Carl Ewing

On my mobile rig, all my problems came down to power management, whether I was plugged in or on battery. I created new power profiles (for being plugged in), ensuring that nothing was being throttled (CPU, PSU, USB suspension, Wifi / network, etc.) and haven't had a problem since. Even on desktop, I find a lot of these DPC problems relate directly to power. Windows does all kinds of funky stuff with power (even beyond windows, at the BIOS level) that significantly mess with real-time performance. Shutting off CPU throttling will do wonders for audio performance. Although that means your CPU is running at 100% day and night. But did that for years on my studio comp and never had a problem. And like that on my laptop as well. Actually - I run an XPS 9500, which was supposedly notorious for DPC problems. I can run 150 track projects with 100 plugins no problem, with 2 4K monitors running out of a Thunderbolt hub. Zero issues. That was only after I custom built my power profile by using some extensive registry hacks. Dell doesn't like you messing with power profiles on their systems - primarily because thermals on their machines are absolute crap. But those forced power profiles are why so many people have problems. I recommend google searching "DPC latency" + "windows power" + "registry edits" and seeing all the stuff you can actually control.

Asio will bottleneck before CPU. You can max out Cubase as well, long before the CPU gets going. But Cubase has a significant amount of tools to help with Asio problems (Asio guard, etc.), regardless of audio interface, so perhaps Ableton isn't as well optimized?

Software developers got spoiled by the ever increasing speed, efficiency and lowered cost of CPUs / hardware. Why bother writing efficient software when the consumer can just keep updating their specs? But now...with costs & efficiency plateauing...especially on the price front... I specifically choose developers that maximize existing tech. No tolerance for horribly optimized plugins, or absurdly bloated sample libraries taking up needless drive space on expensive SSDs. (Opus strings is half a terrabyte - I could rant about this specific bit of developer nonsense.). Some of these recent bottlenecks were finally forcing developers to think carefully about software design if they wanted to appeal to a larger audience who can't upgrade their specs every 6 months. Unfortunately, these recent CPUs may halt that progress, although affordable hard drive space is still going to be a problem for a while.

I take it you haven't heard these libraries. And I didn't say they should be free. I'm sure someone out there really wants to re-create circa-2001 Crystal Method and $5 is an absolute steal. But $40 regular for some of these libraries is just typical audio companies trying to mine the naive for as much as possible, and doing the super sales to show what the libraries are really worth, and milk a slow moving dated catalog by selling to sample addicts / hoarders. $5 ain't bad though.

These libraries are super old school. I have some of these on CD from like 20 years ago. You can hear tons of those sounds in the first season of shows like 24 and CSI and movie soundtracks from like 2005. Can't believe they still sell for $40 regular. They've been mined to death. Literally - I think the people that made most of these are dead by now. Should be bundled with Stylus RMX expansions like Metamorphosis, and sold for $19.99.

Awesome! Can't wait.

One feature request is the ability to filter out results - for example, being able to uncheck a developer, or filter out specific plugins that a user already owns. And perhaps even an email alert system for specific developers / plugins. Looking forward to see how this progresses.

It has quite a different sound to RC-20 (especially reverb / echo). And the bitcrush is quite a bit different than some others. I really didn't like Retro Fi when I demo'd it, so I would say VYBZ is superior. But I have a lot of lofi plugins and a prefer a certain sound. For lofi multi-effects I would put in order: XLN - RC-20 (great all around) Unfiltered Audio - Lo-Fi AF (love this plugin), Byome / Triad Freakshow Industries - Mishby, Dumpster Fire, Backmask AudioThing - Wires, Speakers, etc. Excite - Lifeline (just got this - it's amazing) Abberant Audio - Sketch Cassette WavesFactory - Cassette Thenatan - Vybz Neold - Warble Amplitube 5 (underrated for lo-fi) Stock DAW plugins STDs. ... ... Waves Retro Fi. Hehe. I think Vybz is a no-brainer for 10 bucks. Comes in handy sometimes. Edit: Oops confused RC-20 with Lo-Fi AF when it comes to reverb. Corrected.

Anyone know if there is a benefit to RX8 elements over what's already in RX7 Standard? The elements are on sale for $20, but it doesn't seem there's much of a difference with the core modules that are already in RX7. Honestly, I can't even see a reason to upgrade from RX7 to RX9 at all. Hmm.

