Would HDX be an upgrade?

[brianjanthony]

I was a long time HD5 TDM user. I now run HDN in a full time tracking/mixing studio with 32 inputs and 8 stereo outs. I have 2 blue interfaces. Sessions run at 64 buffer/44k/32 bit. Surround is not in my future, nor is video.

I've used HDN for about 18-24 months. And I've had some seriously large rock mix/tracking projects/track counts. I've not lacked for power.

I use Slate/native stuff on most channels esp during tracking. In HDN, they are all 0 samples latency. I understand that my buffer technically IS adding latency.

Which leads me to question... Would HDX benefit me at all? Considering I'd be running 80% of my plugins as Native. Am I better off in HDN land, because with HDX there's actually latency introduced bc of the DSP to native plugin trip? What about plugging in vocals on almost finished mixes (where I have issues now sometimes when the buffer is set to 128 or 256)? Would HDX alleviate that considering my workflow?

It's a 3k upgrade. if it will net me nothing, I'll do other control room upgrades.

[brianjanthony]

For what it's worth this should be moved to Mac land. If a mod could move it I'd appreciate it...


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[JFreak]

If you don't have latency problems for monitor mixes, you will likely not gain anything going from HDN to HDX

[Drew Mazurek]

I'd stop doing 32bit recording and be happy.

[noah330]

I ran TDM in the past and now run HDN with a MacMini.

It blows my mind that this system works as nice as it does.

I wouldn't invest in HDX hardware at this point. I bought my card a few years ago by trading in a Core card (a really old Pre Mix core card) and I'm running an HD Omni I bought used for $600.

[brianjanthony]

Drew I've often wondered about the 32 bit depth considering my interfaces. I've not researched it too much in all honesty. Just figured plugins might reap some benefit.

Latency wise, I wasn't sure if I'd gain anything at all. I'd love to work at 32 buffer in HDX or HDN. But my Mac is an 8 core cheese grater that just keeps on humming.

If HDX wouldn't change latency issues regardless of buffer (bc I am running native plugs), is there anything the cards would actually be handling?


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[Drew Mazurek]

Originally Posted by brianjanthony

Drew I've often wondered about the 32 bit depth considering my interfaces. I've not researched it too much in all honesty. Just figured plugins might reap some benefit.

Latency wise, I wasn't sure if I'd gain anything at all. I'd love to work at 32 buffer in HDX or HDN. But my Mac is an 8 core cheese grater that just keeps on humming.

If HDX wouldn't change latency issues regardless of buffer (bc I am running native plugs), is there anything the cards would actually be handling?

Creating a "pure 32bit pathway" is what some say working at that depth does, but for me I don't want the space hit. And for any of the "modern" genres, I'll give you all the money in my 401k if you can pick it out consistently in a blend test.

There's no doubt HDX would be better for latency, provided you stick with DSP plugins during tracking, no one can argue that. The question is, are you having latency issues now? If not hang tight. If so, then you'd have to change your workflow to NOT use native plugs except when mixing.

[brianjanthony]

re: the 32 bit... The space hit is tough. I've got like two dozen active albums projects and a LOT of it is live drums with MANY takes lol. I honestly just went with it because of boredom I suppose. But as I sit here on Amazon and keep buying drives.... :roll eyes:

re: Am I having latency issues now? Clients aren't complaining. But many of them aren't that picky. But I've been tracking myself A LOT more on some recent projects. And 64 can get iffy if I have 98 tracks of stuff/fx and a ton of plugs loaded from a glitchy standpoint. 128 is rougher to track for certain things.

But even on TDM, I found myself using Native plugins most of the time. I have the Metric Halo stuff DSP/Native. But I use the Slate and Waves Merc stuff mostly. Neither are DSP. So they'd be all over all the time.

It's been a while since I considered the topic. And I thought my reason for going HDN was that since I use native plugins, I'd be rendering the benefits of HDX useless. I guess I was right then? I 'm just making sure that this is indeed the case. That there's not some other benefits to upgrading that I have missed.

Originally Posted by Drew Mazurek

Creating a "pure 32bit pathway" is what some say working at that depth does, but for me I don't want the space hit. And for any of the "modern" genres, I'll give you all the money in my 401k if you can pick it out consistently in a blend test.

There's no doubt HDX would be better for latency, provided you stick with DSP plugins during tracking, no one can argue that. The question is, are you having latency issues now? If not hang tight. If so, then you'd have to change your workflow to NOT use native plugs except when mixing.

[Rich Breen]

Originally Posted by brianjanthony

...

re: Am I having latency issues now? Clients aren't complaining. But many of them aren't that picky. But I've been tracking myself A LOT more on some recent projects. And 64 can get iffy if I have 98 tracks of stuff/fx and a ton of plugs loaded from a glitchy standpoint. 128 is rougher to track for certain things.

But even on TDM, I found myself using Native plugins most of the time. I have the Metric Halo stuff DSP/Native...

Mixes here are mostly native with occasional non-native plugs. I have HDX purely for track count at high sample rate and for latency when doing the occasional tracking at my place. If throughput latency bothers you or your clients when tracking then HDX will fix that. If neither of those issues are important to you then I don't see a reason for HDX for you.

best,
rich

[brianjanthony]

Rich, I hope I am asking this properly. In your world, let's say you crack open a mix. And it's a typical madhouse with 80 tracks and 160 native plugins running. (Pretend there's no native plugs on master)... your buffer is set to 128 or 256 bc some plugs are hogs. You can open up a track, place native plugs on it (aft the requisite one dsp plug) and track with near 0 latency without the native plugins going into bypass (like my old tdm rig did)? Or without changing the buffer?


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