APA32 - Please help ASAP!

[RTLdan]

Hi everyone,
my local guitar center is blowing out a demo
Waves APA32 hardware accelerator for $250.

My question is this:
Would I be better off building a new quad core computer, or would this be useful even with a quad core computer down the line?
I've been scouring the net and haven't found the answer.

Please respond as soon as possible as this is a one time sale.

Thanks all!!
-Daniel

[Knastratt]

I'd get one whatever computer I'd consider. Blowout price.

[RTLdan]

Hey Everyone,
As dazzling as that price point is, I found a post on GearSluts
about DSP acceleration vs. quad cores...it seems like the quad cores are plenty powerful enough for what I'm interested in, and I'd like a new computer anyway. One user reported being able to use 57 instances of mono SSL channel on his quad core!

In addition, Not all of the waves stuff is supported with the APA32...
And finally, it only comes with a lite version of IR-1 and Q-clone, leaving a lot to be purchased to make good use of it.

Thanks for the reply knastratt!
-Daniel

[otek]

I don't know much about the unit, but am I correct in my assumption that it also only powers Waves plugins?

In which case, if you suddenly have an epiphany and choose not to pay several hundred bucks a year for the infamous Upgrade Plan, you just bought yourself a 250 dollar door stop.

The new eight core machines have enough juice to drive almost anything you throw at it. Methinks it's a better investment, and less of a science project.

Mind you, I have the same general skepticism about any external "juice box".


otek

[Bob Olhsson]

I'd get the Quad-Core.

[RTLdan]

Thanks guys!
My mind is made up.
Time to plan the new quad core build!
-Daniel

[malice]

Otek : It's indeed for waveplugs, but not even all of them

the API and SSL bunddles don't even work with this, wich is kinda ridiculous.

malice

[Knastratt]

Since I don't own any Waves plugs - I'd get it for getting the IR convo verb. Software + DSP = 250 USD. Unmatched.

If I had the money and the waves plugs - Quadcore any day!

[Jeff_C]

In which case, if you suddenly have an epiphany and choose not to pay several hundred bucks a year for the infamous Upgrade Plan, you just bought yourself a 250 dollar door stop.


Just so everybody knows, Waves made big changes to the update plan a while back and I think it's now a fair deal.

They have set the maximum update plan fee at $200 no matter how many plugins/bundles you own.
You get a coupon good for a discount on a new product equal to your WUP fee.
When you buy any new product your wup is automatically extended for a year.
They have occasionally added new plugs to bundles at no charge even before the new WUP policies.

Waves Mercury (their "everything" bundle) lists for $7500 native and $12,500 TDM. To me, $200 a year is a reasonable fee for programmers time to write updates and for tech support. Now, though, you don't have to pay anything for WUP as long as you buy something new or upgrade to the next higher bundle every year.

I don't work for Waves or anything, but I do like and use their plugins. The old WUP was expensive and folks got tired of it. Now that there's a new WUP plan, I have selfish reasons for trying to spread the word. I want the company to still be there & keep making new stuff.

Jeff_C

By the way, Daniel, I made the same choice you did. Faster PCs are much more versatile that hardware accelerators.

[otek]

Just so everybody knows, Waves made big changes to the update plan a while back and I think it's now a fair deal.


I agree, Jeff. And I actually forgot about the reform since I haven't upgraded my Waves for some time.

My comment was not so much about the WUP in itself, but about the possible drawback of buying a "juice box" that only supports a very limited number of plugins.


otek

[Jeff_C]

My comment was not so much about the WUP in itself, but about the possible drawback of buying a "juice box" that only supports a very limited number of plugins.


It sure seems like the days of the hardware accelerator are numbered with the insane increases in CPU power we're seeing. dual 4 core machines are pretty common now, but the CPU manufacturers have announced 12 core per chip products will be coming soon.

It makes you wonder what Digidesign will be doing with their PTHD line of products in the long term. And what about UA's line of plugs? They have some pretty good ones but they only run on their accel card - no native versions are available.

[Bob Olhsson]

I suspect the next generation of HD will probably run the whole system on an Ethernet-controlled multiple processor box running in 80 bit floating point. They've done something like that on the video side

The last generation of outboard DSP is obsolete technology but I can still think of plenty of reasons for using an outboard processing architecture. There just hasn't been any new technology in DSP boxes or cards in quite a while. That may well be about to change.

[Knastratt]

Why not cluster network DSP power. 3D renderers have had it for years.

Cheers - Pär

[Mitch]

I'm aware I'm late on responding on this thread. If anyone is considering getting an APA32 I'd like to warn them that this unit is heavy, noisy fans, noisy, noisy and noisy. It heats up a room pretty well which can be useful in winter over where I am.
To make it work efficiently I had to put my playback engine buffer size to 512 or less. (DIGI002, Macbook Pro 2.16, 2g ram) So if you have an LE system and want to use more plugins that are not supported by the APA, you have to watch your CPU load.