If Reason runs perfect for you (with VST), post your specs! :)

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Wobbleburger
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31 Jan 2019

I'm building a new computer... going with the intel 8700k and 32gb of ram. I want to be 100% sure I'm doing the best choices that I can. I'm not going for the 9xxx due to the price. I'm curious what you folks are using and how far you can go before the DSP bars of death.

Thanks!
Last edited by Wobbleburger on 01 Feb 2019, edited 1 time in total.
In the 90s, my midi music was on the Baulder's Gate site. That was my life peak.
Reasonite since 2000. My music (and my old midi) can be found here:
https://futurewizard.org

kitekrazy
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31 Jan 2019

Unless you are using products like Play or Kontakt you don't need 32gb of RAM. Make sure you remove the page file running with all of that so Windows doesn't write memory to your disk.

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BRIGGS
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31 Jan 2019

Older VSTs, coded for slower systems from 10 years ago, run great! Check out some classics and free ones. Do some stress testing. You can always render to audio, if things get too crazy.

I'm USD cash poor, I run a $200 used craigslist Lenovo T420 i5 (two physical cores) 8gb ram.
r11s

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Wobbleburger
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31 Jan 2019

kitekrazy wrote:
31 Jan 2019
Unless you are using products like Play or Kontakt you don't need 32gb of RAM. Make sure you remove the page file running with all of that so Windows doesn't write memory to your disk.
The ram is more for video editing and stuff like that but I also want to future-proof it. I just want to go for one that can handle Reason and then some. I checked the single-core performance and it was #4 on the list. So I'm hopeful but also curious what 10.3 will do.
In the 90s, my midi music was on the Baulder's Gate site. That was my life peak.
Reasonite since 2000. My music (and my old midi) can be found here:
https://futurewizard.org

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Maxsu
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Joined: 15 Oct 2016
Location: Vienna

02 Feb 2019

Hey Guys!

Found this thread while I am searching for a few Infos about Reason Performance. Before I post my Specs a few questions :)

1. Are Combnators performance heavier? Should I built my Racks without it and only for saving combine the racks?

2. I prefer the Fabfilter ProQ3 and even for LP or HP I use it, I think the Reason built in EQ are much more performance hungry than the fab?

3. A few performance tips from you guys?

Reason is running perfectly for me! I use a few VSts and many Rack Extensions.

WIN7
i5 2500k Overclocked to 4,3 Ghz with a better Cooling fan (noctua) Temp at 35 C max
Geforce 1070 TI Palit 8GB
16 GB RAM I think Corsair with passive cooling
C: is on a SSD from Sandisk with 500GB & 2 1 TB HDDs for Samples and REfills
M-Audio Firewire Audiophile with 1 Pair of Rokit 5

Except that my projects are always full the performance drops with many Racks and Vsts its all okay, maybe the next Patch will get us some perf tweaks.

cheers

S1GNL
Posts: 83
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02 Feb 2019

kitekrazy wrote:
31 Jan 2019
Unless you are using products like Play or Kontakt you don't need 32gb of RAM. Make sure you remove the page file running with all of that so Windows doesn't write memory to your disk.
Ehm... you shouldn’t do that. It’s actually bad for performance and stability.

kitekrazy
Posts: 1036
Joined: 19 Jan 2015

02 Feb 2019

S1GNL wrote:
02 Feb 2019
kitekrazy wrote:
31 Jan 2019
Unless you are using products like Play or Kontakt you don't need 32gb of RAM. Make sure you remove the page file running with all of that so Windows doesn't write memory to your disk.
Ehm... you shouldn’t do that. It’s actually bad for performance and stability.
No need to have it with 16, 32 gb of RAM. I don't have issues. It would also decrease the life of a SSD.

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mcatalao
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02 Feb 2019

Maxsu wrote:
02 Feb 2019
Hey Guys!

1. Are Combnators performance heavier? Should I built my Racks without it and only for saving combine the racks?

2. I prefer the Fabfilter ProQ3 and even for LP or HP I use it, I think the Reason built in EQ are much more performance hungry than the fab?
(...)
1 - No, Combinators are device aggregators that you use to create ensembles and performance/patches, combine effects, etc. They can have inside any kind of reason device except a combinator (so you cannot make a combinator of combinators, but if you add a combinator inside a combinator, reason will decombine it and put the devices inside the new combinator).

Combis don't add load per se. However, the bigger the combinator, and the more and more complexity you add, either on the devices or the routing by itself (the free routing, allows for any kind of direct or parallel connection, either for audio or CV) the bigger is the load. But it is the exact same load as if you had the same devices and the same complexity direct on the rack. That being said, combinators were and still are the most important reason device as they allowed people do amazing refills with this devices. Mind that you can create your combinator devices, save them and recall them whenever you want. The power of this device (from multi device ensembles, to big complex effect processing, and bare in mind that you now load any kind of device inside a combi, VST's included) and plasticity of configuration with its programmer added reason a freedom and versatility that no other DAW has (there are similar devices for this but none is so well implemented imho).
In conclusion, compared to loading stuff directly into the rack they will have the same load. HOWEVER you have to bare in mind, that when you load a combi that you do not know, the complexity if its inside can be really big!

