I'm sure many of us have gotten the latest Digi mailing with the MassivePack promo offer.

In addition to a laundry list of all the various configurations of hardware trade-ins they are offering, there is an offer called the MassivePack Bundle.

In this bundle, for $1195 (USD) you get the following TDM plug-ins:
•Sony: Oxford EQ
•Eventide: H949
•MacDSP: MC2000 and Filter Bank
•Massenburg: MDW High-Res EQ
•Waves: RenComp, RenEQ, RenReverb
•Wave Mechanics: Sound Blender and Speed
•Aphex: Aural Exciter and Big Bottom
•Drawmer: Drawmer Dynamics

This seemed a little too good to be true, since the Sony EQ alone used to cost almost that much, so i assumed the offer only was good in combination with one making a hardware upgrade/trade-in.

WRONG!!! My dealer assures me the MassivePack $1195 bundle is a stand-alone offer that anyone can take advantage of!

I've been drooling over the Sony Oxford plug-in for almost a year, after hearing Jules and others giving it unqualified rave reviews. So I figure it's only a matter of time until i get it. I've actually got the money (thanks to a recent tax refund), but i kind of had it earmarked for a Benchmark DAC-1 and a pair of Josephson C42's.

So now I'm torn. It seems silly that if I'm going to eventually buy the Sony Oxford, i might as well get the 12 other plug-ins at hardly any additional cost. But, on the other hand, I already own the Waves stuff, and do i really need five different brands of EQ (the four offered, plus my already owned TC EQsat)? Plus I already have Pitch 'n Time so I assume I don't really need Speed. And will the Drawmer Dynamics really give me much more than the Waves already does? I don't know much about the Eventide, MC2000, or Soundblender yet... And maybe this is an indication that in the near future the price of the Sony Oxford (by itself) might come down a bit?

AAAARRRRRGH!

So what's it going to be: DAC-1 + a pair of C42's, or MassivePack???

What would any of you do in my situation? (My converters now consist only of HD192 and HEDD, my small diaphragms condensers only consist of one pair each of Earthworks QTC's, Oktava MC012's, and Audio Technica 4031's.)

(I don't even know why i bother asking! I know what the answer is going to be...

BUY 'EM ALL!!!!)

The Massive Pack offer is Digi's way of giving people a 'step in' chance in th wonderfull world of 'oficial / registered' plugins. Still the main reason imvho why people don't upgrade to HD. FWIW, everybody I know in the 'registered' plugin world has done it.

Now if your goin for the Massive pack ... go for the Massive pack PRO. That's the realy interesting package since it includes a HD process card.

As for Sony getting cheaper ... I doubt it and yes unfortunately it is the only 'worthy' eq in PT. (haven't heard the Massenburg yet)


Seeing you allready own a bunch and don't realy need a lot of them (having their alternatives) I would definately go for the 'pro' pack.


Just a couple of thoughts.

Chris

FWIW I am a 'registered' person still on PT Mix. I don't think I'm the only one. I'm proritizing other gear for a while. I hear your point but it's a bit too sweeping!!

It's a great offer if I had HD I would buy it (I own 1/3 of the pack anyway)

That the thing with plugins I've ordered it although I own MC2000, Sony, Soundblender,ren eq already....
Not much money in second hand plugins...

Although I am happy that there is a pack that is not attached to a hardware upgrade...The extra Process card was tempting although it would mean a Mac upgrade as well as my old G4 only has 3 slots...

To be honest, Chris, I don't need the extra process card. The way i work, I have not even come close to maxxing out my DSP with what I have. (This didn't use to be true with my old Mix+ system, but with my HD2 I seem to have more than enough.) I mean I suppose i wouldn't mind an extra process card, but it's an additional $1800 - and there's about 50 things I would rather do with that money. (Like a Great River 2NV or a Distressor for instance).

So here's what it comes down to, with further info:

I have the opportunity to buy privately JUST the Sony Oxford EQ for around $600. Given that I own all the Waves stuff, as well as Pitch 'n Time, do I really gain that much more usefulness in getting the MassivePack instead? Because for a few dollars more I could get the "used" Oxford and either the DAC-1 or the pair of Josephsons.

Or skip the Oxford and get the DAC-1 and the Josephsons like I originally planned? Anyone wish to comment on what they would do in my situation?

Hi Littledog,

what about the Massenburg eq in the Bundle? That's what I bought it for, I had heard the demo of the Sony and was truly impressed but then decided to wait for the Massenburg and voila, alongs comes this deal. I ordered it the day after it was announced but I'm still waiting. If the Massenburg is as good as the Sony (I expect it to be better) then this bundle would be worth it for me but for you, I don't know - it's a tough call. The Sony is really special, it is way better than the waves etc.

I also just got the Benchmark and so far I'm really impressed but I will need more time to report. I bought Km-184s instead of the Josephsons though.

