# And now for something we hope you'll REALLY like...

- Site: Analog Industries
- Author: Chris Randall
- Date: 2008-04-02
- URL: https://analogindustries.com/2008/04/and-now-for-something-we-hope-youll-really-like/

![And now for something we hope you'll REALLY like...](https://analogindustries.com/images/blog/dub_new.jpg)

As I mentioned two posts ago, we're holding off on the release of Kombinat for a little while, in order to allow for the fact that Adam has to do a do-over on his aborted Japanese vacation of last year. We _could_ get it out before he leaves, but he wouldn't be around if there were issues, as I mentioned, and that's no good.

So, in the meantime, we're going to give you this bad boy, hopefully by the end of the week. Witness Dubstation 1.5. The main change is one long-asked-for feature, a "HI CUT" knob. How it works is thus: at full on, Dubstation will work just like the original, with the delay time setting the high-cut filter frequency. In this manner, you're able to bring in a touch (or a lot) of high frequencies just by rolling back the knob a bit.

Also, as should be obvious from the image above (whack that bitch for a full-sized iteration) the UI has received a fairly major upgrade, to bring it in line with our current product line and do away with the oft-heard complaint that the tilted view was annoying. (Now, you can complain that it is too dark, or the cartoon look was more conducive to creation, or something. Ho, ho, ho.) We're also doing away with the split personality nature of the delay time knob; it will now work just like it does in Dr. Device, with no hidden parameters or anything.

The downside for OSX customers is that we're deprecating 10.3.9 support. You will need 10.4.1 or better (preferably 10.4.9 or better) to use Dubstation 1.5. Obviously, your install of Dubstation 1.0.whatever will still work fine, as long as Apple doesn't decide something silly.

This will be a free update to existing Dubstation owners, and Dubstation's price will remain at US$39.00. Also, it will have a different ID and name, so you can use both. The parameter list has changed and VST projects that use the original one would have issues with the new one if we didn't do it like this. So existing customers need not worry in the slightest; your projects will be totally safe. We're just tidying up the Windows version; the OSX VST and AU should build straight away, and we don't foresee any issues there, so this should be available by the end of the week.

## Comments (10)

**studio nebula** (2008-04-02):

I feel compelled to mention that dropping support for 10.3.9 isn't something we're doing on a whim. Apple has made it effectively impossible to create code for 10.3.9 with a machine running 10.5. We have to keep our machines up to date with the current stuff so we don't have much choice in the matter. Yes, theoretically we could dual-boot our Macs or something, but that seems like an unnecessary hassle considering how old 10.3.9 is at this point. As it is we have to create four different versions of each plug-in (two formats times two CPUs) so adding platform-specific versions would just be getting out of hand. (This is also why you may have noticed other companies dropping support for 10.3.9 lately.)

So, apologies in advance to any DubStation users still running 10.3.9. This is the price of what Apple considers progress.

--Adam

**quantize** (2008-04-02):

Whew! on the UI...never complained but have always found it a little annoying...really looking forward to this

thanks guys...and have a great time in Japan, Adam..will be a hoot no doubt!

**tom** (2008-04-02):

looks better, but IMO could have done without the fake jacks and 'table top' background. i would have harmonised it even more to the current product line which doesn't waste space with this kind of eye candy.

still looking forwards to it though ;)

**tom** (2008-04-02):

oh, and thanks for the free upgrade !!!

**Chris Randall** (2008-04-02):

Those jacks aren't fake.

EDIT: Actually, if I may extrapolate upon that statement somewhat, part of the alure of commercial plugins is in the suspension of disbelief. Taking your thoughts one step further, there is no real reason to use a custom GUI when the generic ones provided by the hosts do a fine job.

But the difference between a nice 3D UI and the generic one is the difference between caring about your package and the way you present it to the world, and not. That care runs through the entire product. I would be willing to make the following statement: if we released _exactly_ the same product line, but did it with generic UIs, we would have sold about 8. Dubstation made quite a splash when it was first released due to the cel-shaded UI, which was unique at that time. Whether I did the UI cel-shaded or not has no bearing whatsoever on the sound of the plugin, but the vast majority of people use the looks to inform their buying decisions.

Or to put it another way, part of our sales result from how a plugin sounds, and to be sure, part of them result from how it looks; mostly it is a combination of the two things.

-CR

**DGillespie** (2008-04-02):

Wait, if they aren't fake, what's the input impedance, am I going to need a reamp plug-in now?

Hehe, seriously though, you're right about UI, you need to make people want to use something and you guys always seem to do a good job at that.

**ash** (2008-04-02):

just like 'fanmail from some flounder...'
a pleasant surprise.
mr peabody would be proud..

better ui for sure, too.

ta

**stevo83** (2008-04-02):

Good work. Nice UI. I have to admitt that the semi-3d thing on Dubstation did used to nark me a little (though no way near to the extent of me not using the blighter). It is the Audio Damage plugin i use the most though so any upgrade is good news. However, Im hoping that the Kombinat thing can knock Dubstation of its high perch in terms of being used consistently, or should i say constantly.

I agree that the way a plugin looks affects peoples immediate reaction to it. Unfortunately i think we do judge the book by the cover.

**giantm** (2008-04-02):

So, if the jacks are real, is the unit passive or battery powered? I always pictured Dubstation as either running off of a standard BOSS 9v supply, or some sort of 1950's cloth insulated, electrical tape repaired, lamp cord. Also, I'm assuming that the virtual cabling is of suitable boutique quality, I don't want to be patching stuff together with virtual HOSA cables.

Anyways, your point about appearance is 100% correct. I have been telling people at work for years now that if an app doesn't look good people are much more likely to complain about stupid stuff. If you create a positive environment with a good UI, people are more likely to be in a positive mood.

**Chris Randall** (2008-04-02):

That's funny. I gave Ratshack Reverb the cheap Radio Shack cables (and users will note the ability to switch the inputs from mic to line by clicking on the cables) and the battery test switch works just like it would if the unit was powered from a wall wart.

Since Dubstation has no real world analog (oh, I slay myself) I didn't really see the need to go whole hog like that. So let's just say the cables are hand-made from the finest natural rubber, gold-plated nickel solid core wire, and the cannons are hand-turned out of solid nickel bar stock. And the unit runs off two AAA batteries.

-CR