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Post by popmann on Dec 17, 2013 16:36:06 GMT -6
In discussing sample rates, it always comes up how people are strapped for DSP at double rate...and these people have generally MUCH newer computers than mine, albeit, maybe they're not using external reverbs...but...it occured to me it might be an interesting thread to look at what kind of DSP eats most of your CPU in a mix.
NOTE: I don't want this to BE a discussion of sample rate...do that elsewhere...just what eats the most chunk of your CPU.
I also thought about it as I recently demo'd the MusEQ plug in...which uses a TON of CPU, yet rarely sounds noticeable better. It's "fine"..."good" even...but, what is it I'm wanting to spend that DSP on EQ for? If it's not wholly better at any given task than much older, thus CPU light EQs...what's the point?
Me...the majority of my CPU is spent on tape and console emulation (which all oversample). Followed by some oversampled Pultecs. I have one software delay that is a HUGE resource suck, thus is only used for over the top special effect kind of delay-say one in 10 mixes. Maybe 1 in 20.
So, here's how to play the game...open a "done" mix. Open the CPU meter. Start disabling plug ins until you figure out what's eating so much. Again--this isn't necessarily the most instance used plugs, but the combo of instances WITH how much CPU time they use. I use the hell out of the Waves LP Low Band for HPF'ing, but it wouldn't make up 5% of my CPU time. Whereas, I turn the ONE MPX or VTM tape emu on and off and I can see the CPU get a big chunk of headroom back. I recently disable VCC across the board and got 60% of my CPU back.
What's eating YOUR CPU?
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Post by watchtower on Dec 17, 2013 16:38:46 GMT -6
The bulk of my DSP is definitely Slate VTM and Slate VCC. I honestly think I would have no CPU issues if I didn't use those. I know I could just freeze the tracks and then be fine for the rest of the mix, but I like to be able to bypass those effects after the mix is done, and see what they're really doing.
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Post by Johnkenn on Dec 17, 2013 16:53:50 GMT -6
Vcc isn't a big hog on my Mac mini. Fg-x is though. Lately, after taking Popmann's advice I've been trying L2 and Pro-L with lots of success. I only have a UAD Duo, but I usually max out with Fatso on drum bus, bunches of 1176 & LA2A MkII's and reverbs.
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Post by popmann on Dec 17, 2013 18:23:18 GMT -6
You don't have the oversampling on, do you, John? That doubles the use...and is why I don't see considerable difference in 44 mixes people send me and 88 ones I track. VTM won't let you turn the oversampling OFF...neither will MPX...according to Slate's code guy, it's because analog circuit models can't be made accurate at single rates. You might LIKE them at single rates, but they don't sound like the real thing. So with VTM they felt like accuracy was more important than allowing people to save CPU. FXG is a horrible hog....but, in it's defense, I have no use in mixing. It's a mastering plug in. It's ALL about perceived loudness. I've thought on some rock stuff it might make a nice drum buss processor with it's distortions of clipped transients. Allow you to slam/distort that without having to F with the guitars or vocals' adding distortion to those. Leave the constant gain monitoring on so you're never actually making the drums louder...lord knows no one needs drums louder in my mixes.  |
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Post by mulmany on Dec 17, 2013 20:39:49 GMT -6
All my DSP gets eaten by Waves IR-L running the Bricasti impulses. I use 88.2 on my acoustic/folk albums and 48k on rock and roll. I am on an old Mac though, so I don't have to much power. I did just get though a larger 24-30 track mixing project with out a hick-up, though it was 44.1. New Mac is the next purchase, just can't get side tracked with mics, comps, or plugs.
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Post by lolo on Dec 17, 2013 21:37:05 GMT -6
Most of mine goes to Slate VTM, Decapitator! Kramer tape is also quite heavy.
Always runs either VCC or NLS on most tracks, and that doesn't seem to be too heavy. guess it all adds up.
Normally also runs a couple of instances of Echoboy and reverbs that can also eat some CPU.
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Post by popmann on Dec 17, 2013 22:04:42 GMT -6
Again...oversampling on? MPX and VTM just don't let you turn it OFF. VCC defaults to having it off. Mine's on 2x for everything recorded at single rate. In fact, if ever I'm in the middle of a mix and something kills the CPU, I just turn off the VCC oversampling until I figure out what's killing the CPU--because it will cut in half with one switch.
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Post by lolo on Dec 17, 2013 22:47:43 GMT -6
Oversampling off.
Do you hear a difference in VCC with it on?
Ive never touched it
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Post by popmann on Dec 18, 2013 1:17:25 GMT -6
On the channels...not so much (but that also doesn't take the big CPU so I just leave it on)...the busses? oh yeah. I tend to use the API and Trident more than the others...not sure how that factors in...but, I rarely touch his harsh/sibilant SSL or tubby Neve. The other three get all the use here.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Dec 18, 2013 9:07:13 GMT -6
Did a vocal session recently in Logic X. On the vocal, there are some loud pops and clicks that happen while a note is sustained, so I can't simply edit them out. Unfortunately, I'd like to keep the vocal. The Logic tech at Apple thinks it might be from overloading the CPU with plugs while recording. I need to find the root of the problem and develop a workaround. I can track with far less plugs if necessary..
Any suggestions as to software that can get rid of the pops and not mess with the vocal?
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Post by watchtower on Dec 18, 2013 9:30:01 GMT -6
I agree VCC is not that much of a hog, but when you combine it with VTM on every track, it's rough. I have Oversampling Off. Slate once posted/tweeted that the VCC models were most accurate with Oversampling OFF. Regarding oversampling, I personally hear a difference particularly in the Trident. Whether Off sounds better or not is strictly up to you, but I go with Off because it saves CPU and Steven specifically said that is the most accurate way to use it for the modeled consoles. With Oversampling On, the effects of the Trident become exaggerated. Not "too much," but definitely more extreme. Kind of like what you would expect the Drive knob to do.
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Post by watchtower on Dec 18, 2013 9:32:33 GMT -6
mjb, iZotope RX should be able to handle that. I've got RX 3 Advanced if you need help. I sometimes get clicks/pops in the audio if I'm just recording non-important things and don't bother to close other programs first. So yes, it definitely seems to be a CPU usage thing.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Dec 18, 2013 9:39:48 GMT -6
Slate once posted/tweeted that the VCC models were most accurate with Oversampling OFF. I think I remember seeing this too. |
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