Softube Model 72 and 84 (long plugin/GUI loading times)

[mi-os]

I'm on Windows/Cubase and it takes some seconds (too many) until the plugins opens/shows up when i click edit. It feels very strange and unusual. I don't think i've any other plugins which take that much init time. Is there something wrong with my setup or is this the same for everyone?

Possible solution:
Try to disable OpenGL in the settings. Don't forget to restart your DAW.

[SonicDimension]

All Softube plugins are like that, in my experience.

[PAK]

How long is "some" seconds? GUI recall is a much under-recognized issue, with audio plugins, and times can be anything from near-instant to "many" seconds. For example: Korg's Triton plugins take approx 6 seconds on my system..

For both Model 72 and 84, whether VST2 or VST3, Open GL or No Open GL (selectable under the Softube plugin's settings), the GUI recall time is approximately 3 seconds for me on Win 7. Overall there is some variation between the various formats, with VST 3 and Open GL enabled tending towards the best performance (often closer to 2.5 secs)

Edit Note: The numbers quoted above were Windows 7 (which generally fairs better than Windows 10, in terms of performance). That ISN'T true in this particular case. Windows 10 times are approximately more than halved.. IE between 1 and 1.5 seconds for GUI recall .

If your times are far outside of this you should file a bug report with Softube. In the meantime there's a "work-around" for Cubase - if you're not aware. Right-click a blank part of the top bar (next to where you can enable and disable the plugin) and choose "Switch to Generic editor". That will open up a simple parameter list (rather than the GUI) and recall times should then be near instant. Also useful when a plugin's GUI is buggy and causing issues.

[BONES]

It's because they use the GPU for their interfaces, so I think you have to wait for all that to initialise.

[mi-os]

Thanks all your for assessments. I didn't measure it but i'd say it's in the 4 seconds ballpark on my setup. I can't imagine using an EQ plugin like that. You guys sound like you're willing to live with that delay. I think it's unacceptable (can we all agree on that?). It feels like something is broken. I'll open a ticket about this issue and hope more people do the same.

[FapFilter]

edit: didn't read full post, so disregard this BS

[Ploki]

It's because they use the GPU for their interfaces, so I think you have to wait for all that to initialise.

i didn't know windows machine needed a choke valve to start working

what serious BS is that. They don't load any faster if you disable OpenGL. It's not like GPU just sits there without power.

iLok callbaks can affect load times severely tho.

Thanks all your for assessments. I didn't measure it but i'd say it's in the 4 seconds ballpark on my setup. I can't imagine using an EQ plugin like that. You guys sound like your willing to live with that delay. I think it's unaccaptable (can we all agree on that?). It feels like something is broken. I'll open a ticket about this issue and hope more people do the same.

please do.
modular and amp room used to take 15-20 seconds to load because of ilok callbacks

[WasteLand]

it seems that loading times differ per user/system. in my case, well Softube Modular was always slow, now very fast...
i never experienced, besides Modular..., slow loading of the plugins (as with Arturia for that matter).

not on my previous system, not my on my current system (studio desktop), nor on my laptop.

that does not mean it is an issue. but it seems to differ quite a lot.

[Ploki]

Modular was slow because it needs to make
iLok callbacks for all modules, now it does that in the background after you load it

[mi-os]

If ilok is the culprit then the verification routine should run later later not the other way around. If there is no valid licence found show a popup and stop processing. I fear that doing it right at start up is somehow needed with ilok. Very bad experience all things considered.

[chk071]

If ilok is the culprit

It surely isn't. Never had iLok plugins which took significantly longer to render the GUI than non iLok plugins.

[mi-os]

If it's not ilok then it probably has something to do with their UI framework, right? If true there must be a way to cache the GUI. Long loading times at first start might be acceptable, but not for consequent renderings. Do they even use their own plugins?

[Ploki]

It surely isn't. Never had iLok plugins which took significantly longer to render the GUI than non iLok plugins.

depends whether its fusion or eden based tho. And for modular it was 100% iLok and how they handled it (check every license for modules before GUI shows up).

The fact that the issue is pretty much crossplatform (and also happens on Metal) also says something.

[BONES]

what serious BS is that. They don't load any faster if you disable OpenGL. It's not like GPU just sits there without power.

Well, maybe it's not that, then but the reality is that the engine starts immediately but the GUI takes ages to initialise, i.e. if you load a song that uses it, it will play straight away but if you open the GUI at any point, you have to wait ages for it. But if you have a better theory, we're all f**king ears.

I would hope it's not using OpenGL, which is an ancient and not very good, by modern standards, library to be using. I'd be surprised if it was well supported by any consumer level graphics drivers on Windows these days. But these are the compromises we all have to live with when things need to be cross-platform - nothing optimised, everything compromised.

I think it's unaccaptable (can we all agree on that?).

I don't see how it makes any difference to anything. Once the GUI is initialised, everything works perfectly well and it's not the slowest GUI to initialise in my collection. GR-8 takes twice as long, Union is about the same as Model 84 and neither of those use iLok. I use those two plugins in just about everything I work on, if it was a hassle, I'd have noticed by now, I think, but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't even register.

[mi-os]

I've opened a ticket about this because i think it's bad enough to let them know. It just feels like there is something wrong with it and inefficient code at work. If they want to be a premium brand they should deliver premium code to reflect that imo. I'm definitely not happy about it.