2 - I don't have the Fab EQ. But i find it a bit odd if the main mixer eq is less performant than the FAB. I'd risk to say that since the SSL EQ is build inside reason (at a lower level that Re's themselves, since they are bound to the SDK, while the mixer eq's are Reason code) they are way more efficient than anything you put there. Same for the mixer dynamics. I once did a test whit 400 audio mono channels, playing at the same time, all with compressor, gate, eq, hpf and lpf. And tbh, for some types of music these are more than enough, they are the base devices for most of the stuff you do in a mix.

Good Luck,
MC

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NekujaK
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02 Feb 2019

Reason running "perfect" is all relative to how you intend to use Reason. My system was primarily built for video editing - it's a few years old now, but still performs great (Win 7, Xeon 3.70GHz quad-core, 32GB RAM).

I have no problems with modest-sized Reason projects, that use mostly REs and some low-CPU VSTs. But large projects bring Reason to its knees very quickly. Examples of large projects include:
- 20+ audio tracks with high-end VST processing on most tracks
- Orchestral pieces using multiple Kontakt instruments
- Multiple CPU-hungry synths
- Multiple CPU-hungry send effects, like Waves Abbey Road Plates

Prior to Reason 9 (and VST support), I never encountered Reason performance issues on my system - my setup was more than adequate. But we know there are issues with VSTs and Reason, and the Props are hard at work trying to resolve them. Once they do, Reason will hopefully return to its nimble self and will once again run smoothly on even an average system.
wreaking havoc with :reason: since 2.5
:arrow: https://soundcloud.com/nekujak-donnay/sets

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mcatalao
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02 Feb 2019

NekujaK,

Reason performs similarly to previous versions as long as you compare the exact same projec. I have projects that run on V6 (record projects) and load more or less the same CPU on V6, V8 and V10 (yep... i took the time to test this, installed V6, and already had V8 due to some projects that had line 6, and of course v10).

The issue is, from V9.5 we start to have VST's, and the Re SDK2/3. At this point, stuff like Spire RE, even Europa in R10, the Legend and other Synths start to appear as Rack Extensions, and some of them quite CPU hungry.
As our main way of thinking is on track count (you can't have the same way of thinking on Reason and another Daw production imho), we quickly question Reason's performance when in reality we're adding different stuff to our projects since Reason 9.5. Wich is a good thing, actually.

Oh, and bare in mind, a quad core Xeon @ 3.7 GHz is not that much a beast, specially compared to a current day 6 or 8 core. TBH, you spent the extra mile for a Xeon and probably a I7 4790k at that time had the same or even better performance. Xeon machines are good for Servers, and are costlier for the ECC ram compatibility and a little more endurance. However, the extra years a Xeon can last are way beyond the normal 4 to 6 years most people take to upgrade their CPU.

But hey... The good news is that we're going to have a performance boost with Reason 10.3. I expect it to be huge by that December blog post so your Xeon will maybe last you a couple more years. Or not! ;)

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NekujaK
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02 Feb 2019

mcatalao wrote:
02 Feb 2019
Reason performs similarly to previous versions as long as you compare the exact same projec. I have projects that run on V6 (record projects) and load more or less the same CPU on V6, V8 and V10 (yep... i took the time to test this, installed V6, and already had V8 due to some projects that had line 6, and of course v10).

Oh, and bare in mind, a quad core Xeon @ 3.7 GHz is not that much a beast, specially compared to a current day 6 or 8 core. TBH, you spent the extra mile for a Xeon and probably a I7 4790k at that time had the same or even better performance. Xeon machines are good for Servers, and are costlier for the ECC ram compatibility and a little more endurance. However, the extra years a Xeon can last are way beyond the normal 4 to 6 years most people take to upgrade their CPU.
I fully realize my Xeon is not a screamer, and definitely not competitive with current benchmarks, but it still serves me well, especially for video-editing projects, which are my main line of work, and which are far more CPU-intensive than music projects.

