:) Hi Alécio! Have you downloaded the demo? Could it be true? Mastering in a box or plug! I don't believe it.

--Rick

Lemme just check the date......... nope, it's not April 1st...... This is something I gotta hear for myself.

Ronny told me it sounds crap. I dunno how in the USA you guys handle this but a lawyer representing the mastering guys would be interesting to slap such a fake

Well, if the demo only plays back in 8bit, it's definately gonna sound crap! Pretty stupid way to offer a demo version where you want to demonstrate your product's sonic quality ;)

Or has he heard the full blown version?

I will verify.
:)

This sounds just as corny as MTV's new "COMPUTARIZED AUTOMATED HIT DETECTOR MANCHENED" and that "SUPER VOICE SYNTH SIMULATOR WITH SPRINKLES" that popped up at various times. Sure, it's a novel idea. Sure, people spent millions developing it. Sure, it's still a stupid idea.

Bad news is, more people are likely to flock to this than the other two products, and ego will dictate that people will "no longer need a mastering engineer". It's going to be like the dawn of "mastering plugins" all over again, except a whole lot worse this time around.

My two cents.

yes...and who said Waves Q10, TC MAster X5, MC2000, MAster Bundle, L1, L2, C4, Finalizer, Vintage Warmer where the enemy tools of the real ME?

I think the more important skill is to know *WHEN* to use rather than *WHAT* to use. :D

Wow, that looks like the most useless audio software I have ever seen. Obviously those guys don't have good ears if they think you can evaluate the product doing its work at 8bit resolution.

... Maybe they're trying to showcase advanced dithering and noise shaping techniques which work with 8-bit. "What? Only 256 possible values each sample can have? No problem! Our software will smoke that!"

I just went and read the site a little more. What the hell? Using a spectral analyzer and EQ to master? That's hardly ground-breaking in any way.

Hot damn, I use a sonogram all the time, and I don't even consider what I do anywhere close to mastering. It's a visual aid to reinforce what my ears tell me - nothing more.

The static is entirely due to the 8 bit restriction in the demo version. I would agree that this limits the performance but to say that you cannot evaluate the effectiveness of the product is not the
case.

If you have the eq filter out of chain then you hear the original track quantized at 8 bit (ie. with the static) and with the eq filter in you here the filtered result which includes the static. This
allows you to realisitically judge the effectiveness of the filter playback as the same static is present in both. It's equivalent to doing mastering equalisation on a recording that was done on 8 bit
equipment.

I am sorry if this is inconvenient but if there were no restriction on resolution what would be the motivation to purchase the product? You could argue that we could put a time restriction on the full
resolution playback but that leaves our software open to piracy through cracking. The resolution limitation in the demo is our attempt to avoid this problem.

If you believe the product has potential you can purchase the product and if you are not satisfied request a full refund and be granted one provided that you do so within 30 days of the initial
purchase.

Regards,

Paavo Jumppanen.

If you truly believe in your product...

which I assume you do...

then you could have some before and after examples posted somewhere at full resolution?

dying to hear them,
Brock

elkanah: What kind of dithering does the demo version use to truncate to 8-bit, if at all? For the sake of fairness, converting the sample track to 8-bit for an A/B comparison would have to undergo the same process.

When we're talking about a mastering software, I'd say quality is of the utmost importance - Isn't that the root of mastering, after all? This is like saying a Ferrarri is fast, but you're not allowed to go over 30mph. In the meantime, you can test out the Ferrarri at 30mph and see if you like it better than an old jalopy going at 30mph.

But hell, you've probably thought about all this a lot more than I have, since you're the guy behind the product, so what do I know?

Best wishes.

Originally posted by BrockStapper:
If you truly believe in your product...

which I assume you do...
then you could have some before and after examples posted somewhere at full resolution?

I agree Brock, in fact why not have the product reviewed here at RO. Possible?

--Rick

absolutely capital idea, my dear watson...

:c:

yeah, it would be cool to have a nice review once their boss does not come here to insult me as he did in other forums.
:(

I dunno bout anybody else....... but i have this feeling that Dorothy and her doggie are around here somewhere.....

And until we find her......... ignore the man behind the curtain...........

ROTFFLMFAO

I believe in a few things in this world of ours...

One of which is: if it looks like a duck - and walks like a duck and sounds like a duck - it's probably a duck.

