Alternatives to DSP Quattro

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stubbsonic
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by stubbsonic »

stevenew wrote: What a merry-go-round this is!

...

I have experimented with using DP but unless I am being stupid (not the first time) I can see no easy way to export multiple 24-bit tracks to multiple 16-bit tracks without doing them one by one.
Can't you just export your 24 bit masters and do the dithering in Hofa? Also, unless I'm misunderstanding, you would take all your tracks w/ plugs and have to bounce/render (or realtime bus to another track) first anyway to apply your plugins-- then you just select all of them and choose export from the SoundBites mini menu. But perhaps I misunderstand.

I do most of my mastering in DP (plugins, etc.) I do the CD layout in DSPQ and if there are any other little adjustments or plugs needed, I can render them in there.

DP doesn't have a "NORMALIZE TO" the way DSPQ and Audacity have. DP's dithering and SRC are really good.
Last edited by stubbsonic on Tue Sep 27, 2016 9:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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stevenew
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by stevenew »

bayswater wrote:
stevenew wrote: I installed the Wavelab Pro 9 demo.
Yikes! That's expensive. Did you get a deal?
Yep Wavelab Pro 9 is expensive (well to me it is), kind of like buying any DAW for the first time. I paid 399 GBP. This is why I hoped to find an alternative but there is nothing else for Mac out there except Triumph, which as I said I had lots of problems with. Both the current DSPQ and Triumph had issues with Ozone 7, also the rendering time on Triumph was very slow.

Wavelab has been brilliant plus there are various workflows that really help. For example you can load different album layouts (called Audio Montages) and switch between them to compare, something I couldn't do in DSPQ. Also all the facilities for creating DDP files, adding Metadata are excellent, as are outputting MP3 & AAC.
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waxman
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by waxman »

I asked Stefano if DSPQ worked in Sierra and he said yes... I own Bias Peak 7. I thought it was toast I may have to fire it up...

DSPQ crashes with Slate FG Red compressor. I have not had an issue with DSPQ with UAD or Slate FG X. I hope DSPQ gets an update. I LOVED BIAS Peak but I am afraid to fall in love with it again. Maybe just until DSPQ comes out. I wonder why the BIAS guy does not sell or release a new PEAK. Must be something to do with going BK...
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by mikehalloran »

waxman wrote: I wonder why the BIAS guy does not sell or release a new PEAK. Must be something to do with going BK...
He is not allowed to sell new licenses either but he maintains the license server—without which, no version will run.

The only new products he sells are the various versions of Sound Soap and RX is way ahead,
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by stevenew »

waxman wrote:I
DSPQ crashes with Slate FG Red compressor. I have not had an issue with DSPQ with UAD or Slate FG X. I hope DSPQ gets an update.
Yep I had this as well, along with various other repeatable bugs. I did send Stefano all the details of the various crashes and crash logs in the hope that there might be a update to the current DSPQ, but it looks unlikely.

Unfortunately for large mastering projects involving many current plugins on separate tracks I have found the current DSPQ pretty unstable. No doubt the new version when it arrives will be very good.

Sadly I could no longer wait as I needed to get work done, and I have to say Wavelab has performed superbly, the more I use it the more I like it and once you understand the workflow it is extremely efficient.
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by Guitar Gaz »

Haven't switched to Sierra yet but as I report every major update on Peak Pro 7 my last report was it worked better than previously in El Capitan than it did in Mavericks. Apparently it is working well also in Sierra - I will report when I finally make the switch.
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by waxman »

Thanks Gaz... I got Peak 7XT working on 10.10.5 Yosemite.

Seems fine except for some various plugs. The entire OZONE 7 suite works great with it.

Slate FG X will only run in VST. AU causes processor over load error. Also don't close FG X or it will leave a blank shell and if anything is behind it your toast. Slate VTR and VMR will not pass audio. The rest of the Slate plugs are wonky or won't work at all in Peak. Slate plugs except for FG X actually crash DSPQ. So go figure.

All the Master Perfection Suite Bias plugs work fine but only version 1.0 will install. Version 1.2.1 of Bias MPS will not install on my Mac Pro. So mostly Peak is stuck in 2011 mode.