Yes, older Reason projects still run fine on Reason 10. But the way I am measuring Reason's current performance is by comparing similar projects between Reason and other DAWs. And this is where Reason suffers badly. For example, I can load 3 Kontakt instruments in Reason and the CPU meter hits 100% during playback. Meanwhile, loading those same 3 Kontakt instruments registers only about 7% CPU load in Reaper. In fact, I can load several more Kontakt instruments in Reaper and the CPU meter doesn't go over 20%. My aging Xeon procssor has never had any problems playing these Reaper projects. So I'm looking forward to Reason handling VSTs better in the near future :)
wreaking havoc with :reason: since 2.5
:arrow: https://soundcloud.com/nekujak-donnay/sets

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mcatalao
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02 Feb 2019

NekujaK,

That performance disparity is exactly what Propellerheads are working at for the 10.3 release. It will get better. I don't say it will be on par to reaper which is really great at VST performance, though ugly as hell and uninspiring, but it will be a lot better.

I find a bit strange you have such bad performance with kontakt. Wasn't it supposed to be a Sample player? I say this because i use East West Play and i don't have that experience. In fact my only issue with East West, is that i'm forced to export in real time when HDD streaming is on, but for real time playing it is working great.
Last edited by mcatalao on 08 Feb 2019, edited 1 time in total.

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NekujaK
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02 Feb 2019

mcatalao wrote:
02 Feb 2019
I find a bit strange you have such bad performance with kontakt. Wasn't it supposed to be a Sample player? I say this because i use East West Play and i don't have that experience. In fact my only issue with East West, is that i'm forced to export in real time when HDD streaming is on, but for real time playing it is working great.
I find it a bit strange, too. But Kontakt instruments are often more than just sample players - they include bult-in effects processors, convolution reverbs, etc. Perhaps Kontakt itself is heavy on CPU use. All I know is that I usually have to start my orchestral pieces in Reaper, and only after I render the parts to audio, can I bring them into Reason to finish them off.

I know the Props are making progress on VST performance - looking forward to the results.
wreaking havoc with :reason: since 2.5
:arrow: https://soundcloud.com/nekujak-donnay/sets

Jowe79
Posts: 74
Joined: 17 Aug 2016
Location: Barcelona

03 Feb 2019

Hey guys.... i’m thinking change my actual laptop ... but my budget is very poor.....:( i ‘m obssesed that if i get msi i9 9950hk 8th gen i will be run more plugins vst in my reason 10.... i have currently msi i7 7700hq 7th gen 2,8ghz and 3.8 turbo boost 4 cores 8 threads... 32 gb ram ssd samsung evo 970 2TB and focusrite 2 i4 2nd gen.... with this specs i will be runs reason 10 slightly enough?? Sell this computer and...Buy i9 or i7 8th gen ? GreAt dilemma..i have............... with reason 10.3 vst performance update i will note better performance?
Thanks a lot for your thoughts!!
Regards!
Jordi

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EnochLight
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03 Feb 2019

Jowe79 wrote:
03 Feb 2019
Hey guys.... i’m thinking change my actual laptop ... but my budget is very poor.....:( i ‘m obssesed that if i get msi i9 9950hk 8th gen i will be run more plugins vst in my reason 10.... i have currently msi i7 7700hq 7th gen 2,8ghz and 3.8 turbo boost 4 cores 8 threads... 32 gb ram ssd samsung evo 970 2TB and focusrite 2 i4 2nd gen.... with this specs i will be runs reason 10 slightly enough?? Sell this computer and...Buy i9 or i7 8th gen ? GreAt dilemma..i have............... with reason 10.3 vst performance update i will note better performance?
Thanks a lot for your thoughts!!
Regards!
Jordi

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Your current CPU performs roughly the same as my almost 7 year old desktop. The Core i9-8950HK performs noticeably better than both of our current processors, and for a laptop - that's pretty damn good. I can't find any info on the i9-9950HK - is it even out yet?

What other i7 or i9 "8th gen" are you looking at? I strongly suggest you spend some time at cpubenchmark.net and compare single thread performance for the CPU's you're considering...

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/In ... 6vs2vs2906
Win 10 | Ableton Live 11 Suite |  Reason 12 | i7 3770k @ 3.5 Ghz | 16 GB RAM | RME Babyface Pro | Akai MPC Live 2 & Akai Force | Roland System 8, MX1, TB3 | Dreadbox Typhon | Korg Minilogue XD

Jowe79
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03 Feb 2019

Thanks i was refering a i7 8950hk... then... my cpu is good for run reason 10?

Molotovbeatz
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Joined: 29 Jan 2019

03 Feb 2019

Jowe79 wrote:
03 Feb 2019
Thanks i was refering a i7 8950hk... then... my cpu is good for run reason 10?
I would choose i7-3770k. I have myslef a desktop PC with that processor. It has already the advantage to be on 3.5Ghz as default clock, the other at default are lower.

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retreed
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03 Feb 2019

I think for people who are not satisfied with the performance when addiong VSTs to the rack at the moment, it is worth waiting for the Reason 10.3. update that is coming this year ( :cool: ).

