PACE iLok 2nd Generation Reviews

Everett
from San Jose CA
February 12, 2013Music Background:
Recording Engineer - Being in Him series

It Works

Hard to say I'm blown away, but that is what you get with a full 5 rating. It worked as designed - my sofware runs.

Tracy Towns
from United States
December 27, 2012Music Background:
Musician, Recording Engineer.

It works well

This was easy to set up and works well. Like everything from Sweetwater I received it extremely quickly.

Don Gillespie
from Inman, SC
December 26, 2012Music Background:
Professional musician, concert pianist, published composer, 40-year veteran professional programmer.

iLok 2

Great product! Easy to use. Clear instructions.

Gustavo Remon
from Orlando, FL USA
November 9, 2012Music Background:
Recording engineer

Just great

I don't know why but I use to have problems with the first generation iLok. With this new one so far so good. I no longer get errors while im working in my sessions. Great purchase

Rick Shelley
from Baker, FL USA
October 24, 2012Music Background:
Church Musician, Amateur Recording Engineer

iLok 2nd Gen works great!

The iLok 2nd Gen works great - wonderful to be able to port my licenses from machine to machine using it. Zero issues using with Pro Tools 10

from Michigan
September 19, 2012Music Background:
Song writer/musician

Great update

Can hold alot of licenses, 1 ilok can and will go a long ways!

from
July 31, 2012Music Background:
Recording Engineer

Regards To iLock Purchase

Excellent, Great Online Service , Fast On Processing / Shipping To The Customer.

Eric Hunter
from Fort Worth, TX USA
May 19, 2012Music Background:
Recording Engineer, Guitarist, Touring Musician

It's USB awesome!

This thing is absolutely amazing. Well... it's as amazing as something like this could be. It's got a little hole on it to make a necklace out of it, or you could use it as a keychain. I wouldn't recommend the keychain option so much myself though, as it might weigh down the device and break your USB port. But all that being said, it's still pretty cool. I really like the blue stripe on the key itself. It totally says "I'm a cool, sleek device that will hold your licenses!"

And on top of all these great aesthetics, it holds 500 licenses! That's a lot of licenses to be had. I can only imagine that one would have to spend enough money for a luxury car or a house to fill the thing up, so that's a great deal for license management.

In all seriousness though, it's a dongle that holds your licenses. It's not the most exciting thing on the market, and it really does nothing to get me excited. It's a necessary evil to be had to keep people from stealing quality products that a lot of developers put a lot of time and money into. If you need one for your software, then good for you... you're doing the right thing.

ROOSEVELT
from CLeveland, Ohio USA
April 8, 2012Music Background:
Recording engineer/Producer

ILOK 2 NICE!!!!

Whats to say . Nice,well built, works great. And it holds lots of license. It look amazing more when its plugged in.Also a need this for pro tools 10 you know. Like always, THANKS TO MY SALES ENGINEER TONY DAYTON.

Dean Saghafi
from Flushing, NY
January 26, 2012Music Background:
Recording Engineer

Perfect Size

Size is perfect!!! Transferred over 110 licenses with no problem.

from Los Angeles, CA
January 9, 2012Music Background:
Recording/Live Sound Engineer, Beatmaker-Producer, DJ, Musician, ADR/Foley Artist

iLok 2nd Gen

Although this is my first iLok, it works great as expected.

Randall Moon
from United States
December 30, 2011Music Background:
engineer/producer/audio-video

New style iLok is a definite improvement.

Great improvement over the old style.Huge capacity compared to the old one. It's very nice to be able to get all your plugins on one iLok. Now I only need to buy one "Zero downtime" iLok account protection in stead of 2. Nice!

Jordan
from Atlanta, GA
October 10, 2011Music Background:
guitar god

Does the job without error

Works great- not much else to say.

Beechstudio
from North Carolina
August 27, 2011Music Background:
Recording Engineer, Musician

PACE iLOK 2nd generation

Works flawlessly! Installation was a breeze. Build is sturdy. What more could you ask for?

Chris Taylor
from Destin, fl
August 3, 2011Music Background:
Muso

Necessary evil.

