New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
aidanodr
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:41 am

New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by aidanodr » Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:31 pm

Hi Guys,

Just got notice that a new version of Sonar is imminent. It seems they are going all ADOBE ..

No longer X Series ( X4 ) - Now Artist,Professional & Platinum. Here is the costs /monthly membership fees:

https://www.cakewalk.com/Products/SONAR/Versions

I asked a few Qs. Their is a yearly sub. Initial upgrade ( to Platinum from X3 Producer ) offer price will be $149 once off year fee which will include a years sub. Otherwise $14.99 per month. To own the full copy of Platinum you will either pay the one year fee OR 12 monthly subs. If you drop out before full 12 month monthly subs your copy will turn into a demo version.

After year 1 you will either pay another $149 or monthly $14.99 sub in perpetuity.

SO - I wonder will Ableton be going the same route with Live??

Valiumdupeuple
Posts: 1134
Joined: Mon May 31, 2010 12:36 pm
Contact:

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by Valiumdupeuple » Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:40 pm

This question is seriously annoying.
Are you trolling or something like that?

aidanodr
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:41 am

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by aidanodr » Tue Jan 13, 2015 11:53 pm

Huh,

Trollimg? I own Ableton already for years. Also own Sonar.

This is an ableton Forum Yes?

Am i entitled to ask such a legit Q? Is this the way the industry is going?

fishmonkey
Posts: 4478
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:50 am

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by fishmonkey » Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:35 am

i hate the subscription model but i can see how it might smooth out the cashflow for a company...

beats me
Posts: 23319
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:39 pm

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by beats me » Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:46 am

They’re saying after a year if you don’t keep paying it will stop working?? (Going into demo mode means stop working to me). 8O

Otherwise if it just means pay monthly towards a total price that is a little more than paying everything in a lump sum I think that’s a fantastic option for people who are short on cash. I could see them flipping it to demo mode if you opt out of paying further before the full price is reached, but it should reach a total price where you are considered paid in full and can continue to use it as long as you want to. Of course this would also cut you off from some bonus perks that would inspire you to continue to pay monthly or for another year at once.

beats me
Posts: 23319
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:39 pm

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by beats me » Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:53 am

If things start swaying this way across the board I think it’s another point for Apple and Logic. They don’t need the money for their software so they aren’t going to go subscription. If anything this might just lead people right to Logic, already one of the cheaper but high quality DAWs.

siliconarc
Posts: 2836
Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 12:27 pm
Location: UK
Contact:

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by siliconarc » Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:54 am

from their FAQ:
Is this like a subscription? Adobe Creative Cloud and other software with "subscription" models won't let you keep anything.

No. The big difference with our model is that after your first 12 months of SONAR Membership you get to keep everything you have received.

TomViolenz
Posts: 6854
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 6:19 pm

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by TomViolenz » Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:57 am

beats me wrote:
Otherwise if it just means pay monthly towards a total price that is a little more than paying everything in a lump sum I think that’s a fantastic option for people who are short on cash. I could see them flipping it to demo mode if you opt out of paying further before the full price is reached, but it should reach a total price where you are considered paid in full and can continue to use it as long as you want to.
+1
That really sounds like quite a reasonable offer.
So I assume that this is not what this actually is, cynic that I am :x

aidanodr
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 8:41 am

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by aidanodr » Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:32 am

From what I can gather the initial offer price is $14.99 per month OR $149 for a year of membership ( going from X3 Producer to Premium ). This goes to $19.99 per month OR $199 per annum.

Initially to own the the full Sonar you need to have ONE YEAR of payment under your belt - either the $149 year amount OR 12 x $14.99.

It seems after that you cannot dip in / dip out in the way you might think. I asked this. If you are at month 12 and then decide to go monthly at $14.99 for the next 6 months bringing you to month 18 and then drop - you will "own" all updates up to month 18. However if you opt out at month 18, come back at month 26 then drop out again you WILL get the latest month 26 version BUT as soon as you drop out again at month 27 you will flip back to your month 18 version.

Thats what I got so far.

Still, on back of my mind is will Ableton and others now watch from the sidelines and then jump OR stay away altogether? Will plugin companies go the same route? Will we have a cr*p load of monthly subs in perpetuity?

fishmonkey
Posts: 4478
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:50 am

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by fishmonkey » Wed Jan 14, 2015 1:35 am

1234abc# wrote:Will plugin companies go the same route? Will we have a cr*p load of monthly subs in perpetuity?
the cost of payment compliance will mean that only bigger companies can afford to go the subscription route...

Tarekith
Posts: 19072
Joined: Fri Jan 07, 2005 11:46 pm
Location: Ableton Forum Administrator
Contact:

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by Tarekith » Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:18 am

The only way I would ever get onboard with a monthly plan is if I could only buy one month at a time. I do have some apps than I use only a couple times a year, and for those something like $14.99 a month might make sense.

In the light of companies like Camel Audio stopping business out of the blue though, I'd much rather have a license I knew would work as long as OS's support it.
Tarekith
Ableton Forum Administrator
https://tarekith.com

re:dream
Posts: 4598
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 9:42 am
Location: Hoerikwaggo's sunset side...
Contact:

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by re:dream » Wed Jan 14, 2015 8:50 am

fishmonkey wrote:i hate the subscription model but i can see how it might smooth out the cashflow for a company...
I don't think Ableton has cash flow problems.

TomViolenz
Posts: 6854
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 6:19 pm

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by TomViolenz » Wed Jan 14, 2015 10:15 am

Tarekith wrote: In the light of companies like Camel Audio stopping business out of the blue though, I'd much rather have a license I knew would work as long as OS's support it.
I think this argument alone shows that this model is a really bad idea for the user!

e-smile-z
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2013 1:52 pm

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by e-smile-z » Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:09 pm

i would sell ableton instantly if they would take the subscription route

mcdreamer
Posts: 54
Joined: Thu Jun 19, 2014 8:29 am
Location: London
Contact:

Re: New Sonar gone monthly subscription. Might Ableton go same?

Post by mcdreamer » Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:23 pm

I really hope this doesn't happen. Or at least, if it does there is still an option to buy outright as you can now. Subscription models offer no advantages to the customer, only disadvantages.

Post Reply