# Need advices for slave/master config



## augure86 (Feb 19, 2018)

Hi all,

I'm pretty new to slave/master config using VEPro and I'd have some technical questions about it.

My current recording setup is :
- good'ol i5 2500K @4.2 GHz
- 16GB RAM (4 slots used)
- 128GB SSD for OS and DAW
- 1TB HDD for projects and recordings
- 2TB HDD for samples (Eastwest CCC / Hollywood Orchestra / Omnisphere / Superior Drummer, etc...)
- Cubase pro 8.5
- RME Fireface UC
- Windows 10

With this setup, my full EWQLSO template (128 tracks) loads in 6min... I also have between 24 to 48 audio tracks for guitars, bass, drums, etc... with various effects on each track.

My CPU can handle the audio tracks quite fine on a reasonnable latency but, if I add a dense MIDI orchestration over it, things start to get more complicated  I have to freeze some tracks and increase latency very high so it's a real pain to play with the VST instruments live. Plus, pretty much all the RAM is used...

Since I can't really make any changes on my current PC, except adding SSDs to load samples faster, I was thinking to build a slave machine (headless), with VEPro Server on it. I'd use only the VEPro plugin on the master.

A possible setup for the slave machine would be :
- i7-7700K (or better)
- 32GB RAM (2x16GB) or (4x4GB if I can find a motherboard with 8 RAM slots). In all cases, I could add another 32GB later if necessary
- 64GB SSD for OS
- 3x500GB SSD in RAID 0
- VEPro
- Windows 10

My budget is between 1000/1500€ (the lower, the better!)

So here are my questions :
- With Cubase, is it better to have more cores or faster CPU clock speed?
- Do I need an additionnal Steinberg USB eLicencer for the slave machine? I think I do since VEPro server will be installed on the slave and Cubase on the master.
- What do you think of the RAID configuration for SSDs? My goal is to have the benefits of managing a single volume for a lower cost (two or four 500GB are still cheaper than 1TB or 2TB). Possibly improved speed of larger samples would be a plus.
- Is it better to have the slave and VEPro on a separate network? If so, do you setup VLAN on the switch or a simple RJ45 cable linking master/slave will be fine (My current motherboard have two RJ45 ports).
- Is 32GB enough if I decide to go for a partial/full Hollywood Orchestra template? I don't even use it right now since the loading times and processing power required are too much for my computer.

Thanks for any help you can provide!


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 19, 2018)

Before buying more computers - arguably a kludge, although one we've all learned to live with - I'd suggest SSDs on your current machine.

You'll be a puppy with two tails at the difference in overall performance, and not just load times.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 19, 2018)

RAID can kiss my ass, by the way. It's not necessary for audio.


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## JohnG (Feb 19, 2018)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> RAID can kiss my ass, by the way. It's not necessary for audio



Agree, regarding speed, but the OP was talking also about updates etc. which are a PITA to cope with when you split up libraries across drives.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 19, 2018)

Ah, I didn't read that far.

My solution: don't do that.


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## augure86 (Feb 19, 2018)

Yeah in this case it's not really about speed but more about merging several "small" capacity drives into a larger single volume so I won't have to split up librairies across drives. Cost is also a huge factor, 500GB drives are cheaper and if one day a drive fail, it won't cost me as much to replace it. (and of course I have backup of all the samples on external drives).

Just wondering if someone has a similar setup.


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## synthpunk (Feb 19, 2018)

Should be noted Raid 1 can be useful for redundant mirrored backup to multiple source drives.


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## augure86 (Feb 19, 2018)

Sorry, have to disagree. RAID 1 provides fault tolerance, it's not a backup solution.

I have two 2TB drives for backups, one at my house, another at my parents house.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 19, 2018)

We're not all the same person, but dividing my libraries across multiple SSDs was a total non-issue for me. I have three SSDs for samples (plus one for my system) - a 1TB, a 525GB, and a 240GB one - and I didn't add them all at once.

Also, I have a 2TB spinning drive for libraries I don't use all the time. That's until I feel like spending more money on more SSD storage.

Your strategy of using smaller drives in case one fails makes sense. I didn't think of that.


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## tweetertech (Feb 19, 2018)

Perhaps a sidebar sort of question, but when moving from one to two computers (assuming VEP, a composing DAW, and printing to PT), is it usually better to get a "print rig" to host PT first, or a "sample rig" to hold VEP first?


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