Man, I’m so sick of every company forcing us to pay in perpetuity for their products.

R. I. P. Waves. Waves have digged their own grave

See you Waves. I’m out. Don’t really care how many plugs I currently own. Going to go to plug-in alliance.

Perfect video. I wish more, younger producers realized that they're being fleeced. They need to be educated more on this craft.

“…the Dollar General Store of Plugins…” The quote of the day! 😂😂😂

Barry, I love ya man! I really feel like you are the voice of the people and a pretty darn good leader. Thank you for all you do!

The best thing I did was take a Logic course where we couldn’t use third-party plugins when submitting assignments. Was invaluable to learn and use what’s already included in Logic. Gets the job done and haven’t really gone back to use many of the Waves plugins since. This ices it for me.

Plugin Alliance, Plugin Boutique, SSL & now…UAD for me 🤩 crazy that UAD went 2 steps forward and WAVES just rolled back down the hill 😂

On the subject of workstations, Logic is unbeatable and I will not leave Logic. It does everything I need.

I never commented on your channel but I tell u something I’ve learnt a lot listening to u. 🔥

I love when you make videos like this! It's what has to be said! Thanks Barry!!

If UAD ran a 6 months long flash sale on their native version plugins they can win the market pool that waves is losing due to this move. UAD might also equal the market Plugin--Alliance is enjoying right now

The silver lining of this is that audio devs will hopefully take note of this disaster and probably NOT roll the dice on a subscription-only rollout. We'll probably never know how many users bail from WAVES, but it would fascinating to see those internal statistics.

Your channel is by far one of the greatest channels, clean nice content, the way you tell the story and that you express yourself all the unvaluable knowledge damn thank God I found you due to this whole shitty situation from wave's like the only one good thing I can get out of this. And same with avid the industry wants to force you but just other sequencers and daw's have become so much easier to use and superior like cubase, just speeds my workflow at 100%. Anyway, let's see how the whole situation gets resolved if those guys change their mind and say sorry. In the meantime, so much respect for you, your experience, all the words. Really 10/10

Great Barry! I agree with you 100% and I think you reflect the mass attitude of normal thinking people!

R.I.P Waves. I devorce you

I’m fine with a few instruments and stock plugins. Seriously, the stock plugins in Ableton and Cubase are flipping fantastic!

See, Barry - I'm all-in on this take. Waves can suck it. Subscription models can suck it. I'm in with buying PA/UA/SSL/SofTube. I'm good. And you're also right - what the hell do I need hundreds of plugs for? I repeatedly use 30ish plugs over and over again. I like them. They sound great. I know how to use them. Cool. Waves is toast and I couldn't be happier.

The most annoying part is that a lot of Waves' recent releases have been really good! Clarity VX is magic, the Magma stuff sounds great, and I really dig CR8 and Harmony. But now, unless I had the magical foresight to buy second licenses for my laptop, I'm screwed when WUP runs out (and eventually extra-screwed when the plugins stop working with my software somewhere down the line). And they had the audacity to run the same sales as ever for the last few weeks, suckering in new buyers for products they knew they weren't going to support anymore. Despicable.

Solid message...thanks for taking the time to deliver it. I'm a Waves user of about 5 years with lots of plugin's. I invested 10k right before COVID with Waves Server, Stage Grid 4000, eMotion 64ch software, and never got to use it. Just got a band together, had first rehearsal on Saturday, and now welcomed with this news.

I’m not a waves owner, but watching your take on this was really dope. I’m glad I found this page. I’m tuned in OG 🤞🏽🤞🏽

Appreciate what you're saying! Thanks for speaking out against what waves is doing

It’s great that I got an ad for waves before this 😂. 100% agree

I totally agree Barry. 100%!! I'm a Waves plugin user, as soon as I heard the news the first thing I thought was "I'm out."

I have almost all their plugins through the Mercury package, so you can imagine how many $$$ I have invested. And I have paid for the WUP over the years- between $225 & $300 annually. So at first blush, $300 per year for all of them doesn’t seem too much. But your post causes me to realize that I don’t use most of them, so I need to figure out where I am going to take this. I also have many UAD, Sound Toys,Avid, ad nauseum! I appreciate your followers constructive comments on this subject.