I'm still amazed how terrible the installation process is for audio software. Obviously some developers are better than others. I've been running the app 'Everything' for file search on Windows, and I can sometimes find a plugin / instrument's files scattered across 20 different folders - plugin formats all over the place, documentation over here, presets over there, samples over there, images over here, files in Local app data, files in Roaming app data, files in generic users, files in admin user, files in 64 bit program files, files in x86 program files. Native Instruments seems to be the worst...and has been the worst since like 20 years ago. And if you...god forbid, delete the 32 plugins, which you sometimes have no choice to install, some manufacturers will consider that a "broken installation" in the installation manager. I think iZotope behaves likes this. "How dare you delete our precious 32-bit files! And did you delete the Russian language documentation! Plugin no longer work. Please reinstall it all again as punishment." It's what I love about the Plugin Alliance installer. Simple UI, can select exactly the format I want, filter by what I own, select plugin, installs in like 3 seconds. Almost no bloat at all. Somehow installing a PA synth takes 3 seconds, uses maybe 3 folders, but a Native Instruments synth takes up 20 folders on my drive and needs to install every single plugin format on the market. Worst offenders: Native Instruments, Waves and iZotope. Anyway. Another rant.

Modobass is a hell of an instrument. Pretty much replaced all of my electric / acoustic bass libraries. Very impressed with that thing. Although bass is probably one of the easier instruments to emulate - and easier to bury in a mix if it doesn't sound 100% perfect. Like Mododrum as well, but definitely limited in its capabilities.

Another sample library platform! Yay! You get a sample player, and you get a sample player! Y'all do the same shit, but hey, why not have 30 of them in various stages of bug fixing and endless updates. To all developers - the second your "fancy new sample player" crashes an important project while on a deadline, I won't touch your software again for 2 years. I'm talking to you East West Play.

I feel I shouldn't answer this, as I my adventures through LimeWire back in the day definitely introduced me to some companies I still use (legimately) today. But that's probably not what you meant.

Oh my. I will soon have an extra USB slot! As someone often on a mobile rig, this is seriously a welcome change.

I got quick support email from them in December. Directly from "Natan" who is the main guy. Email used was thenatanstore@gmail.com Response was very quick too - replied within 12 hours.

I'm talking about the sound of their libraries specifically. Think it was pretty obvious what I meant.

Man, Spitfire needs to diversify. I think they have that dramatic airy orchestra covered lol. I think a lot of their catalog is starting to sound very dated, since that "sound" has been used so much for almost a decade now. Maybe they need to hire some heavy metal guys and inject some life into their future products. Even that Aperture freebie, considering the amount of amps used, sounds like something for dramatic underscore. I get sleepy just visiting the website now. Perhaps a new Felt Piano and "Ultimate Cello Harmonics" are in the works?

Done exactly this many times, including right now. Travel with a fairly substantial mobile rig, all centered around laptop. It adds a level of stress....a certain level. High level you could say. Every time someone at the airport security has to handle my gear I realize my life is in their hands. No cloud backup, but everything on multiple redundant portable drives...that at certain times are all within a couple feet of each other. I take drugs for this.

Have they updated that Engine player yet? So sad about those incredible libraries - likely get a tiny fraction of their potential sales because of that horribly coded, horribly designed, monstrosity of a sample engine. Someone on VI Control said they got a reply from the developer who said they refused to change the horrendous almost unreadable-on-4K UI because they were "waiting for people to get used to it". Ridiculous.

Oh - I have no experience with the AMEK. Usually don't pick something up until I've used it extensively in a few projects and know I will use it regularly. I'm on the Mix / Master subscription, and slowly picking up the things I use so I can eventually drop the subscription. This will never happen of course. There's always more. And ya, I already picked up a lot of stuff with vouchers / subscription voucher. There's only a couple left I'm looking at.

Big Al and Bx_Opto. But I'm not the one that asked.

$20 voucher will reset again in 24 hours. Code: MEGA-SALE-20OFF (no minimum purchase) So if you use it today, it'll reset again this time tomorrow.

Got email that $20 voucher can now be used again. You know - I think the point of me getting subscription was that I would use the yearly voucher to get everything I wanted and then end the subscription. Last year, that was 5 specific plugins. But through the year I picked up those 5 with the various sales / subscriptions. Plus an additional 10. Then I got 5 more with the yearly voucher. And there are still others I want. It never ends. It's like a nightmare. Haha. (cries)

Not sure if you have it - but iZotope Nuetron 3 has a very good transient shaper, that's both single & multiband. There's also a very good one in Native Instruments Komplete. And worth a look is Waves 'Smack Attack' which often goes on sale for dirt cheap, and has some features many others do not (i.e. visualizer). If you use it, there's also a multi-band and full-spectrum shaper inside Cubase. Also one available for free for Ableton Live if you use it. A couple free ones: Flux's 'Bittersweet V3' Aubrun Sound's "Couture" Sleepy Time DSP's "Transient"

Some prices are same as voucher. Some are more expensive and some are cheaper. For example: VSM-3 is $39.99 with Xmas voucher. But current sale price is $69.99. My cart earlier today was just around $210 (with xmas vouchers). But now it's $285 with current sale prices. Arrgh.