Too bad the BK for Bias and Stefano is not done. Both programs are getting wonky. Hopefully by the end of the year for DSPQ. And sadly at some point Bias Peak 7 will die. Come on SLATE or MOTU buy Peak and make it happen... Or Stefano can we start a coffee fund for you?
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by mhschmieder »

I finally broke down and bought Wavelab 9.5 Pro last night, a day before Steinberg's 40% off offer was set to end.

Although I haven't worked with it yet, as the plug-in validation took hours on first run (I own almost 1000 plug-ins), I played with its interface a bit and v9.5 is way beyond v9, or v8.5, so I'm impressed with how much more clean and intuitive the workflow and the menu and feature presentation logic is now.

My hope is that the waveform editing will be as detailed and flexible as in BIAS Peak Pro (I never got on with DSP-Quattro's waveform editing). If so, as DDP and other stuff is supported well by Wavelab, I may finally mothball all of my other mastering apps -- though lately I had taken to using iZotope's latest RX Pro update as it is turning more into an overall Mastering Editor now, even if it still doesn't support plug-in chains and thus requires interim saves for each plug-in used.
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro --V5 is coming ...

Post by bayswater »

This got me wondering about V5 of DSP-Q, so sent a message to Stefano. He answered at 1 am Italy time. Busy guy, or maybe since it's Italy, he's just getting home from dinner.

Yes, DSP-Q V5 is coming. He says he's working on the manual now and hopes to have it out in 2-3 weeks. He sent me a screen shot. It looks great. A major update to the UI.
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by Guitar Gaz »

Guitar Gaz wrote:Haven't switched to Sierra yet but as I report every major update on Peak Pro 7 my last report was it worked better than previously in El Capitan than it did in Mavericks. Apparently it is working well also in Sierra - I will report when I finally make the switch.
Peak Pro 7 still working well in High Sierra. How many years is it since this software was supposedly dead following the closure of Bias? It must be some rocksteady great code for it still to be working after umpteen Mac OS upgrades. Quite bizarre - like working with a zombie.
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by mikehalloran »

Guitar Gaz wrote:
Guitar Gaz wrote:Haven't switched to Sierra yet but as I report every major update on Peak Pro 7 my last report was it worked better than previously in El Capitan than it did in Mavericks. Apparently it is working well also in Sierra - I will report when I finally make the switch.
Peak Pro 7 still working well in High Sierra. How many years is it since this software was supposedly dead following the closure of Bias? It must be some rocksteady great code for it still to be working after umpteen Mac OS upgrades. Quite bizarre - like working with a zombie.
:rofl:

Who knew?

The reason I gave up on BIAS was the expensive upgrade from 3 to 4 and again to 5 as Apple went from OS 10.3 to 10.4 to 10.5. I said enough!

Having an old license for BIAS was useful to knock 50% off the price of DSP-Q, I'll give it that. I suppose that my 50% upgrade to SoundSoap 5 may still be good but, with RX Advanced, I don't see the point. I found the box with the manuals and sent them to recycling last month.

TwistedWave, Ozone 8 Advanced and RX 6 Advanced... all have their strengths but... It will be nice when DSP-Q goes to 64 bit.
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro --V5 is coming ...

Post by Michael Canavan »

bayswater wrote:This got me wondering about V5 of DSP-Q, so sent a message to Stefano. He answered at 1 am Italy time. Busy guy, or maybe since it's Italy, he's just getting home from dinner.

Yes, DSP-Q V5 is coming. He says he's working on the manual now and hopes to have it out in 2-3 weeks. He sent me a screen shot. It looks great. A major update to the UI.
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by stubbsonic »

I'm glad to hear that. DSPQ 4 is partially broken on my rig. Applying fx plugs almost always crashes it.

I do still use it for batch stuff and some edits, but am looking forward to what v5 might bring.
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro --V5 is coming ...

Post by Tonio »

bayswater wrote:This got me wondering about V5 of DSP-Q, so sent a message to Stefano. He answered at 1 am Italy time. Busy guy, or maybe since it's Italy, he's just getting home from dinner.

Yes, DSP-Q V5 is coming. He says he's working on the manual now and hopes to have it out in 2-3 weeks. He sent me a screen shot. It looks great. A major update to the UI.
Can you share the screen shot Bays ?? :mrgreen:
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Re: Alternatives to DSP Quattro

Post by bayswater »

I'm reluctant to do that without asking him first.
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