instrument Expansion Pack, providing a rich array of software instruments to legions of Avid Pro Tools users. With the launch of Avid Pro Tools 11, AIR has released an updated and expanded AIR Instrument Expansion Pack, offering immediate compatibility with the latest Pro Tools 64-bit AAX format." <---- read that again: updated / expanded and offering 64-bit AAX.

The above is on their IEP Product page which has the above and then lists 2.0 products only....reasonable people will see this as: "if you want IEP in AAX64, you're buying 2.0".

Combine the above with their FAQ answer on IEP, and it all seems to add up to 2.0 being our only way to get Velvet etc in PT11.

Thanks for the insight ...Clear as day ..

We are soo screwed then as we bought the frikkin PTIEP new 4 months ago when it actually said they would be AAX64 at NO CHARGE and the V2.0 would be chargeble upgrade as expected, nothing wrong with that BUT that the V1 was gonna be thrown out has been added after 01/03/13 when we bought ours. I admit it isn't the coolest sounding VI pack but Structure and Transfuser are actually usable in our productions, We work with Swedish House Mafia, Alesso, some remix work for David Guetta, Zedd and a few pretty cool artists whom would be angry if we bragged about here so the "bread and butter" synths like Vacuum and Strike etc does nada for our productions in EDM and Dance so paying for 5 VI's in 2.0 is not tempting when we only basically use those two from that bundle... Why is it so hard to be Specific and clear on the websites of certain developers .. Don't get it

[Southsidemusic]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

He's just specializing in some other customer's success, not yours

LOL

Not mine either

Another thing it said was they "released" an updated and aax 64 instrument bundle but I can't find anything except L.O.O.M and Vacuum Pro.. in the otherwise empty store.

[kaiserpathos]

Originally Posted by Southsidemusic

LOL

Not mine either

Another thing it said was they "released" an updated and aax 64 instrument bundle but I can't find anything except L.O.O.M and Vacuum Pro.. in the otherwise empty store.

All I can find on their site confirming AAX64 instrument bundles is their update to the PT11 Creative Collection. That probably is about the only pre-PT11 bundle they're going to update, if you go by their site's language. IEP 2.0 and associated instruments will get AAX64 in their 2.0 update, but it's looking more and more like zilch for IEP 1.x instruments. There's no money in that if they're doing a 2.0 product + Avid probably didn't pay them to update those, only Creative Collection.

Seriously hope I am wrong. If I am, it was in no small part to AIR's confusing FAQ & IEP Product page.

[YYR123]

This better not be true - freakin'A man

I would drop them all together and go native instruments b/c that is not the way to do business - not at all