Soft Synths vs Hardware

[Virus]

Hi all electronica musician,why we have so littlte amount of people here compare to people discussing guitars??? :evil: Let's discuss something also lah..
I was using a hardware sequencer (Roland MC50) for many years. I mainly do keyboard stuff. Until I discover Cubase 3 years ago ...and Natives instrument..... and plug ins............ 8) All my hardware have to go liao,I think we can do with just a powerful computer , midi keyboard and audio interface. kvr site even allow downloading of softsynths from contributors.
Sampling can blow away any hardware stuff with gigs of sounds! Another thing is there are some people who will keep to themselves about how to use this or that particular software,will not share with others. I thought we should all discuss and share our knowledge with each others rite? Sadly,i have a friend who is just like this,but nowadays i don't have to go asking him anymore cos I can operate most of the software already,by trial and error over a good period of time. I think these people just don't want to let their effort use by others . Just want to know what u guys think? U still keep your hardware? Unless it is a SH 101,Arp 2600,Minimoog or Jupiter 8 kind of stuff cos they are legends in their own class. Cheers!

 

[bongman]

I keep my hardware for collection and memorabilia

 

[MrRhoads]

Hmm which midi keyboard are you using ?

 

[Virus]

Me using Radium 61.. Cubase SX 3 (sibay solid i must say)

 

[bongman]

VSTi orientated?

 

[Virus]

Yes ,total soft synths only.. But computer still not powerful enuf to run them smoothly sometimes :evil: Fav includes Battery ,Kontakt and Limelite Solo.

 

[MrRhoads]

Any recordings , virus ?

 

[Virus]

Not really good one so far,cos always can't master til sound like CD quality..
Any idea how to do it? :?

 

[Outatune]

"Yes ,total soft synths only.. But computer still not powerful enuf to run them smoothly sometimes"

There is room for both hardware and software synths in modern production.

One thing to keep in mind: how much would a powerful enough computer with some decent (and legal) softsynths cost you?

What will the value of that system be in three years?

That's why I prefer hardware for making noise, software for recording it. MHO, YMMV.

 

[lowjk]

kvr site even allow downloading of softsynths from contributors.
Sampling can blow away any hardware stuff with gigs of sounds! Another thing is there are some people who will keep to themselves about how to use this or that particular software,will not share with others.

Soft samplers are the way to go because of the ease of storage and the good quality that can be achieved.

But for soft synth, while they sound perfectly good on their own, there is still a discernible diff between real and virtual synth and also between soft virtual and hardware virtual synths.

So I'm not giving up the hard stuff yet.

The hybrids sounds pretty good though (my Pulsar system runs a virtual Juno 106, Minimmog etc). Sorry no sound samples as the system is down for an upgrade.

 

[cereal]

wht are the minimum specs required on ur pc to be able to run softsynths smoothly?

Is it possible to run them on a laptop esp ones like native instruments, arturia, reason?

 

[Cheez]

Defenitely possible with laptops. It also depends on how many VSTis you run simultaneously. Some VSTis, like those by Arturia's (esp their Moog V) are extremely power hungry.

Key specs issue with VSTis are CPU clock speed and the amount of RAM (best more than 1GB RAM). With softsamplers, hard drive seek time is another key spec issue.

 

[bongman]

looks like the in-thing is soft-synth
but sure requires a lot of computer CPU power

no wonder so many given up the hardware

 

[Virus]

Actually there's a easier way to do it,save the cpu power. If you render your Reaktor or aturia recording track into waves and reload them into your sequencer software,they'll play back as wave files only,hence will not take up alot of cpu hosepower..

 

[Cheez]

Yes, that what is usually done - also what I do oftentimes. But it comes only as the last step in recording (especially when more plug-ins effects and reverbs are added which will take more CPU power). It is too much trouble to do it during writing/composing when you need to re-record and edit it on the fly.

 

[Virus]

I believe many of us have download some excellent soft synths free before from Kvr site rite? Well ,those new into this can check with me which is worth downloading cos i have tried most of them already,so u don't have to waste time on some which are no good ones. Recently i tried Rhino 2,not bad actually.

 

[Silencer]

i think there's still a long way for soft synths to go. most laptops (even high end ones) are simply not equipped with the range of audio i/o handling compared to computers. correctly this problem with present day technology is easy, but requires a fair bit of cash (a creative pcmcia card and various ram tweaks). from an IT Hardware point of view there still remains much to be desired before the sounds are smooth and instant. i wouldn't gig with my laptop with today's technology. perhaps another 5 years.

laptop makers normally go big on the graphics and rather small on the sound because its gonna be a headphones or at most 2.1. does anyone have one of those fancy steinbergs used on a laptop? some reviews perhaps?

 

[Cheez]

I don't agree totally. I think most laptops are more than good enough for softsynths. That's the whole idea - being portable: able to bring an arsenal sounds with you in one laptop instead of a rack of hardware modules.

You don't need a large amount of cash (except in purchasing softsynths). Yes, most are not equipped with audio. But an Echo Indigo PCMCIA card is not very expensive and gives pro audio quality in terms of playback and recording with very low latency drivers. I would steer clear of Creative stuffs.

We don't need to tweak the RAM. That's the last thing that needs to be tweaked. But we do need to tweak the OS - most of it is Windows related.

I would gig with my laptop anytime. Although I'm don't use too many softsynths on my laptop, I do use Gigastudio. Latency close to zero, extremely stable, and full 160 notes polyphony. No problems from writing to mixing down. Have used it live with no problems - 1 hour non-stop with full polyphony + 3 reverb plug-ins simultaneously: an extremely CPU taxing situation without a single crash or other problems.

The problem most people find their PCs are not good enough for plug-ins is because their PC is not a dedicated DAW. They use it for internet, games, office applications etc. This is a definite no - at least on the DAW boot partition. That doesn't mean one cannot use a dual boot to do those things.