For everyone who runs "outdated" (I7-3770K seems to be an exceptional shining star here at that age) PC hardware from like 8 years ago without any hurry, wait for proper results coming from AMD this year. They will either be a good alternative for audio or at least slightly make sure that (currently very high) Intel prices drop a little (as for gaming, video editing, etc. AMD offers better price-performance). For everyone in a rush I can recommend getting the I9-9900K (for desktops, as a mobile counterpart is not available yet). I came from the I7-2600K and the difference is huge.

(EDIT: And of course a solid audio interface driver helps tons.)
Last edited by retreed on 03 Feb 2019, edited 2 times in total.

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boingy
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03 Feb 2019

The only things that kill my relatively modest PC are Ozone 8 and Kontact. Kontact went in the bin and I use O8 as a standalone post processor, which is actually fine given that it is for mastering.

Just remember the days of Tascam 4 track cassette tapes and be happy.

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rgdaniel
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Joined: 07 Sep 2017
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03 Feb 2019

Molotovbeatz wrote:
03 Feb 2019
Jowe79 wrote:
03 Feb 2019
Thanks i was refering a i7 8950hk... then... my cpu is good for run reason 10?
I would choose i7-3770k. I have myself a desktop PC with that processor. It has already the advantage to be on 3.5Ghz as default clock, the other at default are lower.
I have an i7-4770 @3.4 Ghz, hums along quite nicely.

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Wobbleburger
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03 Feb 2019

Here are the specs of the build I have in my NewEgg cart... i7 9700k Coffee Lake - 16gb Ripjaw DDR 4 - Asrock z390 extreme + 650 power + cooler master 212 hyper +1tb ssd ... Any big issues anybody sees with this?
In the 90s, my midi music was on the Baulder's Gate site. That was my life peak.
Reasonite since 2000. My music (and my old midi) can be found here:
https://futurewizard.org

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chimp_spanner
Posts: 2908
Joined: 06 Mar 2015

03 Feb 2019

I wouldn't say mine works perfectly; it gets "jittery" under certain conditions but typically I can run Superior Drummer 3, a few Helix Natives or POD Farms, couple of Kontakts and a handful of synths like Serum or DUNE 2 (using my own patches; not CPU hungry presets!) at 64 samples. Specs;

i7 4700MQ 12GB (HP Envy J130EA)

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mcatalao
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03 Feb 2019

Molotovbeatz wrote:
03 Feb 2019
Jowe79 wrote:
03 Feb 2019
Thanks i was refering a i7 8950hk... then... my cpu is good for run reason 10?
I would choose i7-3770k. I have myslef a desktop PC with that processor. It has already the advantage to be on 3.5Ghz as default clock, the other at default are lower.
Come on, you must be somewhat confused. I7 3770k is an old CPU, you couldn't get it now unless on second hand market...

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mcatalao
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03 Feb 2019

retreed wrote:
03 Feb 2019
I think for people who are not satisfied with the performance when addiong VSTs to the rack at the moment, it is worth waiting for the Reason 10.3. update that is coming this year ( :cool: ).

For everyone who runs "outdated" (I7-3770K seems to be an exceptional shining star here at that age) PC hardware from like 8 years ago without any hurry, wait for proper results coming from AMD this year. They will either be a good alternative for audio or at least slightly make sure that (currently very high) Intel prices drop a little (as for gaming, video editing, etc. AMD offers better price-performance). For everyone in a rush I can recommend getting the I9-9900K (for desktops, as a mobile counterpart is not available yet). I came from the I7-2600K and the difference is huge.

(EDIT: And of course a solid audio interface driver helps tons.)
Actually, at that time, a semester away was the cpu i bought, a 4790k that purrs like a cat! It's a great CPU and it still has a score of 11100 on cpubench! It has a 4.0 GHz standard speed, goes to 4.5 GHz turbo, and it runs cold at 4.2 GHz with the standard cooler. I have this CPU about almost 4 years and it's really good. It's still enough for my projects, and i'm sure with the 10.3 upgrade i'll get a couple of years more juice from it!

RandyEspoda
Posts: 275
Joined: 14 Mar 2017

04 Feb 2019

Ryzen 2700x @4.2Ghz, 16Gb B-die Ram @3200Mhz,
some Nvidia graphics card, 2x SSD 250Gb, Nvme 250Gb, 4gb Sata,
Echo Mona 24/96 interface, 2x 22" screens + 43" 1080p screen

Works flawlessly and haven't yet reached its limit in Reason.
Latency is equally flawless @lowest setting, despite the many rumors.
But I don't record live, so I knew I wouldn't have an issue latency-wise.

Ryzen seriously kicks some b*tt, so I'm excited about Ryzen 3.

But as much as Reason 'runs' perfect (almost at least), I have noticed quite some 'quirks'
that can only be described to a DAW with sometimes a mind of its own...
Can't even say if they were bugs or not cause I couldn't reproduce them.

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