Knowledge Base

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Issues with VST / AU Plugins in FL Studio (Plugins behaving badly)

This is a list of 3rd party VST / AU plugins with known problems working in FL Studio. Most importantly, it also contains the solution(s).  The list is not complete, but we add problem plugins as we find them. If you have a plugin that you fixed a problem for, that isn't currently listed here, please report it in the Technical Support Forum and inform us about the issue so that we can add it to the KB article.

 

Please also note, some of these issues are historical and may have been fixed in later releases of the plugin, so always update to the latest release.

If your plugin is not listed below, try the steps listed in the FL Studio manual - 'Plugins behaving badly'.

Always start by downloading the latest version of the plugin from the developer and the latest version of FL Studio available to you.

PLUGINS ARE LISTED ALPHABETICALLY BELOW

 

32 Lives (macOS 32 > 64 Bit Wrapper)

 

Problem: Projects crash on opening. If this plugin 'expires' or becomes 'unregistered' on macOS, 32 Bit plugins will no longer be bridged to 64 Bit and FL Studio Projects will crash when you open them.

Solution: Make sure the plugin is activated and the latest version installed. 

 

AG Works Chorus CH-2

 

Problem: No sound and the audio monitor shows a single line at the extreme left or right

Solution: Switch on 'Use fixed size buffers' option in the wrapper (you'll have to reset/reload the plugin for it to take effect)

 

AIR Music Technology Xpand!2

 

Problem: Arp presets rendering out of sync.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable 'Use fixed size buffers' and 'More > Process maximum size buffers'. Note: Apply to affected instances only.

 

Arturia Analog Lab

Problem: The plugin does not respond to Automation Clips or recorded automation event data.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings' and disable 'Notify about parameter changes'.

 

Audio Damage Axon

 

Problem: The plugins own mixer doesn't have any effect on the sound.
Cause: Each plugin voice is sent to a separate output, so the full sound is heard regardless of the mixers settings.
Solution:  Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and disable 'Process inactive inputs and outputs' as well as the additional plugin outputs.

 

Brainworx (bx)

 

Problem: The plugins react differently while rendering to automations or internal controllers. 
Solution:  Select 'Wrapper Settings > Troubleshooting' and enable 'Use fixed size buffers'.

 

Celemony Melodyne Editor

 

Problem: Playback position isn't correct in some cases.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and disable the 'Send loop position' option. Note: This workaround is not necessary in FL Studio 9.0.3 or higher.

 

E-MU Emulator X3

 

Problem: Crashes or produces no output.

Solution 1: Disable 'Ultra-High Precision Interpolation' within Emulator X3.

Solution 2: Copy the following files into both the Windows\System32 and Windows\SysWOW64 folders: - EmulatorXVSTi_lib.dll, found in 'Program Files (x86)\Creative Professional\Emulator X' - EmulatorXVSTi_lib64.dll, found in 'Program Files\Creative Professional\Emulator X'

 

East West Play

 

Problem: Strange noises and glitches while during playback.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable the 'Use fixed size buffers' option.

 

Problem: Truncated notes in rendered audio file.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable 'Notify about rendering mode'.

 

East West Play 64 Bit

 

Problem: Projects crashing.

Solution: Disable the 'Reset plugins on transport' option in FL Studio Audio Settings.

 

Fabfilter Plugins

 

Problem: When using multiple instances of fabfilter plugins you may experience CPU overload and  lockups caused by graphics acceleration.

Solution: Refer to 'How to disable graphics acceleration'.  According to FabFilter their use of OpenGL hardware acceleration doesn't work well with some graphics card drivers.

 

iZotope

 

Iris2:

Problem: Metallic sounding timbre on playback.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable the 'Use fixed size buffers' option with the More > 'Process maximum sized buffers' enabled.

 

Kv331audio

 

Problem: Stutter effect after rendering.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable the 'Use fixed size buffers' option.

 

Lurssen Mastering Console

 

Problem: Excessive CPU usage.

Solution:  Set the Wrapper Processing settings - 'Use fixed sized buffers' + 'More > Process maximum size buffers'.

 

MOTU Symphonic Instrument

 

Problem: High CPU load.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable the 'Use fixed size buffers' option.

 

Native Instruments Bandstand

 

Problem: Rendering out of sync.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable 'Notify about rendering mode'.

 

Native Instruments Kontakt

 

Kontakt instruments use a special 'scripting' language within patch libraries, and so, some libraries may cause issues while others do not. This depending on the features in use within the patch.  

 

Problem: Crashes

Solutions: Have you worked through the solutions provided by Native Instruments for macOS here and Windows here?

 

Problem: Audible artifacts that occur at higher or lower tempos.

Solution: Enable 'Align tick lengths' in FL Studio Audio Settings.

 

Problem: Timing issues in rendered tracks.

Solution: When 'Use fixed size buffers' is in use under 'Wrapper Settings > Processing', disable 'Process maximum size buffers'.

 

Problem: Experiencing clicks, pops, and CPU spikes within Kontakt.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable the 'Use fixed size buffers' option.

 

Problem: ' OrangeTreeSamples Passion Flute' library doesn't output audio after using FL Studio transport controls.

