PSA: Saved almost 1GB by dumping unneeded AAX plugins

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stratatonic
Posts: 1507
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: CANADA

10 Sep 2020

Was poking around after installing new OS and I stumbled upon Library>Application Support>Avid
?? Avid? I don't have any Avid products. But apparently a lot of plug installers install the AAXplugin format into the Avid folder.
I always uncheck the AAX option on installing plugs - either I missed a shitload somehow on installation, or some devs just don't give that option.
Reason Lite Plug AAX is over 350MB

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MrFigg
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10 Sep 2020

stratatonic wrote:
10 Sep 2020
Was poking around after installing new OS and I stumbled upon Library>Application Support>Avid
?? Avid? I don't have any Avid products. But apparently a lot of plug installers install the AAXplugin format into the Avid folder.
I always uncheck the AAX option on installing plugs - either I missed a shitload somehow on installation, or some devs just don't give that option.
Reason Lite Plug AAX is over 350MB
Yep. Installers which don’t give an option for what to install or where to install totally suck.
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jaeproduced
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10 Sep 2020

Man, thank you I had a folder full of aax plugins just wasting space on my computer...

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Oquasec
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Joined: 05 Mar 2017

10 Sep 2020

Certified engineers would most likely need protools but if you aren't one of em then just save that space bro
Producer/Programmer.
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dvdrtldg
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10 Sep 2020

I always uncheck the AAX box. Just checked my Avid folder and it's only 13MB. Which I'm deciding to take as a sign that I don't have enough plugins

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moneykube
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10 Sep 2020

:shock: found 1,9 gig on Mac mini... now to check my laptop that is borderline full... THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER OF THIS :thumbs_up:
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Billy+
Posts: 4157
Joined: 09 Dec 2016

10 Sep 2020

Protools first is free keep the aax plugins and give it try, you might like it.

https://my.avid.com/get/pro-tools-first

jaeproduced
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10 Sep 2020

I had 2.2gb of AAX in my Avid folder my computer feels so much faster....

jaeproduced
Posts: 213
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Location: Atlanta, Ga
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10 Sep 2020

Billy wrote:
10 Sep 2020
Protools first is free keep the aax plugins and give it try, you might like it.

https://my.avid.com/get/pro-tools-first
I'm good I never liked protools which is why I rock with Reason...

Goriila Texas
Posts: 983
Joined: 31 Aug 2015
Location: Houston TX
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10 Sep 2020

That's why I keep'em I might give Pro Tools one more go now that I'm on a new Alienware computer.

Billy wrote:
10 Sep 2020
Protools first is free keep the aax plugins and give it try, you might like it.

https://my.avid.com/get/pro-tools-first

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gullum
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11 Sep 2020

Mine was almost empty only have Reason and 3 other but I don't use any VST just RE's so I was not surprised

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challism
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11 Sep 2020

MrFigg wrote:
10 Sep 2020
stratatonic wrote:
10 Sep 2020
Was poking around after installing new OS and I stumbled upon Library>Application Support>Avid
?? Avid? I don't have any Avid products. But apparently a lot of plug installers install the AAXplugin format into the Avid folder.
I always uncheck the AAX option on installing plugs - either I missed a shitload somehow on installation, or some devs just don't give that option.
Reason Lite Plug AAX is over 350MB
Yep. Installers which don’t give an option for what to install or where to install totally suck.
Nice PSA, Stratatonic. Thanks. I just cleared out 64MB. Izotope was my only violator. :(

I totally agree, Figg. I like to install all my VST plugins in one, easy to find folder C:\VSTs.
This helps my C drive to appear somewhat organized.
Plugins that don't give me the option piss me off. I usually end up moving their folders after
installation, seems to work most times.