I used waves over the years but I purposely went out to find replacement or substitute plug ins because of the annual update fees. No plug-in is irreplaceable.

Thank you for being such a credible, knowledgeable, voice. I feel as you do. Waves has to give the consumer the ability to buy an on-sale plugin without having to buy a subscription.

She killed it in like 2 seconds, well done

Yup, I'm totally with you! It's not cool. Not only that, I feel like Waves should get in trouble for this. It's shady business. I've bought two full subscriptions from them over the last 20 years. I was basically cloning 2 separate studio computers. Remember, Waves didn't always support 2 licenses. I obviously spent some decent money over the years in doing so (like many have). NOW WHAT? I'll be upgrading one of my computers soon (from an Intel based Mac to an M2). At that point, no more Waves (unless I subscribe)???? NO THANK YOU! Honestly, I'd like my money back then! I know that's not going to happen. However, those licenses were supposed to be PERPETUAL!!!!! RIP WAVES

Damn Barry is a BEAST! Yes, I also thought it was a bad move...and i'm a little concerned about my pervious purchases. I think we the customers got screwed on this one.

That look on your face says it all! Priceless!!

Totaly 100% agree. Imagine you need to render what you did 3 months or a year ago. :)

I just sent waves an email...I only have a few of their plugins which I like. There is no way I'm doing their subscription plan. I guess they don't care about customers like me, or our money. Like you said I probably already have stuff that can do the same job already...so. Everything you said here is spot on, as far as I'm concerned. I'm an older musician/music producer and I too have been at it since tape.

Barry is the "Ralf Nader" for audio enthusiasts!! Go Barry go!!

Thank YOU Berry ! I remember when . .. . I bought Waves GOLD in 2016 $100. Since doing all the preliminary Work of recovering from a stroke I rebuild my total skills from zero. Now I am buried in IK MM 3.5 MAX a few guitars and am thankful for my choices listening to industry leaders like YOU. Keep it UP.

Great video! Thanks Barry. I totally agree with that.

Your a legend mate! Keep using your platform to speak out and hopefully it will help push the resistance. I’ve had enough of this corporate strong arming!

Thanks for that video! Exactly how I feel! No more waves for me. I already feel better!

Thanks for sharing Barry, Looks like my list of future Waves plugins is going in the bin.

Next week Waves will release their plug-ins with oversampling, to rub some salt in the wounds of their customers.

Barry you spot on with this video. I think waves just sunk their own ship with their greed and stupidity. I think they will become the betamax of the audio industry. I am, however, mostly pissed at myself for sinking so much cash into their plug-ins, including recently purchasing WUP for some of my plug-ins that I now reeeeally wished I hadn't

I've been using them for years.... NEVER AGAIN! Thanks for the info! Checking out the competition. Thanks man!

Thankyou for speaking up

waves saw this coming and did it anyway.

I loved using the Waves Abbey Road Collection and even recommended them to my students. I now regret ever having buying their plugins in the first place. When I found out I had to pay again after a time I was quite displeased. I've removed the Waves products I had from my Plugin Manager in Logic. I use the Logic native plugins and UAD as well. Thanks for this video Barry. I have a feeling Waves will really lose even more customers soon.

I’ve never bought anything from Waves but now I’ve just subscribed :) I love subscriptions!

Thanks again, Barry!

So long waves !!!

Barry - I’m subscriber and a frequent viewer. On behalf of my better half and any women who might be watching, maybe reconsider comparing a company that you believe is no longer “attractive” to a woman who was once hot and then “had a couple kids and gained some weight. “ You’re doing a wonderful job of using your knowledge and experience to influence a next generation of engineers, producers, and creators. You also have a responsibility to influence out of date attitudes.

Being involved with music is my hobby, I love it, I have 2 bundles of waves and a lot of loose plugins, I paid a lot of money for it, so I just want to keep using it even if I get my new system soon, that's what I paid for..... Time to say goodbye to these crooks Thanks Barry 4 the nice words Best regards

Truth Barry. Thank you for speaking out. We knew this was coming with their silly annual "updates"

Agree 100%. I remember round 2006 when Q10 was the best digital eq.

