lingyai
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What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
Hi all,
There are a small handful of 32 bit plugs I still like a lot , most of them from Bootsy's Variety of Sound. I've not attempted using them via j-bridge or bitbridge, as I've often heard that this is often the culprit behind bugginess, crashes etc. But I'm longing to use them again, without having to install 32 bit Sonar. Any advice from those who've tried this? Or is it very much one of those "conditions vary widely, proceed strictly at your own risk" things?
Grateful as ever for any help.
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John
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 20:03:41
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Yes thats what bitbridge is for. However I recommend using 64 bit VSTs in 64 bit Sonar.
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lingyai
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 20:10:27
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John
Yes thats what bitbridge is for. However I recommend using 64 bit VSTs in 64 bit Sonar.
Thanks John. Yes, that is what it's for, but I'd like to know well it has worked in practice. Your second sentence reinforces my curiousity ;-) In this case (Bootsy's Thrillseeker XTC and BootEQ) there are no unfortunately no 64 bit versions.
post edited by lingyai - 2015/11/30 20:21:49
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John
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 20:17:19
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You can try them and see. Another tactic is install Sonar 32 bit and 64 bit. Use the one that you need to for the various plugins.
Most 32 bit VSTs will work under bitbridge.
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tenfoot
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 20:20:06
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Just try them - there realy is no great danger or risk. Some 32bit plugins are fine with bit bridge, others are very unstable. The same goes for jbridge. As John said, best practice is to use all 64bit plugins. It seems to be where most of us end up.
Bruce. Sonar Platinum 2017-09, Studio One 3.5.3, Win 10 x64, Quad core i7, RME Fireface, Behringer X32 Producer, Behringer X32 Rack, Presonus Faderport, Lemure Software Controller (Android), Enttec DMXIS VST lighting controller, Xtempo POK.
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SimpleM
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 20:41:42
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I have never had a problem with any Cake supplied or fully commercial 32 bit plugs. Some of the freeware stuff does not work but all commercial plugs I have are either 64 bit or work fine as 32. Thank goodness the 32 bit freeware Supertron VSTi works. Love that thing.
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mudgel
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 20:59:33
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I had a few 32 bit plugins that worked OK in Sonar x64. Eventually found replacements though.
I think (anecdotally) that the further we get from the start of the x64 era the less stable a system will be running 32 bit plugins. Cakewalk introduced 64 bit Sonar in 2005 with Sonar 5, 10 years ago. Windows 10 seems to be most frequently loaded on new PCs as 64bit.
As an example. Pro Tools was the last major DAW to come to 64 bit and is only available as 64 bit program now.
I think the trend is for software to be written to use more and more resources making 64 bit software more and more necessary.
Mike V. (MUDGEL) STUDIO: Win 10 Pro x64, SPlat & CbB x64, PC: ASUS Z370-A, INTEL i7 8700k, 32GIG DDR4 2400, OC 4.7Ghz. Storage: 7 TB SATA III, 750GiG SSD & Samsung 500 Gig 960 EVO NVMe M.2. Monitors: Adam A7X, JBL 10” Sub. Audio I/O & DSP Server: DIGIGRID IOS & IOX. Screen: Raven MTi + 43" HD 4K TV Monitor. Keyboard Controller: Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88.
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NeoSoul
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 21:01:22
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Just create a project, save it. Then try adding them and see what happens.
Most 32bits I've tried seems to work fine.
Drum Core 3 is the only 32bit plugin that I've used in Sonar 64bit that will not work properly and really frustrates me.
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Doktor Avalanche 
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 21:17:36
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For an easier ride avoid IMHO. There are generally good 64 bit substitutes out there. I think a better Q might be ... I have 32 bit plugin X, can anybody recommend a 64 bit plugin Y replacement? Of course though use the tools you are happy with.
post edited by Doktor Avalanche - 2015/11/30 21:30:46
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Cactus Music
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 21:19:28
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I have a few 32 bit that where never upgraded like Mr TRamp,,, they all work for me...
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kitekrazy1
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 21:23:36
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mudgel
I had a few 32 bit plugins that worked OK in Sonar x64. Eventually found replacements though.
I think (anecdotally) that the further we get from the start of the x64 era the less stable a system will be running 32 bit plugins. Cakewalk introduced 64 bit Sonar in 2005 with Sonar 5, 10 years ago. Windows 10 seems to be most frequently loaded on new PCs as 64bit.
As an example. Pro Tools was the last major DAW to come to 64 bit and is only available as 64 bit program now.
I think the trend is for software to be written to use more and more resources making 64 bit software more and more necessary.
It seems now 32 bit is frowned upon for very little reasons. 64 bit makes for using more memory but you would be surprised how many 32 bit apps are on your system. Do they need to make 64 bit AV software? No. Surprisingly audio editing software like Soundforge is still 32 bit.
