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Jim Roseberry

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Posts posted by Jim Roseberry

  1. 14 hours ago, Starship Krupa said:

    AVLinux, hadn't heard of it. Is it better than Ubuntu Studio for things like Ardour and Waveform.

    @Jim Roseberry, I use Windows, but I think the "fascination" for doing DAW work in Linux is that people trying it really prefer Linux (as I have long preferred Windows). Some people still say the same thing about doing DAW work in Windows. As you say, going back 20 years, remember how Mac users at best thought it was "cute" that people were actually trying to run Photoshop or any DAW or NLE in Windows? Linux people may be tired of dealing with Microsoft the way that I am tired of dealing with Apple, who have been shafting A/V software developers for years.

    And we're not all pros. Some of us are home music hobbyists, some seldom record audio and work entirely "in the box." And part of the fun of the hobby is that I can be mixing in Cakewalk on something like my hand-me-down 10-year-old notebook. Recording with 16 inputs of Firewire interfaces whose drivers go back to Windows 7.

    I get that in your line of work, or one of them, the customers for your (superbly, by reports) integrated systems just want it to work, flawlessly, with no trouble, no tinkering, and are willing to pay. I'm kind of the opposite, my system upgrades are when someone is giving away a computer, then I do the work of turning it into a usable DAW. I enjoy the tinkering part too.

    Can't disagree with anything you're saying...

    I've done "Hackintosh" builds... for the fun of it (like solving a puzzle).

    We have clients who are still running RME Fireface 400/800 audio interfaces... which are ~15 years old.

     

    The issue most folks have with Windows 10 is that it's a "universal" (all encompassing) OS.

    Supporting such a wide group of end-users, it's bloated and a bit "dumbed-down" (for less tech-savvy users).

    Thus, (by default) we have Cortana, Automatic Updates, lots of applications running in the background, etc.

    Of course, the flip side of being a more universal OS is that it drives prices down (OS, hardware, software, etc).

    Microsoft grew into a massive company... with massive (over) exposure... generating massive revenue.

    The "man with the big cigar" (in their realm)...

     

    Regarding Linux:

    If you take most of the profit away, you also take away competition and desire to develop.

    Competition drives development.  (Look at the CPU progress were now encountering).

    You've got wide-open potential... with little structure/oversight

    A bit like the Wild West

     

     

     

  2. 56 minutes ago, Sander Verstraten said:

    I'd love to try some music making under Linux. But since I am running a Roland Octacapture it's a no go.

    FWIW, I really don't get the fascination with running a DAW under Linux.

    It's literally like taking a 20+ year step back in  time.

    We waited for decades to have the processing power, plugins, and virtual-instruments currently available under Windows.

     

    • Like 3
  3. I struggled for years to get good DI recordings of Fender style (passive) electric-bass.

    The sound was clean/clear... but "anemic".

    Tried numerous SansAmp racks/boxes, Solo-610, and many other DI options... but the sound was never what I had hoped.

    Finally decided to invest in a couple Neve channel-strips.  Boom!  There's the sound I struggled so long trying to achieve.

    The bass has clarity/definition... and authority.

     

    • Like 2
  4. 1 hour ago, Finnbogi Ragnar Ragnarsson said:

    It's a strange situation but I saw them last year going down to around 120 dollars. Still ebay is the typical opportunist haven, so the prices there are unfair and unrealistic, but local facebook groups or sites are a better bet.

    There was a massive rush this holiday season (along with Covid).

    Almost impossible to find higher-end video cards (and power-supplies) actually in-stock.

    Huge demand and almost no supply results in unusually high cost.

    • Like 1
  5. 1 hour ago, Grem said:

    I would have to disagree here. I believe a PC offers a better experience in the long run. He will use that PC for more than just gaming. 

    I don't disagree with what you're saying.

    There's just no way to build a "healthy" gaming PC for under $1k.

    • RTX-3070 is $750
    • RTX-3060ti is $500

    Right now, it's hard to find any mid/high level GTX/RTX video card in-stock.

     

    FWIW, I just got done building a high-end gaming prototype machine.

    It's got the best of everything in it.

    Cost as much as a nice PRS guitar.  🤪

    • Like 3
  6. For a gaming machine, clock-speed is the single most important factor.

    Intel is currently offering higher clock-speed than AMD.

    Clock-speed (and extremely low latency) is Ryzen/Threadripper's (3xxx series) Achilles Heel.

    The new 5950x (Vermeer) is a much better performer at ultra low latency... but it's extremely hard to find in-stock... and it's an $800 CPU.

