AT 5.0.2: no access to mixer any more

[christopher.moyse]

I have used IK Multimedia products for many years (because they are very good, of course) but I have often found their marketing decisions around how to charge existing users for new versions have been disappointing. By all means, expect existing users to pay for new gear, but not for the basic functionality. Locking existing users out of the mixer just seems like a good way of losing their interest, because it is such a basic piece of functionality. Similarly, the routing options.

[Peter_IK]

I have used IK Multimedia products for many years (because they are very good, of course) but I have often found their marketing decisions around how to charge existing users for new versions have been disappointing. By all means, expect existing users to pay for new gear, but not for the basic functionality. Locking existing users out of the mixer just seems like a good way of losing their interest, because it is such a basic piece of functionality. Similarly, the routing options.

AmpliTube 5 is a completely new product. A huge amount of time, money, and effort went into creating this huge new version so yes it will require a purchase. It is a ground-up rewrite as well, not to mention 143,000+ impulse responses taken with the robot (that wasn't free) and having all of the actual hardware that we modeled that has probably cost hundreds of thousands over time... So I'm sorry you are disappointed but $/€99.99 (minus JamPoints if you have them) is not a huge amount for what you get - plus what you have already will work with that so you don't need to rebuy any gear.

AmpliTube 4 didn't stop working, you are not forced to buy anything that you don't want to.

[christopher.moyse]

Well, Peter, your response sounds a bit touchy, so I apologise if I've caused offence. I don't disagree with what you said in the slightest, but it doesn't really address what I said. My comments were really about the way IKM prices the different tiers. Currently, an existing user of AT4 (even one who has made a massive investment) can migrate free to AT5 and use all of her existing gear, but without some essential, core functionality like the mixer and like routing. So to be able to use the lovely new technology without severe limitations, she must pay for an upgrade. From my perspective, that's where the illogicality starts; the SE licence unlocks the core functionality, but going all the way to AT5 MAX is needed to get the relatively few highly desirable new models.

The difference in price between SE and MAX is relatively high, so in my case, I decided against it, purely on value for money grounds. So instead I'll probably buy a handful of new models on standalone basis, but the downside of that is that it causes the upgrade to MAX to be less valuable, so I am less likely to do it.

The alternative would be for IKM to find a way of tailoring an collection of just the "missing" models to a given existing user at a more reasonable price. IKM does not compete directly with AAS, so I hope that I am allowed to mention that AAS does tailor individual packages for existing users and they are priced very attractively.

Given the tiny marginal cost of adding a gear item to an existing users' portfolio, the cost to IKM of doing something like this would be very small, but the benefit in increased revenues would be high. The benfits to the user are obvious. Just a thought, and not meant to offend!

[Peter_IK]

You don't need to purchase MAX if you already have picked up the collections in it. That's why AmpliTube 5 SE and MAX are priced differently. Considering in MAX you get $600+ in collections, even removing the new gear and features that's a great price. If you already have some or all of those collections you can either purchase those collections separately and save up to 30% using JamPoints to complete your collection at a great price or if you have them already you can simply get AmpliTube 5 SE.

And you don't need to go to MAX to get the new models added to AmpliTube 5. Click that link to see exactly what is in each version. You get them with the standard version which has an upgrade/crossgrade price not much more than SE especially when using JamPoints to further discount your pricing. If you need a couple of collections, see above for the best way to get those.

Also note that we're still running at the great introductory pricing but that will expire at the end of this month so anybody considering AmpliTube 5 should pick it up soon before the prices go up.

[Peter_IK]

And in your case, it looks like you'd get about $400 in remaining Collections plus the new functionality and new AT5 gear for the $299.99 upgrade price.

[evilfatguy]

I just updated my AT5 to the newest version and now i'm having this same issue. followed all the same steps that have been suggested (unauth/re-auth, restarted, reinstalled, etc) to no avail. I finally got my purchased gear to show up in AT, but now i can't use the mixer or routing? I bought AT5, not CS, so i'm not sure why this is suddenly an issue.

[evilfatguy]

actually wait, never mind.. apparently i bought AT4 with AT5CS bundled with it. i bought it 4 years ago, so i remembered wrong. my bad!

[MrFigg]

You don't need to purchase MAX if you already have picked up the collections in it. That's why AmpliTube 5 SE and MAX are priced differently. Considering in MAX you get $600+ in collections, even removing the new gear and features that's a great price. If you already have some or all of those collections you can either purchase those collections separately and save up to 30% using JamPoints to complete your collection at a great price or if you have them already you can simply get AmpliTube 5 SE.

