Want to Hear My Latest Mixdown?

[Brother Charles]

Hi gang,

I've had Mx Pro Studio 7 since a few months, but due to "life stuff", I haven't been able to experiment and explore with it. That is, up until a few days ago. I will never be installing 32-bit DAW and/or plug-ins going forward, therefore I was very happy to install and set up Mixcraft Pro 7.1 (64 bit edition).

The track that I've posted a link to, was originally constructed in Mixcraft 6. Before working on this track in the new DAW, I made sure that I 'nixed' any 32 bit plug-ins which are not *also available in native 64-bit format, from the original project. I replaced the old plug-ins with newer, pro-grade offerings. I'm kinda of sad to say goodbye to my old VOS plug-ins by Bootsie, but the truth is, I have much better replacements now anyways.

I'm a Gospel artist, but definitely *not 'churchy'. My musical styling spans blues, classic rock, Classic Gospel, and soul.

Here's the link:
Brother Charles - Sins Are Gone

[fredfish]

I am sure that you are aware (but just in case). Even if you have chosen to install only 64bit Mixcraft you can still run 32 bit plugins.

Great mix BTW!

Cheers

John

[outteh]

A little BB King there! Very nicely done! Do you find the 64 bit and 64 bit plugins more efficient? Any other benefits?

[freightgod]

Nice and smooth...

[Brother Charles]

A little BB King there! Very nicely done! Do you find the 64 bit and 64 bit plugins more efficient? Any other benefits?

Thanks a million, outteh.
Absolutely! Across the board (virtual mixing board, that is) Mixcraft 7.1 is exploding onto the next level with 64-bit performance. As regards 7.1's excellent CPU and RAM usage, I'd be willing to put it head-to-head with most nearly any other current DAW. Understandbly, it doesn't host all the features offered with some of the full scale Pro-grade DAWs, but neither does it cost $500 - $1000.

Benefits? Well, most 3rd party (64-bit) pro-grade plug-ins sound better, work better, and exhibit overall higher quality than most of the older 32-bit fare. With the exception of DelaMancha, VOS, SonicProjects, and a few others, most 32-bit synthedit plug-ins sorely pale in comparison. Another couple of exceptions to the list might be the old MemoryMoon virtual synths.

And having better doesn't always mean that you have to spend a lot of money. For example, ToneBoosters, Klanghelm, MeldaProductions, TDR, and ValhallaDSP create pro-grade plug-ins for very affordable prices. The good news is that all of the aforementioned developers provide native 64-bit software(s). Most 32-bit plug-ins created in Synthedit suffer from memory leaks, unnecessary overhead, and a certain degree of instability. Not only that, but many of them simply invoke the built-in Synthedit modules and routines. This explains why so many of the older 32-bit plug-ins all have similar sound and performance. As I mentioned before, there were some exceptions.

With each new iteration of Mixcraft, the feature-set and robustness of the DAW are bettered substantially. It is my honest opinion that we Acoustica fans finally have a "grown up" DAW here. I recommend this DAW with confidence for any new/young bedroom producer. Seasoned, professional engineers and small studios probably will remain with Pro Tools, Studio One, and the likes. However, the gap is definitely narrowing!

I'm really looking forward to release 8 and the inclusion of side-chaining; it will take Mixcraft into more professional circles. I for one, will be sure to eagerly greet it at the finish line.

[Brother Charles]

Nice and smooth...

Thank you kindly, friend.

[Brother Charles]

I am sure that you are aware (but just in case). Even if you have chosen to install only 64bit Mixcraft you can still run 32 bit plugins.

Great mix BTW!

Cheers

John

Thanks, John.

Yes, I certainly am aware of Mixcraft's capable built-in bit bridger. For that matter, it actually works quite well and does *approach* native 64-bit performance. Nevertheless, it's not a good idea to rely on any form of bit-bridging. That said, I do expect that I will occasionally use it; some of the VOS plug-ins are *GREAT. I have total respect for "VB3" (which is now offered in a native 64-bit version), and I also really dig the aging "B4II" by Native Instruments. Jbridge works well and was the only non-VSL option for the past 3 years or so, if one needed bit-bridging within Studio One and other DAWs.

As far as bit-bridging implementation goes, I think Acoustica have coded one of the best. In my opinion, the only thing better is the $300 VSL.