2008 Mac Pro has more power than an HDX2 ?

[SmokinBaldMonkey]

My Mac Pro his an 8-core 3Ghz machine. Its just old enough that I can not migrate to Mountain Lion.

However, I can run 90 tracks with ten instantiations each of the Avid Channel Strip Plugin, and it taxes the CPU at about 40%.

This exact same session maxes out an HDX2.

By extrapolating the numbers, I should be able to expect the Mac Pro to run the same power as an HDX3 with about a 60% load to the CPU.

So Why should I buy an HDX core, if a Mac Pro from 2008 has more power running Native? Whats the benefit?

[ilulilu888]

i have an 2010 8 core Mac pro and HDX 1 .....i can run much more then 90 tracks and a hell lot of plugins ......with out maxing out my system ....you must be doing something wrong on an HDX....no way it maxes out that easily....

[cjguitar]

Try instantiating 10 instances of Revibe native, that will bring your computer to its knees, yet only take up 5 chips on HDX. Also, at the same time try tracking through several instances of native plugins, and you'll hear some latency. I think the combination of HDX with loads of native plugins is the way to go ultimately.

[Pete Gates]

Interestingly, my immediate reaction was "yeah, tell it like it is Chris" so I tried just that on my 8x3.2GHz early 2008 Mac Pro. 10 Revibe II native no problem, 15... no problem, 20... no problem, 25... no problem but I could feel the strain maybe, 30... no go. Not saying HDX isn't worth it for various reasons, I'm considering it, but it does go to show the amazing amount of power available with native (even on a 4 year old Mac!).

Pete

[AINSLIE]

Originally Posted by SmokinBaldMonkey

So Why should I buy an HDX core, if a Mac Pro from 2008 has more power running Native? Whats the benefit?

2 primary reasons -
1. Whatever power you get native - add the HDX power to it. Native + DSP is greater than native alone. 1+1 =2 rather than 1+0 =1. Not just increased plug count power, but higher track count also

2. Ability to track thru and with plugins at a usable latency. I know this has been argued, but no matter which way you slice it DSP is lower latency ESP when the machine gets loaded.

[Marsdy]

I think what gets forgotten in these arguments is that an HDX/TDM system COMBINED with native will ALWAYS be more powerful than native alone... It's not like you loose the power of native on a DSP based system.