Harrison Mixbus - the Virtual Analog Console in a DAW - is now available for Windows

[indelible]

I sell my mixbuss license. Someone interested?

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

[Seablade]

Originally Posted by 4damind

Mixbus on Linux is crap... It makes completely no fun when using VST plug-ins and every plug-in must be external routed to have it usable in Mixbus. It needs some knowledge to have Jack running, there are a lot problems when using a standard distribution like Ubuntu to have Pulseaudio replaced/modified to use Jack.
It's true that newer soundcards are not support. Newest Yamaha/Steinberg audio interfaces will not work (yet). On the other side, Midi works sometimes better and easier without the needs of external drivers. Emagic AMT8 interfaces working nice in a 64Bit Linux environment, this will not work on Windows because there are no proprietary drivers available from Apple.

So, Linux is no recommendation for musicians and IMO this will not change in a short time. But the ported applications for MacOS or Windows are usable. Often not perfect but there is big potential like with Mixbus on Windows.

I am staying out of the Windows side of things, I haven't used Windows for audio work in many years. However I will answer this slightly. I just switched from OS X to Linux for my fulltime audio work, and was surprised at exactly how easy it was for me to move away from OS X. Like many others I have spent thousands on plugins on OS X, but thus far I haven't missed them much.

I am running Mixbus on my workstation on Linux, latency isn't an issue, meaning I can go low latency without having to compile kernels etc. easily(Down to around 6mS or so). I have gone lower many years back, but I suspect I would need to compile my own kernel at that point and I haven't had a need, so I haven't bothered.

I have purchased the LinuxDSP plugins, and have been playing around with other plugins as well. It didn't hurt that I knew of and have used LADSPA plugins for some time on OS X, but I am finding even many of those are replaced effectively between Mixbus and LinuxDSP. I haven't really gotten much work recently requiring the more 'creative' plugins rather than your typical EQ, Dynamics, etc. so I won't speak on that much yet, I might still be using some LADSPAs but I also haven't tried the guitar stompbox collection from LinuxDSP either.

In as far as Jack, personally it is one of the greatest strengths of audio on Linux IMO. I already posted an example earlier of how I am using it to tie multiple machines together, to do design work on animations and similar. And I personally prefer the concept of using multiple pieces of software rather than trying to shove everything into a single piece. But what I do think could use some work in these situations is session management, something being addressed by incorporating some of it into Jack IIRC, but also by other projects like LASH which pretty much open all programs at once, configure all routing, etc. Combined with Jack TimeCode it works out decently enough I think.

I do still have a few plugins I run externally to Mixbus through Festige. These are namely my audio restoration plugins right now, where there is no alternative on Linux that is acceptable IMO. But I was pleasantly surprised how easy this was and smooth it ran on Linux to be honest. So I create an insert on a track in Mixbus and route it into the processor as if it is an external effects unit and have been pretty pleased.

I still have Mixbus on my macbook pro, and on my mac mini at home, but most of my work is now done on Linux and honestly I have been enjoying it even more than I did on OS X. I was never really comfortable with the 'Apple Way' personally and enjoy my workflow more now that I have customized it to my liking.

This being said I will probably always keep around at least one OS X machine(Unless Apple keeps going the way it currently is with production tools) more because I need to run software that can't run in Linux, and sometimes even on OS X so I have to boot into a VM. But I honestly thought that switching back to Linux (I did start doing audio professionally on Linux many years ago and switched for various reasons -- hardware, plugins, etc.) was going to be much harder on me than it really has been. One month and a half down so far without any major issues really.

Seablade

[Finnish]

Originally Posted by Seablade

I am staying out of the Windows side of things, I haven't used Windows for audio work in many years. However I will answer this slightly. I just switched from OS X to Linux for my fulltime audio work, and was surprised at exactly how easy it was for me to move away from OS X. Like many others I have spent thousands on plugins on OS X, but thus far I haven't missed them much.

I am running Mixbus on my workstation on Linux, latency isn't an issue, meaning I can go low latency without having to compile kernels etc. easily(Down to around 6mS or so). I have gone lower many years back, but I suspect I would need to compile my own kernel at that point and I haven't had a need, so I haven't bothered.

I have purchased the LinuxDSP plugins, and have been playing around with other plugins as well. It didn't hurt that I knew of and have used LADSPA plugins for some time on OS X, but I am finding even many of those are replaced effectively between Mixbus and LinuxDSP. I haven't really gotten much work recently requiring the more 'creative' plugins rather than your typical EQ, Dynamics, etc. so I won't speak on that much yet, I might still be using some LADSPAs but I also haven't tried the guitar stompbox collection from LinuxDSP either.