And you don't need to go to MAX to get the new models added to AmpliTube 5. Click that link to see exactly what is in each version. You get them with the standard version which has an upgrade/crossgrade price not much more than SE especially when using JamPoints to further discount your pricing. If you need a couple of collections, see above for the best way to get those.

Also note that we're still running at the great introductory pricing but that will expire at the end of this month so anybody considering AmpliTube 5 should pick it up soon before the prices go up.

Hej Peter. That’s not quite accurate. I know you said before that Max was AT5 with the addition of the extra collections. I bought AT5 and got all the collections but there are still models missing such as the T-Rex and Morley stuff. Would appear they are exclusive to Max. I wrote to support to see if it’s be possible to get them added but that was a no go which I do understand. The page for Max says it’s AmpliTube5 and then names all the included collections. Nothing about T-Rex etc. it’s only if you scroll through 17 pages and cross reference that you see that there’s a whole bunch of stuff in Max which isn’t available in AT5 or the collections.

[Peter_IK]

AmpliTube 5 MAX is AmpliTube 4 MAX + the remaining collections added. I believe that's what I've stated and what the site indicates with its lists.

[MrFigg]

AmpliTube 5 MAX is AmpliTube 4 MAX + the remaining collections added. I believe that's what I've stated and what the site indicates with its lists.

Aaaa. Right. Gotcha. Just got confused when you said this in another thread.

Max is basically AmpliTube 5 but with every one of the Collections also included. Is that right?

Yes, it is AT5 + all of the collections.

But no big deal. All good. Thanks for the clarification.

[Peter_IK]

Ah I see, I will have to pay more attention to context and make sure that I am clear in any context so thanks for letting me know!

[MrFigg]

Ah I see, I will have to pay more attention to context and make sure that I am clear in any context so thanks for letting me know!

It’s really not a problem. I just wondered where the models had gone . I’ll maybe buy a couple of them in the CS. I’m happy just to have the AC30s in AT5 . Thanks for the help :)

[phliauzun]

Happy owners of Amplitube 4 MAX, I had also bought the Brian May, Slash and recently the Fender 2 packs.
I have been using Amplitube 5CS since beginning and after reading the exchanges, I understand with horror that in order to have access to the mixers I would have to buy the Amplitube 5 version at 179€ when I already have a large part of the amps, stomp box and speakers.
179€ for a mixer is very expensive.
I never balk at buying products when it's worth it, but here I find the policy of different versions inconsistent, especially when you already have a MAX version
Isn't there a solution to get at least the access to the mixer?

[Peter_IK]

Happy owners of Amplitube 4 MAX, I had also bought the Brian May, Slash and recently the Fender 2 packs.
I have been using Amplitube 5CS since beginning and after reading the exchanges, I understand with horror that in order to have access to the mixers I would have to buy the Amplitube 5 version at 179€ when I already have a large part of the amps, stomp box and speakers.
179€ for a mixer is very expensive.
I never balk at buying products when it's worth it, but here I find the policy of different versions inconsistent, especially when you already have a MAX version
Isn't there a solution to get at least the access to the mixer?

There is a comparison chart (as well as full gear lists) for all versions of AmpliTube 5 on the IK website (on the AmpliTube 5 page) and you can see there that the mixer is included with AmpliTube 5 SE which is intended to be the upgrade to the AmpliTube 5 features/engine/etc but without the new gear. It is also on sale for 39.99 but today is the last day for that...

[phliauzun]

Happy owners of Amplitube 4 MAX, I had also bought the Brian May, Slash and recently the Fender 2 packs.
I have been using Amplitube 5CS since beginning and after reading the exchanges, I understand with horror that in order to have access to the mixers I would have to buy the Amplitube 5 version at 179€ when I already have a large part of the amps, stomp box and speakers.
179€ for a mixer is very expensive.
I never balk at buying products when it's worth it, but here I find the policy of different versions inconsistent, especially when you already have a MAX version
Isn't there a solution to get at least the access to the mixer?

There is a comparison chart (as well as full gear lists) for all versions of AmpliTube 5 on the IK website (on the AmpliTube 5 page) and you can see there that the mixer is included with AmpliTube 5 SE which is intended to be the upgrade to the AmpliTube 5 features/engine/etc but without the new gear. It is also on sale for 39.99 but today is the last day for that...

Thank you for your answer Peter. Good news for the SE version but as I already have all of the Gear of Amplitube 4 Max+fender 2+Brian May + slash + Jimi Hendrix, SE version just give me the Mixer. For 39,99 it's expensive especially that previously I had it in AmpliTube 4 Max. At this price I prefer to buy the Silver-plate 50.