IK Multimedia 25th Anniversary Group Buy
Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2021 2:12 pm
Every once in a while the folks at IK Multimedia lose their minds and have what they call a "group buy event" . . .
THOUGHTS
Sometimes they do this to raise money to build a new manufacturing or research and development facility in Italy, but other times they do it as a "thank you" type of thing . . .
In this instance, it's probably a "thank you" event, at least if one believes anniversaries are important . . .
As you might know, I have a lot of IK Multimedia products (primarily software, virtual instruments, and effects plug-ins, but a few hardware products as well); and I got most of them in "group buy extravaganzas", where perhaps five years ago it was possible to get everything for about $500 (US)--software and hardware--which was around the time IK Multimedia was building new manufacturing plants for iPhone hardware and software, hence IK Multimedia had fewer products (hardware and software) at the time . . .
The current event has the potential to get 24 free products when you purchase 1 product; and it depends on the number of folks who participate, since there are well-defined participation levels that map to more free stuff . . .
The way it works is that the retail price for the item you purchase to become part of the group determines the types of free stuff you get, where the rule is that you can get free stuff for the same or lower price as the one you actually purchased . . .
In the last one, I purchased the most expensive product they offered at the time, which was a MIDI Stealth Pedal, and this qualified me for everything else as more people participated and the quantity of free stuff increased accordingly . . .
This event continues until and including Tuesday August 31, 2021--unless they continue it for a while longer, in which case they probably are planning to build another manufacturing facility somewhere. . .
25th Anniversary Group Buy (IK Multimedia)
From what I can determine, the two most expensive products are (a) Miroslav Philharmonik 2 and (b) T-RackS 5 Deluxe, but I already have both of them . . .
For me, the focus will be on getting more effects plug-ins for T-RackS; and there are a bunch of them that I do not have already . . .
One of the fascinating things about IK Multimedia is that they find what one might call "old but classic" signal processors (physical hardware) and then measure all the components and circuits (capacitors, resistors, transformers, and so forth) to create very accurate software emulations; and they have advanced, electrical engineering meters and other tools for doing this, as well as a system for mapping everything to software algorithms, with the result being for example that their software emulation of the classic Roland® RE-201 Space Echo™ unit is perfect, and I already have it, as well as the physical effects pedal version from BOSS . . .
Space Delay (IK Multimedia)
Among other things, I use Space Delay on the vocal tracks and a few of the lead guitar tracks in the current "lovey dovey" song I am developing, which is coming along nicely but is not the final version . . .
[NOTE: As with every song I post--my own songs and songs by other musical groups--it's best enjoyed when listening with studio-quality headphones like SONY MDR-7506 headphones (a personal favorite because it has good deep bass response and is sonically neutral, hence is accurate without enhancing or flavoring the sounds). If you want to be able to hear everything--including the subtle stuff--then you need to listen with studio-quality headphones at least some of the time . . . ]
SIGNAL PROCESSORS
Waves and a few other companies do advanced emulations of classic signal processors, where for example Waves has a set of emulations of signal processors used at Abbey Road Studios when the Beatles were being recorded; but this is one of the sectors where IK Multimedia has truly amazing products that with a few exceptions are precise emulations of "old" signal processors from the mid-1950s forward, with many of the older signal processors having vacuum tubes, which provide an unique tone and texture foot print . . .
In contrast, FabFilter Software Instruments (a personal favorite) does new effects processors rather than emulations of classic, physical signal processors; hence they have a different set of stuff, including Timeless 2 and Timeless 3, the best new echo units in the known universe . . .
Timeless 3 (FabFilter Software Instruments)
Originally, these types of physical signal processors where used by radio stations to ensure their broadcasts complied with FCC rules and regulations toward the dual goals of (a) not destroying car radios and (b) providing audio at good quality for volume and frequency response . . .
Radio station engineers noticed that these signal processors has musical qualities that actually made records sound better; and this observation soon made its way to audio engineers in recording studios; hence these broadcast radio signal processors soon were used to make instruments and singing sound better as it was being recorded or later mixed and mastered . . .
While I do not have a lot of technical knowledge of the way things work with Sirus radio, I know for fact that these types of physical signal processors continue to be used for FM radio, which maps to music heard on FM radio being run through these types of physical signal processors, which among other things is one of the reasons I do not use dynamic marks in NOTION music notation . . .
Folks might remark, "I was listening to FM radio, and the solo violin textures on <some song> were superb and pristine in every respect"--except the fact is that it was run through a physical signal processor and was not even a tiny bit pristine. Instead it was made more melodic and sonically pleasing by running it through a physical signal processor (a.k.a., what in the digital music production universe is called an "effects plug-in") . . .