I've just realised that I'm not being in the least bit helpful so I'll sign off. If I can answer any specific questions about anything let me know. I haven't had any time to a/b the HD192 and the DAC-1 yet but I will at the weekend,

cheers,
Ruairi

P.S. Why not demo the Sony and hear for yourself what it does?

Ouch, Ru!

Now I'm REALLY in trouble. I took your advice and downloaded the Sony EQ 15-day demo, and figured, while i was at it, I'd demo the dynamics package too.

oh, oh!!!

I immediately slappeed them on some tracks on a couple of mixes I'm currently working on and .... whew.... MAGIC!

Using a simple shelf, I was able to add some much needed sparkle to the cymbals without the harshness that the Waves Ren EQ shelf had added.

Yes, the EQ was wonderful, and lived up to the hype... but... it was the dynamics package that really blew me away. I slapped it across the drum buss and WOW! The drums became so huge and slammin' that there is no way I'm going to mix that song without it. I spent some time trying to duplicate the results with the Renaissance Comp, but NO WAY! I also was very impressed with the compression results on some electric guitar tracks and vocals.

i found both the RenComp and RenEQ both added less desireable tonal qualities to the tracks compared to the Sony products. And they (the Sony's) weren't nearly the DSP hogs that i feared.

So now i find that I can't live without the Sony Oxford Dynamics, and that's NOT EVEN PART OF THE MASSIVEPACK OFFER!!!

Woe is me! Woe is me!

A gear slut'z life is not an easy one!

Of course the DAC1 would allow you to hear exactly what your current plugins are doing and those Josephson's might sound so sweet that they will eliminate the need for some plugins in the future. Just my biased opinionheh

Don't worry, atticus, the DAC-1 is just a matter of time. In fact, i guess we all just know in the end i'll end up buying everything...

might as well throw in that Vipre and Pendulum quartet too as long as I'm spending myself into financial oblivion!

Speaking of "really hearing" what's going on, let's see how many tens of thousands of dollars I can eventually spend on gear before I can no longer avoid dealing with the REAL weak link in my chain: room acoustics!

Just what I hate about letting vendors in,
always trying to push their products.....

... by telling the truth. Ouch.

A DAC1 and some Josephsons and some John Hardys
and .... opps, I'm turning into a gearslutz

So, when does one have to spring the $5K to $10K for
a first serious acoustic fix? Is it two to one, gear to
acoustics? From what I see, most of us,
including me, have delayed the room acoustics
fix too long. Perhaps because it seems
too hard, and getting cool plugins, preamps,
or mics is more fun.

I don't need the isolation, but fixing the
sound inside the studio is becoming higher on
the list. But no lust coiefficient there.

Maybe just one more set of plug-ins....

Although I have the massive pack on order.. I am finalising the full rebuild of the studio. Although it does not look pretty I am quite used to it, although trying to get a lot of other people interested in sub hiring it is another story

So yes the old $15k-20k refit is in order..... Just think of all the gear I could buy...I know I have...I would still like a real desk, a few more comps,eq and mics...

And it's not even just the money! It's the idea of pulling all my racks out, unplugging a few hundred cables, and (perish the thought) moving my grand piano (which means turning it on it's side and taking off the legs). Add to that the loss of work for x weeks and....

Well, you can see why I just buy gear instead...!

Yes well it could be 6-8 weeks as mine is a full redo...Luckly I have a day job 3 days a week...

Os X only or Os 9 as well?

They are both OS9 and OSX although HD only...Yeah I am not going OSX for a while... Would need a new Mac?
If OSX is meant to be faster why does everyone laugh when I say would the G4/400 still be ok on PT6/OSX.

I just called Sweetwater and they say you do have to purchase HD to get the deal? I have 24|Mix but I don't think they can make the bundles HD only, can they? Who is selling this without you needing to make the hardware purchase?

I think what they meant to say is that some of the included plug-ins might require an HD system to work. I'm not sure if that is true, but it might be.

If they are saying the MassivePack is only available as an add-on to a simultaneous hardware purchase, they are giving you a load of ****.

If you are still interested, you can PM me if you want names and numbers of dealers around Boston who, I'm sure, would be happy to help you out. It's also good to know that in most circumstances it is rarely a good idea to buy directly from digi or any of their third party manufacturers, because you will pay full list price, whereas through a dealer you can often get a substantial discount. (That may not be true in the MassivePack case, though.)

(Hard to recommend a good dealer in your area because you neglected to include your geographic location in your profile. That is probably a good idea, because if i knew where you lived, I'd probably show up unannounced for lunch.)

Massive Pack is only available to registered HD owners only. Check out the digi site about it.

Hey Eddie, could you tell me how you like the Gefell UMT800. I noticed on your website you have one. Could you tell me how you like it and what you typically use it to mic?? I just bought one and would like to know. Would you mind finding my thread in the forum just above this one so that we don't hijack this thread.

Beez

Sorry guys, I know this is off-topic.