So this ia the big problem. Waves say they’re not “taking them away” but they are. All of my plug ins(I own almost all) were on v13. I like many others were waiting for Avid to release Pro Tools with full M1 support. They did on Friday afternoon. On Sunday you removed the ability for everyone to update to v14. Now, every single plugin I own is dead in the water because I can’t update. The subscription is not an update to my perpetual license. It is a reoccurring rental for products I already purchased. If I pay the subscription fee I can use the plugins, but after that year I can’t. There is no way for me to update and that is the problem I and many others are having. This absolutely screws over the entire working engineering community. The sub is great for newcomers, but the rug was just pulled out from your entire customer base with no options…other than to pay you for the rest of time.
It really stings as someone who has used their products for a very long time, I feel like they could care less about their users. Imagine investing tons of money into something to be told you have to sub to what you’ve already paid for. Absurd logic Waves.
Once $25 a month would be OK.
But I use the plugins on 4 computers. I restore analogue sound carriers.
Because of this, I now lack the second license. I don’t feel like paying 4 times $25 a month.
The second license is being stolen from us.
The lack of any warning was quite unscrupulous and the timing to catch out those waiting for Pro Tools Silicon to come into effect seems calculated.
Oh Ryan, you should have upgraded your plugs in Waves Central and simply not sync’d the updates to your DAW. Sorry for your pain man! I hope Waves accommodates situations like yours 
I understand the move to subscription model and as a former director of engineering at Cakewalk, I’m well aware of the financial realities in the MI tech biz. But, this just feels like the wrong granularity for a subscription. It’s two levels of all-or-nothing. For example, I commonly use exactly three waves plugins with just a couple others occasionally. Two of them in are the higher package. It would be tough to justify $150/yr for them but there is no way I can justify $250/yr for three plugins. I look around at the tons of plugins in those bundles and it’s mostly absolutely useless (to me) and I have no interest at all in any of it. But there’s a few that I love. I’ve kept them updated up until now, but now they are dead-ended. I imagine that most typical users are using plugins and instruments from 3, 4, 5 or more makers, and if every maker did this, we’d be looking at 4 digits yearly to keep current. That excludes a huge segment of the market (yes, I’m sure the CFO at waves has reports that would dispute this). They’re doing what they thing they have to do. I think it’s a mistake. Just one ex-user’s opinion I guess.
@bobdamit I like waves stuff. From your experience do you think they will lose a lot of revenue/users? Softube took a shot at them yesterday. You think other competitors will take advantage of this situation?
@jaaron I have no idea. I’m just a lowly programmer. It’s a tough business and the subscription model makes sense for them. Really what I am disappointed in is that they have such a vast and diverse product offering and only offer two levels of pricing: Expensive and Really Expensive. There are lots of people like me who would continue to support them with a bit more of an a-la carte pricing model. I’m not saying individual products, but more granularity to the bundles. I can’t imagine there is any user out there who really wants everything that is in one of those bundles. I guess this is the same reason I don’t watch much TV anymore 
Well I’m not a businessman but it seems to me this could’ve been done better. IF there was a warning that said, “In 30 days we’re moving to a subscription service so update your current plugins before then” but the day before they did this they were still selling and promoting buying there plugin’s which to me seems pretty unethical. WHY, couldn’t they also “grandfather” those who already “OWN” Plugins to continue as they were OR Subscribe if they want to, or for newer folks, without the option to buy. The whole things SUCKS in my most humble opinion.
I have a lot of Waves plug-ins, mainly because the bundles are so cheap.
I probably use half a dozen of them regularly. There is absolutely no way I’ll rent software, not now, not ever.
TBH, most of the basic stuff - compression, gates, reverbs etc – is done better with Logic.
Important Update: Perpetual Licenses and Updates Will Be Back Alongside Subscriptions
Letter from Meir Shashoua, Waves CTO and Co-Founder – March 29, 2023:
Dear Waves community,
Over the past few days, many of you have expressed concerns about our decision to discontinue perpetual plugin licenses and our move to an exclusive plugin subscription model. I would like to start by apologizing for the frustration we have caused many of you, our loyal customers. We understand that our move was sudden and disruptive, and did not sufficiently take into consideration your needs, wishes, and preferences. We are genuinely sorry for the distress it has caused.
After respectfully listening to your concerns, I want to share with you that we are bringing back the perpetual plugin license model, side-by-side with the new subscriptions. You will again be able to get plugins as perpetual licenses, just as before.
In addition, those of you who already own perpetual licenses will once again be able to update your plugins and receive a second license via the Waves Update Plan—again, just as before. This option, too, will be available alongside and independently of the subscription program.
We are currently putting all our efforts into making perpetual licenses available to you again, as quickly as possible. In the meantime, you can keep-up-date on this webpage, where we will post real-time updates as they are available.
I would like you to know that we are committed to you, our users. We listened to your feedback, and we will continue to listen to you. Waves is a company filled with users and creators, just like you, and we are all as passionate about the products as you are. With this in mind, we will strive to find the way to make things right by you, and hopefully regain your trust.
Thank you for your feedback and continued support—I wish you all the best,
Meir Shashoua
CTO and Co-Founder
Waves Audio
Perpetual Licenses and Updates Will Be Back Alongside Subscriptions | News |…
Following your feedback, we are bringing back the option to purchase and update perpetual licenses, side-by-side with the new Waves Creative Access subscriptions. We are working to make perpetual licenses available to you again as quickly as…
No way in hell will i subscribe to a monthly program…I buy the plugins I want…I guess it is time to look elsewhere for my plugin needs…sucks because Waves were so easy to use and install…you guys really screwed up doing this…