Looks like VST support has changed for the better somehow! Is this by accident, or conscious?
Just tested IK Multimedia's ARC System VST plugin ...
it now affects the chain audibly, according to its preset, just by opening MC15 and playing some track right off the bat.
All through MC14 I'd never been able to do that. The VST would never be allowed to affect the audio chain audibly unless I first started a track playing, then manually opened the DSP Studio, displayed the ARC plugin panel, and choose a preset.
This has been just one of many weird, difficult to track bugs I've experienced with pretty much any pro VST plugins in MC14 (Waves, iZotope, IK Multimedia). I hope this signals some kind of fundamental improvement.
I'll begin a new batch of tests with MC15 and report back when I get the time.
(For those who don't know...)
Combining MC and IK ARC is the only way to get media library playback through a commercial software calibrator / room compensator other than buying an outboard hardware unit, or a new fancy A/V reciever with it built in. If you're an MC nut like me and want to blow your mind - treat your room to the extent you can then get IK ARC, measure your room and add the custom filter to MC's DSP Studio. It is like $500-600 and you need a decent mic input, but IK's ARC http://www.ikmultimedia.com/arc/features/ is the only room correction system (in the proper sense of the term) available as a software application and plugin. It comes with a calibrated test mic and uses the same Audyssey MultEQ® that's in expensive hardware solutions which are not nearly as flexible. With MC being the only media player/library app which attempts VST support, I'm always surprised how little discussion there is about combining these technologies properly. P.S. - There are some freeware products available to do somthing similar but its 100 times more work and you nearly need to be an engineer to tackle it all.