digitalslr
Processing audio on a GPU is a lower level issue than a plugin standard which describes the interface between the DAW and the plugin (how audio, parameters, notes, modulation data, etc. are exchanged).
I wonder if this brings anything cool to the table for effects plugins? Does it allow for per-voice effects?
>additional software, security tools (digital dongles) and drivers
Vital appears to install/require none of these things.
>found the free version to be limited in many subtle ways
Subtle how? It's all listed on their home page: there are less presets (you can make your own) and there are less wavetables (you can import your own). The only functional limitation is on using the "text-to-wavetable" feature to generate wavetables.
Otherwise, you have all the same modulation, filtering, wavetable morphing, & FX that the paid version does. If you choose to pay for it, you're basically just buying more presets.
Still, I agree that vinyl is nowhere close to ideal in terms of sound quality. I enjoy it in spite of that.