Ive been waiting for you to do this video LOL Ive been using wave for like 15 years this is disgusting. I started on analog too this is sad

Appreciate the Hawkeye's skeeter patrol backup. Nice work. And ditto on the video... sheesh. Been here since the beginning and dreamed of one day owning... yes, owning... Mercury. Never got there before Waves went leech. No reply needed.

Thanks for the heads up!

I fully agree👍🏻🤟🏻

Honestly waves has like 15 plugins out of their 2 billion that are decent. All the big competitors are far beyond them in quality. I use soundshifter and ns1. Both have alternatives so time to change. I don't care that they are going subscription but taking away perpetual is the nail in the coffin.

Agreed. I have loads of waves plugins and probably use 10 regularly! I'd never go subscription unless I was running a business and could pass it on the customer.

Great video. I'm a long term subscriber to Slate and I actually think it was worth it for a few reasons. So at first when I opened up the full library of plugins, I felt overwhelmed as there were so many options to choose from. Also, I had only ever used stock plugins (Ableton). So for example, I had no experience on how to use an 1176 style compressor or even, an SSL style EQ. I found that I got familiar with a particular EQ or compressor and din't explore the rest of the other plugins very much as a result. It was quicker to stick to the few plugins I had bothered to learn to get results, than to try something new. After 5 years I can say that I have taken the time to learn all of the library and feel like the slate plugins are part of my sound. Also there are plugins that I would never have bought if they wern't available because of the subscription.

Been saying it to my peers for quite some time now, in the future I will leave the daw world and just use a digital multitrack recorder. Keeping my preamp and analog compressor(universal audio 6176). I can produce music with my keyboards for example the korg kronos, that alone has very good tools to make music.

What I have learned, for every single plugin out there, there will eventually be a new plugin from a new developer that will be better than the old plugin. So, pour yourselves some tea and wait a bit ;-)

Came for discussion of Waves subscription, stayed for painfully awkward metaphor digression about women in their 20’s falling apart physically after children and Barry doing deep sea dives into photo albums on Facebook profiles of women he used to know when they were younger. Okaayyyyy.

Thanks for this one man. Big thumbs up!

Fatal move. The reason they’re doing it has to be declining sales revenue. UAD is showing signs of decreasing revenue as well. The boom is over and the market is saturated in my opinion.

Hi Barry! I'm like u, an old studio dog, started on studer machines, thru adat and DA-88 to protools and waves etc... you are THE voice of reason!! THANK YOU!! waves and avid ARE the 30 year old cheer leader! But they are in for a big surprise if they think they dont need to develop new products! Love your channel LOVE your honesty!! Im a Cubase user primarily now (since the atari version 1.0. Lol) We still use protools at work but i am tryingto convince the department to switch. They are caught in the Avid web... I personally like PA more and i love Bx and audio acoustika (spelling?) But i do NOT do subscriptions so sorry waves but im out.

Thanks breaking down what this means 👍. And ugh! This goes right to the core argument of Hardware vs. VSTs. I love both, but at least when a hardware synth/drum machine/ FX box or whatever craps out on you, you can get it repaired or replaced with an identical piece of kit if you really need it. With plugins - especially those which need an online ‘handshake’ to activate, we’re always at the mercy of the plugin developer; if they just stop what they’re doing (retired / bored with it / died!), then we’re screwed and potentially then forced to look for cracked versions of something we legitimately paid for in the past!

All good things come to an end. Goodbye Waves - this is the parting of ways!

Haven’t used waves plugins in about 3 years. Never liked their business model. I think this is good for them and for future/new customers. They are probably the most popular, in every studio, home, commercial, even video houses. They are easy to use, easy to get into. They have always been “cheap” or a “affordable” way to get into 3rd party plugins. Haven’t looked at the prices. Just commenting based off this video lol

Waves plugins are so 90s. I've been a Waves user since the mid 90s when L1 came out (on a floppy disc). But I left Avid and will leave Waves. These companies are just dinosaurs.