Next is - If it looks toooooooo good to be true..... it isn't.

Happy Hunting.... til we find the next clue to the Holy Grail of music.......

Rod

I personally think it is a load of sh*t.. Anything that supposedly takes an audio experience and turns it into a visual is way off track.. like “You too can master, even if you can’t hear”… Hopefully this product will fail miserably otherwise some day all tunes run through this program will all have the same spectral balance.. yuck! Let’s just remove the last vestige of art that the industry has for the sake of profit. If these guys have their way, no one will need any talent to make a record.. Pitch correct, time correct and now mastering correction… I’m sooooo glad I’m old and I will be dyeing soon someday. I guess I need to make arraignments to be cremated, otherwise I’ll be spinning in my grave… Kurt
-------------------------------------------------
You don’t let blind people drive, so don’t let deaf people master

I do love Uncle Cedar!
The man always has the right answer at the right timimg!
lol

Paavo (Your name shows you to be Finnish, does it not?...Not important, just curious.)-

Members of this board have many years of experience. Therefore they are naturally going to be somewhat skeptical regarding the claims of the product as outlined in the press release.

For each has, at one time or another, encountered a manufacturer of a new product making an outlandish, if not downright false claim regarding their product's prowess (not that you're doing that...but believe it or not, others have! :eek: ).

While it is counter-intuitive to demo, through a low resolution lens, a product that promises high quality performance, I understand your concerns about piracy...they are very real.

I am not a software manufacturer, so I obviously don't have the same perspective or concerns that you do.

Nor do I work in the recording industry. So my butt (read: livelihood) is not on the line should your program actually live up to it's claims. I've consequently no emotion (read: fear)invested.

But I can tell you this: I am a consumer. I, and others, would not lay out the amount of cash you are requesting unless I was absolutely certain that it worked, it was exceptional, and I therefore truly desired it.

But I definitely don't want to have to go through a refund process. That, to me, is a hassle. I try to avoid hassles in my life.

I wouldn't want to give up the dough unless I knew it worked, and it would properly serve my needs.

To me, that requires a demo that shows the product's full potential.

Here's how I see it.....

The balance between a consumer and a company is theoretically supposed to be even....fundamentally based on trust.

Some companies are more trusting, and by consequence are easy to do business with. Some are less, and the reverse is true.

I always play scenarios off of what I term "The Test of The Extremes" in order to determine whether something makes sense or not. Meaning, if we push a scenario to each polar extreme outer limit of the range, how does said scenario hold up?

The far right side of the balance says, "In order to fully protect our copyright, why don't we put out a completely non-functional demo...or even, no demo at all. Then, if someone is dissatisfied with their purchase, we'll give them their money back."

The far left side of the balance says, "The demo is fully operational, pay us if you want."

Of course, neither extreme works. One is too far on the side of the consumer, the other benefits only the company.

Next, let's identify where your demo falls on the grid.

Hmmm....I think you've got a demo that leans to much toward the company's interest....I don't think you've yet achieved a fair balance.

You've drawn the line too much on your company's side...providing the public with an inadequate opportunity to fully appreciate your product.

The consequence of this is, obviously, less sales.

But the ball, is, as always, in your court. You make the product. It is totally your business and your call.

As is, as a consumer, I've no interest yet.

Good luck though!

Best-

Kev.

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

P.S.- I have a little knowledge about what I speak. In my younger days, I was a manufacturer's rep in the pro audio/music industry....working for companies ranging from Ovation and Kramer guitars to ElectroVoice/Denon/Hafler/QSC/Symmetric/DOD/Cerwin Vega amongst many others.

I currently own and run a multimillion dollar financial services company.

I write and record music for fun, relaxation and creative stimulation.

Kev,

WOW - you worked for Kaman?........ too kewl - was it the moosup branch way back when production was there?

LMAO - tis a small world after all
tis a small world after all
tis a small world after all
tis a small small world........ :D

Rod

Originally posted by Kev1:
P.S.- I have a little knowledge about what I speak...I currently own and run a multimillion dollar financial services company.

I write and record music for fun, relaxation and creative stimulation.

:) Kev, nice background, and thanks for sharing your experience. It would be great if you could share some of your expertise in the Business Forum.

I, personally, would be interested in what you have to say about getting the most out of clock-punchers, and breaking down barriers when employee's get set in their ways.

