NanoHost from Tone2 - freeware VST host

[ElmerJFudd]

 

https://www.tone2.com/nanohost.html

 

What is so special about NanoHost and why should i use it?

 

It is free, requires no registration and you are allowed to share it with your friends!

It requires no installation. You can run it directly from a USB-stick or CD.

There is no plugin-scanning required since a plugin can be loaded directly - no matter where it is located on the hard-disc.

Because of low-level code-optimization it offers highest performance and can operate with lower latency than conventional hosts.

The GUI refreshes with an extremely high frame-rate (120 Hz). That's why you will experience smoother animations and graphics than with other hosts.

NanoHost itself requires nearly no space on the screen. As a result there is more space available for the interface of the VST-plugins.

The software is very small. It requires (nearly) no hard-disc space and is loading extremely fast.

Unlike conventional hosts the soundcard settings can be configured individually for every single plugin. This allows you to achieve the best possible performance for your VSTs.

NanoHost is very easy to use and offers context-sensitive help.

 

[Reezekeys]

For Mac folk, Apple has an app called AU Host that's similar and it's been included with every Mac since I don't know when. I just found it on my laptop & fired it up. It's geared more towards devs but there's a pretty comprehensive help file included.

[Throbert]

Well apparently it's written really well at least compared to the same type of host I was using: Savihost. Seems very easy on my old Asus G60JX ROG Laptops resources running W 10 Enterprise LISB. Thanks, I'm dumping the other mini host for this. Of course I'll still use a more fortified host like Gig Performer, for the complex set type of work.

Again, thanks for the link

[hardware]

Nice as a spare.

Bidule stays though. Not a single crash for 13 years.

No sense fixing something that works.

[Garubi]

 

https://www.tone2.com/nanohost.html

 

Interesting, thank you for the link!

[Reezekeys]

Nice as a spare.

Bidule stays though. Not a single crash for 13 years.

No sense fixing something that works.

Bidule is is not free like this guy is, and it's also for us folk that need way more than what this little app does. Not to say NanoHost doesn't have its place, but if you can switch from Bidule to this app and have a workable setup, you're not getting your money's worth out of Bidule!

 

Unlike you I've had a few incidents with Bidule (audio dropouts, not crashes) while trying to use its ability to assign modules to different processor cores. There's voodoo involved that I'm still working on understanding. No showstoppers though and I'm still happy with it.

 

There's definitely a place for these small host programs. Other than the AU Host I mentioned in a post above, I'm not aware of another free or shareware VI & efx host for Mac.