BrainModular

did someone has yet try to list low cpu effect / vst / vsti...?

have you a best of....?

( i've an impro with others musicians soon on a cheap laptop..so just curious..

not really, but for live I use http://www.sinusweb.de/freetoo.html which sounds good and cost nothing in cpu....

You could try to do a search at http://www.kvraudio.com/ - there are quite a few threads concerning low cpu VSTs of different varieties.

But I'm not sure we can expect for miracles...
often, low cpu means poor quatity?
The best choice is UAD1 DSP cards: 0% cpu and an incredible quality.
cost around 500$, finally not so expensive?

+1 for Olivier.
UAD1 or any good DSP card, with its plugins, it's really the best solution. Remember, altouth, that it will make your sound...
But just for fun, why not some low CPU?
This is a vast question, Yan, since a lot of free plugins are both greedy and poor, specially with VSTi... On a cheap laptop, my choice would be: almost no FX, very simple VSTi (use Kontakt with good home made samples) and simple clean sound.
Or trash?!!!

..........But UAD1 in a laptop, well, I'm wondering.......!

ok
thanks for your advices
senso , vincent , i don't think we play in the same sandbox...sorry but 500 is half of my salary so...i really prefer freeware..


here some i find , not so bad :

vst :

cat delay = 0.7
filtermate = 1.6%
tobybear helios = 1,8%
northpole = 1,2%
pushtec = 1%
readelay = less than 1 %
reaeq = 0,45%
reafir 0,15%
ring thing = 1,20%
ddmf IIeq =1,30%
freeverbToo = 2,5%
fyltox ( from my friend novaflash ) = 0,4 to 1,5 %


VSTI

smallQoo = less than 1%

It depends on what you are looking for:
for example, Filtermate (1.2% cpu) is very close to Step Filter of the Usine library (0.6% cpu...).
conclusion, for special FX an Usine patch can be more efficient?

But for a good compressor you need a lot of CPU.

So now we can turn the discussion into something else:
'what are your/our favorites plugs that we can make easily with a patch?'
the next challenge for add-ons

My always used one is not exactly a compressor, but a good maximiser with precise out ceiling, I plug it in the track master out:
- Waves L2 Ultramaximizer +- 3% CPU. But not a cheap one...
Easy to patch?
There are two or three other, like
- Waves Doubler +- 4% CPU
- AudioEase Altiverb %CPU depending on the IR
...
And a great Wave-one that unfortunately does not work in Usine : MaxxVolume, which is a good and quick low lever enhancer.
And I really do not think I could make them with patches!

The Waves plugs work on Usine.
The best way is to download 'Shell2Vst' application which transforms a single shell plugin into several 'normal' vst's.

You can also activate 'allow deep scan' in the setup.

Yes, the 'Shell2Vst' application works nice.
It's advantage against "deep scan" is that Usine starts OK.
Deep scanning can be a little 'dangerous' depending on the VST you store in your folders. In the best case, it's very long; in the worst, it freezes startup... (thanks to the 'start-from-crash' box!)
Waves plugs are good, easy, and not too CPU greedy. I like them.
But some of them (and I don't have them all!!!) don't open at all, or don't work, or make Usine crash when you just want to delete it from your patch. Take care...
I should make a list for you, yes I know, but I'm a lazy bad guy!
MaxxVolume, by example, has no GUI and crash when deleting the module.