hi altogether,
yesterday i started a thread where i asked for "the best freeware effects" out there, especially equalizers.
no i have another problem. it seems to me that my "system" is not "good enough" for handling 10 tracks and more with 3 or 4 effects per track.
i'm using tracktion, which is already very "friendly" when it comes to cpu load in my experience, and mainly the "digitalfishpones" plugins for compressor and de-esser.
so when i have around 10 audio tracks with 3 or 4 effects per track in tracktion and wanna play the track in tracktion, it cracks and hangs and just doesn't sound good anymore.... when i remove some of the effects (especially the digitalfishpones effects and the "classic" reverb) it gets better and sounds normal again....
my hardware configuration:
CPU: AMD XP 2000+ (1.2Ghz)
RAM: 512 MB DDR-RAM CL3
Soundcard: Soundblaster Live 5.1
so could the problem be that I'm using plugins (like the digitalfishphones plugins) that use too much cpu resources? should I use some other plugins to prevent this behaviour?
or is there no other way than upgrading my hardware? if so - is it more important to upgrade my ram or CPU?
thanks in advance for your help,
benjamin
Best Effects with LOW CPU USAGE?
-
- KVRAF
- 1884 posts since 9 Feb, 2004 from Rochester, MN
Since you're using Tracktion, why don't you try using Freeze to free up some CPU time? Just shift-click on a few tracks that you're not currently working with, and hit the freeze tracks button. If you want to make changes to those tracks later, you can always unfreeze.
-
- KVRAF
- 7879 posts since 16 Apr, 2003 from -on the outside looking in
You might want to "send effects" more: that lets you use one or two delays or reverbs and then route multiple channels to it (Not sure how this works in Traktion).
But I feel your pain.
The (free) Luxonix-1310 is a great multi-fx with low cpu.
But I feel your pain.
The (free) Luxonix-1310 is a great multi-fx with low cpu.
..what goes around comes around..
-
- KVRAF
- 9064 posts since 1 Aug, 2003
Can you see the CPU load in Tracktion?
If so, watch it and enable/disable your VSTis. Try different patches. That way you'll get to know how much CPU everything takes.
FYI: I use a 2.4 Pentium4 and that's not enough power for me right now.
If so, watch it and enable/disable your VSTis. Try different patches. That way you'll get to know how much CPU everything takes.
FYI: I use a 2.4 Pentium4 and that's not enough power for me right now.
-
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 114 posts since 9 Feb, 2005
thanks for the quick answers!
just one more question @Warmonger:
do you know how to "send effects" in Tracktion like it can be done in Cubase? Or isn't that possible in Tracktion?
because i actually have some tracks that are using the same plugins with the same configuration but i can't figure out how to route more than one track through these plugins....
just one more question @Warmonger:
do you know how to "send effects" in Tracktion like it can be done in Cubase? Or isn't that possible in Tracktion?
because i actually have some tracks that are using the same plugins with the same configuration but i can't figure out how to route more than one track through these plugins....
-
- KVRist
- 402 posts since 15 Oct, 2004 from Breizh (Brittany), Europe
First, you have a problem here anselmoso.
You've written you have an AMD XP 2000+, running at 1.2GHz.
This is a very common problem with many mainboards.
Check your system BIOS, the system/memory bus must be set to 100/100 MHz. Those values are wrong. You have to manually adjust them to 133/133 MHz, which are the normal frequencies for an AMD 2000+.
After this BIOS adventure, your system is now running at 1.67GHz, and this is the correct frequency for your processor.
It should help a little with plug-ins.
You've written you have an AMD XP 2000+, running at 1.2GHz.
This is a very common problem with many mainboards.
Check your system BIOS, the system/memory bus must be set to 100/100 MHz. Those values are wrong. You have to manually adjust them to 133/133 MHz, which are the normal frequencies for an AMD 2000+.
After this BIOS adventure, your system is now running at 1.67GHz, and this is the correct frequency for your processor.
It should help a little with plug-ins.
-
- KVRAF
- 1884 posts since 9 Feb, 2004 from Rochester, MN
Sends can be done in Tracktion with the use of rack filters, or with a plugin called Senderella. You should be able to find some good threads on the subject of sends in the Raw Material Software forum here at KVR.
-
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 114 posts since 9 Feb, 2005
hi Noox:-)
well, i know EXACTLY what you're talking about:-)
but after several adventures of "PC crashing and smoking" i decided to leave my FSB configured to 100Mhz:-)
seriously, i'm using an ASUS A7V8X-X......
and whenever i switch the FSB to 133 and restart the PC, the bios pops up with the typical message like "the system was halted due to a wrong FSB configuration" or somethin like that..
since i switched to 100Mhz - no problems anymore...
that's PCs - don't understand them - just make 'em work and don't ever touch 'em again:-)
well, i know EXACTLY what you're talking about:-)
but after several adventures of "PC crashing and smoking" i decided to leave my FSB configured to 100Mhz:-)
seriously, i'm using an ASUS A7V8X-X......
and whenever i switch the FSB to 133 and restart the PC, the bios pops up with the typical message like "the system was halted due to a wrong FSB configuration" or somethin like that..
since i switched to 100Mhz - no problems anymore...
that's PCs - don't understand them - just make 'em work and don't ever touch 'em again:-)
-
- KVRian
- 933 posts since 14 Jun, 2004 from Guanajuato, Mexico
Yeah, be sure you have your CPU running at the correct speed. My Athlon XP 2400+ runs at 1.8 Ghz, so yours should probably run at 1.6 Ghz or so.
Check out the WaveArts stuff (www.wavearts.com). I use their TrackPlug (eq/comp/gate) and it's the most CPU-efficient channel strip I ever used and also sounds very transparent. They also have a nice reverb and mastering plugs.
I can have 32 tracks in Sonar, each with a TrackPlug inserted, running with no problems on my old Pentium 4, 1.4 Ghz, 256 Mb.
I would avoid the Digitalfishphones stuff in realtime. They sound pretty good but are quite heavy on the CPU.
The Luxonix LFX-1310 multifx is also a good option. If you're using 2 or 3 fx per track, you might be able to subsitute most of them with less instances of the LFX.
Check out the WaveArts stuff (www.wavearts.com). I use their TrackPlug (eq/comp/gate) and it's the most CPU-efficient channel strip I ever used and also sounds very transparent. They also have a nice reverb and mastering plugs.
I can have 32 tracks in Sonar, each with a TrackPlug inserted, running with no problems on my old Pentium 4, 1.4 Ghz, 256 Mb.
I would avoid the Digitalfishphones stuff in realtime. They sound pretty good but are quite heavy on the CPU.
The Luxonix LFX-1310 multifx is also a good option. If you're using 2 or 3 fx per track, you might be able to subsitute most of them with less instances of the LFX.