It's true at present that most of my relatives and friends tell me I can't sing worth a flip; but I ignore them for two reasons: (a) I can sing "The Long And Winding Road" (Beatles) without needing sheet music and it's at least ballpark and (b) it takes a while to discover one's best singing style, something I have been working on for about 15 years, slowly but surely, and lately with a bit of help from Melodyne . . .
[NOTE: When I am being Pretend George Martin, I tell myself that I should practice singing, but I tend to ignore my advice and mostly sing vocal parts one or perhaps two times in real-time on the fly as I compose and record them, mostly because I think it's an interesting way to discover melodies for lyrics. If I were focused on being a singer, then this would be a remarkably stupid strategy, but so what . . . ]
The other primary reason is that I compose songs, hence consider myself to be a songwriter rather than a world famous vocalist like Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra . . .
Add to this the fact that I am not lacking in exuberant self-confidence, and there you are . . .
SUMMARY
If you do not have Miroslav Philharmonik 2 and T-RackS 5 Deluxe, then this is a good way to get both of them, as well as SampleTank 4 and a bunch of additional effects plug-ins, depending on the number of folks who participate in the group buy event . . .
IK Multimedia does not do subscriptions, which is useful to know in this respect . . .
At full participation, it's possible to get $2,500 to $3,500 (US) of high-quality digital music production software for $300 (US), and you also earn Jam Points that can be used later to reduce the price of more stuff . . .
Lots of FUN!
P. S. PreSonus has great stuff, but it's good to have a lot of stuff when doing digital music production; so this is the reason I post information like this when there is a discount sale . . .
One of the classic examples is Kontakt (Native Instruments) which has the MSRP of $400 (US) but typically is on sale at a 50 percent discount at least once a year during Thanksgiving Holiday week; so you can get it for $200 and save money to get more stuff . . .
Bolder Sounds (a personal favorite for rare, unique virtual instruments) had a super discount sale a few months ago to raise money for victims of the March 2021 attack in Boulder, Colorado; so I got a bunch of stuff at a super discount and provided a bit of help along the way . . .
It was a one-time discount event over a weekend; and I did my part, plus got some great virtual instruments . . .
Toward the goal of learning about discount sale events, it's good to get on mailing lists; and from my experience, none to the digital music production software and hardware companies send a lot of emails--just useful notices about new products and discount sales, which is fabulous . . .
Fabulous!
THOUGHTS
Sometimes they do this to raise money to build a new manufacturing or research and development facility in Italy, but other times they do it as a "thank you" type of thing . . .
In this instance, it's probably a "thank you" event, at least if one believes anniversaries are important . . .
As you might know, I have a lot of IK Multimedia products (primarily software, virtual instruments, and effects plug-ins, but a few hardware products as well); and I got most of them in "group buy extravaganzas", where perhaps five years ago it was possible to get everything for about $500 (US)--software and hardware--which was around the time IK Multimedia was building new manufacturing plants for iPhone hardware and software, hence IK Multimedia had fewer products (hardware and software) at the time . . .
The current event has the potential to get 24 free products when you purchase 1 product; and it depends on the number of folks who participate, since there are well-defined participation levels that map to more free stuff . . .
The way it works is that the retail price for the item you purchase to become part of the group determines the types of free stuff you get, where the rule is that you can get free stuff for the same or lower price as the one you actually purchased . . .
In the last one, I purchased the most expensive product they offered at the time, which was a MIDI Stealth Pedal, and this qualified me for everything else as more people participated and the quantity of free stuff increased accordingly . . .
This event continues until and including Tuesday August 31, 2021--unless they continue it for a while longer, in which case they probably are planning to build another manufacturing facility somewhere. . .
25th Anniversary Group Buy (IK Multimedia)
From what I can determine, the two most expensive products are (a) Miroslav Philharmonik 2 and (b) T-RackS 5 Deluxe, but I already have both of them . . .
For me, the focus will be on getting more effects plug-ins for T-RackS; and there are a bunch of them that I do not have already . . .
One of the fascinating things about IK Multimedia is that they find what one might call "old but classic" signal processors (physical hardware) and then measure all the components and circuits (capacitors, resistors, transformers, and so forth) to create very accurate software emulations; and they have advanced, electrical engineering meters and other tools for doing this, as well as a system for mapping everything to software algorithms, with the result being for example that their software emulation of the classic Roland® RE-201 Space Echo™ unit is perfect, and I already have it, as well as the physical effects pedal version from BOSS . . .
Space Delay (IK Multimedia)
Among other things, I use Space Delay on the vocal tracks and a few of the lead guitar tracks in the current "lovey dovey" song I am developing, which is coming along nicely but is not the final version . . .
