It's simple: don't upgrade.

[spenner]

Also send these concerns to Avid via customer feedback forms and in the comment section at the end of surveys.

No offense to anyone but nothing will be affected by only discussing it on this forum. The upgrade pricing concerns are very valid. Have at it here, but don't forget to contact Avid as well.

[Studio Dweller]

Originally Posted by Marsdy

So presumably if every shop in town raised their prices by 200% overnight without explanation you'd be OK with that?

Exactly and in this case, it's over 300%. I've been a PT user since Sound Designer 2, then a Mix+ system and now an HD3. My previous software-only upgrades for my Mix+ and HD systems were around $300 give or take and suddenly it's gone up to $999 and in my case, $1,499 since I'm on PT8. As many have already pointed out, it appears that PT8 users are being penalized for not upgrading to PT9. Huge price increase aside, the numbers don't add up so I think an explanation is in order.

I'm perfectly content with my current rig and I'm fine with sitting this one out like I did with PT9 since it simply wasn't an appealing upgrade for me. My only concern is that someday I'll need to update to Lion for one reason or another (ie: computer dies) and I'll be forced to upgrade Pro Tools. What's it going to cost then?

Lastly, I do find it curious that the two people in this thread who are on the other side of the debate both just registered here this month and are from the same city, but perhaps it's a just coincidence.

[mds1001]

I think a lot of the outrage is due to the relatively small amount of time that passed between 9 and 10. I remember getting PT7 and there being several point releases with new features and modest upgrade fees ($50? $75?). Then PT8 was like $100 or $150. 9 was $200-$250 a year ago. PT9 seems like it has barely been out and there have been very few updates and it still seems kinda of buggy. Having 10 come out already with a significantly higher upgrade price than before just seems a bit heavy handed....couple that with news that anyone with a legacy device is really gonna get hit on 11 and you're going to get some frustrated customers.

I may skip PT10 unless some feature jumps out at me and says it will make my job easier, but if it was $100 or so I wouldn't even think about it.

[Ant B]

I never understood the point of complaining about upgrade fees when the upgrade is optional. There's nothing you're going to lose that you already have paid for by staying with 9. If you don't want to pay the price or don't have the free upgrade offer - your life will not be diminished due to someone else taking an upgrade that you can't make worth the coin. That said - it's a great package and definitely worth the money if you're making any money with your rig.

The time you'll save with clip gain alone if you're mixing or tracking regularly makes up the difference.

[spenner]

Originally Posted by Ant B

I never understood the point of complaining about upgrade fees when the upgrade is optional. There's nothing you're going to lose that you already have paid for by staying with 9. If you don't want to pay the price or don't have the free upgrade offer - your life will not be diminished due to someone else taking an upgrade that you can't make worth the coin. That said - it's a great package and definitely worth the money if you're making any money with your rig.

The time you'll save with clip gain alone if you're mixing or tracking regularly makes up the difference.

None of this is the point, and most are not complaining about it. The point is the upgrade pricing itself. Adding everything else on top of that takes the topic in another direction. Most are stating opinions on how they think the prices are too high, and also considering how that coincides with the time frame of recent releases. Of course they can choose not to upgrade, but again, that is not the point.

Is it not healthy to have disagreements on a forum, or is everyone feeling iffy about the upgrade prices considered complainers? That's not the right way to look at it.

People should, however, understand that the opinions on this forum do not necessarily get to Avid. Also contact them directly to express those concerns... especially if you are a loyal customer, who loves PT, will upgrade, but want them to reconsider the pricing going forward.

[Fidelis]

To Max or anyone at AVID:

Hey Max,

Here are all the DIGI / AVID systems I owned:

1) audiomedia card, later upgraded to;
2) PT III (PCI) 16bits, later upgraded to;
3) PT24, later upgraded to;
4) PTMix3 (plus 2 more "old" DSP farm cards), later upgraded to;
5) PTHD3 Accel PCIe.

Except for my first audio-card (audiomedia) I always had the "top of line" AVID systems. Between all this hardware upgrades, I did ALL software upgrades without a blink, as soon as they were released. Why? Because I always trusted AVID and Pro Tools.

This is the first time in my life with AVID that I don't even think about paying for your software upgrade. $1000? It's just ridiculous. Not because I don't have the money (In fact, just bought another distressor today...), because it's just not fair!

BUT... I think you guys kind of expected that kind of reaction from me and all others in the same boat. Because you want us to make the BIG JUMP into the HDX hardware. Well, I tell you what:

It's NOT gonna happen. And I think most of us are not gonna do it. In fact, I called my dealer today to see what other options I have, out of AVID. Or, maybe, I could sell my PTHD3 on eBay and go for a new HD native... And that would be the first time I would NOT own an AVID "top of the line" system. And it's not because I don't have the money for it, it's because you guys are not playing a fair game. And I don't believe you anymore. What's happening here is a lost of trust!

