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Kim wrote : > the reason for this is not the price of memory, but the price of > processors. DSP processors usually have small address spaces, so they can > only access small amounts of memory. The DSP procs that have large >address > spaces are very expensive, and not likely to be used in low/mid range >audio > products. The cheap DSP procs have much smaller memory area (usually > requiring expensinve sram memory chips), which is why you see them with > small loop times. This is why signal processing boxes are usually not >well > suited for looping. Looping isn't a DSP function, it needs big address > area, good address calculation, and good real time operation. It doesn't > need dsp. For instance, DJRND2 is totally based upon one single ADSP2105 directly addressing 14 stereo loops simultaneously from one EDO/FPM 16Mbyte RAM module. How is it possible ? => Claimed in my PCT > When a looper function is put into a dsp box, it usually has a > small loop time and practically no user interactivity, since the > architecture of these boxes is not designed for much user interaction. Sure ? > The box is just supposed to sit there running its dsp algorithm on an >audio > stream, not bounce all around it's memory responding to user inputs. So > when you see dsp device touting looping ability, don't get your hopes up > too high because it probably won't be that great. Sure ? > > Loopers usually are based on low-cost microprocessors, which typically >have > large address spaces even on the cheap processors. The latest low-end >procs > have built in SDRAM memory controllers and can access 512MB or more with >no > additional parts. But these procs are not terribly well suited for DSP, > which is why most loopers don't have fancy signal processing along with >it. > These devices are great for having large memory space and being able to > bounce all around the address area at the whim of the user. They can have > very responsive types of interfaces, where the user can execute all sorts > of commands and functions and the looper responds immediately. They are > also built for having lots of control input/output, for buttons, knobs, > displays, etc. As the cheap procs continue to get faster and more >powerful, > you'll probably start seeing some more interesting dsp functions in them, > but not on a par with something based on a powerful dsp chip. The best > approach is to marry a dsp and a microprocessor together, but that drives > the cost up..... Sure ? > > kim > Emmanuel