I personally love subscription software, 'buying' software is an illusion because it's a product reliant on the fastest growing consumer business in the world. Computers. 10 years from now you won't be able to use the computer you're using now in a 'non-limited' way. I totally understand the frustration, especially for the Mercury bundle owners.

Great video, Barry! Voice of reason.

Your analogy is cringy

Spot on Barry, thanks for your thoughts. Subscribed.

Great message and overall video, I've been feeling like some of the plugins were doing the same things with a different name now you've really opened my eyes to it . And about subscribing for plugins not a chance for me this does not look good for Waves to bad I was starting to buy more plugins, thanks for this video.

EXCELLENT video, sir. I was upset & disappointed when I got the email from Waves, I also use NS1, L2 & several of their Renaissance plug-ins quite a lot. DONE with them, movin' on.

Spot on. I have found I don’t need that many plug ins to get the job done. And there are certainly mixing plug-in choices out there. I’m waving bye bye to Waves.

Great rant Barry! Summed up Waves perfectly.

I've been out of the studio setting for almost 20 years, but was in the thick of it in the mid 90s when the mad rush was occurring. Based on everything else that is going on with computing and the world, this really doesn't surprise me. "You will own nothing and like it."

Great talk, bravo.

Waves Caves. United we stand!!

Looking to the right on my screen I see nothing but negative videos on Waves. You are spot on with your take on their management. Time to clean house.

hahahaha the end of video is Great, your wife´s Hawk eyes, Poor mosquito

You're so right. In fact, I have not seen anything truly exciting from Waves for a long long time. I am still using the renaissance plugins, as everything newer they have come up with, adds very little usability and/or quality (if any).

Really great video, sound and profund opinions.

I was wondering when you would finally jump in! Thanks for adding your voice to the... "wave"...? Zing!

Awesome ideas! excellent video

I am currently in the process of updating all my DAW templates to replace all the Waves plugins that I have been using for years and years. I have essentially every plugin they produce but, you know what? They are absolutely not irreplaceable by any means. There is such a great choice in plugins out there at the moment that dropping Waves is easier now than it has ever been. And to think, my current Update plan (scam?) is just up and I was about to pay out for another one!!! Saved me some money there Waves, thank you

I started out at 50 with UAD, I am very glad I did. LUNA is now open to million others and the plug-ins I collected enable me to dl the native ones.

Just subscribed after watch this video!!! Great video keep up the good work.

I just paused at 0:07 with a smile on my face to comment. I've been waiting since yesterday for this video 😅 let's go...

I had no plan to buy any of the UAD native plugins but I’m literally buying the mix plugin pack now to replace what I was still using waves for

Wow! Waves walks that back in a big big hurry. Barry you sure can call the future!

🦾Man I love your takes on stuff. Big fan Barry.

That look at the start basically sums this all up for all of us. Unbelievable move from Puddles.

@BarryJohns I have been with Waves 3 years ago since the beginning of the pandemic. Just horrible support and business practices. I got out and glad I did before this happened! I hate subscription based crap! I left pro tools/avid because of this too back some years back! I’m glad you talk about this stuff because people are being fleeced by a lot of these companies!

Well spoken! I absolutely agree!!

12:33 - Ask not whether the girl is hot, ask instead about her ability, long term, to kill mosquitoes effectively. (Yes, this is a metaphor for plugin companies.)

Totally agree! No longer a waves user here, BUT also all the backlash and fire makes for an incredible successful marketing campaign for them since the social media algorithms can´t distinguish between "morality", it´s just sees a very successful publication with so much interactions it´s just boosting the visibility and reach. Also, all the new generation of producers and musicians which were almost "born" with subscription models will probably prefer this, since they probably haven´t invested money in the company before, I´ve seen this in other industries and those companies are more successful than ever, it´s just a change of market. Bad marketing is also marketing... We just gotta move on to better pastures.

Nicely put!!! ✌👍

My old preacher from Alabama use to day it this way - its like putting lipstick on a pig. Doesn't matter how Waves spins it - the current model is take or leave it. I don't want the whole store - just need a few ingredients to make what I want.