Cure Fan Posted September 4, 2004 Share Posted September 4, 2004 I recently made the decision to go softsynth instead of purchasing a Korg Triton (or something along those lines). I built a new PC to be dedicated to this purpose -- Athlon 2800, 1GB RAM, 2 7200RPM IDE hard drives, 80GB and 160GB, one for system and one for audio, nVidia 5200 128MB AGP video card, Windows XP Pro. I'm using an Echo MIA sound card. The motherboard is an ECS K7VTA3 with VIA chipset. I have a separate PC of similar configuration but with an Echo Layla/24 that does the sequencing and audio recording. I use an Alesis QS8 as my MIDI controller. I have tried both Reason and GigaStudio on the new PC and with either one I get a noticeable delay from the time I press a key on my Alesis QS8 before I hear the sound - so much that it is effectively unusable. I have tried multiple MIDI configurations, including using the MIDI port from a SB PCI card, and also a M-Audio 2x2 USB midi port. I have even bypassed my sequencer and run directly from the QS8 into this PC via the MIDI port. In all situations I still have the same latency problem. What is rather interesting is that within GigaStudio I can click the keyboard on the screen and I get instant sound. This makes me think that the problem is not with the sound card but with whatever interfaces the MIDI input to the soft synth. I'm leaning towards replacing the motherboard with something a little more high-end to see if it is a performance or bus speed problem. Before I do this, any thoughts or insight here? FWIW, there is nothing else running on this PC -- it is strictly just a clean install of the OS, the necessary Echo audio drivers and the softsynths, with all the Windows updates other than SP2. There is no anti-virus or any other system tools running in the background that would bog the machine down. I appreciate any help!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Rhythm Posted September 4, 2004 Share Posted September 4, 2004 I know so little in this area that I'm afraid to even comment, but I'm foolish too, so... The via chip sets have gotten some bad press in some music forums. You probably want to research this. I'd recommend that you visit a number of forums (kvr-vst, http://forum.midiaddict.com/index.php, and especially ones specific to your application), do a search of your various issues, and then post your question. There are solutions to your problem, but sometimes they are elusive. Now that I've said all that, I'm sure someone here will step right up with your solution. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted September 4, 2004 Share Posted September 4, 2004 If you are running WindowsXP try this site. MusicXP.net Robert This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted September 5, 2004 Share Posted September 5, 2004 Not only have the VIA chipsets received bad press, but so have the Athlon processors. I'd stick with an Intel P4 for an audio PC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RABid Posted September 5, 2004 Share Posted September 5, 2004 You might also check at the KvR-VST site as a lot if not most of users and developers there use Athlon. I use P4's in my computers but according to most developers there you are better off with a good Athlon. Mainly because of the denormal problem with Intel processors. It plays hell with music computers and developers have to write special code to counter the problem. Robert This post edited for speling. My Sweetwater Gear Exchange Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle ggurl Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 Originally posted by Jeebus: Not only have the VIA chipsets received bad press, but so have the Athlon processors. I'd stick with an Intel P4 for an audio PC.I heartily second this notion. I know ppl use Athlons all the time and say "with no problems," but a host of issues I was having with a rebuilt system had to do with video driver incompatibilities with my Athlon/pure VIA board (which Digidesign said would work). Things worked some of the time ... till the system one day farted out forever. I had it rebuilt yet again (job was still under warranty) this time insisting on P4/Intel board, and no problems since. Original Latin Jazz CD Baby "I am not certain how original my contribution to music is as I am obviously an amateur." Patti Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildbill Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 cure fan: have you adjusted the buffer settings on your echo mixer panel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gulliver Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 Originally posted by Jeebus: Not only have the VIA chipsets received bad press, but so have the Athlon processors. I'd stick with an Intel P4 for an audio PC. This is bullshit. Originally posted by mildbill: cure fan: have you adjusted the buffer settings on your echo mixer panel? This is not bullshit. I am back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 Originally posted by Gulliver: Originally posted by Jeebus: Not only have the VIA chipsets received bad press, but so have the Athlon processors. I'd stick with an Intel P4 for an audio PC. This is bullshit. Since you so eloquently explained your reasons for feeling this way, how could I possibly disagree? My experience has been similiar to geekgurl's, and so our shared opinion is obviously not based on bullshit, but a noticable difference in performance/reliability. Care to share your experiences? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gulliver Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 Jeebus, I'm glad you didn't take this personally! Well, my experience using Athlon processors is all the way positive. That's why I posted that short (but let's agree, rather cool) statement. Oh and I must add that I do not use any softsynths at all. My motto is: no soft synths - no problems. I am back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pim Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 Cure Fan, To which midi port is your QS connected? My Music I always wondered what happened after the fade out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cure Fan Posted September 7, 2004 Author Share Posted September 7, 2004 Guys, Thanks for the discussion and great tips. It appears that I have resolved the issue. Within the Reason audio setup I found where I could click on a Control Panel button and it would bring up a special DLL window for adjusting the sample size, and Reason immediately began working. Apparently this setting is a global setting for the driver because GigaStudio also began working immediately afterwards, with no other changes. Surprisingly, this WAS a software problem after all, and I was convinced it was some sort of motherboard / hardware problem. Thanks again for the tips! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Rhythm Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 Congratulations! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mildbill Posted September 7, 2004 Share Posted September 7, 2004 dont'cha just hate it when that shit happens and you're pulling out your hair and you start thinking this computer is a piece of crap and i'm just gonna throw it the dumpster? and then you figure it out - aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJDM Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 In response to geekgurl & Jeebus: Ive been running an AMD based system for the last two years now and never had a hiccup. It even has a via chipset. Gulliver? No softsynths? You're really missing the boat there my friend. DJDM.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gulliver Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 Originally posted by DJDM: In response to geekgurl & Jeebus: Ive been running an AMD based system for the last two years now and never had a hiccup. It even has a via chipset. Gulliver? No softsynths? You're really missing the boat there my friend. Yeah I know... I was joking (almost). I plan to try a softsynth or two in the near future. I am back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Rhythm Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 I also rum AMD with no problems. When I rebuild I'm planning on staying with AMD. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymar Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 I too have an AMD Athlon CPU using an M Audio Audiophile 2496 card. I was having problems with latency but I was able to adjust the DMA Buffer Size down to 336 samples in the Control Panel for the card. Steve You shouldn't chase after the past or pin your hopes on the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cure Fan Posted September 8, 2004 Author Share Posted September 8, 2004 I've been using AMD chips for a number of years with great success, especially with my MIDI gear. My last Intel chip was a 486dx33 and I was running Cakewalk for Windows on it on the Windows 3.1 platform (prior to that it was Cakewalk for DOS on a 286!). One thing that really threw me off with this particular problem is that my sequencer PC was the EXACT same configuration -- same exact motherboard, etc. -- and it never had these problems. I was using a Mia soundcard in the sequencer PC and the one machine was just starting to get a little overwhelmed with GigaStudio running at the same time, so I bought a Layla for the sequencer/recording PC and built a new machine dedicated for sampling & soft-synths using the Mia card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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