Ever since the invention of software plug-ins, musicians have wanted to run more of them than their system allowed - sharing CPU power between the many tasks that Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software performs is quite a juggling act. Traditional ‘outboard’ hardware effects processors though, have the advantage that they are dedicated to the task and always available, regardless of how complex your project is - the natural step therefore, was to take the Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) they are based on into the computer. This produces a ‘best of both worlds’ solution, combining the graphic interface and production environment of the software, with the ‘always on’ acceleration of the hardware.

This article will look at how a DSP accelerator can be a useful part of your computer-based studio, and also at their limitations.

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