Thank You, Bob!

[SoundSuite]

Hello all!
Life has a strange way of twisting plans.
Throughout all that has happened with me, its been forever and a year since I've posted anything.
I haven't had to.
...let me explain.

I've been chugging along using SAWStudio v3.9n on XP with a P4@1.6GHz, 2GB of RAM that was built in I think 2002? Many moons passed nonetheless.
My MOTU PCI-324 with 24i & 2408 (original) have served it's purpose for many years, but I've longed to upgrade to current tech for more than a decade.
One thing or another always showed its ugly head with incompatibilities, whether it be the PCI-324 5v slot on motherboards, driver support for newer OS, new versions of plugins not working on old OS, you name it, I've hit it.. except SAWStudio.
No matter what I couldn't do to upgrade, SAWStudio has always been flawless and has kept me writing and recording music even on this old machine.

This is not something that any other software manufacturer to my knowledge can say.
Many softwares/plugins I purchased through the years are no longer supported and/or no longer work.
There is no need mentioning them by name, you all had them too more than likely.

Because of not having the money to get or stay current, I ultimately realized I really did not "need" to upgrade as SAWStudio simply is rock solid and I have not ever had any issue with it.
Sure, I wanted the new features and I couldn't run anything realistically current in new plugins and instruments, but I've been able to do my thing with 24+ tracks, punch ins, automation, native FX and some 3rd party (Sonoris, JMS) plugins the whole time.
While I don't do work for others anymore, I still use it most every week with the guys in the band.
Thank You, Bob!

In a world of ever changing "things and gotchas", this software has been a solid workhorse even on old tech that would have issues running today's word processors.
It has truly been a pleasure using your software since Classic thru the decades and SAWStudio particularly is a big ol teddy bear hug.

Every once in a while, I'd login here on the forums to see what is cooking in SAW world.
Anything I could have answered was already answered weeks/months ago and most of the new conversations were about new features in SAWStudio I did not have at 3.9n.
All the cool new gadgets y'all were playing with, I couldn't partake in but the wealth of knowledge on the latest and greatest here is what kept me learning from the outside without hands on.
Instead of a contributor I became a lurker, but I'm fine with that because such is life.
You guys and gals are awesome at helping people and you have significantly helped me keep my ducks in a row for whenever the stars lined up.
Dang near every question or curiosity I had is answered here on the forums with use of the search feature, thank you community!

Long catch up story made shorter, I haven't been working in years.
It started in the studio with my clients being broke musicians, escalated by getting downsized and outsourced from the computer day job, then peaked with my wife having a stroke in 2015 so I'm now 24/7 caretaker.
I still do side work on computers and networks on occasion for some small local businesses and word of mouth referrals, but nothing that really pays more than the essentials as I can't have a schedule.
We have the wife's disability check and that's about it... Thankfully I had paid off the house and studio gear before it all went to heck so its just utility bills, insurance and property taxes needed, but I digress... money is always tight.
Late last year, I was able to piece together a frankenstein PC of "happiness passed on parts" from dead client computers with enough mustard on the hot dog to run Win10 comfortably.
That was hump #1 complete being a "new" aka semi-current computer, but I still needed to replace my I/O before I could use "Franky" in the studio as the MOTU gear was not going to work... at all.
Franky sat in the corner awaiting his chance to come out and play.

Fast forward thru Corona and with the help of the stimulus check (no politics) I had some grease for the wheels in hand, so I decided to take the dive before the pond dried out again.
I readhere and readthere and readanywhere, crunched possibilities, checked prices, checked stock availability.
I was shooting to replace my I/O with as many good quality channels as $1200 would buy and keep using my mixer and external racks, but I stumbled to a solution to replace all my external hardware while chasing down the info trail from here with reports of Behringer's affordable success.

I have downsized from the 24x8 mackie mixer (direct channel outs post fader into the MOTU 24i using external DBX266XL compressors on the channel inserts) to a Midas MR18 (which I consider 16 channels as the 17/18 AUX ins are taken over by DAW stereo out via USB).
The MR18 has everything gate/compressor/eq I needed in the box and can send at any point in the channel signal chain to SAWStudio via USB/ASIO.
*side note, it amazed me how many digital mixers don't offer more than post gain to USB, they intend for FOH to be everything while recording/USB is post gain only (for live recording of a show)... I get it, but not the way I want to work in the studio.

So, I finally have a running solution in the current era, lol and magically the MR18 was $1199... easy come, easy go.
Friday afternoon, I had a chance to talk to Bob on the phone and got the latest version of SAWStudio (32bit) to complete my goal.
I'm looking forward to a really fun filled weekend!

It's not often as a user you get to talk directly to "the guy" when he calls you back within a few hours of you leaving a message.
Again, thank you for taking the time to call me back personally, Bob, It was a pleasure talking to you.
I cannot adequately put into words my gratitude. A grown man has tears of joy today after years of dreams and kicks to the shin.

So, in summary... TLDR;
Thank you Bob, with special nods to this community, for keeping a taste of sanity in my mouth in an otherwise gruel world
I look forward to many more years of happiness using this software, now I'm off to go read the manual for all the new goodies at my fingertips in 5.8a!

[mr_es335]

Jon,

Just a note to say "Thank you" for the inspiring posting and I hope that you and the newer SAW "get along just fine"!!

PS: I was recently working with an acquaintance on his use of Reaper - doing what i could to assist him in getting over the various hurdles he was experiencing while all the time thinking to myself,"How great it would be if he had SAWStudio!"

Anyhow, thanks again, Jon.

[Ian Alexander]

Jon,

I agree with Dell. What an inspiring story of dedication to your wife and your music! It's good to be reminded of how fortunate we are to have stumbled onto Bob and his software.

All the best to you and your family.

[Tim Miskimon]

Yes! I agree. Bob has made a great contribution to us who have used his software for many years.

[bcorkery]

I've been using SAW since the "Plus" days with the old Card D and have never looked back! Thank you again Bob ... and to all who've supported the dream.

[Carl G.]

Agree with all posts... Thank you, Bob, for a great and very long-lasting ride with SAWPlus, SAWPlus32, SAWPro, SAWStudio, and SAC, SAWStudio 64, a SAC 64. These have provided solid 'ahead of' cutting edge technology and the updates are a solid high-quality, fast Ferarri ride to this day.
It literally is a production 'dream come true' continually over the years.
Thanks!

[rdubost]

Thanks for this, I'm glad to see I'm not alone in this awkward position of not needing a thing because the "old stuff from a decent man" is just excellent.

In my dream, as a kid, I used to envision a future where software would just improve, going from useable, to good, to excellent, to perfect; then life would be awesome because of all those things standing on old beautiful design, making the world so pretty.
Well, it didn't turn that way, did it? How many Bob's did you ever meet? Don't I want to slap those kids silly...

I was recently thinking that, although I don't need it, I should upgrade to 64bits, since it's been a while since I spent a single buck here, while doing it quite a lot in other places that certainly do not treat me as good.
Thanks Bob indeed.
Roger.