I mean, come on! You know, you get that feeling that the entire class is being punished for a few diamond bundle thieves. Ok ok...I understand though, I get it. Plug-ins are worth the investment and they are worth protecting the folks who spend the time creating this great stuff. I think the ilok does just that and does it well.

Freaked I'm gonna break it though:(

It's all part of it.

Beto Montalvao
from Sao Paulo - SP - Brazil
August 3, 2011Music Background:
Sound Designer

Ilok 2nd Generation rocks

More licenses,studier and easy to handle...I was waiting for this.

Markeyse
from California
February 21, 2011Music Background:
Sound Engineer/Producer, Composer, Keyboardist

A Slam Dunk for the new iLok

This item works as good as the gen 1 version. Where it exceeds it at is the build quality. It doesn't feel "cheap" as the old one did. This feels a lot stiffer.

The smaller footprint also helps alot. It is not the big clunky USB key. It is actually the size of the other USB devices that I own, and the new color scheme with the blue LED light is just sexy, as it matches my USB hub.

I also used a sharpie to write in the area to distinguish my iLok, though I most likely won't have a lot with the expanded 500 slots for the licenses, allowing for future licenses on one iLok without the worry of running out of space. A huge plus, especially with the Waves bundles that is in my wishlist.

My only gripe is the cap. I wish there was some way to have the cap stay on the iLok, like maybe a string to keep it attach. Nothing to knock it for. This is probably the most excited I ever been about a device like this.

Matt Masek is my Sales Engineer, and made sure my order got through. Thank you!

Matthew W Seniff
from Normal, IL
February 15, 2012Music Background:
semi-Pro musician

Makes your software portable

I purchased an iLok to use with a recent plugin purchase so that I can use the software at multiple places. I have a duplicate of my studio DAW in my bedroom where I frequently work due to failed back syndrome. I am somewhat limited in the time I can spend in my studio and the duplicate DAW allows me to work on mixes and mastering while confined to bed. The iLOk allows me to install software I have only one license for on multiple machines and it allows me to use the software on whichever machine I am at (one at a time). The iLOk was easy to install and use I just take it with me to the basement studio (The Mattcave) or to my bedroom (The Boredroom) depending on my need. I was a bit hesitant about the iLok but it is a well designed system that is easy to use. I recommend to any user as it also will help protect your investment in licensed software against disk crashes etc.

dschwaig
from CA
October 25, 2011Music Background:
Home Studio Hobbyist

Works Well

Not sure "blown away" would be a good description so that's why I didn't give it a 5, but it works as it should and is an easy way to keep track of everything. Sucks you have to pay $50 for it, but at least it interfaced well with everything i needed to put on it...

P. Kelleher
from Plattsburgh, NY
October 22, 2012Music Background:
Teacher of HS Digital Media,

iLok 2nd Gen

This is the firist iLok I have needed. It works as described. I have used it daily for the past two weeks on three different computers. It engages flawlessly with each (just what I needed)

Brian English
from Vancouver Canada
September 20, 2012Music Background:
Working Hobbyist

It does what it supposed to...work!

What's to say ? It was very simple to activate and being a user who is not all that well integrated into all things digital that says a lot !

JoeTheFlow
from
January 30, 2012

It's a dongle

I wish we didn't need these things. I find them incredibly annoying. Forgot it once and was forced to have someone drive out to me.

That being said, as far as dongles go, it does the job and it doesn't look as stupid as the 1st generation.

Last Stand Studio
from NY
October 13, 2011Music Background:
Home Studio

Ilok2

I say great because it is something you need for pro tools and a lot of other plugins. But honestly it is a ton better than the first one. I just plug it to the USB port on my keyboard and you do not even notice it is there. I have read in other reviews that there should have been a place to store the cap, I agree with that. Although I do not really need it because for me the Ilok becomes a permanent part of my computer.

Randy Akins
from Fort Wayne, IN
September 20, 2011Music Background:
Recording Engineer, Musician

Easy Upgrade!

Moving my software licenses from my multiple original ilok keys was very easy and fast. I look forward to filling the ilok2 up with new licenses!

Jeff Costa
from Myrtle Beach, SC
June 30, 2011Music Background:
Live Sound/ Recording Engineer

So far, so good

Pretty straight forward on the license transferring. No problems with Pro Tools 9 recognizing it yet!

