XITE-1 power question

[doodyrh]

XITE-1 is "10x more powerful than before". What does that mean? Ten times more than an old 6-DSP card or 14-DSP card?

Please explain.

[garyb]

10x a 14dsp...

[dawman]

Yes on paper, 10x. Kind of like running Sandra Benchmark tests.
More like 7/8 x Scope Pro cards with real world usuage.
However, I am using some devices that have not been optimized for the new DSP chips, so this ratio is sure to increase when all devices are optimized.
But I have a project using all optimized devices and the STM1632 mixer ( arrrgghh ) and I actually run out of MIDI channels long before running out of DSP juice.
22 x Modular synths, effects and controllers with the STM1632, and all 4 of its AUX"s stuffed with delays, PlateX/Ambience, 6 insert effects and 2 x Project window effects that are a PITA as an insert like FluLiq.
I also have devices like VRC-S and VDAT using the older compatability SHARC's ( first 6 DSP chip's on the PCB ).
Using PCI-e 1X is faster than the old chips, and sounds much better IMHO. The cards were great but always slightly muffled. A friends RME would play the same GVI libraries with better results. Not the case anymore.

[iSiStOy]

The cards were great but always slightly muffled. A friends RME would play the same GVI libraries with better results. Not the case anymore.

You mean Clearer in the sound?
That was my perception when a friend of mine made me listen to his RME...
Now, let's give a try to Xite then.

[dawman]

Well whaddya' expect w/ 11 year old DAC's.
This is a 75% Load I am using this weekend.
Polyphony is no longer an issue as the QWave's need only 5-6 voices.
I do have 2 x 14 voice Modulars becuase I use a sustain pedal as they are FM Pianos.
The others are all 8 voice.
If the mixer was created for the XITE-1 I would be using internal AUX's and tons of inserts. But even now I have all 4 AUX's and 8 insert effects.
I only need so many reverbs and EQ's. The larger the track counts become the more EQ's are necessary, but 12 x Kontakt instruments purged for 32bit usage are plenty for my gig.
I use to whine about 64bit so I could pack my RAM and not need to learn my sampler better. But purging useless instrument layers, and these fake mic positions allows to stay in 32bit until the proper time.
I don't even need SP3, and forget about this nonsense of using synths and samplers in 64bit live. Nothing but tweaks and troubles IMHO. I would much rather make music, and wait for the apps to be proven by the hundreds of unpaid BETA testers. I do apperciate their work but on stage these are unnecessary risks IMHO. Just spend the extra 30 minutes getting rid of the 8 Pizzacattos you'll never use, and the phony mic placements and horrific VST FX and you're good to go.
All of this is from 4GB's of DDR2-800 @ CL4, the 3GB PAE Switch, the DP35DP and the lowly outdated E6850. The Dual Core's are great for streamers only as the buffers can be 128/256 instead of the 512 most Qaud Mac guys are using to avoid cracks and pops. The new i7's have a superior cache design and have no issues w/ this but the older quads tend to gag w/ low buffers using their L2 cache design. But w/ Cubase and VST stuff the quad's are a good choice. For the lowest latency and realtime work the Core 2 Duo's are still the top player in the 775 LPGA arena.

[astroman]

The cards were great but always slightly muffled. A friends RME would play the same GVI libraries with better results. Not the case anymore.

You mean Clearer in the sound?
That was my perception when a friend of mine made me listen to his RME...
Now, let's give a try to Xite then.

well - more transparent, deeper lows and crisper highs aren't always you're after...
people spending a few grands on a (say...) vintage Fender P, J or Telebass would be extremely annoyed by a hifi sound...

anyway, the converters have nothing to do with the final output - unless you master via analog path
usually the result is a digital stream played on a consumer CD, mobile player/phone etc

for live players like Jimmy it's a different story though - now he can make the action suit his bragging on stage

regarding power there's a simple equation:
you (always) gain 5 times the power per chip due to increased clockrate
you may get another 2 times for twice the (chip's) efficiency, which depends on the code itself

calculation results in 10 times, real world according to Jimmy 7-8 times
as lots of folks will be seduced by a 96k sampling rate, expect 3 times the power of your current setup

cheers, Tom

[netguyjoel]

I've played with PoCo, UAD, and RME, and as far as I can see...this XITE is a beast that cannot be fed. I have loaded more huge synths, and modulars, massive reverbs, LOTS of EQ (I prefer a good EQ to FX anyday) and have room for days, with a quality, and stability that cannot be compared in any of the hardware mentioned above. It is a financial commitment, that's for sure...but my old 6 DSP Pulsar II card, would have fried like a mozzarella stick in a deep fryer, if I even attempted to load it up like I can the XITE. Anyone who owns one would surely agree....worth every penny X10. As devices do get optomized more & more, as well as the new Developers Kit to be released..you will be inundated with a slew of new FX, EQs and synths uncomparable in the market today.
All in all...do yourself a favor....just get one....it will change the way you work, write, play, and make music....
Just an opinion from one of the manny satisfied XITE owners...I'm sure all the others would agree....wouldn't you?
Best wishes...

