Do major firmware updates make commercial preset packs obsolete?

My name is mud said:
That’s the game , and the main difference between good and bad sellers 😊
Click to expand...
That's my thoughts, exactly.

We used to be very loyal to HP computer peripheral hardware (printers, scanners, etc.) but they're famous for not updating drivers to go along with OS updates. After junking the 2nd perfectly good HP machine that cost hundreds of dollars not very long prior, simply because they refused to provide updated drivers, I put them on our "do not buy" list.

Making sure your product works for the long haul is just a cost for doing business the right way. Taking care of your customer is job 1, do that and the money comes. Chase the cash to the detriment of customer service and buyers go elsewhere. Business 101.

Where would Fractal be right now if they built a product that had a 2 year or less shelf life?
 
This is one of the main reasons why I will buy the Axe FX III when it's end of life, I love that Fractal is constantly updating the firmware but tweaking presets every time the firmware changes seems like a major hassle. I bought the Axe II after the III came out and I love that I don't have to tweak anything. The presets I bought will never have to be updated by their creators and I don't have to worry about support being discontinued.
 
nbelcik said:
This is one of the main reasons why I will buy the Axe FX III when it's end of life, I love that Fractal is constantly updating the firmware but tweaking presets every time the firmware changes seems like a major hassle. I bought the Axe II after the III came out and I love that I don't have to tweak anything. The presets I bought will never have to be updated by their creators and I don't have to worry about support being discontinued.
Click to expand...
but if the version you buy it s completely out to date it's the same .
 
Dave Merrill said:
You never HAVE to update. You can buy in at any point, and just freeze there. Problem solved!
Click to expand...
Just to be clear, because internet, it's not a solution many people would be happy with, in that it locks you out of future enhancements you might want, including ones unrelated to amp modeling.
 
My name is mud said:
That is sad to read this. When you know how the axe works , don’t sell presets if you don’t update them ....
Click to expand...

I maintain my original position that you as a customer are not entitled to free endless updates unless that was promised from the beginning.

For preset vendors there are only two ways this would make sense from a business perspective:

A. your presets are bought at a relatively constant rate so they generate a steady income that justifies constant updates

B. a subscription model, where the client pays a monthly fee that entitles them to future updates as long as the subscription lasts

The few presets that I have bought were to support people, get inspiration and learn a thing or two; I don't even use them. I have huge respect for the local preset vendors and their work and I hate it when people feel entitled to free stuff. That's really an internet phenomenon.
 
phil92 said:
I maintain my original position that you as a customer are not entitled to free endless updates unless that was promised from the beginning.
Click to expand...

OK, and that's fine. But if they did offer this perk you would buy from them again, right? So would I. :)
 
spikey said:
OK, and that's fine. But if they did offer this perk you would buy from them again, right? So would I. :)
Click to expand...

like I said "If they still do it it's fantastic customer service and basically a gift."

To be honest, free updates would not be among my main criteria. I bought one of Fremen's packs mainly because I was interested in his blending approach. I'm most likely not even going to bother and download them again when he's updated. But that's my very personal and subjective approach: I don't do so well with other people's tones. I even wiped all factory presets.

I shared a few free presets here in the forum that I keep updating. Simply because I didn't want them to be outdated. If people get a kick out of them; awesome!

The only thing here that rubs me the wrong way is that sense of entitlement.
 
phil92 said:
if you buy any software, you buy it to work in a certain configuration at a certain point in time. Unless they explicitly state that they will provide you with free updates for every future major firmware update they are not required to do so.

If they still do it it's fantastic customer service and basically a gift.

Just imagine having to re-edit hundreds or even thousands of presets 2 to 4 times a year for the life cycle of the Axe FX III. For FREE. I certainly wouldn't want to do it.

Considering this I'd say the preset packs are way too cheap
Click to expand...
I was thinking about this too. I’d be happy paying a small fee for an adjusted pack. I’d be happier if the firmware didn’t change the presets though. Does Fractal go back and tweak all the factory presets after an update? I doubt it.
 
No. I bought a Moke preset or two to get some ideas, and they sounded great and had some really creative stuff that I never would have thought of. They cost me something like $10.

I do not expect Moke to keep supplying me updated presets for the rest of his life, for $10.
 
For those of us thinking about what a hassle it is for preset vendors to update their presets, just imagine the effort it takes to test, confirm, or when needed modify every amp in a major Fractal update.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom