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  • VEP Cubase Solution?

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    Dear VSL/Forum,

     

    Hi, I'm thinking about getting VEP. I've thought about this for years. But now I'm actually at a point where I'm active enough and growing in scope to need solutions. I want to know if this is possible:

    Mac mini: Cubase

    PC 1: VEP Samples Slave

    PC 2: VEP Samples Slave

    PC 3: Audio FX host

    I prefer the 3rd PC to host the FX within Cubase. Though if I had to I'd use VEP to host FX. I'm just familiar with Cubase, I like the batch export options for stems, etc. I'd want several busses in Cubase that everything went to. It's how I work now and I'd like to preserve that workflow. Is this possible?

     

    Thanks,

    -Sean
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    There is nothing wrong with your plan except for PC 3. I'm not quite understanding what FX you want to run on this PC, or how you are wanting it to work; Just a few things that you may or may not know:

    1. Cubase plugs can only be run in Cubase, so you can only run them on your Mac Mini
    2. If you want to run 3rd party FX on PC 3, you will need some sort of host to put them in.
    3. If you choose to use VEP, you will need to use audio input over the network, which may put more of a strain on your Mac Mini

    DG
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    DG,

     

    Thanks. The Mac Mini I'm not sold on. I just want a cheap mac for a few other uses. However... this is what I want (explained better)

    Mac Mini: Cubase, only spitting out midi data.

    PC 1 & 2: Only acting as sample slaves, producing audio.

    PC 3: where the audio ends up. Think of this as the "pro tools machine". I'm not in love with Pro Tools. But I think that explains what I want it for. I'd have any hardware DSP running on this machine. I'd want all/most post-VST dynamic processing on this machine, etc. This is mainly because I tend to find that the more of each task you give a machine, the less well it performs. If I only have a machine doing slave work, it does amazing. Add some effect plugins and the ability to handle even the sample playback diminishes. So I want to keep the processesing of different tasks done by different machines.

    I once saw a video where someone uses VEP to make one computer a VST effect rack. I'm assuming it's like that. Although I'd prefer to have a DAW be the effect rack for some of the mixdown, batch (stems) options, familiarity, and more developed mixing features in some cases. VEP is capable. I'm not saying it isn't. I'd just rather do it in a DAW. I'd even rather VSL made a DAW actually lol (another story for another day).

    If that can work, I'd love to know. If it can't and you have a better suggestion I'm game. If I need to build a 2-CPU 20 core 3.1 Xeon system I will. But I keep thinking that VEP will allow for a cheaper hardware solution.

     

    -Sean
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    In your scenario the audio from your slaves will be returned to your Mac mini. You would then need to route it to PC 3 via the audio input feature. There is no direct route from PC3. Unless:

    You use VEP on the sample slaves as a standalone. In that scenario you would need to send MIDI from the Mac mini via MOL (or similar) and then have soundcards on the sample slaves and then route the audio to PC3, which would also need a soundcard. You would also need all computers connected to a master clock.

    DG
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    last edited
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    @scoredfilms said:

    PC 3: where the audio ends up. Think of this as the "pro tools machine". I'm not in love with Pro Tools. But I think that explains what I want it for. I'd have any hardware DSP running on this machine. I'd want all/most post-VST dynamic processing on this machine, etc.


    I was about to present something detailed but it's just too verbose. I think the idea of 'the audio ends up on machine 3' is not really worth all the hassle, that you may as well print stems and deal with audio in a later step than realtime.
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    In terms of it purely conceptually, if you would deal with it as a SOFTWARE FX rack, it's just a matter of Audio Input setup. But Cubase is the final destination the way VE Pro is designed. I see 'hardware' there suggesting DSP chips on that 3rd machine and that pretty much terminates my idea of it thinking it through, I don't think the performance improvement is anything to shoot for with this many moving parts.