Trying to find the host with the most - for me

Audio Plugin Hosts and other audio software applications discussion
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I think you have two awesome options here - both mentioned by others, but let me second them!

1. Adobe Audition - formerly Cool Edit Pro - is not jusdt a great audio recording/editing software, it also sports up to 128 tracks of audio, is a VST host, and ReWire host. So you can ReWire FL Studio straight in - assuming you still like it for drums, synths, etc - and combine its power with one of the best audio programmes out there.

2. Tracktion is simply outstanding, especially bearing in mind it is only $80. Great audio recording, and very flexible. Easy mixing environment, too, and VST host. Also ReWire. So you can again use FL "inside" it either as VST or ReWire. Within you price range you could throw in LinPlug's RMIV for drum programming, too!

Hope this helps you to see the wood through the trees!

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DT wrote:
duncanparsons wrote:
I've found it to be incredibly stable, with crashes coming only from the odd rouge VST/i.

HTH
DSP

Those red ones are always the problem! :x

yeah, it's the eyeliner too - really nasty!

DSP
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I don't understand all this f**king about.

I've been using cubase for somewhere around six(+) years now with nothing else.

No rewiring, no seperate host for VSTI's, no running a second program inside the "master" host...

I honestly can't figure out why anyone would be possessed to use all of this tomfoolery you guys are suggesting.

Just get a crappy old version of cubase (I'm running 3.72...I have SX, but never made the switch!) and be happy.

It also does neat things like direct import of acidized and rex files (no plyar necessary), native vsti support, (no rewire, wrappers or other gayness), and...you know...stuff.

-S.
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headquest wrote:2. Tracktion is simply outstanding, especially bearing in mind it is only $80. Great audio recording, and very flexible. Easy mixing environment, too, and VST host. Also ReWire. So you can again use FL "inside" it either as VST or ReWire. Within you price range you could throw in LinPlug's RMIV for drum programming, too!

Hope this helps you to see the wood through the trees!
As it goes, he already has rewire support in NTrack (was there b4 tracktion had it..), and has the ability to load DX/DXi if needs be. I'm not flaming, I have a great deal of respect for Tracktion, I just want to ensure the playing field is level tho'!

DSP
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cheers guys! thanks for the suggestions headquest.

@ sleek :lol: , sorry that just made me laugh ("and..you know.....stuff.") although i see your point.

donks and duncan,

thanks for thr time and effort gentlemen. you may be receiving PMs in the future for technical assistance if that's okay :wink:

lates

t-willy

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sleek is on the right path..although someday even he is going to have to move from ver 3.72 and win98 if he wants to use some newer plug-ins.

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@ sleek , sorry that just made me laugh ("and..you know.....stuff.") although i see your point.
It's kind of a paraphrase of an inside joke from my work...

We had this gal working with us who was all Mac and insisted on upgrading to the newest version of every app and every OS as soon as it came out, but she had no idea whatsoever what the new versions did different...she was however convinced that they were always better.

...so, for fun, we would press her on it...

"So, Amy, what's it do? What's better?"

"It's newer...it has...features."

"Features? Like what? Exactly what does it do better?"

"IT'S GOT FEATURES!" :hihi:

...so, yeah. Cubase has lots of features.
sleek is on the right path..although someday even he is going to have to move from ver 3.72 and win98 if he wants to use some newer plug-ins.
I know, I know...I actually have Cubase SX on my XP system, but I never got around to switching because you can't really import old songs...and I'm constantly pulling out old ideas and working on them...or old instrument settings/definitions/fx/samplesets, none of which transfer over when you import pre-SX songs...

...plus, the unexpected benefit is that running 3.72 on a 2.4 ghz p4 under win 98 gives you an amazing amount of power...it's like having a sports car with a huge engine and a weightless body.

-S.
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Sleek Month wrote:I honestly can't figure out why anyone would be possessed to use all of this tomfoolery you guys are suggesting.
You can't? I can easily think of at least one reason why I'd bother with such tomfoolery with Cubase: you can't move the insert effects. Consequently, having eXT as the only loaded insert effect and loading further effects inside it would be a significant workflow-improvement for me.

I haven't actually tried this yet, though. Hence, for those who load VSTi's and VSTe's inside eXT and use that as a VSTi or a VSTe inside another host I'd like to ask: how much does this increase the CPU-load? That is, how much more does it tax your CPU to load an effect inside Energy XT than to load that effect straight to the host?

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hey T willy, I'm looking at a few hosts to try to find one to go with. Why do you say that FL sucks for audio and N-track sucks for midi? what problems do they have?

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@ JaseisMusic:

You can record audio tracks in FL, but cumbersome. First: it only works in the most expensive version. Second: the workflow is not optimised for it. Seems like they wacked it in because it's a much demanded feature. It works, but don't ask how.

Same goes for the midi capabilities of N-Track. Originally this was a multitrack HD recorder on which they added midi support because it's much demanded.

Imho you're better off with a host that included midi & audio tracks already in version 1.0. That is why everybody keeps recommending Tracktion and EnergyXT. Both are in general reviewed as excellent hosts. So what turned you off particulary on these?

If you could point out your exact demands more clearly (you mainly wanna work with loops, midi/VSTi or recorded audio tracks?) we could help you to pick the host that fits your needs best.

Really, your question in the other thread was quite vague, hence the vague answers. Still an answer: DL a demo of your candidates and try weather you can do anything without reading the manual. It should be quite straightforward...

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JaseisMusic wrote:hey T willy, I'm looking at a few hosts to try to find one to go with. Why do you say that FL sucks for audio and N-track sucks for midi? what problems do they have?
basically what C00kie said in the post above. I like to be able to plug in and record my audio and find that FL isn't that easy. Granted i love it for sketching out drum tracks, synth lines, strings, samples, even some guitar parts using Slayer which i'll replace with real guitar parts later. lots of buzz about a version 5.0 coming out, so we'll see how the audio goes.

n-track is just the opposite. its pretty much plug your guitar/mic in, press record, and your off - plus the pricetag. i must be honest though. the midi problems are prolly just my lack of experience with it. it has crashed on my numerous times when i have tried to play with the midi aspects, but they could be in part to the VSTi i'm using.

lates

t-willy

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Yeah - NTrack is wonderful if you just want the audio.

It's been quite a while since I've used mine and I haven't upgraded to v4.0, but I always found the midi to be a pain in the arse.

But for audio - wow!
I remember when I got this how bloody impressed with the usability of this program I was.

A simple, coherent interface that works exactly like you imagine it should.

Caleb
Happiness is the hidden behind the obvious.

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You know - having actually read the thread this time, I would say perservere with FL as a VSTi in nTrack.

It might be painful at the moment. But once you work it out surely the pain will go away.

Then you get to use two tools you're already comfortable with without all the swapping around and you don't have to spend additional cash on yet another host that you're going to have to invest the time in to get used to anyway.

Caleb
Happiness is the hidden behind the obvious.

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what do you mean exactly when you say N track is not good with midi?, like working with VSTis? or hooking up external hardware synths?

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JaseisMusic wrote:what do you mean exactly when you say N track is not good with midi?, like working with VSTis? or hooking up external hardware synths?
When I say it I'm referring to both.
I'm talking about the piano-roll and its usability.

Of course, as I said, I haven't used it for a while and it may have improved quite a bit in that time.

Caleb
Happiness is the hidden behind the obvious.

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