You may or may not be aware of AudioGridder, described by the creators as “DSP servers using general purpose networks and computers.”

AudioGridder offers the opportunity to offload plugin load from one machine to another over a network connection. A little like VEP, but this one is Open Source!

Now Pro Tools users can take advantage of AudioGridder as they have announced AAX compatibility.

How Does AudioGridder Work?

AudioGridder Server runs on a computer hosting your effect and instrument plugins. On your workstation, on which you run your DAW, you use the AudioGridder FX or instrument plugin to access your plugin library over the network. The plugin is looking for available servers on your network and once connected allows you to create insert chains or load instruments. MIDI and audio data from your DAW will be streamed over the network, processed on the server and streamed back.

To control a plugin and adjust its settings, AudioGridder is capturing the plugin UI on the server side and streaming it to the client. At the same time it is capturing mouse and keyboard events on the client and replaying them on the server.

Alternatively, AudioGridder supports a Generic Editor, that allows for direct access to the parameters of a plugin.

AudioGridder Server

AudioGridder is a plugin host, that allows you to offload the DSP processing of audio plugins to remote computers running macOS or Windows. The DSP code of the loaded plugins will be executed on the server machine and the plugin UIs will be streamed over the wire.

The AudioGridder server supports the VST2, VST3 and AudioUnit plugin formats.

AudioGridder Plugin

Plugins can be hosted and accessed across the network: simply connect your DAW using the AudioGridder plugin. This allows you to add remote insert chains or instruments into your DAWs signal paths. You get an experience close to hosting the plugins directly in your DAW.

The AudioGridder plugin is supported in the formats VST2, VST3, AAX and AudioUnit.

Pro Tools Support In v1.1.1

As of March 2021, AudioGridder now offers AAX support which may mean those Pro Tools Native users who have considered HDX to offload plugins may now be able to use AudioGridder as an alternative. However, for those who rely on the low latency performance of HDX may need to stick with hardware base DSP.

Compatibility

Server: macOS 10.7+ (Intel/Apple), Windows 7+

• Plugin: macOS 10.7+ (Intel/Apple), Windows 7+, Linux 64bit

• The server supports AudioUnit (macOS only) and VST2/VST3 plugins

• The plugin is available as AudioUnit (macOS only) and VST2/VST3/AAX

• Tested DAWs: Cubase 10 Pro, Pro Tools 12/2020.12, Logic Pro X, Reaper, Ableton Live, but others are being used too

Are You Using AudioGridder?

If you have tested AudioGridder with Pro Tools what do you think, is it a viable option for offloading heavy sessions? Let us know what results you have had so far.

You can download AudioGridder at no cost here, donations are optional