Robert Xeno
from Nashville, TN
March 23, 2012Music Background:
35 years producing, engeneering and recording very cool and excellent music.

iLok 2nd Generation

So it is finally awesome that they have decided to make an iLok that will hold 500 license.....
But in the year 2012 , to design a usb device with a cap /end that comes off and then is completely detached from the main unit is absurd.

It should slide in and out, hang from a string or chain, or in SOME way be LOGICALLY connected.

I believe that we can clearly see that rather than thinking the designers were brain dead, it is more a case of their planned obsolescence.
And the hope we LOSE the end cover then byu traveling (I have 6 I take them everywhere) they hope we break or destroy the iLok and then have to buy a new one. Also, to “protect us” along the way they offer the $29 a year license protection plan FOR EACH iLOK. OMG Seriously?

We are NOT being well se4rved here people. This is insulting.

Stormy Weather
from San Angelo, tx
March 28, 2013Music Background:
hobbyest, noise maker, with rare live performances,

iSaw,ilike, iBought it.

Its a necessary evil for unlocking or selling software that I wanted, my top complaint is the fornfactor, at least compared to the old ilock design this one is actually a respectable looking drive, but I think its too long, it begs to snap away the precious and flimsy USB port its attached to, But then again there are features that the Pace Software and iLok website provide that arent bad and thus warrant my lack of "overpriced" as it seems to cover its features well. it saves me from having to plug in software keys everytime I plug it in. On the plug side, it glows blue! I'm paranoid of looking the iLock cap. It does what I need and has capacity to hold more liscenses then I could dream of owning. so it works I suppose.. gets a 2 for being a rather "long" dongle by moderns tandards, and having an easy to loose cap.
Pros; Reliable and easy registration, looks way better then their old key, and finally does what it supposed to.

from
June 14, 2012

Cap Suggestion

I appreciate the cap comments. What I am going to do is use Velcro tape to secure the cap to the side. I use this to organize my tools. This stuff is handy to have around.

I had to buy this thing to get a free software offer. The old iLok won't work with it. Hopefully I won't have to buy another one but I doubt it. It must have a new type of encryption. More companies may require this at some point I think for their new software.

I hated dongles when they first came out but now I like the freedom of being able to switch computers easily. Companies which use iLok shouldn't require a password to download software updates. That is stupid, redundant and annoying!

Brian Seeger
from New Orleans
May 4, 2011Music Background:
Producer, Composer, Professional Musician

iLok 2nd Generation

Plusses: Smaller, seems more sturdy, fits more licenses, labeling, cap. Relatively easy to move licenses from old iLok to new one

Minuses: Kind of expensive for what it is

Totally Stupid: Why would you totally redesign this thing, and even include a cap, and then not make it so the cap fits on it somehow, or is connected to it when you take it off. Brainless! How much are spare caps going to cost, and/or are they even going to be available? It is very likely people are going to lose caps.

Greg Forest
from United States
July 12, 2012Music Background:
musician, engineer, producer for 40 years.

Concept & Deployment Sucks

I've been programming and recording since the green screen days and this product appears to be one of the worst hardware/software designs I have encountered. Driver and client downloads are required (guess they forgot they could put it on the device itself). Many new USB devices are now loaded with the drivers on the device. Makers of $15 MIDI USB interfaces have figured it out. Duh. Driver and client footprint are HUGE - over 80MG - as big as many workstation applications.

I understand the need for such products but it took me over an hour to install this widget that, if the designers and product afflitates had been thinking is entirely unnecessary. Modern operating systems can detect machine numbers and it would have been much easier to just stamp the software with the machine number and that number only via the web. I believe you get the dongle just to make you think you got something of value for your $50. You have to get to the website anyway to transfer or store any of your licensed devices.

And being a USB device, they could have designed the worthless widget a bit better with a few gig of storage for your registered plugin DLLs and perhaps a ring or something to put it on a lanyard.. I'm truly amazed that there are so many five-star reviews the 1st generation of this product must have been even worse..

Sweetwater is the best = I rarely buy anywhere else, but if these reviews are moderated, I doubt anyone but the moderator will ever see this review.