Hardware And Virtual Instruments, What most impacts the performance of virtual instruments Options

[fishbite]

I have a 2 yr old dual processor G4 with 1.25 G RAM, no off-board audio gear. I can't provide the processor speed right now because I'm not at home. I have numerous commercial and free audio unit instruments. However, when I'm working in Digital Performer I find that I can typically only have a couple instruments playing simultaneously. I have to disable tracks such that they aren't playing or "freeze" them (you DP folks will know what I mean). Plus, I often have to twiddle with the latency/sample size or audio playback will break up.

What would have the biggest impact on the ability to play virtual instruments simultaneously - faster processor? more RAM? Should I expect to really only be able to work with one instrument at a time?

I'm looking at getting a new Mac - and yes, I already anticipate problems getting universal binary versions for at least some of the instruments. However, should I go for the fastest processor, biggest RAM machine I can afford? Or what? I welcome any advice.

Thanks,

Seth

[lepetitmartien]

RAM will help (first by helping OS X to be way more efficient, second by giving more room for RAM heacy plug-ins like samplers, some reverbs)

Now, any aging computer will be send out in shame when compared to new ones, but it doesn't mean it can't do its job. It all depends on how you work, if you rely heavily on virtual instruments, the more CPU you get, the better.

Note that some DSP systems like the powercore or the UAD-1 can take part of the workload off too.

But in the end, it all depends on how you work and if it's really, let's say, 100% more plug-ins, 200% more you need. Mind also that some CPU upgrades can really do marvels when you don't have the cash for a new computer and software upgrades…

Now tell us, how fast are your CPUs?