I was reading about audio processors. It seems to me that most of its
hardware functions can easily be simulated using software tools. What
is the advantage of using a hardware audio processor compared to a
software one? Are there any good software tools for audio processing?

Thanks!

wrote in message
oups.com...
I was reading about audio processors. It seems to me that most of its
hardware functions can easily be simulated using software tools. What
is the advantage of using a hardware audio processor compared to a
software one?

There is often no difference these days. Many external "hardware" processors
now use digital sampling and processing internally.

Are there any good software tools for audio processing?

Yes a huge amount, I will leave it up to the student to do his own search
:-)

MrT.

"Mr.T" MrT@home wrote in message
u...

wrote in message
oups.com...
I was reading about audio processors. It seems to me that most of its
hardware functions can easily be simulated using software tools. What
is the advantage of using a hardware audio processor compared to a
software one?

There is often no difference these days. Many external "hardware"
processors
now use digital sampling and processing internally.

Are there any good software tools for audio processing?

Yes a huge amount, I will leave it up to the student to do his own search
:-)

MrT.


hardware based units don't usually lock up and leave you hanging in the
middle of a one time performance.

in a real time mixdown, live recording, live PA, it still often faster to
have a knob to adjust then hunt through submenus or open windows or find an
adjustment with a mouse/trackball/whatever.

"TimPerry" wrote in message
...
I was reading about audio processors. It seems to me that most of its
hardware functions can easily be simulated using software tools. What
is the advantage of using a hardware audio processor compared to a
software one?

There is often no difference these days. Many external "hardware"
processors
now use digital sampling and processing internally.

hardware based units don't usually lock up and leave you hanging in the
middle of a one time performance.

in a real time mixdown, live recording, live PA, it still often faster to
have a knob to adjust then hunt through submenus or open windows or find
an
adjustment with a mouse/trackball/whatever.


So you didn't understand my comment about outboard hardware processors often
being nothing more than a CPU and DSP in a dedicated box these days.
Lets face it, performers have been relying on CPU based keyboards for a
couple of decades, and PA techs are relying more on DSP based EQ's,
crossovers, effects units etc.
And of course we weren't just talking about live sound anyway.

MrT.

"Mr.T" MrT@home wrote in message
u...

"TimPerry" wrote in message
...
I was reading about audio processors. It seems to me that most of
its
hardware functions can easily be simulated using software tools.
What
is the advantage of using a hardware audio processor compared to a
software one?

There is often no difference these days. Many external "hardware"
processors
now use digital sampling and processing internally.

hardware based units don't usually lock up and leave you hanging in the
middle of a one time performance.

in a real time mixdown, live recording, live PA, it still often faster
to
have a knob to adjust then hunt through submenus or open windows or find
an
adjustment with a mouse/trackball/whatever.


So you didn't understand my comment about outboard hardware processors
often
being nothing more than a CPU and DSP in a dedicated box these days.
Lets face it, performers have been relying on CPU based keyboards for a
couple of decades, and PA techs are relying more on DSP based EQ's,
crossovers, effects units etc.
And of course we weren't just talking about live sound anyway.

MrT.


is really unknown what the poster wants to do with a processor. i just
offered my point of view. i own a great deal of both and am responsible for
a great deal more. i have found one rule to be true so far: if it's a
computer, sooner or later it will break. usully sooner.

"TimPerry" wrote in message
...
is really unknown what the poster wants to do with a processor. i just
offered my point of view. i own a great deal of both and am responsible
for
a great deal more. i have found one rule to be true so far: if it's a
computer, sooner or later it will break. usully sooner.

That goes for anything, but tell me, do you classify an electronic keyboard
as a computer too?
I've seen some pretty bad software/firmware in a few of those too, and often
less chance of fixing it.
I've been using a PC to record live concerts for years. Hundreds of gigs
with only a couple of minor glitches, and no total disasters, yet :-)
Come to think of it the usual failures have nothing to do with PC's.

MrT.

"Mr.T" MrT@home wrote in message
u...

"TimPerry" wrote in message
...
is really unknown what the poster wants to do with a processor. i just
offered my point of view. i own a great deal of both and am responsible
for
a great deal more. i have found one rule to be true so far: if it's a
computer, sooner or later it will break. usully sooner.

That goes for anything, but tell me, do you classify an electronic
keyboard
as a computer too?

you could stretch a point and call an abacus a computer, but i don't think
that was what the poster had in mind.


I've seen some pretty bad software/firmware in a few of those too, and
often
less chance of fixing it.
I've been using a PC to record live concerts for years. Hundreds of gigs
with only a couple of minor glitches, and no total disasters, yet :-)
Come to think of it the usual failures have nothing to do with PC's.

MrT.


it nice to not have to periodically change tapes or disks but should the OS
freeze before you have had a chance to save its 100% gone.

"TimPerry" wrote in message
...
That goes for anything, but tell me, do you classify an electronic
keyboard as a computer too?

you could stretch a point and call an abacus a computer, but i don't think
that was what the poster had in mind.

Yes, but an abacus does not have a CPU, RAM/ROM and software like a modern
electronic keyboard.

it nice to not have to periodically change tapes or disks but should the
OS
freeze before you have had a chance to save its 100% gone.

Not at all. Any decent software recorder writes to disk as it goes, you only
lose whatever happens between the time it froze and when it's restarted.
I only ever had one similar incident when someone kicked out the power plug.
Lost one song.
If the computer is in a habit of freezing though, I suggest you sort out the
software before taking it on the road.

MrT.

it nice to not have to periodically change tapes or disks but should the
OS
freeze before you have had a chance to save its 100% gone.

I haven't experienced an OS freeze in two or three years.

One thing we should all keep in mind, though, is that hardware quality
matters. It's common to make PCs out of *extremely* cheap and poorly
documented components, to minimize cost. Then, when it crashes, you blame
the software.

No OS runs well on broken hardware.

"mc" wrote in message
. ..
One thing we should all keep in mind, though, is that hardware quality
matters. It's common to make PCs out of *extremely* cheap and poorly
documented components, to minimize cost. Then, when it crashes, you blame
the software.

No OS runs well on broken hardware.

You may well blame the hardware manufacturers for poorly written drivers and
lousy firmware, but actual hardware faults are rarely the cause of crashes
or freezes IME. RAM and CPU faults are an exception of course, but not
nearly as much of a problem as hardware/software incompatibility problems
IMO.

MrT.