I’m looking to update my gigging PC next year and will be sticking with an SFF type PC. Currently I’m using a Lenovo M920q, which is handling things just fine, but my lower powered backup machine isn’t, so thinking of making my current live PC the backup and getting something a bit more powerful to replace it as the main rig.
I have seen some interesting “NUC-equivalent” options running on AMD Ryzen CPUs. Typically I have shied away from modern AMD CPUs due to anecdotal reports of issues running audio apps on AMD. Is anyone happily running GP on a Ryzen based Win 11 PC?
My main machine is Mac, but my 2nd ‘crash and burn’, ‘is this a mac problem?’ machine has been an HP desktop with a Ryzen 5600. I’ve used it with BitWig, Ableton, and Gig Performer and stand-alone synths like Cherry and Arturia. I saw some of the anecdotal concerns online, too, but I’ve not encountered an issue that I would attribute to the processor. The caveat is I’m not gigging with massive gig files like many users on the forum, so I’m probably not pushing the hardware to the limits in my use.
I tried one of those- gp loading time is very fast - but no other significant speed difference from um690 and 690 is better value and allows a 2.5 ssd to be fitted. Cheers
I built a custom Ryzen 8-core machine in 2021, have run thousands of hours from fairly complicated rigs as live GP with audio to embedded HDMI and also to a Focusrite interface and have never had any type of problem whatsoever never mind anything that’s related to running it on an AMD CPU.
On the basis of this experience I would have to conclude that running GP on a suitable AMD processor (under Windows 10) for the core demand of your VSTs is an absolute non-issue.
An asterisk I strip and I do mean STRIP my Windows 10 installations of processes I don’t want running, and that may also help mainly to free up a small amount of additional CPU time.
PS for over a year most of my rigs have also run a very significant amount of MIDI; including DENSE streams of CC data for even 12 hours or more through a Scriptlet. So this would tend to really underline the solid reliability I’ve experienced.
Thanks @kevinf , it’s good to get first-hand feedback on this. I’m currently installing all my required plugins on the UM790 Pro and intend to switch over to it in the New Year so that I have the Xmas break to run it though its paces.
Glad to comment. The only thing I can imagine being a problem source would come from a badly behaved VST.
I should also add that David is generally not shy about contacting a VST developer -IF- he has some information that can help them fix a bug with a guaranteed recipe.
I should probably have qualified too that all of my stuff is using commercially developed VSTs (or at least actively maintained and updated) that are widely known, proven highly compatible and generally well-supported. I should also add I use both sample-y KONTAKT instruments but also a lot of more computational VST synths and effects. So I have likely given GP quite a “workout.”
Shame all that workout doesn’t translate at all to my own physique.
I have a Geekom AMD 6900HX. Runs great. I have had many problems with focusrite drivers (separate issue) – but I finally found a driver that works from them. Anyway… no problems with my Geekom PC – win11 Pro.
I’m using a Motu M4 with mine which has been very stable on several different PCs. I did have a good look at the Geekom mini PCs, but the Minisforum one I ended up going with was just really good value… maybe they are using it as a loss-leader or low profit promo to get the name better known in the mainstream market.
With the small form PC’s out there… and as the audio interfaces shrink in size, it’s an exciting time for this technology with lots of solutions that work. In another 5 years will our PC’s be the size of phones?
Well, phones will be as powerful as current PCs. But, I suspect there will still be PCs that will be even more powerful. And, of course, software developers will find ways to use all that power so you need that new PC.