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John
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 21:34:23
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kitekrazy1
mudgel
I had a few 32 bit plugins that worked OK in Sonar x64. Eventually found replacements though.
I think (anecdotally) that the further we get from the start of the x64 era the less stable a system will be running 32 bit plugins. Cakewalk introduced 64 bit Sonar in 2005 with Sonar 5, 10 years ago. Windows 10 seems to be most frequently loaded on new PCs as 64bit.
As an example. Pro Tools was the last major DAW to come to 64 bit and is only available as 64 bit program now.
I think the trend is for software to be written to use more and more resources making 64 bit software more and more necessary.
It seems now 32 bit is frowned upon for very little reasons. 64 bit makes for using more memory but you would be surprised how many 32 bit apps are on your system. Do they need to make 64 bit AV software? No. Surprisingly audio editing software like Soundforge is still 32 bit.
But Vega is 64 bit. Also Paint Shop Pro X8 is 64 bit. Any program that uses lots of memory will run better under 64 bits. Also the OS is more secure. There are a ton of advantages running 64 bits.
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Doktor Avalanche
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 21:37:38
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kitekrazy1
[t seems now 32 bit is frowned upon for very little reasons. 64 bit makes for using more memory but you would be surprised how many 32 bit apps are on your system. Do they need to make 64 bit AV software? No. Surprisingly audio editing software like Soundforge is still 32 bit.
The real point here is that 32 bit plugins in 64 bit environments need to use a wrapper (an abstracted environment) which is often unreliable and certainly not optimal when it comes to performance. It is certainly not the most efficient way (at all) of using plugins in a 64 bit DAW. If you want reliable and efficient 32 bit plugins use them in a 32 bit DAW, bottom line.
post edited by Doktor Avalanche - 2015/11/30 21:54:57
Sonar Platinum(64 bit),Win 8.1(64 bit),Saffire Pro 40(Firewire),Mix Control = 3.6,Firewire=VIA,Dell Studio XPS 8100(Intel Core i7 CPU 2.93 Ghz/16 Gb),2 x 1TB SSD (Samsung EVO 850),GeForce GTX 460,Yamaha DGX-505 keyboard,Roland A-300PRO,Roland SPD-30 V2,FD-8,Triggera Krigg,Shure SM7B,Yamaha HS5. Rap Pro,Maschine Studio+Komplete 9 Ultimate+Kontrol Z1,Addictive Keys,Waves Silver,Izotope Nectar elements,Overloud Bundle,Geist,Acronis True Image 2015.
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gswitz
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 21:39:57
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32 works for me, but I don't have many left.
StudioCat > I use Windows 10 and Sonar Platinum. I have a touch screen. I make some videos. This one shows how to do a physical loopback on the RME UCX to get many more equalizer nodes.
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lingyai
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 21:55:08
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Good discussion, thanks guys. I also have left nearly all my 32 bit stuff behind but this one is just [hugs self at the thought] ... special.
I would imagine that bitbridge, having been developed by CW, would be the better one to try first, before j-bridge, sounds sensible? Anyone seen any noticeable difference between one or the other?
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Kylotan
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/11/30 23:29:46
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I use some 32 bit vsts in 64 bit Sonar. A handful of old synths that have no newer replacements, and the Bootsie effects too, EpicDLA and Density being the big ones that I can't find free or cheap alternatives to.
I run them under Bitbridge with Sonar's default settings, and don't have any problems, except one synth that often starts silent when I load the project. I have to change the preset to get it to emit audio. I am not sure whether that's caused by the specific synth, the environment it was made in (SynthEdit?), Bitbridge, or Sonar, but watch out for similar behaviour.
Having said that I did attempt to remove every other 32 bit plug in from my projects, and replaced them where practical, and I did see some stability improvements. Again, where the fault for that lies, I couldn't say.
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mudgel
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/12/01 00:00:55
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As for bridging 32 bit plugins, my experience is that there is no hard and fast rule. Some worked fine with Sonars own Bitbridge while others wouldn't but would work with jBridge. Some cause instability and don't work well at all while others work fine no matter which bridge is used.
It's a bit of a lottery. As others have said try them out and see. If they work with a particular bridge, well and good, if not try the other.
You won't hurt your system as VST plugins are easy to install and uninstall.
Mike V. (MUDGEL) STUDIO: Win 10 Pro x64, SPlat & CbB x64, PC: ASUS Z370-A, INTEL i7 8700k, 32GIG DDR4 2400, OC 4.7Ghz. Storage: 7 TB SATA III, 750GiG SSD & Samsung 500 Gig 960 EVO NVMe M.2. Monitors: Adam A7X, JBL 10” Sub. Audio I/O & DSP Server: DIGIGRID IOS & IOX. Screen: Raven MTi + 43" HD 4K TV Monitor. Keyboard Controller: Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol S88.
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lingyai
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Re: What's the consensus -- can we get away with using 32 bit VST FX in 64 bit Sonar?
2015/12/01 07:34:01
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