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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2002
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PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 257 |
🌟 Breaking News! 🌟
We’re thrilled to announce that Rustyspoon has made PG history as the very first person to successfully complete the download and install of the full Band-in-a-Box 2025 Windows Audiophile Edition (with FLAC files)—a whopping 610GB of data! 🎶
A big shoutout to Rustyspoon for stepping up to be our test "elf!"
Thank you for your support, Rustyspoon!
Catherine
Last edited by Catherine; 12/16/24 01:17 PM.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2002
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PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
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This is the new 2025 Audiophile Edition with the FLAC files.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Misha, how long did the download take?
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
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Misha knows. He may wish to post the results but I think he’s testing to help PG Music.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Nov 2009
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Expert
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Expert
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Bandcamp Win-11; BiaB-2026 Audiophile (latest version)
Cakewalk Sonar; Melodyne-5; Scaler 3; NI Komplete:
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Catherine,
You making it sound like I was carrying these gigabytes on my shoulders all the way from beautiful Victoria, CA.
To those who might be interested. I've purchased my yearly upgrade, but asked for opportunity to test downloading entire Flac Audiophile version. Personally, I was interested to see if it's possible for someone like me, with very average.... actually below average connection, to complete this. To test integrity of downloaded files and fairly large installation. So here are the details:
My connection is 100mbps. Weekend traffic put it fluctuating between 45-65mbps.
I was given a special link for Download Manager that produced a list of 46 files.
Aside from program files, content were split averaging 20gb per package.
To check integrity of the process, I uninstalled all PGM and related software from my computer except for the Download manager.
Download took me about 30 hours with my relatively slow connection, that was slowed down even more by general weekend traffic and other daily internet activity of whole family.
After download was completed, I pressed big yellow button in D.Manager: "DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL ALL"... and to my surprise, installation went through without a single error.
I was downloading and installing on internal m.2 gen4 drive. Actual installation took less than 1 hour. Opened BIAB, pressed "rebuild" and it was ready to rock&roll. So far - no issues.
Not suitable for all, but definitely a viable option if you have your own media, want to save a few $ and/or want it faster. Definitely a good option to have looking at the future.
PGM, thank you for the opportunity.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2002
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PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
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A 30-hour download is no small task, but it sounds like everything went smoothly, which is fantastic to hear!
Thank you for sharing the details of your experience, including the download speed and the drive you installed it on—I'm sure this will be helpful to others.
We would also recommend installing to an SSD for faster performance and to save time.
Thank you!
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[quote=Rustyspoon# My connection is 100mbps. Weekend traffic put it fluctuating between 45-65mbps. Download took me about 30 hours with my relatively slow connection [/quote] Misha, from my perspective you do not have a relatively slow connection. My download speed via landline is roughly 17 Mbps. Per my calculations it would take greater than 3 days (assuming no interruptions) to download 610GB. Two years ago I downloaded the Ultrapak and it took over a day. Our local utility is promising "broadband speeds" using fiber some time in 2025 or 2026, until then snail mail is my solution for BiaB upgrades. Thanks for sharing your results, it gives me something to look forward to 
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
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Question related:
If I bought the Audiophile 2024 to Audiophile 2025 downloadable, would I have access to the download of the whole Audiophile contents or only the 30GB?
I am really interested for a number of reasons:
1) Downloading ~0.6TB of data is OK for me. I've got a 1Gbps/line, and everything up to my computer is Gb Ethernet. When I am not limited by servers, I can download at full speed (means about 2 hours to download everything, I have downloaded a few sampling libraries from 50GB to 270GB from different vendors and it's OK). At this very moment I am installing Sounpaint's "Dunescape" (50GB), no issue, just a few minutes.
2) Buying BiaB in SSD means a physical purchase, it adds customs when bought from Europe (at least this happenede to me last year). Time and money... for nothing.
If the answer is "no", the next question is... Could I download the 30GB of new contents and batch-convert all the audio files in RealTracks and RealDrums folders to their .flac counterparts? Should this work when BiaB now can read both .wav and .flac versions? Or this possibility must be somehow "installed" so the new .flac files are really recognized as their .wav counterpart?
If the answer is "no"; then also I understand that the desciption of the long download by the original poster is just an experiment for a future option.
If downloading (or alternatively batch-converting) is OK, this new possibility could tip the scales to update my BiaB with the Audiophile version.
Thanks!
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Congratulations on making PG Music history Misha. And you volunteered. I thought everybody knows never to volunteer. Excellent write-up regarding your download and install experience. Thank you for taking more than thirty hours of your life to become a guiding beacon for other users interested in Audiophile .downloads.
