Cakewalk CA-2A Vstplugin free (limited time only)

  • OK, after spending the whole morning signing up, installing the Cakewalk app and then the plugin and finally futzing around with trying to get it to work, I can safely say that for me at least, the AU version of the plugin is definitely-flakey. IMHO, the AU implementation leaves much to be desired in terms of its fussiness based upon the hundreds of others I've used over many years, and does not reflect well on Cakewalk. Thankfully it's loadable if one's willing to make a few sacrifices:


    1) Do not rename it.


    I always prepend the manufacturer's name to all my plugs to make identification easier in the OS. This is the only plugin I have that will not accommodate this, which is an inconvenience 'cause it spoils my "perfect" setup's layout.


    2) Do not move it to your User Components folder.


    I always keep FX / processing plugins in my User Components / VST folders, and VIs in the System ones. This one will not tolerate this, so once again, having it stored as the odd one out in the "wrong" folder as well as with the "wrong" name is an inconvenience.


    These exceptions to my rules mean I've had to tag the plugs (colour) and produce notes outlining their limitations so I'm not confused at some point down the track by their apparently-anomalous existence.


    I used every trick in the book to get it to pass the AU exam. I can't get the VST to even show up in DP's list of existing-but-unexamined plugins (the app's set to use AU only, a decision I made many years ago, having decided to avoid VST and embrace the AU format). It'll be a while before I can test how it sounds (Mac speaker won't cut it obviously), but it had better be phenomenal or it will be relegated to the "been-there, not-worth-the-headaches" bin.


    So, bottom line, if you use Digital Performer (I can't speak for other DAWs), don't move or rename the plugins and you'll probably be OK, but I can't guarantee long-term stability 'cause I did notice out-of-the-ordinary behaviour from DP throughout the experimentation process.


    Lastly, thank you Peter for sharing this with us. Hopefully nobody else has to endure half a day of head-scratching as I did!

  • I 'm sorry to read the troubles you got with the installation.
    I already using sonar as my DAW and installation was quick and easy (for me).
    However hope you find the plugin useful as I do.

  • Thank you for your empathy, Peter!


    I'm glad to hear it's proving useful for you, and I hope others too. The silly thing is that DP already has a sim of that unit built into it and I've probably got too many compressors anyway, as is likely the case for many of us. We tend to keep collecting these things in the interests of adding new colours to our pallettes, and I'm certainly guilty of this. Throughout the shenanigans of yesterday I was asking myself, "why am I going through all this when I've probably got more than enough of these things anyway?", but the disease of seeking new colours / GAS just kept kicking back in! LOL


    Thank you again, mate.