In as far as Jack, personally it is one of the greatest strengths of audio on Linux IMO. I already posted an example earlier of how I am using it to tie multiple machines together, to do design work on animations and similar. And I personally prefer the concept of using multiple pieces of software rather than trying to shove everything into a single piece. But what I do think could use some work in these situations is session management, something being addressed by incorporating some of it into Jack IIRC, but also by other projects like LASH which pretty much open all programs at once, configure all routing, etc. Combined with Jack TimeCode it works out decently enough I think.

I do still have a few plugins I run externally to Mixbus through Festige. These are namely my audio restoration plugins right now, where there is no alternative on Linux that is acceptable IMO. But I was pleasantly surprised how easy this was and smooth it ran on Linux to be honest. So I create an insert on a track in Mixbus and route it into the processor as if it is an external effects unit and have been pretty pleased.

I still have Mixbus on my macbook pro, and on my mac mini at home, but most of my work is now done on Linux and honestly I have been enjoying it even more than I did on OS X. I was never really comfortable with the 'Apple Way' personally and enjoy my workflow more now that I have customized it to my liking.

This being said I will probably always keep around at least one OS X machine(Unless Apple keeps going the way it currently is with production tools) more because I need to run software that can't run in Linux, and sometimes even on OS X so I have to boot into a VM. But I honestly thought that switching back to Linux (I did start doing audio professionally on Linux many years ago and switched for various reasons -- hardware, plugins, etc.) was going to be much harder on me than it really has been. One month and a half down so far without any major issues really.

Seablade

Always nice to hear these linux-audio success stories!

[sam c]

Originally Posted by indelible

I sell my mixbuss license. Someone interested?

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

I might be, how much?

[indelible]

Originally Posted by sam c

I might be, how much?

Maybe someone from Harrison can explain how to do this.

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk

[Harrison Press]

Originally Posted by indelible

Maybe someone from Harrison can explain how to do this.

PM'ed both of you. Email us at: mixbus@harrisonconsoles.com

[Harrison Press]

Mixbus 2.0.6 is now available. This version adds many important fixes for Windows as well as improvements for OSX and Linux. Customers should receive update
links via email today. If you don't receive an email by the end of today, please send us an email at mixbus@harrisonconsoles.com

This is our first update for Windows, and it is a FREE download.

Improvements in 2.06 include:

Windows:

• File import speed improved ( 10x faster! )
• Added VST Folder management
• Fixed many VST plugin issues
• Fixed installation on systems with non-Latin characters
• Fixed installation when Windows is not installed on the C: drive
• "mixed-mode" 64bit/32bit audio system can utilize more soundcards directly
• Added missing bindings files ( Cubasish and Protoolish )

OSX:

• Fixed issue that could corrupt sessions, causing a crash on opening.
• Now includes JACK OSX 0.89 which allows direct connection from ProTools software into Mixbus, as well as improved support for Digidesign/Avid interfaces on OSX. ( ProTools, Digidesign, and Avid are trademarks of Avid Technologies, inc)

Linux:

• FREE "GVerb+" and "Sustain" mini-plugins

For a complete list of changes, see the user manual.

[Solar]

Originally Posted by Harrison Press

Mixbus 2.0.6 is now available. This version adds many important fixes for Windows as well as improvements for OSX and Linux. Customers should receive update
links via email today. If you don't receive an email by the end of today, please send us an email at mixbus@harrisonconsoles.com

This is our first update for Windows, and it is a FREE download.

Improvements in 2.06 include:

Windows:

• File import speed improved ( 10x faster! )
• Added VST Folder management
• Fixed many VST plugin issues
• Fixed installation on systems with non-Latin characters
• Fixed installation when Windows is not installed on the C: drive
• "mixed-mode" 64bit/32bit audio system can utilize more soundcards directly
• Added missing bindings files ( Cubasish and Protoolish )

OSX:

• Fixed issue that could corrupt sessions, causing a crash on opening.
• Now includes JACK OSX 0.89 which allows direct connection from ProTools software into Mixbus, as well as improved support for Digidesign/Avid interfaces on OSX. ( ProTools, Digidesign, and Avid are trademarks of Avid Technologies, inc)

Linux:

• FREE "GVerb+" and "Sustain" mini-plugins

For a complete list of changes, see the user manual.

Woooooooooooow!