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MoultiPass,
dude it's supposed to be funny. On the other hand, it was a successful test, showing that what was possible only by shipping of physical drive, now technically possible to obtain in a digital form by a person with average connection. I am not a hero, just a guinea pig, but I salute PGM for making this process, which includes transfer and installation of large chunk of data trouble free.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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This is all very funny and an interesting thing to test, but I think it’s not needed.
Just buy the $199 audiophile update tiny SSD once to get ALL the past RealTracks in Flac files as well as the new ones. From now on (starting next year), all you will have to do is download the very much smaller update of only the new RealTracks. And you won’t be collecting hard drives anymore.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Matt,
Separately, just for the purpose of the exercise, did you do a test with your blitz-speed internet connection at all?
I think the download option also saves a lot of EU folk the extra VAT costs.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Trevor, I mentioned somewhere I would be happy to run a test using Gigabit Internet. Shouldn’t be too painful.
About the VAT, that was an important reason to develop the download solution but I thought I read that someone got charged based on the retail value of the download - something like that - and downloading the product did not save what they thought it might. That could be wrong and I would appreciate a better explanation from someone who lives in the EU.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Hi Matt, speaking from a UK perspective, I got charged 20% VAT on the retail cost of this year's upgrade. The charge is applied when purchasing. This happens on all my purchases from US vendors for software and subscriptions.
BIAB 2025 Ultrapak, Mixcraft Pro 10.5
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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I don't think the download has anything to do with it (VAT or not VAT).
In my experience (I am in EU) it is baset on the value of the purchased goods itself and your registered address/country in the BIAB account.
This is then used by the payment service provider to add the correct VAT for that specific country (for some counties VAT could be 25%)
(I guess that's the reason why there were no VAT added before when payed, I guess directly to PGMusic, but later on changed when they switched over to an external payment service).
Nowadays it is the same for most online shopping sites (at least for the larger on-line shops).
BIAB 2026, Studio Pro 8, Song Master Pro, Win11 Home. i7-9700K CPU, 32GB, ESI MAYA44eX, ZOOM UAC-2, Guitar Pro 8, Transcribe, (EZKeys2, EZD3, SD3, EZBass, EZMix3)
Amateur: fiddle, guitar, vocal, beginner on bass.
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In my case (Spain) it is VAT (21%) over the whole price PLUS Customs fees on the value of the physical media (thankfully PGMusic made clear in their export documentation that the physical goods crossing the border had a relatively small value!). Then Customs did not charge anything but a small fee "for handling" (inspecting) the physical parcel, if I remember correctly. This is not always the case, this is very unpredictable. At the end it is full VAT + extra costs + 3 or 4 extra days (it can be 2 or 20 in my expience with other imported goods) + never being totally sure if I'll ever receive the hard drive or not, when at at which total cost. The risk is that if for ANY reason Customs decide that I have to pay a premium, I cannot return my purchase. It happened to me with some goods that I sent to myself from UK to Spain when moving out! So I was very glad when this morning I saw THIS (I am not totally sure it was available one week ago): ![[Linked Image - Only viewable when logged in]](https://www.pgmusic.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=download&Number=29481&filename=kkkk.jpg) This means I will not be forced to receive an IMPORTED physical drive to update or upgrade (or to buy from a retailer... a FULL Audiophile version at full price in an European retailer). I can just download. If PGmusic servers are not the bottleneck, downloading everything can be done in a couple of hours with my home-office connection. I've already downloaded sampling libraries with similar sizes (280GB in less than 1 hour). For future years there is a new option on the table: The difference between Audiophile "plus" (only new content) or Audiophile "upgrade" (all content in FLAC, new contents from 2 or more years plus older contents for 299$). This means the normalization of using downloads for Audiophile. Having the option cannot be bad.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Thanks for the info but I think I’m more confused now than I was before.
I also just learned that the VAT % differs by country. [Im not being critical; in my own state of New York, people drive to different counties to save a percent on sales tax. Totally silly situation but it’s real money on a large purchase.]
Parapnte, good observation! I think the $299 audiophile download is indeed newly added, I suppose as a result of Rustyspoon’s successful test. I note that the $149 download upgrade and $199 SSD audiophile upgrade options both say Limited Time availability. We won’t know if that’s temporary for technical changes, or part of the normal post-release discounts, until we see our options a year from now.
PatrickS, about your upgrade: did you download it, or did you get shipped a package? And in case it wasn’t apparent, PG Music is in Victoria, British Columbia Canada. Same tax though, yes?
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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PG Music Staff
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Hello!
Yes, looking into various download package options right now. I will update you shortly!
Thank you!
Catherine
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
Update to Build 10 of RealBand® 2026 for Windows®!
If you're already using RealBand 2026 for Windows, download build 10 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
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