And you also charged $1000 for those of us that bought HD native a few months ago! And that makes me think that once PT11 is released I would have to pay you $1000 more for the software upgrade if I buy a PT native now!!! And that's just crazy!

Please, with all the respect Max, just put yourself in our position for a second. What is AVID giving us, loyal customers that spend lots of money and trust on your top of line products over the last 15 years? Nothing...

Now, for another second, try to imagine our reaction if you guys played a more then fair game like this:

"We AVID, as a respect to our loyal PTHD costumers, offer them a FREE software upgrade from PTHD9 to to PTHD10. We do this because the hardware they bought will not be compatible anymore with the next Protools software release. This way, all of you can have a taste of what the next generation of PT HD will be."

Can you picture my reaction (and all PT HD owners) with something like that? I would call my dealer right away and make a pre-order on yours new system (PT DHX)!!!! Because is a matter of trust! It's not just money!

I'm not saying it needed to be a free upgrade, just giving you an idea. It could be $100, $200, $300 whatever, but it would show some respect from you to us. And I'm shure we would give you back that respect.

Unfortunately, you guys are loosing us here.

Best,

Ricardo

[CME]

Originally Posted by Emcha_audio

How the fu**ing hard is it to understand that this product wasn't released for the "mass" users including the enthusiast, but for the post prod??

You need it, buy it. You don't, then don't and stop b*tching about it.

I agree. Pro tools 9 was the first step in a new paradigm for the avid/digi transition. Well 8 added a lot of stuff for composition. But it was9 that opened up "LE" to 3rd party interfaces and also gave us adc. In reality it was as much for bringing new people into pro tools as it was for the LE crowd.

Pro tools 10 is giving post guys a ton of power and new features. This is a huge market for Avid. Maybe not the most vocal, but def a huge market. They have the $$$ to shell out and upgrade today.

Next up is pro tools 11. I believe it will be for the music making crowd. 10 is showing us what is coming. 64-bit and a new plug-in format. This gives us time to save up and plan for the next upgrade. That is my opinion and plan anyways.

Oh and on the price front. I wonder if they didn't expect people to sell their pt9hd licenses on eBay for a couple hundred bucks. So this higher price will slow that and sell some more cptk's. Just a thought.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[deerock]

plus, I use 7.4.2 as it is the most stable of all systems, since like forever. HD3 system and I make a living with it, every single day

so...I'll upgrade my MacBook Pro to 10....but the upgrade costs are quite ridiculous and I don't trust them to have 10 ready yet...especially since Avid is looking for income from the expensive upgrades.

I'll hang back for a while...while using my amazing stable system

[Frecord]

If the price down I'll upgrade to PT10

[Culhane]

I think a lot of the outrage is due to the relatively small amount of time that passed between 9 and 10. I remember getting PT7 and there being several point releases with new features and modest upgrade fees ($50? $75?). Then PT8 was like $100 or $150. 9 was $200-$250 a year ago. PT9 seems like it has barely been out and there have been very few updates and it still seems kinda of buggy. Having 10 come out already with a significantly higher upgrade price than before just seems a bit heavy handed....couple that with news that anyone with a legacy device is really gonna get hit on 11 and you're going to get some frustrated customers.

Yes, I agree this is suprising to many. I was actually checking in for the PT9 upgrade, only to find 10 supplanting it. Now, if it really is that great (I don't know yet), cant' complain about fast progress. But hitting a LE guy with a $500 upgrade price is a new realm which is going to be discouraging. In particular, what I am used to from many companies on upgrade pricing is: There is a single 'upgrade' price, so if you skipped an upgrade, you can 'catch up' for the same money as someone who did not. So, say, if I had SoundForge 5 and then wait for any later version, SAME upgrade price, which, yes, is a good deal which does get people to keep up. This policy is common to many software companies. This additive (more or less) plan kind of prices you out as you fall 'behind' in your upgrades.
It really comes down to the numbers of 'econonomy' users. If the company really can make more with 'pro' pricing structure, sure, that could make sense. But if it is about the same (or worse), keeping more people on your system seems a better program.
Bill Gates gives lots of stuff for free to kill the competition (talk about expensive development - success in numbers to the max here). Pricing out users fuels the competition who are happy to take on the budget crowd. (No I am not suggesting PT should be 'free')
The current pricing is reasonable for professional users, but I believe that they are the minority. Keeping the 'LE' tier healthy would be wise IMO, even if it means some limitations, as in the past, relative to 'HD' level features.