Lightweight effects. Your suggestions please.

[jens]

.And PSP plugins (I haven't tried the new channel strip so not sure about that).

Really? Which ones? Allmost all those I have eat up CPU cycles like there is no tomorrow. For me PSP tends to sit on the far upper spectrum of CPU consumption - just compare Nexcellence with Twangström, L'otary 2 with Spin, 2445 with VVV, etc.

One notable exception however is surely the 85, which I think really belongs on a low CPU - great sound - list. Dunno what would make the difference here. It's almost like it has been coded by a completely different coder - shame it has such a tiny GUI.

The Cherry Modular ones (I have them all) are greedy too.

[BaronWaterpark]

Maybe it's your system, PSP plugins are very light on my pc, but then again it's a pretty strong pc. I particularly like a bunch of their EQs which are no problem to load on every channel.

[Spring Goose]

Thanks everybody!

The computer did die later the same day. I've not received the cheap Dell from Amazon yet.

[Spring Goose]

https://www.scan.co.uk/3xs/custom/daw-d ... rkstations

My last two builds have come from Scan. My partner still uses the first one as an office PC and my 2018 FWX299 is still going strong. My PC at the office needed replacing last year and I got that from Scan too. I'm hoping to replace my ancient MBP with the laptop below from PC Specialist next month, can let you know how that works out for me, if you like.

https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/form-vie ... -Elite-15/

That's great, thank you very much. Personally i don't like laptops.

[chk071]

Welcome to the club... I have a desktop and a laptop, and spend 99% of my time on the desktop.

They're better in terms of cost/performance by far anyway.

[Spring Goose]

Very low CPU effects:

- Your DAW stuff should have you covered.

- The Air Creative FX Plus Bundle can often be had for around $20 and it has the effects that came in Pro Tools and we've heard in countless award-winning records. Those are old but reliable and very low CPU. It's like 30 effects.

- If you want a top notch channel strip with "analog" tools, look at the McDSP 6050. Can often be had on sale for $50 or less, and comes with just short of 30 top-tier effects: compressors, eqs, saturators, gates, etc. All incredibly low CPU and great quality. McDSP excels at figuring out how to get the effects to work without needing oversampling and using clever efficient algorithms.

- The only thing I would add is a solid reverb. Typically the DAW's one is not great, and the one in the AIR bundle although low CPU is not going to win awards, I would not use it for render. There are a few good choices, and I would recommend PhoenixVerb when on sale, can be found for under $30.

Honorary mention: the ToneBoosters v3 bundles. Affordable, great, powerful, low CPU.

I have Air Creative fx. I have phoenixverb, although i'll need to buy an Ilok dongle to use it with.

My computer had apparantly died in the morning. Then it came back to life! So i went in and deactivated my Ilok plugins, and "dongle next time" i thought. I had just enough time to deactivate the plugs then the computer died for good.

[Spring Goose]

Welcome to the club... I have a desktop and a laptop, and spend 99% of my time on the desktop.

They're better in terms of cost/performance by far anyway.

Better for repairs too, no?

[chk071]

Yes, definitely.

[jochicago]

My computer had apparantly died in the morning. Then it came back to life! So i went in and deactivated my Ilok plugins, and "dongle next time" i thought. I had just enough time to deactivate the plugs then the computer died for good.

Lucky break, at least you are able to move all your ilok stuff around.

[Mister Natural]

echoing the above mr goose - the stock vst efx in your DAW are best start - and sound mostly very fantastic : = )
peace

[bharris22]

Your DAW stock ones, but I would rather suggest investing in PC upgrade or new machine, than spending money on lightweight plugins.

What are your PC specs, motherboard, processor?

I ordered another computer 2.0Ghz dual core 4gig RAM refurbished Dell (for £75!).

That's quite overpriced, you can get i5 2500 machine with 8 gb of RAM for that money second hand...

Are you looking at any particular website for this i5?

Just local listings, it's without peripherals and monitor, retired HP corporate machine most probably, one friend already got one, he put additional SSD in it (had peripherals and monitor from his last machine), working like an charm for ~2 years now.

Thanks!

[Spring Goose]

My computer had apparantly died in the morning. Then it came back to life! So i went in and deactivated my Ilok plugins, and "dongle next time" i thought. I had just enough time to deactivate the plugs then the computer died for good.

Lucky break, at least you are able to move all your ilok stuff around.

Indeed.

[Spring Goose]

echoing the above mr goose - the stock vst efx in your DAW are best start - and sound mostly very fantastic : = )
peace

I am able to make a rough song on this low spec PC :D

[Halonmusic]

Lightweight plugins? hmm as chk071 mentioned Klanghelm's plugins. Also Blue Cat's free plugins comes to mind. Also Full Bucket's line of plugins is very CPU friendly.

[Spring Goose]

Your DAW stock ones, but I would rather suggest investing in PC upgrade or new machine, than spending money on lightweight plugins.

What are your PC specs, motherboard, processor?

I ordered another computer 2.0Ghz dual core 4gig RAM refurbished Dell (for £75!).

That's quite overpriced, you can get i5 2500 machine with 8 gb of RAM for that money second hand...

The PC i received actually was a 2.93Ghz dual core, but only 4 gb RAM.