DP instead of Peak/DSP Quattro

[Michael Canavan]

What are any of your thoughts on forgoing a traditional two track editor in favor of DP as one? I'm thinking DP at $149 for the upgrade is a better choice than Peak or DSP Quattro. Especially since it will host AU on my tower while I send MIDI from Live 5 to it. Plus I kind of miss DP, Logic is cool, but DP has it's strengths too, and in fact will work better networked to Live 5 running on a powerbook.

What exactly do you get from Peak or DSP Quattro in the way of an audio editor that DP doesn't have?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++ I heavily edited this post as I found out that DP will in fact record audio to a track while recieving MIDI from the powerbook via MIDI Network! +++++++++++++++++++

<small>[ July 31, 2005, 11:12 PM: Message edited by: MichaelCanavan ]</small>

[Michael Canavan]

Any thoughts anyone?

[Kaspar]

I haven't used a two-track editor since it became possible to bounce and export in all the QuickTime formats. If you have the right plug-ins you can do everything audio in DP except burning CD's. But if you need to make CD Pre-Masters with ISRC codes or Enhanced Mode CD's or other specialities you have to go to other pieces of software.

[chrispnyc]

I just recently bought DSP-Quattro after trying to use DP as my 2 track editor. I love it! It is amazing. I still use a hardware sampler (Akai S6000), which uses USB to run a front end software app on my Mac. I have DSP-Quattro set to be the default sample editor, so when I click on a sample in Aksys (the Akai software) it transmits it DSP-Quattro for easy editing.

One thing that I really like is using DSP-Quattro to edit audio files while keeping the actual files and edited versions of them in there own dedicated folder on a different drive. Even if I don't use a file in a current tune, I can save it as a possible sample to use at a later date. If these files were stored in DP's project folder, I would have to dig them out before archiving them.

Also, "mastering" in DP can be confusing. It either has to be in the same project, where it gets bogged down by the actual mix files, plugs, automation, etc. or I have to create a new version of the project and delete the mix, etc.

DSP-Quattro can act as a host for VST and Audio Units. It is great as a scratch pad for playing virtual instruments. Sometimes I like to set up a VI inside DSP-Quattro and just sketch out ideas independent of the track I'm working on. If I like what I played, I can import it to the DP session. If I don't, I save it for future use in my sample library.

Hope that helps.

[gearboy]

I use Live 4 (soon to have version 5) and DP4.6 Rewired together all the time. It's the way that I've been working since January.

I use Peak LE to edit, create looping samples for Live and Intakt, and "mastering" (obviously I'll leave this to the professionals when the real time comes). Peak LE will open both VST and AU plugs, but only one plus-in at a time. However, if you are using a suite like Ozone 3 or T Racks this will not be a problem at all. For $99 it can't be beat. However, if you need to batch processing you'll need to move on to Peak from LE.

Jeff

<small>[ August 01, 2005, 08:45 AM: Message edited by: Skycave ]</small>

[chrispnyc]

FYI - DSP-Quattro is only $50 bucks more than Peak LE, but has batch processing (REALLY useful) and can run up to 4 plug-ins per file plus anoth 4 on the Master Outputs.

Not trying to diss Peak...I'm just amazed at how high quality DSP-Quattro is for such a low price.

[sdfalk]

Not to diss either program, but I use DP to create loops all the time
and find it very easy to do so.
I also find the editing facilities in DP to be more then sufficient for my needs.
I use AudioFinder to batch process.

<small>[ August 01, 2005, 09:50 AM: Message edited by: sdfalk ]</small>

[David Polich]

I have kind of a dumb question. I can't find any in formation about creating loop crossfades in DP. Is it possible? Not crossfades between soundbites, but loop crossfades within a single soundbite.

[sdfalk]

Not dumb at all.
If I understand you correctly at the end of the loop create a cross
fade back into the start of the loop?
I just option drag a second copy of the file, cross
fade to it and then set loop from the region menu.
Cross fade (except for the very first file) for as long as you need.
Mind you I'm starting to use AufioFinder more and more for things
like loop creation as well.

<small>[ August 01, 2005, 10:26 AM: Message edited by: sdfalk ]</small>

[David Polich]

Thanks for your help! What I meant is, let's say I record a trumpet note. I want to loop a portion of the wavefile and put a crossfade at the beginning of the loop section and another crossfade at the end of the loop section.

In other words, I'm doing samp[ling of acoustic instruments, and I need to loop sustaining sections of the samples and then throw away the portion of the audio after the loop sections - typical sampler work.

[sdfalk]

I see..
If I'm not mistaken then (in DP at least)
probably not.
You could fade up at the start, and down at the end of the loop

<small>[ August 01, 2005, 12:15 PM: Message edited by: sdfalk ]</small>

[David Polich]

Thanks again, I figured as much.

I ended up buying DSP Quattro which has loop crossfade and just about everything else that Peak does for half the price.

[chrispick]

I use Peak LE in much the same fashion that Skycase appear to (e.g., loop creation, mastering, file conversions, etc.). And it works really well for me on those tasks. I use it all the time.

However, had I know about DSP Quattro at the time of my Peak LE purchase, I probably would've apted for the Quattro instead. It seems like a really nice app.

Have fun with your purchase.

<small>[ August 01, 2005, 02:25 PM: Message edited by: heavypick ]</small>

[Michael Canavan]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm of course now more confused about what to do than before. I played around with DP in the store, and was happy with it's responsiveness, they just happen to have the same dual Gig G4 I do. Performance was what I expected, 20% better than Live 5, 20% worse than Logic 7.
The only minor disappointment was that you need three tracks to print audio directly from a live AU Instrument, and the fade in the audio editor is as simple and limited as in Logic.....
If any of you have both DP and Logic, I would love to hear what you think. Like I said it's been about four years since I used DP so....
I'm starting to think that DSP Quattro might be the way to go, and I'll hold onto the DP license. I'm thinking that when the macintel powerbooks hit, we might just see an evening out of the differences between these DAWs, and DP still appeals to me more than Logic......

[blue]

How is the fade functionality as limited as it is in Logic?