H9000 Gen2 DSP Upgrade

Perhaps this will enable running more than 4 algorithms on one fx chain?

I’m watching this one from afar. The H9000 as it is has yet to reach its full potential. I’d like to see what development is for these new chips before I shell out a grand. Let see what it does first.

Hi,

Same question here.

”The H9000 is getting a major hardware upgrade. Powered by the new Gen2 DSP platform, the H9000 is now faster and more powerful than ever while keeping the same features, workflow, and I/O you rely on.”

This sounds very interesting. I would probably order the upgrade kit right away, if the features I’ve been waiting for were added.

However, the announcement says ”..while keeping the same features.”

So, still no 2 algorithms per core? Still no ability to connect between DSPs? No sends between algos and a more comprehensive mixer / router built in the unit?

The current firmware doesn’t even make full use of the DSPs, so I too am wondering what we’d really gain from upgrading if no new features are added.

https://www.eventideaudio.com/forums/topic/emote-inter-connecting-fx-chains/#post-153302

https://www.eventideaudio.com/forums/topic/h9000-emote-wishlist-undoredo-copypaste-etc/#post-116102

Questions I have…

Is it still ARM, just newer ARM, or a different type of DSP?

Will you be able to combine DSPs?

Will you be able to run more than 4 algos on one chain? Or two separate paths in one chain, like others have said?

I don’t care about the same functions, just microseconds faster. It’s already plenty fast for my needs. As others have said, the old DSP barely gets flexed out as it is, it’s just currently a lot of bottlenecking in the programming (ie. can’t combine cores). If the bottlenecking is cause by lack of power then I look forward to actual improvements.

An interesting development though, I wonder how it will affect things in the long run.

Agree with all these comments. Following with interest, but will need a pretty convincing reason to upgrade, and much as I applaud them making it upgradable in the first place (really admire this, and one of the reasons I decided to shell out), new algorithms, easier atmos or multichannel support and an analog option card with mic pres and headphone out built in would have been much higher on my priority list.

Still, very interested to see what they do with it.

Do H9000s being sold now have Gen 2 DSP in them? Or will they at some point? Or will they be clearly labeled as Gen 2 once the rollout happens?

It’s probably as simple as, the old chips have been end-of-lined (the H9000 is 8 years old next month) and the new chips are their replacement, which is why new buyers get them with no price increase.

It would be nice to hear that the Eventide team have been hard at work making game-changing new algorithms for their flagship, as their own FAQ promised*, but I wouldn’t hold your breath. That’s not how the past 8 years have gone. It took 7 years just to be able to run legacy algorithms at 96KHz and we’re lucky to get some hand-me-downs from their guitar pedals, albeit without the crucial dual patch presets.

I really don’t understand why the H9000 has been so neglected, but as the saying goes, the best indicator of future behavior is past behavior.

*(From the FAQ) – Are there any new algorithms on the H9000?
“New FUTURE algorithms is the main reason we created the H9000. The decision to migrate from fixed point DSP to ARM was, in large part, driven by our conclusion that creating new ways to effect sound will be more efficient using the tools available for general purpose processors. The ARM platform also makes porting our plug-ins to the H9000 more efficient.”

Re: Chaining more than 4 algorithms

Nov 2019 – “In the nearer term, we are planning to add the ability to connect between DSPs in the next release, so you’ll be able to connect up to 16 effects without tying up analog IO and patchbay connections. This is supported natively in the system, but we don’t have a UI for it just yet.”

Oct 2020 – “I think that ideally, we’d figure out a way to extend the current model so you could have 8 algorithms in an FX chain instead of 4, without restrictions on how they are laid out.”

March 2021 – “Sorry but this won’t be something that will make it to the next H9k firmware release. It is still something that is being discussed and a feature that we’d like to include in a future release. Thanks for your patience.”