     

    Aside from CPU,  video card is extremely important.

    Right at this moment, it's hard to find high-end GTX/RTX video cards actually in-stock.

    If you find one, grab it immediately.  Our distributor received a shipment of 140 RTX-3070 video cards ($750 each)... and they were gone in two days.

    As a point of reference, running Forza Horizon 4 (racing sim):

    • 1080p at 60-fps - RTX-3070 running ~30%
    • 4k at 60-fps - RTX-3070 running ~50%

     

    • Like 1
  7. 3 minutes ago, Bruno de Souza Lino said:

    I find a bit odd that the quad cortex has almost the same ui the helix does.

    One advantage to being "late to the game" is knowing the strengths/weaknesses of competing devices.

    Neural has "cherry picked" some of the best features from Helix, Kemper, Axe-FX, and HeadRush.

    To my ears, it sounds like their "capture" procedure may result in even more realistic "profiles" than the Kemper.

    Keep in mind the Kemper is what... 11 years old?!  Amazing that it's still viable.

  8. Sad to know he's gone.

    What a nice tribute he wrote (describing his life and being thankful for both his career and those he's worked with).

    Think about the talent level in the Elektrik Band.  

    At the time, the best modern jazz players on the planet.

  9. 25 minutes ago, SteveStrummerUK said:

    I 've had a Kemper for years and have been mostly very happy with it. I had been looking at getting an AXE-FX III, but having done a bit of YouTube research (and having read the manual cover to cover) it seems the QC seems to offer just about everything the Axe does, but for half the price.

     

    QC seems to be a nice "cherry-picked" feature set of Helix, Axe-FX, Kemper.

    I'll grab one from Sweetwater (when they're actually available).

     

    The Mooer G300 can also load "profiles/captures".  

    You have to use an iPad to create the captures (a bit of a pain)... but it works.

    Our local SamAsh had one used for $550... so I grabbed it to test.

    Sounds a whole lot better than you'd expect (given cost and being MIC).

    • Thanks 1
  10. AMD has finally gotten their ultra low latency performance together with the new Vermeer (5xxx) series.

    I've got a 5950x based DAW (I'm typing on it right now).

     

    The 10900kwill out-perform the 5950x when it comes to ultra low latency performance (example below).

    In heavily multi-threaded scenarios (video rendering), the 5950x will significantly best the 10900k.

     

    Lets say you want to run Helix Native (plugin version of the Line-6 Helix guitar processor)... at latency equal to or lower than the hardware version (which is 2ms).

    When it comes to ultra low round-trip latency, the Presonus Quantum is as good as it gets.

    Set Quantum to 96k using a 32-sample ASIO buffer size.  This results in 1ms total round-trip latency.

    Load Helix Native and create a significant patch using two 2048-sample Cab IRs, delay, reverb, etc.

    The 5950x is the first AMD CPU to be able to sustain this ultra low latency scenario completely glitch-free.

    With the Threadripper 3970x, you'll experience glitches.

    Needless to say, this is excellent performance.

    With the 10900k, you can actually set the ASIO buffer size down to 16-samples (sub 1ms round-trip latency)... and it'll sustain the load glitch-free.

    It's the first CPU we've tested that could actually do this...

     

    The 10900k is a $500 CPU.

    The 5950x is a $800 CPU.

     

    Competition benefits all of us.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • Like 3
  11. On 2/9/2021 at 12:13 AM, Clovis Ramsay said:

    Ok, so what you are really saying is that Macs are better? ....or nah?  Because it kinda seems like that is what you are saying or perhaps, hinting too in a way....

    As we folks down yonder in the south would say to ya is..."you cant squeeze blood out of a turnip!"

    That's not what I'm saying in any way/shape/form.  😉

    We deal with many Mac users who simply can't get the speed/configuration they need to run large scoring templates.

    The solution is a well-configured custom PC DAW.  Exactly what they need... nothing more... nothing less

    Windows 10 is a fine DAW platform... once fully reined-in.

     

    If you watch any popular TV series, you're hearing scoring work that's using a PC.

    Danny Lux, Timothy Wynn, Fred Coury, etc...

    The top LA based composers meet once a month for dinner... to discuss all things technology and music.

    • Like 2
  12. 13 minutes ago, Teegarden said:

    Thanks for the clear answer!

    I guess that's not the case when your PC power profile is set to maximum performance all the time (and good cooling to avoid throtling)?

