KVR Audio

Frippertronix · Post by **Frippertronix** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 5:08 am

ione wrote:Everyone here is talking about using Cubase on dual-core systems... what about other hosts?

I was wondering how much more performance would a dual-core processor give with FL Studio while using a lot of VST plugins. Does the host need to support dual-core or would the FL Studio's and plugins' threads be divided between the cores automatically (by the OS)?

Yea, how about Tracktion 2? Anyone know?

egbert · Post by **egbert** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 6:31 am

Frippertronix wrote:Do you need a special PSU for an Athlon dual core MoBo?

If you are running a high performance CPU and a bunch of drives a 450 Watt or better PSU from a decent manufacturer is a good idea. Antec Trupower 480 is doing the job reliably here. The AMD Athlon 64s all draw some pretty serious current.

el davo · Post by **el davo** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:23 am

Frippertronix wrote:
ione wrote:Everyone here is talking about using Cubase on dual-core systems... what about other hosts?

I was wondering how much more performance would a dual-core processor give with FL Studio while using a lot of VST plugins. Does the host need to support dual-core or would the FL Studio's and plugins' threads be divided between the cores automatically (by the OS)?
Yea, how about Tracktion 2? Anyone know?

AFAIK there is no proper support for dual-anything CPU:s in Tracktion yet . It will work, but one core is used for audio, the other for system/screen redraw etc.
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=trackti on+dual+core

el davo · Post by **el davo** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 7:29 am

egbert wrote:
Frippertronix wrote:Do you need a special PSU for an Athlon dual core MoBo?
If you are running a high performance CPU and a bunch of drives a 450 Watt or better PSU from a decent manufacturer is a good idea. Antec Trupower 480 is doing the job reliably here. The AMD Athlon 64s all draw some pretty serious current.

Antec Truepower 380W here (Sonata case) - The Abit AV8 board didn't like it (powercycled) but it works fine with the Asus A8V.

Recommended (cut/paste from http://forum.nuendo.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=7386):
450W minimum. Antec, Coolmax, Zalman, Seasonic, ThermalTake, Coolermaster, Fortron, OCZ, Enermax, etc… Check that it meets ATX12 V2.0 spec (best) and that the 12V+ rail(s) provides 30A or more in total.

P.T. · Post by **P.T.** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:19 am

There was a thread recently about someone using a dual core with software that did not support dual core and he was getting worse performance with the new dual core than he was with his old singe core.

What to do if you are currently using a non-dual core sequencer and are in the market for a new computer?

Spe3D · Post by **Spe3D** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 8:44 am

P.T. wrote:
What to do if you are currently using a non-dual core sequencer and are in the market for a new computer?

Wait till the host you use catches up with the later technology - then buy a new computer otherwise look to upgrading your current single core cpu to the max your motherboard can take, more memory, hdd etc.

Alternatively change host when you purchase your next computer to one that enhances workflow with dual core.

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

DevonB · Post by **DevonB** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 12:17 pm

Frippertronix wrote:Do you need a special PSU for an Athlon dual core MoBo?

Nope. The same board supports all 939 chips, single and dual core. I would stick with at least a 400W power supply though. I went with a 450W in mine, but then again, that's what came with the Sonata II.

Devon

DevonB · Post by **DevonB** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 12:20 pm

P.T. wrote:There was a thread recently about someone using a dual core with software that did not support dual core and he was getting worse performance with the new dual core than he was with his old singe core.

What to do if you are currently using a non-dual core sequencer and are in the market for a new computer?

What do you do? Curl up in the fetal position and cry until it's fixed.

Seriously, either switch or wait is all you can do. As for worse performance, if the AMD single core was a faster GHz speed than the dual core, that's very possible. The 3800+ X2 dual core is 2000 MHz. The 3800+ single core is 2400 Mhz. If you had only single core support, it's very easy to see why the single core is faster.

Devon

AndrewSimon · Post by **AndrewSimon** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 3:55 pm

Just a heads up for UAD owners:

Specific Motherboard Information

AMD X2 CPU with NForce 4 based chipset

Symptom: Choppy Audio, CPU spiking.

No known workaround.
Use Asus A8V series as a possible alternative. (Via KT8xx chipset)

more info here:
http://www.uaudio.com/support/software/ ... oards.html

Majken · Post by **Majken** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 4:12 pm

I'm a happy X2 4400+ owner since a few months back and a Cubase SX 3.1 user and I really couldn't be happier. It's blazing fast compared to my old P4 Northwood 2.26. It's also quite nice just having a second processor. When doing a mixdown in Cubase I'm used to leaving the computer since it locks up running maximum load. Now I can kick back listening to mp3's while surfing with Cubase doing the mixdown in the background. Very nice

/Majken

natqueencole · Post by **natqueencole** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 10:11 pm

One has to use XP Pro to see both cores, correct?

-- N

natqueencole · Post by **natqueencole** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 10:15 pm

AndrewSimon wrote:Just a heads up for UAD owners:
Specific Motherboard Information

AMD X2 CPU with NForce 4 based chipset

Symptom: Choppy Audio, CPU spiking.

No known workaround.
Use Asus A8V series as a possible alternative. (Via KT8xx chipset)
more info here:
http://www.uaudio.com/support/software/ ... oards.html

Can anyone confirm this? Is this only an issue w/the dual-core chips on nForce4 chipsets or are single-cores a problem too?

Thanks...

-- N

itsplayed · Post by **itsplayed** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 11:02 pm

natqueencole wrote:One has to use XP Pro to see both cores, correct?

-- N

No, Windows XP Home will see both cores as well.

Amberience · Post by **Amberience** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 12:25 am

Hmmm... interesting... AFAIK, EnergyXT supports dual processors as well (when your machine is a dual, you can assign vsti's to either processor *I think*) so I'm curious about this.

I just priced up a chip and a motherboard, and I could get both for under £300. I could use my old graphic card and ram, and be running a 64bit machine for a small amount of cash.

egbert · Post by **egbert** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 12:42 am

natqueencole wrote:
AndrewSimon wrote:Just a heads up for UAD owners:
Specific Motherboard Information

AMD X2 CPU with NForce 4 based chipset

Symptom: Choppy Audio, CPU spiking.

No known workaround.
Use Asus A8V series as a possible alternative. (Via KT8xx chipset)
more info here:
http://www.uaudio.com/support/software/ ... oards.html
Can anyone confirm this? Is this only an issue w/the dual-core chips on nForce4 chipsets or are single-cores a problem too?

Moreso according to the DAW builders. On NForce4 boards, X2s are OK but still down on performance compared to the eariler NForce3 chipsets or the Asus VIA based board many are running.

Single cores run less acceptably on Nforce4. The high end NForcePro boards are exceptions to this - eg Tyan Thunder 2895 board - for dual opterons has a separate PCI bus system which works well (but only one 32 bit PCI slot).

The problem boils down to this: NForce4 hangs the PCI slots off the PCI-e system and the PCIe to PCI bridge is not performing as well as the PCI system in the earlier chipsets.

NForce4 may well run PCIe audio cards like hell but there are barely any on the market at this stage. If your interface is Firewire it might go well on a PCIe firewire card if you can get one.

Some of the DAW builders say NVIdia and AMD are on the case and we may see some update to this problem but it has been well known for quite a while so I would not buy current NForce4 hardware (except the Pro version) for DAW until the fix it out.

UAD is of couirse PCI so PCI issues confront anyone trying to run an NForce4 based DAW with UAD cards.

The AMD 3800+ X2 is AMAZING!