audio interface necessary if only using vsts?

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filtersweep
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2017/04/15 19:50:41 (permalink)

audio interface necessary if only using vsts?

This doesnt really apply to me but could if I were to travel w just a midi keyboard and laptop. Years ago, with midi keyboard and an old core 2 laptop on Win7 I tried getting away with using the the on board sound card and windows drivers and the reults were abysmal. I tried asio4all with the same set up also with poor results. If I used my old m audio firewire interface and asio the results were fine. I concluded that it was the AI that made the difference. From what I have been reading lately though it seems an interface may not be necessary if you are completely vst based. True?
#1

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    scook
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/15 20:19:45 (permalink)
    You will need Win10 and SONAR 2016.11 or newer to run WASPI exclusive mode. If you have Win10 installed and are using an older version of SONAR, try the demo.
    #2
    filtersweep
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/15 23:57:21 (permalink)
    So scook, are you saying that running without an AI really wasnt feasible until Win10? Thats what I was really wondering. I always thought an AI was necessary even if just using vsts but lately have wondered if I was wrong about that. Here at home I use an Octacapture. A year or so ago I picked up a little Scarlett 2i2 to bring along w a midi keyboard and laptop when I travel. It would be nice to not carry along the 2i2 if I dont need it. I will experiment with the laptop (i7, win10) and WASAPI and see how that works.
    #3
    noynekker
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 00:10:25 (permalink)
    filtersweep . . . one thing I found out about using the WASAPI Exclusive drivers on my laptop was: how do I monitor the sound ? The laptop speakers have no useful bass response, and the headphone plugin has surprisingly low fidelity as compared to any of my USB audio devices.

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    #4
    synkrotron
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 00:19:32 (permalink)
    Yeah, I doubt I'll ever do without my Q-C when "out and about." After all, it's only one more small box and cable and it all fits very well into my laptop back pack

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    #5
    scook
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 00:26:26 (permalink)
    filtersweep
    So scook, are you saying that running without an AI really wasnt feasible until Win10?

    It depends on the amount of latency one can tolerate and how one is using the DAW. I barely remember what it was like running Pro Audio 9. That was the last DAW I used before buying my first dedicated interface. The new WASPI exclusive mode does achieve pretty low latency but as mentioned above, there may be other hardware considerations. The last "portable" computer I ever used was one of these with a hard drive in one of the floppy slots and an Orchid Tiny Turbo 286 Card replacing the 8088 processor.
     
    #6
    noynekker
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 00:30:30 (permalink)
    scook, you might be much older than I imagined ?

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    #7
    scook
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 00:34:06 (permalink)
    It is a possibility.
    #8
    synkrotron
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 00:53:47 (permalink)
    I bet that was heavy scook

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    #9
    Mosvalve
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 00:59:00 (permalink)
    scook
    filtersweep
    So scook, are you saying that running without an AI really wasnt feasible until Win10?

    It depends on the amount of latency one can tolerate and how one is using the DAW. I barely remember what it was like running Pro Audio 9. That was the last DAW I used before buying my first dedicated interface. The new WASPI exclusive mode does achieve pretty low latency but as mentioned above, there may be other hardware considerations. The last "portable" computer I ever used was one of these with a hard drive in one of the floppy slots and an Orchid Tiny Turbo 286 Card replacing the 8088 processor.
     


    Wow a lot of memories. The laptops of the day. They were such a pain to repair. Now a days computers are like bic lighters, when they run out of fluid throw them away.

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    #10
    Cactus Music
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 03:33:23 (permalink)
     
    I was given this newer Acer laptop and so I set it up with Home Studio.  
    It is Windows 7 64 bit. Has 2 x 600 GB HD, one is 7400 the other only 5600.  6 GB of RAM and I think it's a duo core AMD 2.4. 
    At first I was using the WASAPI exclusive mode and never had any issues. I even have the wi fi on and have been ripping DVD"s to ISO while working on midi files in Home Studio.. No problems. 
    We got in a discussion hear about WASAPI VS Asio4all. Being brave and nothing to loose I installed Asio4all, I hate to say this after being a na sayer for years about asio4all,,, it works and out performs WASAPI. The big difference is it makes Sonar think it's using ASIO so all the perks are there including offset timing, The calculations are bang on. WASAPI was late. So there you go , even though I would not be caught dead without an Audio interface for serious multi track recording, For MIDI only seems Asio4all will do the trick.
    I have created over a dozen backing tracks so far. No audio. Most have 5 or 6 VST instruments running. Only Plug in is Boost11 on the master ( don't laugh, it's all you get with HS and it does the trick) .  
     

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    #11
    Sanderxpander
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 08:19:26 (permalink)
    I think ASIO4ALL just comes with a big disclaimer about possibly screwing with other drivers on your system. If it doesn't, it can be a great solution.
    #12
    paulo
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 18:10:01 (permalink)
    scook
     
     The last "portable" computer I ever used was one of these with a hard drive in one of the floppy slots and an Orchid Tiny Turbo 286 Card replacing the 8088 processor.
     




    I was given one of those to use in my first ever full-time job and thought I'd made it. Coolest thing ever!
    #13
    azslow3
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 19:23:38 (permalink)
    I also had not problem with ASIO4ALL on notebook. No way the latency or audio quality of old M-Audio Fireware can be achieved with it, but VSTs are playable.

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    #14
    chuckebaby
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 21:09:49 (permalink)
    paulo
    scook
     
     The last "portable" computer I ever used was one of these with a hard drive in one of the floppy slots and an Orchid Tiny Turbo 286 Card replacing the 8088 processor.
     




    I was given one of those to use in my first ever full-time job and thought I'd made it. Coolest thing ever!


    I still use this as my main DAW in my studio. this is state of the art technology man

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    #15
    abacab
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 22:09:51 (permalink)
    scook
    filtersweep
    So scook, are you saying that running without an AI really wasnt feasible until Win10?

    It depends on the amount of latency one can tolerate and how one is using the DAW. I barely remember what it was like running Pro Audio 9. That was the last DAW I used before buying my first dedicated interface. The new WASPI exclusive mode does achieve pretty low latency but as mentioned above, there may be other hardware considerations. The last "portable" computer I ever used was one of these with a hard drive in one of the floppy slots and an Orchid Tiny Turbo 286 Card replacing the 8088 processor.
     




    My first mobile phone was almost that big, counting the battery bag! 

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    #16
    abacab
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    Re: audio interface necessary if only using vsts? 2017/04/16 22:19:32 (permalink)
    filtersweep
    This doesnt really apply to me but could if I were to travel w just a midi keyboard and laptop. Years ago, with midi keyboard and an old core 2 laptop on Win7 I tried getting away with using the the on board sound card and windows drivers and the reults were abysmal. I tried asio4all with the same set up also with poor results. If I used my old m audio firewire interface and asio the results were fine. I concluded that it was the AI that made the difference. From what I have been reading lately though it seems an interface may not be necessary if you are completely vst based. True?




    I have an Acer Core i5 laptop that runs Windows 10.  Tossed ASIO4ALL on there with Platinum and my VST plugins.  Getting usable low latency with a USB MIDI keyboard and the virtual instruments. Playback audio sounds fine with my Sennheiser headphones.
     
    Of course, in this scenario there is really nothing to monitor but the soft synths themselves, since there is no external audio being input to the PC. 
     
    Of course I would drag an AI along if I was going to do anything serious, but just for playing or practicing while out and about, it's fine.

    DAW: CbB; Sonar Platinum, and others ... 
    #17
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