KVR Audio

fabi · Post by **fabi** » Thu Dec 29, 2016 7:50 pm

I'd been testing the demo thoroughly and am delighted that on my system four voices of virta take just about 35% to 48% of my cpu. Seriously, it could be much worse.

I finally got the full version a few days ago during their ongoing Christmas sale.

It's currently running while typing. Got a zaquencer running a long pattern chain into my waldorf rocket and using virta as additional texture. Works flawlessly in Bidule, my host of choice.

I also got Aalto, which is brilliant as well.

Dirtgrain · Post by **Dirtgrain** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 1:44 am

Anybody using this still? I am intrigued by it, but have any of you had good results with it? I know about the demo.

risome · Post by **risome** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 3:05 am

You need to spend sometime with this Instrument to realise its potential.

fabi · Post by **fabi** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 7:28 am

I still think it's incredible, but I've been mainly using hardware as of late. Only recently have I gone and used the computer in addition, sometimes with, sometimes without virta...

masterhiggins · Post by **masterhiggins** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 8:59 am

Madrona’s instruments are extremely unique and easy to use. The layout is in itself pretty unique as the connectors stay out of the way and upper output and lower input parts of the patchers makes it much easier to get your head around complex routings. My only complaints affect all of their instruments:

1. While they’re a blast to use and quickly result in new sounds you’d never make in other instruments, I find the end product doesn’t really ever make it into anything. I’ve heard that some people just export individual sounds from their synths and then import them into samplers for playback. I haven’t really done this as I’m pretty lazy, though.

2. I have no idea why the CPU usage is so high. Kaivo I kind of understand as it has several physical models that all interact differently for each voice, but the others? They do sound good, but 70% of an i7 good? No. I wish it had different quality/resolution settings like Diva. It would make it a bit more feasible to use on large projects without freezing tracks.

fabi · Post by **fabi** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 9:03 am

30-40% of my i7 I think

cantaloupe · Post by **cantaloupe** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:49 am

I didn't like it the first years but it has seen a huge revival for me lately. I mostly use it on a monosynth and find that it behaves a lot better with simpler sources. I put in on a send and use it more as a texture/resonator thingy to create more organic feeling to sterile material.

I wish it had a more fleshed out post-audio quantizer though. My main issue with Virta is that very obvious nervous pitch warble thingy that happens so often because it reacts too immediately to pitch. I'd love to see an update where you could adjust the "reactivity" and make it more lazy.

cron · Post by **cron** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 12:45 pm

With regard to CPU usage, Madrona stuff is heavy but it's predictable. Apparently their voice engines are constantly running whether a note is sounding or not. Randy gave the technical explanation regarding this on the Madrona forum a while back, but I can't remember the details. The only thing you can really do to reduce it is turn down the number of voices. On the plus side, it means the CPU you see on init is usually the highest you'll ever see.

Virta hasn't had as much use from me as the rest of the Madrona suite (particularly Kaivo). A lot of this is probably down to the fact I just haven't been working with vocals as much as I'd like - the expecation I'd be doing so is largely why I picked it up, since my 'general' audio processing workflow is pretty mature so it's difficult for new things to break into it. I also feel like Virta could have really benefited from a modulation processor - somewhere you can clip/slew/etc the signals before using them. I should really give it some more time though and just start using it instead of endlessly waiting for vocals I might never record.

c_voltage · Post by **c_voltage** » Wed Sep 04, 2019 6:49 pm

I did check now Virta usage at i7, ofcourse it voice-amount depends firstly. And wire config all the rest.
In most heavy cases (during x4) i noticed about 25%. What not a little ofcourse, and would like less, I myself honestly use them a little because of this. But definitely not a 70%, that not normal i guess.
Kaivo about 33-35% for one core (voices x8 + both resonators)

Madrona Labs Virta