Understanding Cpu; Saving Changes - Fractal VP4 Owner's Manual

VP4 OWNER'S MANUAL

Understanding CPU

In a DSP-based processor like the VP4, the CPU acts as the brain, managing
and executing all the effects, settings, and functions. The CPU Level
indicates how much processing power is being used. The VP4 has a powerful
processor, able to run high quality effects in impressive combinations.
A meter in the upper right shows the current CPU usage. To ensure smooth
performance, a limit of about 80% is enforced, leaving required processing
power in reserve. If this limit is exceeded, the VP4 will switch to bypass mode
and display a warning: "CPU LIMIT: Bypassed."
CPU usage depends on the number of effects in a preset, their settings,
modifiers, and more. Even an empty preset consumes some CPU. As you add
effects or use more demanding settings, the CPU level rises.
CPU TIPS
 Bypassed blocks still use CPU to stay ready for instant activation.
To save CPU, remove any blocks you aren't using.
 Modifiers use a small amount of CPU, and their Update
Rate setting can impact this usage.
 If you need multiple types of an effect, for example, Drive: Treble Boost
vs. Drive: Fat Rat, but don't need them both to be active at the same time,
you can use one block with different Channels instead of two separate
blocks, saving considerable CPU. Learn more about Channels on
 Different Effect Types (p. 25) within a block can use varying amounts of CPU.
For example, in the Plex Delay block, the "Golden Shimmer" uses around 18% CPU,
while the "Econo Shimmer" uses about 11%. In the Reverb, "Spring" types use less
CPU. Experiment with changing types to see which are more or less CPU-hungry.
 There's also significant variation in CPU usage among Drive block types.
Consider options like Shimmer Drive or FET Boost if you need a low-
CPU drive. For a totally clean boost, consider an EQ or a Filter!
 Take advantage of gapless switching! If you don't need all effects
active at once, use different effects in different presets and switch
between them smoothly. Note that ensuring spillover between different
presets requires special attention. See
 Effect settings can also impact CPU usage. For example, lowering the
"Quality" setting in the Reverb block can help save CPU resources.
 Expert Edit (p. 25) offers access to additional parameters
that can further lower CPU usage for an effect. Visit our forum
to talk with Fractal Audio experts and discover more tips.
p. 34
p. 32 for details.
PRESETS

Saving Changes

If you edit a preset and want the changes to be retained for future use, you
must SAVE. Unsaved changes will be lost when you switch to a different
preset or power off the device. Every preset in the VP4 can be saved or even
overwritten.
To save a preset, press the SAVE button. From here, you can press ENTER
followed by ENTER to confirm, or take a moment to edit the preset name or
scene names before saving.
When you edit any preset in any way, the front panel "EDITED" indicator lights
up until you save or load a new preset. It appears in the title bar as a yellow
dot with an "E" .
NOTE: Editing a preset includes changing effect settings including Input
Gate, Main Levels, Preset EQ, turning effects on or off, changing the Scene,
changing the tempo, or editing controllers.
TO SAVE A PRESET
 Press SAVE to show the Save page.
 Press ENTER to Save. You'll be prompted to press ENTER again to confirm.
 The message "SAVED!" is shown when saving is complete.
TO CHANGE PRESET OR SCENE NAMES
You can edit the name of any preset or its scenes while saving.
 Press SAVE to show the Save page.
 Select the NAME fields to edit the preset name any of the Scene Names.
◽ Turn the knob A to move the cursor.
◽ Knob B selects UPPER CASE letters and space
◽ Knob C selects lower case letters and space.
◽ Knob D selects numbers and symbols and space
◽ Page Left = DELETE character. Page Right = INSERT character.
◽ You can use up to 31 characters in a preset name.
 Press ENTER to Store, then press ENTER again to confirm.
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