Soundtoys Debuts New SuperPlate Plug-in

I wrote their support (because I can’t install), I’ll also mention that I have an iLok 1 and don’t have an iLok 2 or want one.

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I spent over two hours myself today in the studio trying to get the latest Soundtoys update to install.

I installed it at first on my MacBook Pro laptop, using the registration code in my account and it ran perfectly in Ableton. Then I switched over to my studio computer, an Apple Mac Mini.

Installed Soundtoys on the machine, tried to register the software in the same manner, but it just wouldn’t work. A message repeatedly appeared saying ‘the redemption limited had been reached’ but I only had it on one machine.

So then the next option was to log in . The user name or password failed, even though it’s correct and I used it on the other machine to check.

I checked the iLok application and noticed that Soundtoys was not listed on the Mac Mini, despite being installed. I restarted in the hope that this might help but nothing. So then I looked at iLok on the laptop and Soundtoys was displayed but greyed out. It worked fine on my laptop which seemed strange.

After lots of searching I found this link very helpful:

Which explains that you need to Take Ownership. It seems that by NOT using iLok at first it didn’t basically ‘belong’ to me. I should have used iLok in the first place to register it and not have used the long code that comes with the purchase and entered this when I opened up Soundtoys in Ableton Live.

In doing this it now works fine on both machines, but two hours lost and lots of silent swearing to myself.

Just a little bit of advice that might help some of you despairing as I was today!

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ok. good luck!

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I found myself reaching the point i got to after other similar frustrations with the process - this was the culmination of other annoyances with their lack of clarity being a significant annoyance, given that we are kinda juggling with a trust token - you could easily end up shafted if you get it wrong

this is still on Soundtoys imho, it may well resolve itself, but it doesn’t stop the stress and hassle, that should have been easy for them to iron out in rolling out any changes

they can cease support or change tack at any time, but they at least have to makle it clearer

The only sniff i got that explained why it wasn’t working out like before was this tiny sentence, at which point i bailed to investigate

(the prompts i had within Logic prior to that were equally odd, it was asking me to validate Microshift which i’ve had for years)

just venting, venting is merited imho

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It’s not a very clear sentence either. The second sentence says “An iLok USB”, not which generation.

(Also, how do I plug a Bus into a Bus?)

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“(Also, how do I plug a Bus into a Bus?)”
Well, usually you wait for one and then two come along at the same time :slight_smile:

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To be fair those bits are from Avid/Pace etc, but i don’t know with any degree of certainty whether it is even true - i just won’t gamble until there’s a bit more clarity on this from support - annoyed at myself for getting a reverb i probably won’t use any more than the others (including a free plate from Arturia) but also just fed up with computer ‘shit’ - this is why i like the gear (that doesn’t lean on computers), the buzz is killed so easily when the issues aren’t ironed out

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knowing my luck this’ll happen whilst i wait on a reversal of fortune :wink:

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Why don`t you, with an ilok 1, activate your license on the computer? My ilok 2 dongle holds only 2 ilok licences, my PC the other lot. Just a thought, as you are not forced to use the dongle anymore…?!

and tie it to one machine, which might break at any minute, no thanks … i have the software available on three macs … i don’t mind having the ilok (or the responsibility) but it’s admittedly a minor annoyance on a USB-C/thunderbolt machine to keep a dongle to hand

My beef is with the communications and the implementation of the changes, i might be an outlier in preferring licences i can carry around in my pocket (maximum flexibility) but it’s what i was doing happily until yesterday - now i don’t have access to the PrimalTap … possibly a favourite plugin of any description

I’m sure it will work out, i may have to forego SuperPlate and take a refund (i didn’t use the code) … i might have to invest in an ilok again, but i’m not pleased about having to do this at gunpoint - Soundtoys may well have removed all my options and have all the cards which isn’t right - i’ve invited them to assist or provide a solution, where we are at isn’t acceptable and i am not remotely interested in confining usage to one or two machines on a permanent basis - this doesn’t work for me - i’ve seen too many machines die and take stuff down with it to go that route

I forgot to deactivate licenses from old computers more than once (dumbass that I am), but never had an issue with simply sending an email to the plug-in developer asking to deactivate the license.

They basically reset it and you can active it again on your machine.

