KVR Audio

Karl the Hermit · Post by **Karl the Hermit** » Fri Dec 15, 2017 2:19 pm

A couple of generic, computer questions before I set my DAW up...

1) I need everyone's favorite link for optimizing my computer for DAW setup. I have this crazy computer with a 128 gb solid state drive running Windows 7 on it, and another drive thats, like, a single terabyte platter drive. Not positive about the ram, but I think it's like a gig or two of DDR3. I have a computer guy coming over to help me, but he's not real up on making music on a computer. So, while I prefer simple instructions, something more technical might work too.

2) When perusing this site, I keep seeing references to 64-bit. WTF does that mean? Do I need a 64-bit OS with a 64-bit host that can handle a 64-bit vst(i)? I don't know what bit-age my OS has, but if I can make decent sound-quality tunes using a 32-bit standard across the board, I'd rather do that.

3) I keep seeing these designations for instruments/effects that baffle me. I know what vst and vst3 are, but AU and the rest don't compute. And whatever happened to dx(i)?

I've been out of this computer muso thing for awhile... so pardon my ignorance...

Thanks...

zenophilix · Post by **zenophilix** » Fri Dec 15, 2017 8:47 pm

1) PreSonus has some decent optimization tips on their website: https://support.presonus.com/hc/en-us/a ... -Windows-7

2) 64-bit refers to the architecture of the computer's processor. 64-bit allows for more ram, generally better performance, etc. To run a 64-bit DAW, you will need a 64-bit OS. However, you can still run a 32-bit DAW on either 32 or 64-bit OSes. 32-bit is generally a bit obsolete at this point, most DAWs you find will be 64-bit. You can find out which one your OS is by right-clicking on My Computer and going to Properties, it should be listed there. Even if it's 32-bit, you'll almost certainly be able to install the 64-bit version - seeing as your computer is running DDR3 RAM, and you have to go pretty far back to find a 32-bit CPU.

3) AU stands for Audio Unit, which is a file format used for plugins on OS X. AAX is a proprietary format used for Pro Tools. Unless you're on a Mac or using PT, you'll only have to worry about VSTs for the most part. (and honestly, I'm not entirely sure what dx(i) is, probably too young to know it)

BertKoor · Post by **BertKoor** » Fri Dec 15, 2017 10:24 pm

Weren't dx plugins only accepted by Cakewalk Sonar? These peted out before Sonar kicked the bucket themselves, vst won that battle.

Edit: dx was DirectX - open standard by Microsoft.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectX_plugin
Based on COM objects which explains its death. COM didn't gracefully survive the transfer to 64 bits.

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Fri Dec 15, 2017 10:32 pm

zenophilix wrote:1) PreSonus has some decent optimization tips on their website: https://support.presonus.com/hc/en-us/a ... -Windows-7

Same with Steinberg: https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-u ... s-for-DAWs

zenophilix · Post by **zenophilix** » Fri Dec 15, 2017 11:02 pm

chk071 wrote:
zenophilix wrote:1) PreSonus has some decent optimization tips on their website: https://support.presonus.com/hc/en-us/a ... -Windows-7
Same with Steinberg: https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-u ... s-for-DAWs

+1, probably worth looking through a few of these guides from different DAW teams for any non-overlapping information.

Karl the Hermit · Post by **Karl the Hermit** » Sat Dec 16, 2017 2:25 pm

Thanks for the info!

When I first found KVR, back in 2009, dx(i) was fairly ubiquitous. It was never as popular as vst(i), but it was out there. I never liked having multiple formats anyway, so good on Steinberg!

chk071 · Post by **chk071** » Sat Dec 16, 2017 2:29 pm

I remember that only Sonar still had support for dxi (don't think the other DAW's have dxi support for several years now), and that even their onboard plugins were dxi plugins. Always appeared to be quite obsolete, alongside the antique looking GUI's of the plugins.

Karl the Hermit · Post by **Karl the Hermit** » Sat Dec 16, 2017 2:47 pm

chk071 wrote:I remember that only Sonar still had support for dxi (don't think the other DAW's have dxi support for several years now), and that even their onboard plugins were dxi plugins. Always appeared to be quite obsolete, alongside the antique looking GUI's of the plugins.

Ah, I think back in 2005, when I first dabbled in computer music, Acid 3.0 was using dxi standard, IIRC. Then again, that was back when they were owned by.... ummm... Sonic Foundry?

Optimization and Some Other Advice