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More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 27 for Windows => Topic started by: Ad Astra on October 07, 2020, 12:53:03 pm

Title: What is VST 3?
Post by: Ad Astra on October 07, 2020, 12:53:03 pm

I feel like some audio luddite. I see VST 3 is featured a lot in the new release and I know nothing about that VST 3 is and what I would use it for.

I use JRiver Media Center on my Windows HTPC setup to use WASAPI out to my receiver which coverts the stereo music into a five-channel sound output.

I am not familiar with VST 3 and how I could use it in JRiver Media Center 27. What would I need to do and what advantages could it offer over my current output?

Title: Re: What is VST 3?
Post by: Awesome Donkey on October 07, 2020, 01:47:57 pm

This will probably explain it: https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/vst-2-4-vs-vst-3-0-who-cares-you-do/

Title: Re: What is VST 3?
Post by: Ad Astra on October 07, 2020, 03:16:50 pm

Quote from: Awesome Donkey on October 07, 2020, 01:47:57 pm

This will probably explain it: https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/vst-2-4-vs-vst-3-0-who-cares-you-do/

Thanks that explains why VST 3, but I don't even know why I would want to use VST 2. Checking my PC there are no VST plugins installed. What plugins would you use with audio output from JRiver? Everything I can find seems to be about audio input recording.

Title: Re: What is VST 3?
Post by: Mitchco on October 07, 2020, 03:26:15 pm

To add to what Awesome Donkey has said, from a consumer perspective, JRiver now supports both VST2 (legacy) and VST3 plugins. This means one can now load VST3 plugins from developers that support the new format, but no longer release (or support) the legacy format.

Fyi, https://www.kvraudio.com/ is the largest marketplace for audio plugins. There you can find all sorts of interesting plugins for eq, gain manipulation, resamplers, effects processing, spectrum analyzers, etc.

Title: Re: What is VST 3?
Post by: wer on October 07, 2020, 03:27:20 pm

Quote from: Ad Astra on October 07, 2020, 03:16:50 pm

but I don't even know why I would want to use VST 2.

That tells you that you don't need to worry about it.  VST plugins are usually used to manipulate the sound.  There are loads of plugins available to do loads of different things.  Some are visualizations, some are room correction, and some are stunts.  If you're happy with the sound you get from MC, why bother? I've used MC for years, and I use zero VST plugins.

On the other hand, if you're the sort who likes to tinker, like installing colored LED lighting all over the interior of your car, or pneumatics so it can bounce up and down, then you could browse the Internet for all the VST plugins available so you can trick out the sound you get from MC.

Just because something exists, doesn't mean you need or want it. :)