[NOTE: As with every song I post--my own songs and songs by other musical groups--it's best enjoyed when listening with studio-quality headphones like SONY MDR-7506 headphones (a personal favorite because it has good deep bass response and is sonically neutral, hence is accurate without enhancing or flavoring the sounds). If you want to be able to hear everything--including the subtle stuff--then you need to listen with studio-quality headphones at least some of the time . . . ]
SIGNAL PROCESSORS
Waves and a few other companies do advanced emulations of classic signal processors, where for example Waves has a set of emulations of signal processors used at Abbey Road Studios when the Beatles were being recorded; but this is one of the sectors where IK Multimedia has truly amazing products that with a few exceptions are precise emulations of "old" signal processors from the mid-1950s forward, with many of the older signal processors having vacuum tubes, which provide an unique tone and texture foot print . . .
In contrast, FabFilter Software Instruments (a personal favorite) does new effects processors rather than emulations of classic, physical signal processors; hence they have a different set of stuff, including Timeless 2 and Timeless 3, the best new echo units in the known universe . . .
Timeless 3 (FabFilter Software Instruments)
Originally, these types of physical signal processors where used by radio stations to ensure their broadcasts complied with FCC rules and regulations toward the dual goals of (a) not destroying car radios and (b) providing audio at good quality for volume and frequency response . . .
Radio station engineers noticed that these signal processors has musical qualities that actually made records sound better; and this observation soon made its way to audio engineers in recording studios; hence these broadcast radio signal processors soon were used to make instruments and singing sound better as it was being recorded or later mixed and mastered . . .
While I do not have a lot of technical knowledge of the way things work with Sirus radio, I know for fact that these types of physical signal processors continue to be used for FM radio, which maps to music heard on FM radio being run through these types of physical signal processors, which among other things is one of the reasons I do not use dynamic marks in NOTION music notation . . .
Folks might remark, "I was listening to FM radio, and the solo violin textures on <some song> were superb and pristine in every respect"--except the fact is that it was run through a physical signal processor and was not even a tiny bit pristine. Instead it was made more melodic and sonically pleasing by running it through a physical signal processor (a.k.a., what in the digital music production universe is called an "effects plug-in") . . .
It's true at present that most of my relatives and friends tell me I can't sing worth a flip; but I ignore them for two reasons: (a) I can sing "The Long And Winding Road" (Beatles) without needing sheet music and it's at least ballpark and (b) it takes a while to discover one's best singing style, something I have been working on for about 15 years, slowly but surely, and lately with a bit of help from Melodyne . . .
[NOTE: When I am being Pretend George Martin, I tell myself that I should practice singing, but I tend to ignore my advice and mostly sing vocal parts one or perhaps two times in real-time on the fly as I compose and record them, mostly because I think it's an interesting way to discover melodies for lyrics. If I were focused on being a singer, then this would be a remarkably stupid strategy, but so what . . . ]
The other primary reason is that I compose songs, hence consider myself to be a songwriter rather than a world famous vocalist like Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra . . .
Add to this the fact that I am not lacking in exuberant self-confidence, and there you are . . .
SUMMARY
If you do not have Miroslav Philharmonik 2 and T-RackS 5 Deluxe, then this is a good way to get both of them, as well as SampleTank 4 and a bunch of additional effects plug-ins, depending on the number of folks who participate in the group buy event . . .
IK Multimedia does not do subscriptions, which is useful to know in this respect . . .
At full participation, it's possible to get $2,500 to $3,500 (US) of high-quality digital music production software for $300 (US), and you also earn Jam Points that can be used later to reduce the price of more stuff . . .
Lots of FUN!
P. S. PreSonus has great stuff, but it's good to have a lot of stuff when doing digital music production; so this is the reason I post information like this when there is a discount sale . . .
One of the classic examples is Kontakt (Native Instruments) which has the MSRP of $400 (US) but typically is on sale at a 50 percent discount at least once a year during Thanksgiving Holiday week; so you can get it for $200 and save money to get more stuff . . .
Bolder Sounds (a personal favorite for rare, unique virtual instruments) had a super discount sale a few months ago to raise money for victims of the March 2021 attack in Boulder, Colorado; so I got a bunch of stuff at a super discount and provided a bit of help along the way . . .
It was a one-time discount event over a weekend; and I did my part, plus got some great virtual instruments . . .
Toward the goal of learning about discount sale events, it's good to get on mailing lists; and from my experience, none to the digital music production software and hardware companies send a lot of emails--just useful notices about new products and discount sales, which is fabulous . . .
Fabulous!