A couple of questions

[Frantiac]

1) Regarding VST 3, Cubase has the option to suspend plug-in processing when no audio signals are received. According to the manual "this can improve system performance noticeably". I can't find that option in Mixcraft so is it done automatically or not at all?

2) Is there any downside to having insert plugins loaded on a channel but bypassed? For example if I have several different amp sim plugins loaded on a channel waiting for me to choose one is it using more resources than if I only load one as needed?

Thanks in advance

[Frantiac]

No-one?

[Rolling Estonian]

I know you can disable or turn off plugins a couple different ways.

I'm no computer guru but I would assume that the more you have open the more resources you would use, whether having them open and disabled or off, not sure of the impact. I do know that if you have the GUI open it'll use more juice for sure. Also, MC has had issues running some vst3, I have Amplitube5 and if I run vst3 it has issues, vst2 no issues at all.

M

[Frantiac]

Thanks for your input Rolling Estonian - I've looked at the various advantages of VST3 and it's mostly complex stuff that I wouldn't need, but if performance can be improved by using VST3 I'm all for it, hence my question. If Mixcraft doesn't suspend processing then for me a it's no-brainer: use vst2. Also I've read that not all vst3 plugins are set up for it anyway so maybe it's a moot point.

I'd still like to know if having several insert plugins on a channel, all bypassed (using Mixcraft's enable/disable buttons) and with GUIs closed, uses more resources than having none loaded.

Cheers

[cactus-head]

Hi,

I'm editing this as I hadn't intended on actually hitting the submit button after I wrote it as it was said earlier in the thread. The jist of what I wrote is - if a plugin is on a track, bypassed or not, the daw might still have to look at it to see if it is on or off and that might take some processing power versus there not being a plugin on the track at all. Amp sims I find notorious for eating up CPU and System resources. It comes down to good or bad programming.

[Rolling Estonian]

Not it!

M

[Mark Bliss]

I am not sure about some aspects of the question.
I believe a plug in is loaded into RAM. And even inactive it is occupying some memory there. That is probably not a big thing for most, but if your system was marginal in that area, you might find some limitations.
Processing resources, probably minimal effect.
As far as "idling" and vst3, I had assumed this was something automatic, relying on the plug in developers code. I wasnt aware that some daw's are capable of "toggling" this feature.
But as others may have already stated, I am finding that often vst3 plug-ins arent "ready for prime time" and am prepared to evaluate and very often- bail at this time.
Many I have tested either malfunction in an unusable way, are buggy, or seem to offer zero advantage.
This seems to still be an evolving area.

But overall, I think the question may be about how much this aspect really matters.
I tend to try to gravitate toward what works for me, and try not to spend too much time and effort on things that just fight me. With exceptions of course...

[Frantiac]

Thankyou both for your input - my system is definitely "marginal in that area" so vst2 it is from now on. As far as vst3 reliability It's odd that Steinberg's own products have the choice to toggle processing suspension - didn't they come up with vst3?

[comedians]

I have to say these days if the option is there, I run VST3 on everything without problems even Izotope behave correctly, so I believe developers are getting their act together and they are now "ready for primetime".
One thing I have noted is the VST3 tends to load and be unloaded from RAM marginally quicker.

Regarding affect on resources with plugins, in some very short tests selecting around 15 intense & not so intense plugins, I see no difference in memory, active or inactive. The only very minimal change is with the GUI open/closed.

Basically as Mark said once It's in memory - on or off it's there.