[astroman]

yeah, the much improved loading times are equally important as sheer processing power.
Current price is about what a Pulsar II was some years ago...

cheers, Tom

[garyb]

as lots of folks will be seduced by a 96k sampling rate, expect 3 times the power of your current setup

compared to a 14dsp card @ 44.1 or 48k.......

[dawman]

I should've been a little more detailed with my comparison.
The difference in fidelity was more like a better definition of sound when 24 stereo tracks are combined.
That was how I could hear the difference.
My friend was actually playing Piano and left hand Upright Bass saying " see what I mean " and I would say no, you're tripping.
But as the tracks were added the RME, as much as I wanted to say no, was capable of better fidelity and well defined.
I am mixing 32 mono VDAT's and realizing I can play them at a much louder db than the old rig. I can also hear more definition in the low end while maintaining it's roundness. The old cards have a great low end but cannot raise the volume very much without losing the low end definition.

Now I am being accurate.
And Thomas is correctamundo too.
I have an old Lynx One stereo card from '98 that never got GSIF drivers until too late, but the sound of that stereo 16bit/44.1k is on par with the RME that uses much newer DAC's.
But Lynx makes cards that outlive O.S.'s and drivers still.

[netguyjoel]

Most of this can be based on what the final output of what your sound goal is.
I, on the other hand...don't find the need for piano & upright bass (sorry Jimmy).
My flavor of the mix comes strictly from the electronic side of things. Big synths, obnoxiously over powering drums and the whole "punish your machine" mentality (however juvenile that might be). They are just different, & I still prefer Scope devs, mixers, etc etc to the competition...still luv ya Jimmy...ya brotha'...

[doodyrh]

Thanks all. Interesting stuff. So it's about 23x my old Scope Project. So how many sharcs does this beast have or is that not the appropriate question?

Current price is about what a Pulsar II was some years ago...

The 6-sharc card? It's three times what I paid eight years ago and inflation for technology products has been negligible. You could argue that in that time Moore's Law would have iterated four times to 16x for the same price. So something like two thirds the power of Pulsar II at one third the XITE's price. I definitely can't justify the outlay for my purposes but it'd be interesting to see if other versions come out.

[astroman]

as lots of folks will be seduced by a 96k sampling rate, expect 3 times the power of your current setup

compared to a 14dsp card @ 44.1 or 48k.......

sorry, t'was sluggish to omit the calculation base...
I meant per chip in a real world scenario with 96k sampling rate
For a 6 DSP card I'd rather expect an 18 chip equivalent than a 60 chip (as some ads may suggest)

of course it's kind of apples versus oranges, but in practical terms people will stick with the higher sample rate.
Sooner or later. It fit's the modern sound paradigm, so what would you expect ?
The Xite seems much more reliable in this context, while the 'old' system was kind of risky...

cheers, Tom

[astroman]

Current price is about what a Pulsar II was some years ago...

The 6-sharc card? It's three times what I paid eight years ago and ...

I remember a price of 2650 DM for the 6 DSP card (of course there have been many other prices , too...)
Since we're in Euro times now, my personal calculator displays: 1 DM equals (effectively) 1 Euro
(official exchange rates are bs because they don't accept them in the shops were my money goes...)
I've already included a bit of upgrade bonus, street price etc...

cheers, Tom

[netguyjoel]

+1 It is still a great investment, no matter how you measure it....good is good....plain and simple...

[astroman]

yeah, I'm pretty much tempted myself, even though I don't need that much calculation power.
It's so convenient, easy to carry around - might even trade a card in.
Since I found out that Japanese Fender basses from the 80s are terrific deals, my budget increased significantly...

cheers, Tom

[dawman]

Well I am from Missouri, the " Show Me State."
So I will show you what the PCB looks like.
The first 6 chips are basically the old AD's for comapatbility's sake, and for VDT, VRC128 & VRC-S.
The other 12 are the new AD chips, and on the backside of the board each new AD chip has it's own 64MB's of RAM.

IMG_1688aa.JPG

Many celebs and executives stopped by as they were impressed by the rumors but needed proof. They got what they came for.OJ SImpson had a 2 day Furlough and even he wanted to go to the SC Booth. Nevada State Patrol Cessna's brought him to Anaheim for the weekend, and then sadly back to Carson City where his 12 x 8 awaited.

OJ_XITE-1a.JPG

[Gordon Gekko]

22 x Modular synths

[dawman]

Why Yi Yawtta,

22 x Modular synths, effects and controllers.

[iSiStOy]

each new AD chip has it's own 64MB's of RAM.

64MB of Ram per chip?
Any impressions about the reverb FXs in Gal and also about sampler use in Xite?

yeah, I'm pretty much tempted myself, even though I don't need that much calculation power.
It's so convenient, easy to carry around - might even trade a card in.

That's exactly my state of mind, now that I have heard new announcements and seen the S|C upgrade offer.
Anyway, I was lurking at it since it went out and I'm quite sure of the choice and the possibilities.
I also hope they propose to upgrade the A16 series, in case their converters would also benefit from newer technology.