Now ILOK-less Largo works with Wine in Linux...

[Markku]

Waldorf removed ILOK and now with serial protection, Largo works well in Linux (with Wine, of course).

Really nice sound. Quite CPU-intensive (same class as Diva with heavier patches), but really rich sound. Usable from basses to FM-like high bell sounds. Some new directions for sound (for me at least). Large factory preset set (+ preset sets from several sound designers).

Installation is easy, free trial for 30 days.

It's not cheap, I admit, but I think it's worth the price.

Activation is (*cough*) quite unique, but by reading instructions really carefully it's easy. (Hint: you really need to redeem that coupon...)

One good synth more in Linux. Progress!

[Ingonator]

Good to hear that Largo could also work in Linux.

FWIW Largo never used iLok but the eLicenser protection (both the USB dongle and soft elicenser). The new copy protection is indeed a simple serial number.

CPU use of the latest 64-bit VST2 does not even seem to be close to Diva here, at least if teh 64-birt plugin isused in Windows 10 64-bit. If Diva is used with multicore support the CPU might look less while it is just spread across multiple cores. Of course the CPU use in Diva also heavily depends on which quality mode is used (highest is Divine mode).

I am a long time beta tester for Waldorf and also test in multiple hosts )e.g. Live 9, Cubase 9, Bitwig 2.0, Pro Tools 12.6). Anyway so far testing in Linux is very rare. Actually there is no official tester for Linux so far AFAIK.
Personally for audio software i would prefer using Windows or OSX instead. Even with WINE the performance of plugins compared to a native Windows should to be different AFAIK.

I'll again talk with some people at Waldorf very soon and maybe i could mention that Largo now also works with Wine in Linux. Anyway i am not sure how far there could be official support for Linux users soon.
In the last years having two platforms (Windows and OSX) and many plugin formats (64-bit/32-bit, VST2, VST3, AU, AAX) was alraedy a big challenge in terms of testing properly, not to forget testing in multiple hosts including e.g. Cubase, Live, Studio One, Logic, Bitwig and Pro Tools.

[chk071]

I wouldn't say CPU use is near Diva territory either. In fact, it seems to be less than it used to be, pre version 1.5.2. I'd say, considering the sound quality, the CPU use is quite moderate.

[Ingonator]

I wouldn't say CPU use is near Diva territory either. In fact, it seems to be less than it used to be, pre version 1.5.2. I'd say, considering the sound quality, the CPU use is quite moderate.

There are no native Linux plugins from Waldorf yet so comparing the performance there to that in Windows and OSX seems to be difficult.

There was also a bigger difference when using tez 32-bit plugin wit ha bridge in 64-bit hosts. A bridge seems to increases the CPU use, same should happen when using the Windows plugin with WINE in Linux.

As mentioned above the multicore mode in Diva could look like lower CPU use while it just distributes the CPU load over multiple cores. On the other hand the lower qualioty modes in Diva do use a lot less CPU than the Divine mode.

[EvilDragon]

Well, who knows how WINE emulation impacts CPU usage...

[Markku]

Personally for audio software i would prefer using Windows or OSX instead. Even with WINE the performance of plugins compared to a native Windows should to be different AFAIK.

I'll again talk with some people at Waldorf very soon and maybe i could mention that Largo now also works with Wine in Linux. Anyway i am not sure how far there could be official support for Linux users soon.
In the last years having two platforms (Windows and OSX) and many plugin formats (64-bit/32-bit, VST2, VST3, AU, AAX) was alraedy a big challenge in terms of testing properly, not to forget testing in multiple hosts including e.g. Cubase, Live, Studio One, Logic, Bitwig and Pro Tools.

I would not propose to anyone to use Linux for audio work. It can be very complicated and many things are not possible (for example ILOK/PACE/eLicenser etc.). However, there are already so many of us (Linux users), so I thought it would be nice to announce that a major synth is now *usable* in Linux.

Probably my CPU usage differs from others, my rigs are very unusual. However, it's fair to say that something like Zebra doesn't take as much CPU juice as Largo (and Diva) do. But it *is* usable; it has complex UI so this could be a problem with Wine, but is not. But all I'm saying is that you need to freeze tracks earlier than with, say, Zebra.

[HcDoom]

We need larger GUI... vst2 64bit Win...and layer volume knobs...

[Ingonator]

We need larger GUI... vst2 64bit Win...and layer volume knobs...

64-bit VST2 for Windows is available since around 2014 and also all other plugin formats like VST3, AU and AAX are available in 64-bit.
In that way this is true for all Waldorf plugins except Lector where the AAX plugin is still missing.

[TheKid]

Simple serial? I'm gonna take a look at Largo now.

[RobGee]

We need larger GUI... vst2 64bit Win...and layer volume knobs...

64 bit has been available for years and layers already have volume controls?

I agree it could do with a bigger or resealable gui though.

[EvilDragon]

Yes, each layer already has level control, at the end of each filter section. Sorta.

[WoodMan]

Well, who knows how WINE emulation impacts CPU usage...

Remember 'Wine Is Not an Emulator'.

It is true that some applications / plugins do not work correctly under WINE. However, for those that do work, the platform has been very solid in my experience and CPU performance on a par with native Windows.

[Markku]

One must also remember, that Linux use is not officially supported, so if one has problems, one must solve them by themself...

However, Waldorf has a good system (for Largo at least), a free 30 day full feature trial. I tested and liked it, so it was safe to buy. Installation was very simple and Waldorf does not have extra baggage (like license managers and other nuisances).

(For the record, I have several Native Instruments synths which I can't update in Linux, because I can't install a new manager app. Old manager works. I do like Waldorf's system more, naturally.)

[glokraw]

Well, who knows how WINE emulation impacts CPU usage...

wine has some advantage in that it is not dealing with the entire OS,
just the relevant parts of the api. Critical .dll parts of System32 can be copied
to the wine system32, replacing the limited wine componant,
and listed as an 'over-ride' in the winecfg config panel.

If you start reaper in a terminal, sometimes the vst scanning is unhappy,
and lists the windows item(s) having trouble, and those can be added
to the over-rides, hoping to get lucky.
Apparently a Kontakt user joined the wine team a while back,
and has made some successful contributions for general vst use.

The reaper linux port has improved greatly in the last two weeks,
and with wine 2.1 or newer, a lot of commercial plugins can be used
after Airwave conversion, (it wraps the vst, and makes a .so version,
that native linux vst hosts can load) Reaktor 5, Massive, Guitar Rig, and Absynth,
among others. I've got an ancient Largo installer, I'll have to give it a try later.
Cheers

[glokraw]

Waldorf removed ILOK and now with serial protection, Largo works well in Linux (with Wine, of course).
Really nice sound.

Very good news. There's a plugins subforum at http://www.linuxmusicians.com
some people there appreciate such vst progress. A few curmudgeons still wince
at using wine (at least publicly) but the U-he ports have opened a lot of eyes
to the outside world. As well as Bitwig, Mixbus, Renoise, discoDSP, PianoteQ,
TAL, Reaper, etc
Cheers