But yeah if you’re using multiple machines this can become an issue as some vendors only allow one or two activations. Which is quite ridiculous. Should be able to use it on more than one machine and simply not more than 1 or 2 simultaneously on multiple devices or something.

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Just to add to the Soundtoys woes here, I’ve just re-opened a fairly plugin intensive project. I’ve suddenly started getting random intermittent CPU spikes that cause audio glitches (in Bitwig, on an M1 Macbook Pro), when it was working fine before. I’ve been trying to track it down and it looks like the upgraded Soundtoys 5.4 plugins are at fault – but only the VST3 versions, the VST2 ones seem to work fine (it was all working fine on Soudtoys 5.2 before). It seems like other people have had the same issue in Bitwig on Mac – figured I would post here just in case other people are getting similar issues

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that’ll be fine 9 times in 10 probably, but you will get grilled from time to time as though you have been naughty … the other aspect (not an issue for me) is timing - say i needed the soundtoys suite right now, well i’m stuffed, i’m in the queue with presumably a lot of other folk experiencing gremlins

simply isn’t always that simply (depends on the vendor), and it’s still a bit stressful whilst waiting, especially when you aim to do the right thing, but here i am ironically having paid for this, but it’s all MIA pending review

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Yes, i get your point but i think parking the license on the computer for using the plugin now is doable. Then having some time to invest into an upgrade for the dongle, as the problem with the outdated dongle (how old is the ilok1 - 15 years?!) will come up more often with updates / new vendors. I think this is just the way it is, like most soft-/hardware longevity over the years…:frowning:
There is also an ilok cloud service, but Soundtoys is not participating…

it’s true, it is that, but it’s absolutely not my preference or choice - unless it turns out to be part of the solution

even if i do that, there’s still the headache of getting in touch at some point to review that - basically i am valuing my time/hassle above all other factors, ilok has always been a pain free experience for me

i’ll judge them on how this all ends - i’m in the mood for giving this a listen now, but i don’t want to make a move which reduces my options (including a refund as i haven’t redeemed the code) … that’ll give me time to source an ilok upgrade if i want or need to, but for now, one more plate option isn’t worth $100 all in … i’d much sooner sink that much over at valhalla or madrona (if sumu happens soon) tbh or put it towards RNBO etc …

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Well, I should have listened to myself - pissed that Soundtoys hadn’t given any response to this, so I started wondering if the ball was in my court and I was being overly cautious holding back - well, nope - now I have licence (for everything) left with iLok, on principal I am not putting this on one machine - so I basically have no access at all now

Why there should be a difference between where I was and this point upgrade is beyond me, but here we are

No Dice - I will push to go back in time, albeit harder now, can’t be dealing with this nonsense and a slow support response for a matter which would take a few words to straighten out (it also should have been mitigated against)

Sorry to hear people are having issues… if it’s any consolation, it’s worth getting it fixed as the plugin is great.

Something weird I’ve found though, when you set Superplate up to copy Little Plate as a basic setting (which I’m guessing they’re both the Classic 140 algorithm), Little Plate sounds better. I think they may have tweaked the EQ of Little Plate’s reverb, and you can get pretty close using Superplate with some post-EQ… but I still think Little Plate sounds better. :slight_smile:

The other modes of SP are great though, as is the extra functionality. I’m really digging GoldFoil 240.

I too have the issue of vst3 plugins causing cpu spikes, and indeed the vst2 plugins do not have this effect. I emailed soundtoys support and got a swift reply mentioning it is being acknowledged as a bug, although it is a bit difficult to systemattically reproduce appearently. It is the combination of bitwig 4.4.10 or 5 beta, mac m1 and soundtoys 5.3.9 or 5.4.

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When I first ran Superplate last night the audio cut out moving the dial (so basically zero sound), and I had to restart Ableton to get it back. It seemed fine after that, but it was a quick mess about, and I’ve not had the time to revisit since to see if this will happen again. I’ve never experienced that with any plug-in before.

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Throwing away money became a FAR better solution than being perpetually pi$$ed waiting for any kind of response or explanation or solution to a problem that could have been mitigated against … this plugin better be frickin’ Super alright !!

They’re all so stupidly small on a 4k screen that i probably won’t be arsed to explore long enough to know

:evil:

and now i gotta $plash on some adaptors for the non-C Macs !!

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