How many vst's can u run? High end computor crashing!

dakillaman · Post by **dakillaman** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 3:23 pm

I'm running 2 brand new "high-end" computer's Both are professionally set up and made for DAW's. (12 gb Ram etc.....)

Both systems have Komplete 7 with full updates on them as well as MC 5.!

The problem is I run a lot of compressors and gates as well as VST instruments etc...and even though the cpu and system meter are around 15%, I'm getting some crashes when I load vst's. To be fair, I do have a lot running. But my systems are bad ass mofo's! They should be able to put out!

I've got mostly komplete 7 stuff like guitar rig 4 running about 50 - 75 gates and compressors with pultronic tube EQ and several vst instruments on a 60+ track project. These are not contiguous tracks of audio. A lot of midi with about 40 of the tracks being vocal sections.

So....anyone else having VST issues on bad ass systems?

Vibrant Audio · Post by **Vibrant Audio** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:22 am

It's not just cpu usage and memory that you have to worry about. The specific plugins and vsti that you use will have varying quality of code. Bulky code can cause lag, stutter, crackles, and crashing - even on the beefiest systems.

I have read that Pultronic eq was written using synthedit, which is less than ideal for optimized vst code. It does the job, just not as efficiently as some other means.

A couple of suggestions. Render your virtual instruments to audio tracks then disable the virtual ones. As a side note, your effects on these tracks may sound better than they do on the virtual tracks.

Also, try disabling each effect, then turn on a few at a time until you start to have problems. At least you'll have an idea of how much you can pile on before it becomes an issue.

Finally, try using a send track and use your gates/compressors/eqs on that send track. Or bounce down some of your tracks to reduce the track count and thereby reducing the number of effects you are running.

dakillaman · Post by **dakillaman** » Fri Jul 29, 2011 12:15 pm

Thanks for the response. I will try some of the things you mentioned.

I noticed that your post is the second time that I've heard someone mention sending multiple tracks to a send track for a compressor. I like to spoil myself and use a single VST that combines a gate and compressor for each track where its needed. I know this is the biggest load on my system but I'm from the old school of radio and having multiple objects on a single compressor can cause "ducking." If you grouped similar objects it would not be as pronounced so I guess its the lessor of 2 evil's i guess right?

Vibrant Audio · Post by **Vibrant Audio** » Sat Jul 30, 2011 8:58 am

You're right. As an example, an aggressive compressor on a full mix can cause the whole mix to squash when the compressor kicks in on any particular element. It sounds a little like ducking. This happens with hot vocals especially. It's called vocal induced compression.

However, in the old days a studio would rarely if ever either possess or be able to connect 100+ outboard compressors/gates/etc. And they still managed to produce great mixes.

I think you're on the right track by grouping similar instruments. You also might try dropping as many compressors as you can and instead tweak the volume envelopes (ride the faders) for each individual track. Takes more time, but there are no compressor artifacts or processing issues at all with that method!

By the way, combining tracks and then compressing can actually help glue those tracks together a little better.