OK and this really is a deal breaker. I can run Mixbus 10 Pro at the same time as Studio One 6.5 on my Mac M2 with 24GB of RAM at buffer size 64 samples. With full production plug-ins in both, not a drop out or crackle.
I cannot get VSTL to run smoothly at anything less than 1024 buffer size, which obviously is absolutely a no-go for live playing. And this is with ONE stack with a couple of not very heavy DSP plugins (Harrison 32C Classic Channel & Valhalla Room)
So - time to step back and accept that VSTL is a/ not ready, and b/ has a workflow that for me, is counterintuitive and requires far more “invisible” plugins than is really necessary. MainStage & QLab probably have to be the choices.
It’s a shame - I really like the timeline idea of VSTL, but to be honest it seems to be coming from two different approaches, and hasn’t yet decided how it wants to operate.
Thanks for all the advice here, glad I bought it in the sale. I’ll keep tabs on it but if I have to go problem solving over a basic functionality error (crackles) then it’s not the app for me. Others work out of the box, and if I’m going to spend a great deal of time programming a complex show, I need to know it’s reliable. Crackles at this early point with two plugins doesn’t bode well.
VST Live is very low on CPU itself, it’s always the plugins (or heavy media tracks playing) which cause CPU stress. Depending on plugins used, we can run at 64 samples no problem almost all of the time, so there is probably something in your project or system that causes this, or you are comparing apples and onions. As an example, Vallhalla room has different algorithms with very different CPU consumption.
You said that before, still don’t get it. Why should one have to use “more plugins than necessary”? Actually, VST Live never inserts plugins by itself, you have to choose a plugin (wherever you do that) in order to activate it. Why would you then install more than you need?
That’s up to you, but majority of reports in this forum suggest otherwise. It’s not counter-intuitive at all, but you may have missed some crucial points, we are here to help.
Excuse me, but we all go with 64 / 128 samples here….(and I personall have fragment or horse power compared to your computer)
Furthermore did comparsion before with another prg’s and the only one produced not equal but a few percent better performance is none of your mentioned ones (while has weaker perf video engine). But in normal scenarios VL has the same performance (+ all the different benefits) as the others.
Well, whatever the problem is it’s unique to VSTL - I just tried an experiment and got MainStage & Studio One Show running with SSL FlexVerb, two instances of Valhalla, one with very long delay, two channels of Harrison Classic 32C Channel - and I’m able to switch patches at 64 sample buffer with no artefacts (down to 32 with MainStage). A Mac mini M2 with plenty of horsepower. It doesn’t matter that other users have no issues. I so rarely run into issues like this on the M2 that I’m afraid this scares me off. I don’t need to start tampering with the Mac settings -that’s why I use a Mac (I abandoned Windows 15 years ago to avoid having to “optimise for audio use”) - it works - and when it doesn’t it’s usually the app. A well written app will run out of the box on a Mac M2, I’ve not had to change anything in my Mac settings for all the programmes I use, this includes Video editing progs like Da Vinci Resolve. All these plugins I use regularly in so many other apps - to suggest that they’re DSP heavy is simply not the case .
Anyway, as I said, I’m grateful for the help and input, but spending 30 minutes with Studio One Show (which I never really looked at before ) as well as refreshing myself with MainStage tells me that the workflow of VSTL is not for me. No problem, horses for courses. I was hoping to be able to integrate more into one app (lighting & video) and not use QLab synced to my backing tracks, live inputs etc, but I’ll have to settle for using two or more apps. It’s a very complex project and if VSTL worked it’d save me quite a bit of effort. But if it falls over with just the one track, I’m not prepared to persist , I really don’t have the time or patience to go looking for problems that don’t exist in other apps.
As I said I’ll come back occasionally and check progress, it’s bought and paid for so it may come I handy one day, but for whatever reason, the workflow doesn’t suit my brain, much as I’d like it to. I’m not “neuro-typical” so sometimes the visual and workflow elements of a program simply don’t fit. That’s not to criticise the developers. Obviously many users are happily working with it. I struggle to understand the logic of what they’re trying to achieve with VSTL - I have a similar block when it comes to understanding the workflow of Ableton, which to me looks like an accident involving an architect and Jackson Pollock…
Well… I use a shxx load of plug-ins tracks videos Dmx stacks etc etc and run on a win 11 pc @64/128 samples …… something phishy about your config need to be solved !
But I can’t use muti thread audio don’t know why… maybe you have mutithread audio on ?!
Thanks for the comment but as I say, I have no issues with several very heavy duty DSP apps. Whatever is “phishy” about my Mac is caused by VSTL alone! And I’ve already said that I’ve got more interesting things to do than solve a problem that only exists with VSTL.
Try toggle it, click for Rosetta, apply, uncheck for rosetta, apply
also check if Audio Multi Proc is checked under prefs…
We also have… better then giving you advices / sharing our user experiences in the last weeks/months… then you tell us, you have more interesting things to do…
I abandoned Harrison because it chewed up so many resources. Same with the Korg ARP2600 which would only run glitch free when stand alone with a high buffer, no chance inside VL.
Suggestion: Start without plugins and add them until you find the one that is problematic. As has been said before VL on its own is very resource light, it’s the plugins that cause problems.
Also try using an Integrated multi IO setup rather than direct to the sound card.
Why not send your project to the devs so they can take a look. Clearly something not right there and they’re always happy to help.
Dear JeffB63 - I won’t swear at your impertinence or ignorance, just direct you to my website - how long have you been making records professionally by the way…?
And, for the last time everyone - these plugins run flawlessly on my other DAWs and on MainStage and Presonus Show page. I can also quite happily run full session on Mixbus 10 Pro with at the same session that I created the audio with in Studio One (I export stems and tracks to mix in MB) - that’s right, the heavily DSP dependent Harrison alongside Studio One Pro 6.5 - my system works very well, VSTL2 doesn’t.
I will try switching off the multi-threading, but as I’ve said earlier, I don’t think I’m suited to the workflow and methodology of VSTL, promising app though it is.
So far, this forum has been friendly, cooperative, and helpful for years. Critics, bug reports, and suggestions are always welcome, keep 'em coming. But please let’s stay focused on the subjects; we don’t want to have to step back from providing direct developer support. Thanks.
You know nothing about me or what I’ve done so your comment is laughable.
I’m not impertinent enough to claim I’m a top producer whilst being unable to follow basic instructions.
My system works fine but then I’m happy to take on board suggestions.
But carry on.
I apologise to all members - I didn’t like being insulted and called a troll, and reacted hastily.
As I’ve stated before, I am very grateful for all the input and advice. Forgive my impatience and frustration, story of my life!
and you knew nothing about me when you made your troll comment. I reacted hastily and apologise for that. I don’t claim to be a top anything by the way - just that I’ve been doing this a long time,. And yes, basic instructions can floor me. It’s a brain-wired thing. I have a PhD but couldn’t assemble an IKEA bookcase.
Salut!
Ok.
We would nevertheless like to check your project to see how it would cause the effects you memntioned. Just the .vlprj file would do, there are not any media (audio, video, midi) etc with just the project file, thanks.