Dismissal is not always an option, because they do their jobs. However, they have drawn lines in the sand with respect to taking on more responsibility outside their comfort zones using their own motivation. Force only creates more problems. Any idea's to leading staff into to seeing the big picture would be great.

--Rick

Hey Rod....back in good ol' Ct.

I worked out of the main headquarters in Bloomfield before jumping to a rep company afterwards.

I started my own business in '86 following a falling out with a partner and the birth of my first child.

I'd tired of the road and chose a profession with significantly less travel.

Not that I gave up music, mind you.

:D

Best-

Kev.

Originally posted by Kev1:
They are made to realize that they're a valuable part of the "family". They are made to feel like they have a stake in the "family business"...
...In essence, the idea is to impart to the employee that they are not just another "cog in the wheel", they have a psuedo-ownership stake in the business and are integral to it's success.

The company's successes are their successes, and result from everyone's combined team efforts...
My average employee has stayed with me for 11 years...

:) Amen to all of the above, but there are still some hardcases, and clicks.

I have seen this. The CEO brings in employee, does all of the above even with huge stock incentives, of course no combined employee ownership will ever exceed that of the CEO.

After so many years, the CEO essentially turns operations over to the employee's. "Make it work, or we all fail." Well, after so many years, good pay, benefits, the employee is pressured far beyond their normal duty and is forced to work double shifts if needed to (make it work) while the CEO may take 3 or 4 months off, or show up only to close deals. To me this is not Family, this is exploitation, with so much vested, the employee's have no choice. And it's a cruel world outside the comfort zone, no matter how uncomfortable it might get in your present position.

--Rick

Originally posted by Rick Hammang:

To me this is not Family, this is exploitation, with so much vested, the employee's have no choice. And it's a cruel world outside the comfort zone, no matter how uncomfortable it might get in your present position.

Rick,

you're right - but it isn't what works either...... eventually these people are going to bring the company to it's knees.... no one can stay happy with the resentment that this situation will bring.

Anyone who uses their employees in that manner will pay for it someday...... I do believe in justice.

The firm i work for has a track record of treating it's people right.

Everyone from the CEO down to the laborers are treated with the same respect...... shown that they are an important part of the wheel.... and have an open door to the owner's offices.

There are people who come in the door and back out of it...... no one "floats" in this firm - but by the same token the rewards are great..... if someone can see the big picture in the long term.

I quit this firm in March of 2002, and by November of that same year they were asking me to come back.

When i quit they gave me a 6 month severence package - and when i agreed to come back - a 30% raise.

So there are companies out there who go the extra mile to "do it right" (Kev's company sounds like one of those :tu: )..... however i will agree that they are far and few in between.

I would also point out that no matter how good the company is - there are also the employees who really don't care about anything - who just want that paycheck every friday - and don't consider the companies bottom line to be either their problem or responsibility.

They don't last too long around here - we tend to weed them out pretty quickly....... but if too many of them show up it begins to put a bad taste in the mouth of ownership.

Sincerely,

Rod

seems like a joke

to me one of the coolest companies out there is psp. i downloaded the vintage warmer demo and 2 hours later i bought it.

at $149 u.s. it's affoardable. i downloaded the full version over the net, and they sent me a disk version for 10 bucks extra. these guys have it together.

way smaller overhead, i assume a higher profit ratio and most importantly, there goods do what they say, well worth the money. i wish other plug in companies could learn a few things from psp.

chris perra

I am with you. I also love this company and their product is pretty good.

Come on, you can maybe get a taste of what this could do at 8 bits...but let's get real...this is mastering software. Taking away 8 bits, and only leaving 8 bits leaves you with a VERY distorted low resolution picture. Any company that would release this in 8 bit mode as a demo obviously has no clue.

That would be like going to demo an apogee converter in 8 bit mode. Or like going and demoing a Neve Preamp with a hi cut filter starting at 1KHz. Or like demoing an Elam with a sock over it. Or like...demoing a pair of Genelecs with shag carpet draped over them. You couldn't tell shit from an 8 bit demo, or any of the demos mentioned above. I'd prefer blips to 8 bit mode any day. The 8 bit thing sounds like a smoke screen to me.

Also, if this thing really sounded good...it would cost WAY MORE than $99.00. I mean...come on.

I think someone should buy it...and confirm how bad this software sucks. Maybe we should all go in it??? If everyone pitched in a dollar...

no, thanks for the "opportunity".