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Windows VST Host

For use with SimHub and VoiceMeeter ASIO Insert,
a VST Host must support MIDI and 8 channel ASIO.
Few support all VST plugins flavors (VST[2] or VST3, 32- or 64-bit).
VST hosts mentioned in VB-Audio's Forums:
Cantabile Lite, Carla, Element, LightHost, VSTHost

Ableton Live 12 Lite
Like most DAWs, Ableton can be used as a VST Host;
many folks get a Lite license bundled with some other purchase
  • User interface from Hell;  IMO more weapon than tool
  • built-in documentation is wrong:

    There is no Preferences entry in Options menu
  • Huge disk space consumption
  • Online documentation is scattered and not searchable

Cantible Lite
does not support MIDI
Carla 32- or 64-bit   GitHub
IMO awful user interface and "documentation":
  • Settings > Configure Carla > Engine > Audio driver:  ASIO [...] for Voicemeeter Insert Virtual ASIO


  • Canvas > Internal connections had to be individually drawn


  • ... as did Canvas > External connections for MIDI


  • Rack > [wrench] for vstMixer MIDI Edit:


    ... then Parameters:


  • MIDI configuration rejected MIDI slider 0, learned others except 3 (accepted as custom)
    MIDI quit working for no obvious reason..
  • two XML configurations files: one for vstMixer MIDI configuraton, another for all else

Element
64-bit;  crippled by Windows UI, but decent documentation
Rejected because IMO patholigically GUI ASIO channels routing:

    some configuration buried under Options
  • Plugin Manager buried under View
  • Floods list with its own plugins even with constrained plugin path:
  • Buried under File > Preferences:




LightHost
does not support MIDI
MiniHost
32-bit;  2-channel only;  documented but unsupported
  • MIDI mapping buried under Main:
  • Double-click in CC # column to Learn:
  • Plugin file search under VST:
  • MIDI device selection under MIDI:
  • Select Voicemeeter Insert Virtual ASIO:
  • Only single channel pairs allowed::
NanoHost
supports only 2 channels
SAVIHost
single plugin VSTHost derivative, 32- and 64-bit versions,
renders vstMixer and mcfx_gain_delay correctly,
but only 2 channels, not learning MIDI?...
VoxYou
works with VoiceMeeter and supports MIDI,
but is fragile and supports only 64-bit plugins;
correctly renders e.g. mcfx_gain_delay8 and mcfx_meter8.
Idiosynchratic interface but easy configuration, my favorite!
VoiceMeeter Banana Setup - Tutorial with VoxYou
VSTHost
for 32- and 64-bit plugins   -   Forum   -   VSTHost Registry Entries
Almost works, hateful controls, obsolete documentation I have been lost here before (Windows 10, several years ago)
  • A plugin configuration configuration gets saved (if at all) as a so-called Performance.
  • After manually reloading a performance, its MIDI configuration is restored
  • It loads the known 8 channel VST plugin with full range faders, vstMixer,
    but without its patch panel, so useless.
  • ASIO device is available only by loading Devices > Wave > Output Port:

  • Connection to Voicemeeter Insert Virtual ASIO is only effective
    after first loading another ASIO device.
  • ... then Devices > ASIO channel selection gets enabled:


  • MIDI channel learning is buried under Plugin > Window > MIDI -> Parameter:

    saving/restoring MIDI mapping is easy, even though saving/restoring related plugin is not..

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