I'm loving what I'm reading here specially the Windows Improvs. And when say this version is FREE? Means what? Just to clarify, Is this release a kind of a Beta release not RC? Any limitations or a full 30 days working DAW? Or still with the annoying Limitations Generated Noise Hiss?

Thank you for any additional clarification on this regard.

And Again, looking forward to give this a try, thank you for listening and can see that #Harrison has been working hard in the Development Lab.

All the best

[BenLoftis]

Hi Solar,

It's a free update for Harrison's registered users. It's also available free as a demo. The occasional "hiss" still exists in the demo, sorry.

-Ben

[bishop666]

I get an error while installing Mixbus 2.0.6: Error 1609 "no valid user group"

Win7 64 bit

[sjaak]

Same error here on w7 64

[BenLoftis]

@sjaak & bishop66 :

weird, w7 64 is our most common test machine.

It sounds like something we need to fix in the installer. Please send us a note at: mixbus@harrisonconsoles.com if you have time to help us troubleshoot it.

-Ben Loftis
Harrison Consoles

[BenLoftis]

We have verified that we have a "permissions" problem when running the installer on some non-English Windows systems.

We hope to have the installer fixed tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience!

-Ben @ Harrison

[eveken]

Don't forget to uninstall the old version of mixbuss first in win side

......

[bishop666]

Originally Posted by BenLoftis

We have verified that we have a "permissions" problem when running the installer on some non-English Windows systems.

We hope to have the installer fixed tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience!

-Ben @ Harrison

Sounds very good. Thanks for bugfixing

[bishop666]

Originally Posted by eveken

Don't forget to uninstall the old version of mixbuss first in win side

......

Didn't have any effect.

[BenLoftis]

@sjaak & bishop66 :

We have a new installer that solves the "permissions" problem on non-English systems. Please write us at mixbus@harrisonconsoles.com if you'd like an updated link.

I've updated the store packages, so new Demo users or purchasers should get the new version.

-Ben Loftis
Harrison Consoles

[Solar]

Originally Posted by BenLoftis

Hi Solar,

It's a free update for Harrison's registered users. It's also available free as a demo. The occasional "hiss" still exists in the demo, sorry.

-Ben

Sounds good Ben, will live with it even though I won't repeat it enough that the hiss sound limits idea is a bit "obsolete" but I respect that.

Now back to your 2.06 version, the Added VST Folder management is indeed amazing but little concern regarding Scanning plugins. Of course as you guys mentioned, Mixbus has some issues scanning some plugins, thats fine, but can you guys make it a way that if Mixbus sees a plugins that it can NOT SCAN, instead of Crashing, to Pass over it and leave a notification that this or these particular plugins haven't passed the scanning process a la Studio One or even I think Sonar has this ability instead of completely see Mixbus freeze and crash out?

For the simple reason the fact that in your VST Folder Management, it seems that Mixbus goes and scan what it thinks its oyur Default vst plugin path. And when I go and add my Vst PATH and Click on Scan for plugins & Save Plugins Paths, when Mixbus encounter a plugins that it can not SCAN, it freezes and sometimes you to FORCE TO QUIT and when you re-open Mixbus, instead of SAVING that NEW PATH you assigned, it goes and re-give you the what it thnks is the Default Vst path.
Second, instead of Mixbus really memorizing & saving the New path, it doesn't of course NOT, remember the plugins that passes the SCAN.

So in other word, you have to Re-start back again!!

I just tested this out Live NOW and ain't working. I think that the Additiona Vst plugin Manager is amazing, but Still requires some WORK and some deep Beta Testing big time before releasing it out!!

Looking forward to hear about this matter. Of course if i'm doing something wrong, then please show me the way but I doubt i'm doing something wrong.

Thanx & great add-ons so far


P.S Also, something I noticed weird, lets say you go under the Vst plug Manager ok, and you Clear Paths & Cache, then yo go to "Add Vst Folder" ok, once you added that Vst folder, you should be able once you added your Folder to have the feature to Set Defaults, meaning the folders you've added as Default Vst plugins Path. Although I understand what Mixbus "Set Default" is refering to. And why Im saying this its because the fact that on my experience with this release 2.06, the moment you add your Folder and decide to Scan and lets say Mixbus freeze and restart Mixbus, it does NOT keep your chosen assigned Vst path, it kind of Reset to where it was and you have to go BACK and redo the steps again etc.. etc. Voila

Here is a screenshot of what i'm trying to say. By default, this is what Mixbus has as a path for my plugins. As you can see clearly, the first path before ( is a the correct path but there is the Toontrack that is on the way, so in other word, Mixbus just decided that my main Vst path is : C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\VstPlugins\Toontrack when indeed is C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\VstPlugins
Now Mixbus also added the second path C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plugins\VST (this one never created it).

