GPU Audio has released its SDK as a free download, bringing CPU processing to all plugin developers, musicians, and more.
The center of every computer music production system is the CPU. Whether Mac or Windows, CPUs are becoming more powerful and efficient year after year. The maximum CPU load is, however, not unlimited. If you use a lot of resource-intensive plugins, you’ll quickly reach the limits.
It is often forgotten that modern systems have much-unused power in the GPU (graphic processor unit) that is not exploited by music software. But that’s changing. For several years, the Swiss company GPU Audio has been researching the possibility of using GPU power with audio software.
The first partner products (Vienna Power House…) have already successfully used this technology. Now, the developers have reached a milestone. GPU Audio has released the SDK as a free download, bringing the CPU processing technology to all.
GPU Audio SDK
The new SDK unlocks CPU acceleration for audio projects, productions, and software development needs. It uses C++ and offers ultra-low latencies, multiple layers of processing, cross-platform support (Mac/win, Apple Silicon, Nvidia, AMD), and direct access to high-performance DSP.
An important point is that it allows you to run applications of multiple software developer companies simultaneously on the same GPU. The technology makes configuration of as low as 96 samples buffer or 96kHz sample rate on all target platforms possible.
A primary goal of this GPU Audio SDK platform is to provide guarantees of backward compatibility. This enables developers, partners, and vendors to detach their products’ update cycles from the update cycles of the GPU Audio platform.
To get started, the GPU Audio platform installer includes supporting documentation alongside some plugin examples: a gain processor, IIR and FIR processor, and a new GPU-powered NAM plugin version.
The latter is the Neural Amp Modeler, a famous free guitar amp plugin now running with GPU acceleration. You have to compile the plugin from the code, but they have provided everything to build a VST3 and AU plugin.
GPU Audio promises that the NAM plugin, using the SDK, can be used in more than 100+ instances without audio glitches on a modern system.
This is a milestone many have been waiting for. Depending on the level of interest in the SDK from other developers and its eventual implementation, it could significantly improve music production efficiency in the coming years.
I will be following the next steps with great interest. It’s a big thing that the SDK is now ready for download.
The GPU Audio SDK is available now for free download. It requires a Mac computer with an Apple Silicon M CPU with OSX 13+ installment or a Windows system with a GeForce adapter 10XX+ or AMD RX 6800+.
More information here: GPU Audio
