Can anyone point to where the issues with certain firewire interfaces deals specifically with ASIO? I don't think the two are related.

My interface, a PreSonus FireBox, requires use of the TI chipset, but it's not specifically for ASIO to function correctly.

manning1 - I know all about synthedit plugins and problems that go along with those. In fact, I would say that the lion's share of my go-to plugins are SE plugins. I've been using SE plugins since before Reaper was a gleam in the developer's eye.

I do have a few that are not SE plugins, both VST and VSTi, but the main difference one notices is that non SE plugins usually use less CPU. They seem to be typically coded more efficiently than SE plugins, as one of the items with SE is that it's development environment is a higher level language that allows somewhat average programmers to make plugins then compile for use. Not always the most efficient code.

To answer your core question: I use these on both a single core AMD based system that I assembled, and a dual core Intel IBM Thinkpad that I bought. On the single core, I used the plugins with both a SB Live card with KX drivers, and the aforementioned firebox. On the Thinkpad, I've used 3 cards: the internal soundcard with either WDM or MME drivers, the aforementioned Firebox w/ASIO, and an M-Audio Fast Track USB with ASIO.

I will give you a warning - the electric pianos are completely addicting if you've ever played old-school electromechanical electric pianos in the past. You may quickly join in with my concern once you've experienced the joy of playing these without the back-breaking hassle of hauling around a 'suitcase' Rhodes, or a Wurly where you have to screw the 4 silver legs into the bottom of the case.

The non-freeware versions from GSi are definitely optimized from a code/compiled standpoint. I have a few of those that I've won in songwriting contests.

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