System help needed

[Rae]

Hi all,

I'm a bit up against the wall here and would be grateful for any help. I'm on a project with a tight deadline and I am not able to work properly with my current system, so I need to fix this the soonest.

At the moment I'm using (or trying to use) Opus 1 & 2 + Epic Horns, but now looking at the new VI's they seem sooo much easier in use - especially if the universal mode really allows me to load and play. I've suffered a lot of technical trouble with my current setup, but I guess much of that is because of trying too cheap by using a package PC for GIGA and the current DAW simply starting to be outdated. [8-)] Adding the complexity of GS3 and being quite new to samplers and computing in general it's just becoming too much for me... Now I don't have the time to try around anymore, but I simply need to get everything working nicely almost out of the box...

I'm running an old P4 2,4 DAW with 1,5Gb of RAM and M-audio FW410. I use Cubase SX3. This one I need to change as it just can't perform the stuff I need it to anymore.

I have a slave for GS, which is a factory package Fujitsu-Siemens P4 3,6 with 2GB RAM. I have tried to work with two different external soundcards Tascam US-122 (USB) and the same M-audio FW410 (FW) and with both there is a lot of crackling and pops even with just regular media player playback. Not getting any of these to work I tried the FX-teleport, but didn't get that one working properly either, so I purchased the Giga-teleport which I got working on some level. (Still hearing cracking and pops with more demanding stuff using PT, several instances of Gigapulse etc.)

I would like to change my DAW and purchase some of the new VI's (at least Str I and Brass I) as I consider that these could increase my workflow significantly. This way I could use the Horizon series products what I have for only the instruments I use less like, cello, bass, woodwinds etc.

I am posting here to ask for advice what kind of a setup I should look into to run all the things I need. I have the chance to get a Mac G5 for my use, but I don't know how to work with slaving and also a bit confused with the problems listed on this forums with the VI's and macs. I also would like to avoid any slaving as much as possible to keep everything as simple as possible.

All of these compatible for both mac and pc and I think I should be able to run all of these on one new modern day DAW pc or mac? (not neccesarily simultaneously)

- VI Strings I + Brass I
- EWQLSC
- Drumkit from hell Superior

I have been thinking of changing over to Mac's as I'm getting very frustrated with the constant problems and tweaking of PC's. Then I'd just need to solve how to use the GS with my Horizon series. Maybe I could get over the soundcard problem with the Fujitsu if I'd just buy a new mobo for it as the processor and everything else is otherwise quite fine?

The situation is, that I have no time to spare on trying out anymore, but I just need a solution which will WORK and save me as much of the technical trouble as possible. The new Mac Pro's appear to be pretty powerful tools, but for a pricetag of EUR 4000 there's a lot availeble in the pc-world too. Maybe purpose built package DAW PC's are also worth considering?

Rae

[hetoreyn]

Well, I think that you can work sucessfully on either PC or Mac, it's down to what you are comfortable with. Personally I like Macs, and with the new Mac Pro you have the added benefit of being able to run windows if you need it.

As for the VI .. I've only just got my first set (Chamber Strings). And they are easier to use but they do require some re-adjustments of thinking. I'm used to opening a new instance of EXS 24 for every different articulation that I need, whereas with the VI it's possible to have it all in one instance. The VI's also use more of the Pitch and Mod wheel .. something I haven't used a lot of in the past but I'm starting to get more into them, so it's a bit of a change for me.

As much as I love the VI system I'm not sure that you would experience total satisfaction within 20 minutes of using it, you need a few weeks to play around with it and get accustomed to it, like anything really. For the meantime you should be able to use the Opus packages effectively as they are good libraries.

I'm running a combination of First Edition VSL, Epic Horns, and VI chamber strings and of course my synths, all tied into Logic Pro. This system works for me and I feel quite comfortable with it. Only thing I'd change is to have another Quad G5 to run extra VSL instances on. I like to keep things realtime and don't like to bounce to audio until I'm totally happy somethings done.

You've said your on a tight deadline so I wouldn't suggest changing from PC to Mac as this will cause you a lot of re-adjusting problems. At worst you should consider giving your current system an overhaul and a clean Windows install .. and keep the damned thing away from the Net [:P]

Or .. buy a another PC and just connect them through midi time code (using a midi interface) and use them both for your projects. Mind you your then getting into side licenses with the VSL and extra money for another Cubase system.

[cm]

rae, basically a 2,4 GHz 1,5 GB DAW and a 3,6 GHz 2 GB giga-slave seems to be not too bad and i'm not sure about the reason SX3 appearing to be unsufficient. i would more think about unneeded (pre-installed?) stuff on both machines or slow harddisks holding the samples - are they on seperate harddisks?
consider to re-install windows keeping its footprint as small as possible, especially avoid any instantCD/DVD programs - they are responsible for a series of strange effects.

generally i'm not a friend of USB audio-devices and once i had a tascam USB-device driving me crazy because it permanently lost midi and then refused to work at all (but possibly this has been only a former driver problem)
christian

[Rae]

Thanks for your thoughts!

I am completely satisfied with Cubase, but it's the DAW which is simply falling on it's knees with the VSTi:s I use. I agree that both the computers appear pretty ok on specs, and the DAW would easily do the job if it was only running midi for GS, but I also need to run drum and choir VST's.

Both the machines have a fresh install of Windows and they should be ok tweaked for audio performance. Nothing extra running on them, no internet etc.

So I think I need to change the DAW. Am I interpereting the VI information thread correctly assuming that let's say Str. I and Brass I would run on a modern day PC together with Cubase without big problems? I never really got my fingers completely on this Horizon series VSL with PT over Giga teleport, so I'm not exactly stuck to a routine of any kind yet. I just seem to get lost with so many channels and instances needed and I never really seem to get them sound the same to form a complete line.

This is why I'm interested in the VI's. Looking at the tutorials it really seems a lot more simple. If these could be run from my main DAW that would ease on the load needed from the slaved GS-PC. Of course it would be nice to be able to keep everything running without rendering, but at the moment converting channels to audio every now and then appears to be just a minor annoyance if everything would work nicely.

Is there a way to use something similar as FX-teleport between a mac and a PC, or is this just a way to cause problems?

Rae

[Rae]

@cm said:

- - or slow harddisks holding the samples --

What is actually the difference in peformance with 7.200rpm vs. 10.000 rpm disks? I mean for the price of a Raptor 150Gb you easily have two 7200 ones with over double capacity set up as raid 0? [*-)]

[cm]

rae, this was just an assumption about the reason for your crackling ...
as *slow* i would understand older models (below ATA5) or 5.400 rpm disks, 7.200 is somehow standard.
the advantage of the raptors is the low seektime (~4,5 ms) caused by the 10.000 rpm and NCQ, a value you will hardly gain even with a raid-0.

since you mentioned also the mediaplayer is affected regarding bad performance i think the reason is not the *old* or *from-the-shelf* PC.

please keep in mind, that if you already run several VSTi on your DAW, adding then ViennaInstruments to this system might push it to or beyond the limits too. only SX3 and several VIs are running smooth actually on notebooks - what is taken by other (kontakt-based?) VSTi i can't say ...
christian

[Rae]

Until now I only had BIG problems with the old DAW, but when my slave PC crashed severly the other day refusing to do anything anymore that just did it.

Got myself the parts for a completely new high-end DAW PC today and also will change the MoBo for the FuSi "out-of-the-shelf" PC as well as all memory. Can't wait to get everything together and see what this can do.

[DG]

Two things to add to the above. FX-Teleport doesn't work on Mac. If you are still intending to use EW products, they don't work on the new Macs, only the old, legacy models.

DG