These license terms apply to the use of all Secret VIP software (audio plugins and applications, e.g. Secret Future EQ 2, Secret Audio Normaliser), including updates, trial versions and free versions. The licensor is Sebastian Behrendt, Secret VIP, Marienthaler Str. 145, 20535 Hamburg, Germany ("we"). Full provider details: Imprint.
Paddle is the seller. You do not buy paid licenses from us but from the responsible Paddle company as reseller and Merchant of Record – for buyers in the EU and the UK Paddle.com Market Limited, 30 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7AU, United Kingdom (company no. 8172165). The purchase, payment, invoice and cancellation are governed by Paddle's buyer terms. We grant you the rights to use the software under these license terms.
After full payment you receive a simple (non-exclusive) license without time limit to use the software on up to two (2) computers at the same time that you own or control – for private and professional work. You can move the license by deactivating it on one computer and activating it on another. Everything you create with the software is yours; no royalties are due.
You may not rent, lend, publish or share license keys, and you may not circumvent the license check. Decompiling and reverse engineering are only allowed where the law mandatorily permits it (sections 69d, 69e German Copyright Act). Do not remove copyright or license notices.
You may pass on your license as a whole to another person if you first remove all activations, keep no copy and tell us the order number and the new person's email address so we can transfer the key. Splitting a license is not allowed.
Free software and trial versions (where offered) are provided free of charge. Trial versions are limited in time. For free software and trial versions we are only liable for intent and gross negligence and for fraudulently concealed defects (in line with sections 521, 523, 524 German Civil Code). Liability for injury to life, body or health and under the Product Liability Act remains unaffected.
Paid software needs a license key. On activation and then about every 30 days the software connects to our license server. It sends a pseudonymous computer ID (a one-way hash), the license key, the computer type and – only if you enter it – your email address. Without a connection the software keeps working for several weeks; offline activation is available on request. Details: privacy policy.
Updates within the same major version (e.g. 2.x) are free. There is no entitlement to new features or new major versions. Statutory update obligations towards consumers (section 327f German Civil Code) remain unaffected.
The features of the software are defined by the product description at the time of purchase. Audio tools such as a match EQ move a signal towards a reference; how the result sounds depends on the source material, settings, monitoring and taste. We therefore do not promise any particular sound or commercial result (such as a specific tone, loudness, chart position or acceptance by a platform). Test the software in your own setup before important projects – that is what the 14-day money-back guarantee is for.
Mind the volume: EQ boosts, saturation, gain matching, loading presets or references, and faults in host applications, drivers or plugins can suddenly produce very loud signals. Very high sound levels can permanently damage your hearing (e.g. tinnitus, hearing loss) and damage speakers or headphones. Start at a low monitoring level, raise it slowly, put a limiter on the output and take off your headphones before making big changes.
Back up your projects, presets and audio files regularly and before every installation or update. Missing reasonable backups may be taken into account as contributory negligence (section 254 German Civil Code). For loss of data we are liable – within the limits of section 10 – only for the effort that would have been needed to restore the data from proper backups; this does not apply in cases of intent or gross negligence.
(1) We are liable without limitation for intent and gross negligence, for injury to life, body or health, under the Product Liability Act, for fraudulently concealed defects and where we have given a guarantee.
(2) For slight negligence we are only liable if we breach an essential contractual obligation (cardinal obligation), i.e. an obligation whose fulfilment makes the proper performance of the contract possible in the first place and on whose fulfilment you may regularly rely, such as enabling you to use the software as agreed. In this case liability is limited to the damage that was foreseeable and typical for this type of contract when the contract was concluded.
(3) Otherwise, liability for slight negligence is excluded.
(4) These rules also apply in favour of our employees, representatives and agents. For free software and trial versions, section 4 applies. The burden of proof is not changed to your disadvantage.
Your statutory rights in case of defects (for consumers in particular sections 327 et seq. German Civil Code) remain unaffected; claims under the purchase contract are directed at Paddle as the seller. For technical problems our support helps at support@secret.vip. In addition, we give a voluntary 14-day money-back guarantee; its terms are on Cancellation and refunds. After a refund the license key is deactivated and the license ends.
If you use the software as a business (section 14 German Civil Code), in addition: claims for defects become time-barred one year after delivery; this does not apply to the cases in section 10 (1). If you are a merchant, a legal entity under public law or a special fund under public law, the place of jurisdiction is Hamburg.
A purchased license is governed by the version valid at the time of purchase. Newer versions only apply to existing licenses if you agree to them. We send earlier versions on request.
German law applies, excluding the UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods. If you are a consumer, this choice of law does not deprive you of the protection of mandatory provisions of the country where you habitually reside. We are neither willing nor obliged to take part in dispute resolution proceedings before a consumer arbitration board (section 36 VSBG). These terms are available in German and English; in case of differences the German version prevails.