Another thing I do is backup my VST folder after I have all the plugins I like/want in there.
If I ever need to reformat my computer, installing the plugins is as easy (in most cases) as
just dropping that folder into my new VST folder. I also keep any licenses/serial numbers
saved in that fodler.
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MrFigg
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11 Sep 2020

challism wrote:
11 Sep 2020
MrFigg wrote:
10 Sep 2020


Yep. Installers which don’t give an option for what to install or where to install totally suck.
Nice PSA, Stratatonic. Thanks. I just cleared out 64MB. Izotope was my only violator. :(

I totally agree, Figg. I like to install all my VST plugins in one, easy to find folder C:\VSTs.
This helps my C drive to appear somewhat organized.
Plugins that don't give me the option piss me off. I usually end up moving their folders after
installation, seems to work most times.

Another thing I do is backup my VST folder after I have all the plugins I like/want in there.
If I ever need to reformat my computer, installing the plugins is as easy (in most cases) as
just dropping that folder into my new VST folder. I also keep any licenses/serial numbers
saved in that fodler.
Hahaha. Exactly the same here. :)
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Italophile
Posts: 118
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

11 Sep 2020

stratatonic wrote:
10 Sep 2020
Was poking around after installing new OS and I stumbled upon Library>Application Support>Avid
?? Avid? I don't have any Avid products. But apparently a lot of plug installers install the AAXplugin format into the Avid folder.
I always uncheck the AAX option on installing plugs - either I missed a shitload somehow on installation, or some devs just don't give that option.
Reason Lite Plug AAX is over 350MB
Nice find!

Offenders for me were: Arturia, Native Instruments (Kontakt) and Synapse Audio (Legend and Obsession)

Steedus
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Location: Melbourne, AU

11 Sep 2020

Nice find.. Cleared out 3GB. Every bit helps on a 500GB Macbook.

Italophile
Posts: 118
Joined: 16 Jan 2015

11 Sep 2020

I contacted Richard at Synapse Audio and got a reply within 30 minutes. Apparently the AAX should only be installed if ProTools is installed, so there seems to be a glitch with their installers which they are going to look into.

I also contacted Arturia support about this as deleting the AAX files is only a temporary fix. I got a reply in less than an hour (if only RS were that quick!).

•If you'd like to prevent the installer to install the AAX version and to have access to the installer windows during the Install steps, make sure to uncheck the "Silent Install" checkbox located in the Arturia Software Center preferences menu (which is located at top right of window where it says Welcome Username):
ASC 2_0 Silent Install_Windows.png
Then during the install just uncheck the unwanted formats:
Screen Shot 2020-09-11 at 16_05_56.png

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stratatonic
Posts: 1507
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: CANADA

12 Sep 2020

Steedus wrote:
11 Sep 2020
Cleared out 3GB. Every bit helps on a 500GB Macbook.
That's what I have as well.

And in the same Application Support folder, there is another Pro Tools plugin folder called DigiDesign. Just shaved off another 200mb.

I've demoed a few VST/AU plugs here and there over the years and eventually deleted most of them, but there is stuff left behind by the demoes in that same Application Support folder. I saved a few GBs from those as well.

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stratatonic
Posts: 1507
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: CANADA

12 Sep 2020

challism wrote:
11 Sep 2020
I just cleared out 64MB. Izotope was my only violator. :(
You must have installed Reason 11 before the 350 mb Reason Rack AAX plugin came out. But not sure if it's in full Reason Reason installer as well as the Lite.

challism wrote:
11 Sep 2020
Another thing I do is backup my VST folder after I have all the plugins I like/want in there.
If I ever need to reformat my computer, installing the plugins is as easy (in most cases) as
just dropping that folder into my new VST folder. I also keep any licenses/serial numbers
saved in that fodler.
:thumbs_up: Great idea. Thanks.

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stratatonic
Posts: 1507
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: CANADA

12 Sep 2020

Billy wrote:
10 Sep 2020
Protools first is free keep the aax plugins and give it try, you might like it.

https://my.avid.com/get/pro-tools-first
Is that the one where you can only save 3 projects? And only to their Cloud service?
I think only AAXplugins bought through their Marketplace will work in First as well.

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Kalm
Posts: 554
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Location: Austin
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12 Sep 2020

Knew about this for a minute since I used to be on Pro Tools for about 7-8 years. The fact its even in a special location is the most annoying part.
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