I'm looking for a DSP solution, I'm looking for a way to relieve my CPU Options

[karambos]

I run Logic natively (i.e. the C.P.U. takes care of everything) on a Rev ‘A’ (i.e. no slave drive allowed) 233Mhz Mac G3 and when I’m playing back about 8 to 10 tracks with various effects, my system maxes out. I recognise that I could go out and buy a G4 but I was wondering if would not be a better idea to buy some sort of non-native (i.e. DSP card) solution. I’ve looked into the following cards: TC Powercore, Digi Design 001, Yamaha DSP 2416, Creamware Pulsar and Scope. But I’m still a little confused about what I’ll be getting myself into. I want to be able to run all the audio and all the effects on the card. Is it possible to run my present VST plugs on such a card (I’ve recently invested in the “Pluggo” plugins from cycling74) or will I be limited to the effects written by the manufacturers specifically for the card? Are there DSP cards that just do the audio and others that do both the audio and the effects? I’m using an Audiowerk 2 soundcard at the mo – would I have to change that too? Or do such non-native solutions come with the necessary audio card as well? If I bought a DigiDesign solution like the mix plus (this is just an example I can’t actually afford this) can I run effects from other DSP card manufacturers like those of the Powercore card? Would I want to?

Or should I start saving for the G4?

[macmax]

Hi First off.
All the current bunch of dsp cards are designed to run their own plugins not your existing ones .......
Secondly you could upgrade your processor to G4 rather than the whol;e machine, that would help somewhat....
And be cheaper....
check out sonnet processor upgrades......
The powercore and such will work in an older machine, but it is recommended to have a G4 to take advantage of the higher buss speeds so the card can be used to full effect.
You dont say whether you use a seperate drive for your audio, but i suspect that you arent at the mo....
This is probably the most significant issue in terms of the number of tracks you achieve.
I personally prefer to use SCSi cards and drives, but there's no reason an IDE drive cant do the same job, but it should be a FAST (7200 rpm or preferrably better) ATA100 capable drive dedicated solely to your audio.
Try locating SOUND ON SOUND, a UK publication (monthly ) which has run a number of articles on upgrading Macs...
My personal favourite solution (although getting quite hard to find) are the PCI card systems from LEXICON...
both the core systems (32 and 2) have daughter board processors available which are excellent solutions to add serious quality processors to the audio chain (i mean , come on they are LEXICON!!!!)
Add to that the versatile and quality audio interfaces and you have a nice package!!
and it only takes 1 PCI slot!!
The list of cards you included are widely various in their design briefs,
DSP FX specialists
TC powercore.
UAD-1
AUDIO AND FX
creamware range ish Quite complex facilities, but really tied in to one system, although a bloody good system, lacks the flexibility i think you're after.. but......
Yamaha dsp2416, his is an o2r on a pci card, so it is designed to process audio in a mixing sense, does eq and dynamics as well as some DSP FX. But is perhaps a little more complex than you want....
However it is VERY good, and quite affordable when compared to the price of a real O2R, but dont forget you'd need quite a few of the 'extras' like the Audio interfaces!!!
By now you get the idea, and my wife is calling me to bed!!!
so ta ta for now...