Going No-native, dsp question Options

[karambos]

I presently run all my audio and effects natively on my G3 processor. It's only a small one (233MHz) and gets overloaded quickly with about 6 or 8 audio tracks with effects. I need some advice on what non-native solutions are available out there. As far as I'm aware there are DSP's (Digital Signal Processors) that take care of the effects (like the Powercore) and others that do both audio and effects (like DigiDesign's MixPlus). Is that right? Potential candidates so far are: TC Powercore, Digi Design 001, Yamaha DSP 2416, something by Terratec, MOTU Audio 2408, DigiDesign MixPlus, Creamware Pulsar, Creamware Scope.

Ideally I'm willing to spend more money on something that fully removes the load from my processor so that no matter what computer I buy (Macintosh) it will not overload. Basically I need at least 30 Audio tracks.

thankyou

karambos

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www.thefair.de

[Teiwaz]

Yes, I am a very happy owner. I also have TDM hardware in a separate system and I can honestly say in confidence that the UAD-1 card outstrips at a thousand paces the equivalent plug-ins on TDM (the info is provided on Johnny's link to the Mackie/UAD-1 site...check out the comparison charts between UA stuff and Bomb Factory - check out how far off the mark a "Bum" Factory Pultec EQ is compared to the UAD-1's Pultec EQ!! BF's 'version' of the Pultec doesn't behave at all like a real Pultec...



I discovered this personally whilst comparing the bottom end of the 2 different Pultec plugs. I dialled in a very low sub frequency of around 50hz on the UAD-1 Pultec, and then tried doing the same thing on the BF Pultec. During testing on the UAD-1 Pultec, my KRK speakers cones were moving considerably with the pronounced 50hz frequency...and when I switched in the BF Pultec...the speaker cones STOPPED moving. The BF Pultec actually cancels out/rolls off frequencies below 70hz or so...that was a revelation, I can tell you. The graphs shown on the Mackie/UAD-1 site confirmed what I already knew...



And you have to PAY for the BF version of the Pultec?!?!



Anyway, enough poking at BF's 'products'....

You would have everything to do what you need with a newer mac and a UAD-1 card, is the basic no-frills answer. I would keep the Audiowerk 2 (a good card), though the folks at Universal Audio just brought out the UAD-1 MkII which has an ADAT I/O built into it...useful for people who own a digital mixing desk with ADAT I/O...I use a MOTU 2408MkII system as an interface with my UAD-1 card.



The only drawback with the UAD-1 (and believe me, I see this as a minor drawback) is the fact that there are still problems when inserting it's own powered plug-ins on live inputs...I'm eagerly anticipating a cure for this from Universal soon...