    And what is the influence of the soundcard regarding latency?
    I've got a ten year old RME PCIe AIO card that gives effective latency of 2.7 ms with 256 buffer, 24bit, 96kHz, 64 bit double precision buffer (ASIO reported latencies:  input 3.1, output 3.7, total roundtrip 6.8ms). That seem relatively good figures to me (working without glitches when all unnecessary background processes are eliminated)? 

    And the fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD's? Don't they also improve latency? The 10900k has only PCIe 3.0...

    I agree regarding the cost/performance of the 10900k, but I'm quite interested in the new AMD, will just wait till its available at reasonable price🙂

    Power profile is certainly part of the equation... but not all of it.   

    CPU cooler has to be able to keep up (or course).

     

    Your audio interface determines the latency your DAW can achieve.

    The CPU has to be able to sustain the load (glitch-free)... but has no direct affect on the actual latency figure.

     

    6.8ms total round-trip latency isn't bad.

    If you want lowest possible round-trip latency, Presonus Quantum can achieve sub 1ms (96k using a 16-sample ASIO buffer size).

    Right now, only the 10900k can sustain any type of load at those settings... and that's do to the super high clock-speed (5.3GHz).

     

    PCIe 4.0 SSDs have zero impact on audio latency.

    PCIe 3.0 SSDs sustain 3500MB/Sec.

    PCIe 4.0 SSD sustain about 4000-5000MB/Sec.

     

    You may be surprised to hear that the 5950x is currently performing slightly better with the B550 vs. X570 chipset.

    X570 is also active-cooled... which means small (annoying) high-RPM fan.  Noisy!

     

    5950x is an $800 CPU.  

    If you're waiting for significant discount, it's going to be an extended wait.  😉

     

     

     

    • Thanks 1
  13. 15 hours ago, Teegarden said:

    My impression (after reading tons of topics) in our case is that it has to do with the impaired internal latency of the former generations AMD CPUs, unfortunately. I guess @Jim Roseberry can say more about this.
    I've managed to improve performance by tweaking my Threadripper system to the max, but at the cost of way too many unproductive hours and now my hardware is starting to wear out. So now, when I can finally record something decent, I might need to replace things again🤔

    CPU speed is certainly an important factor... but there are numerous facets that affect performance.

    Just because you see "CPU headroom", that doesn't mean the machine is going to perform flawlessly (for DAW purposes).

     

    Threadripper's multi-threaded performance is off-the-chain good, but it's ultra low-latency performance is poor (even the 3970x).

    The new 5950x (Vermeer) is the first series of AMD CPUs where that's finally been resolved.

    The 5950x can run loads at a 32-sample ASIO buffer size... that the 3970x just can't sustain (glitch-free).

    That said, the new 10th Gen i9-10900k can run Helix Native (with a substantial patch using two 2048-sample Cab IRs) completely glitch-free at 96k using a 16-sample ASIO buffer size.  The first CPU to be able to effectively do this (no glitches).

     

    Even with a 10900k or 5950x, if the machine's DPC Latency is high... you'll experience audio glitches/drop-outs.

    Lets say you want to run Helix Native at 44.1k using a 64-sample ASIO buffer size.

    That means the machine has 1.5ms to process the next audio buffer and get it in cue for playback.  

    Anything that interrupts this process will cause an audio glitch/dropout.  (ie: Poorly written drivers can monopolize the CPU.)

     

    Processes constantly running in the background (backup/sync, A/V, etc) can negatively affect performance.

     

    There's performance and power throttling:

    Say you have a typical song structure... where the song starts with maybe 8-16 tracks of drums, guitar, bass, keys, and lead vocal/melody.

    When the song reaches the bridge, let's say it breaks down to just the kick and a single bass part.

    At this point, CPU use (demand) is extremely low... so the system decides to throttle CPU clock-speed down to 1/4 speed... as well as parking several cores.

    When the stripped-down bridge ends, here comes the massive chorus-out-vamp.  Huge stacks of backing vocals, synths, etc.

    That massive CPU load now falls on the CPU running at 1/4 clock-speed... with several cores that have been parked.

    Glitches at best... or a complete transport dropout.

     

    The harder you're pushing the machine (heavier loads, lower latency), the more important all the details.

    A general-purpose user wouldn't notice a few millisecond hiccup in data-flow.

    For someone wanting to run at a 64-sample ASIO buffer size, those few extra milliseconds can result in glitches/dropouts.

     

     

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1
  14. With proliferation of (live) streaming, many companies don't feel the need to be bound to NAMM's schedule (especially when it's virtual).

    D.I. from Line-6 (owned by Yamaha) mentioned this recently on The Gear Page.

     

    • Thanks 1
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