Now what I did was Add VST Folder and I added this one: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\VstPlugins and then it start Scanning etc.. but of course it Freezes Mixbus because of plugin like the ones 112dB, AcmeBarGig & others. But as you can see in the screenshot, when I restart Mixbus, it didn't keep the Path I assigned, it went back to :
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steinberg\VstPlugins\Toontrack;C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\Plugins\VST

[BenLoftis]

Originally Posted by Solar

... can you guys make it a way that if Mixbus sees a plugins that it can NOT SCAN, instead of Crashing, to Pass over it and leave a notification that this or these particular plugins haven't passed the scanning process...?

Hi Solar,

If Mixbus crashes while scanning a plugin, it puts it in a "blacklist" so that the next time you scan for plugins, it will avoid this one. Obviously there is still some room for improvement (it would be better to scan in a separate app, as some other DAWs do, to avoid a crash altogether). However I think you'll agree that it is now much better.

Your other comments have been noted, thanks! I agree that the VST Paths should get saved "before" the scan so that you don't have to re-create the paths after a crash.

Best Regards,
-Ben

[Solar]

Originally Posted by BenLoftis

Hi Solar,

If Mixbus crashes while scanning a plugin, it puts it in a "blacklist" so that the next time you scan for plugins, it will avoid this one. Obviously there is still some room for improvement (it would be better to scan in a separate app, as some other DAWs do, to avoid a crash altogether). However I think you'll agree that it is now much better.

Your other comments have been noted, thanks! I agree that the VST Paths should get saved "before" the scan so that you don't have to re-create the paths after a crash.

Best Regards,
-Ben

Sounds good Ben & yes indeed I agree that you guys have improved some stuff and I am also glad you agree that the Vst Path overall need some big time tweak so it can be improved and give the user a better experience from start to end.

And as i said above, you see the dilemma, so i'll hold into this and wait for a quick fix regarding this WHOLE Vstplugins Path Area under Preference to be taking care of before going forward with Mixbus.

Looking forward another built release

[bishop666]

Originally Posted by BenLoftis

@sjaak & bishop66 :

We have a new installer that solves the "permissions" problem on non-English systems. Please write us at mixbus@harrisonconsoles.com if you'd like an updated link.

I've updated the store packages, so new Demo users or purchasers should get the new version.

-Ben Loftis
Harrison Consoles

I can install 2.0.6 now. But it crashes while it's trying to start the audio engine.
(Crash did not happen with old 2.0.5)

[4damind]

Plug-in scanning seems not to work. I can add the additional path but nothing occurs while clicking the "scanning..." button.

[scalawag]

Originally Posted by bishop666

I can install 2.0.6 now. But it crashes while it's trying to start the audio engine.
(Crash did not happen with old 2.0.5)

Same here!!! I thought it was me messing with official Jack to use Jackrouter.

[EgyptionRing]

Dang. I've never seen so many whiners in one place. Do you ever get anything done? Code your own daw if you don't like it.

[rpagala]

Works great for me, very stable....Win7, i7

[area51]

scan vst plugins crashs here!

[Styvo]

I've ben using Mixbuss since it first came out and have continued to support the development by purchasing the windows version also.

I personally think Mixbuss rocks , yeah some issue to sort through but the team will get there no doubt.

What i don't understand is why can we make mono compatible plug ins active in Cubase/Pro Tools from VSTWraps i.e VST to RTAS adapter which will allow the user to insert a mono plug in on a mono track and im finding in Mixbuss for this not to be the case.

Something to think about or something I could have missed??

[EgyptionRing]

Does anyone have problems with Waves Tune in mixbus? It doesn't scan the audio for me. My other Waves plugs work fine.

[scalawag]

This is a great product, but please make the VST part solid!!! I have plenty of vst plugins that don't load (invalid I/O for this track/bus) and some that freeze Mixbus.
Also changing parameters directly on vst gui don't change the assigned parameters.
I really hope you'll fix all those nasty bugs very fast.

[rpagala]

Originally Posted by EgyptionRing

Does anyone have problems with Waves Tune in mixbus? It doesn't scan the audio for me. My other Waves plugs work fine.

I don't think any waves plugs work on this version yet. Once they ironed out most of the bugs, it's going to be my preferred mixing tool.