Solution: Disable 'Reset plugins on transport' in FL Studio Audio Settings.

 

Problem: Slow loading of patches.

Solution: Within Kontakt select 'Browse > Files > View' and disable 'show network drives, show removable drives, show foreign formats'.

 

Native Instruments Reflektor

 

Problem: Audible Buzzes/Crackles/Noises

Solution: Enable 'Align tick lengths' option in FL Studio Audio Settings.

 

Output Movement

 

Problem: Spiking/high CPU usage

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable the 'Use fixed size buffers' option. 

 

Parallax-Audio Virtual Sound Stage 2

 

Problem: Crashes during rendering.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable 'Use fixed size buffers' and 'Notify about rendering mode' options.

 

Positive Grid Bias FX

 

Problem: Rendering out of sync.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable 'Notify about rendering mode', disable 'Use fixed size buffers > Process Maximum Size Buffers'.

 

Propellerhead Reason (through ReWire)

 

Problem: Reason fails to load with either of the following error messages: 1. 'Reason engine unable to open. Please check your Rewire host' 2. 'Could not connect to the Reason engine. The Reason engine is already in use'

Solution: Disable 'Auto close device' in FL Studio Audio Settings.

 

rcg:audio sfz

 

Problem: Memory error, 'Out Of Memory'

Solution: From the sfz options set the mode from SF32 to PR32. sfz has a memory bug that sometimes appears in SF32 mode.

 

reFX Nexus w/ Expansions

 

Problem: Crashes

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable the 'Use fixed size buffers' option.

 

reFX Nexus 2

 

Problem: Unexpected CPU spikes.

Solution: Either disable the 'Export with ultra quality' option in Nexus or select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and disable the 'Ensure processor state in plugin callback' option.

 

Problem: Won't open.

Solution: Update your eLicenser.

 

reFX Nexus 3 

 

Problem:  Crashes on loading projects. This appears to be related to a plugin crash when more than 3 instances of the plugin are in use in a project.

Solution:  Update to Nexus 3.0.8 or later. 

 

Reveal Sound Spire

 

Problem: Spire not working properly in FL Studio, freezing and crashing.

Solution: Use the recommended settings provided by Reveal Sound in 'Note For FL Studio Users!'. Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' - Enable the 'Use fixed size buffers' then from the 'More' menu enable 'Use maximum buffer size from host'. Finally, disable 'Allow threaded processing'  

 

Steinberg Hypersonic 2   Attention: NO DirectX and DXi plugin support in version 11 or higher!

 

Problem: The DXi version of the plugin doesn't work very well in FL Studio.
Solution: Use the VST version (In FL Studio 11 and under select 'Channel > Add one > More...' scroll down to the VST section).

 

Siegfried Kullmann Q8L VSTi (Ensoniq SQ80 emulator)

 

Problem: Audio glitches when using multiple instances.

Solution: Deselect Wrapper settings > Processing > Allow threaded processing

 

Slate Digital plugins

 

Problem: No output.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable the 'Process inactive inputs and outputs' option.

Video: Youtube

 

Sonible Plugins

(for example: entropy:EQ+)

 

Problem: Freezes, no output or lagging GUI
Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable the 'Use fixed size buffers' option.

 

Spectrasonics Omnisphere

 

Problem: Audible glitches on some presets.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable the 'Use fixed size buffers' option.

 

Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2

 

Problem: Crashing when changing presets.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable the 'Use fixed size buffers' option.

 

Spectrasonics Trilian

 

Problem: Missing sections on rendering.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable 'Notify about rendering mode' option.

 

SynthEdit made plugins

 

Problem: Audio glitches and stuttering, possible crashes.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and disable the 'Allow threaded processing' option.

 

Toontrack Superior Drummer

 

Problem: No audio if 'Smart Disable' is enabled and only the internal sequencer is used.

The reason is that smart disable will disable any generators and effects that are not used, as Superior Drummer is not used via MIDI or automations, it will be disabled.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and disable the 'Allow smart disable' option.

 

Tytel Helm & Vital

 

Problem: GUI messed up

Solution: Change Options > General settings > Main GUI scaling to 'System'

 

Universal Audio

 

Problem: Tracks containing UAD plugins render out of sync.

Solution: Enable LiveTrack Mode on your UAD plugins prior to exporting the project.

 

LiveTrack Mode is covered on pg. 74 of the UAD System Manual.

 

Voloco

 

Problem: Crash at export.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable 'Use fixed size buffers' options.

 

VSL Vienna Ensemble Pro

 

Problem: CPU overload when configuring several buffers of latency, causes FL Studio to become unresponsive.

Solution: Select 'Wrapper Settings > Processing' and enable 'Use fixed size buffers' and 'Process maximum size buffers' options.

 

Waves Plugins

 

Problem: Issues installing Waves plugins.

Solution: How to install and use WAVES plugins?

 

Problem: Waves plugins not working (General).

Solution: Issues with Waves Plugins after installing Waves Central

 

Xfer Serum

 

Problem: Serum crashes FL Studio when added or used within a project, caused by a suspected VST GUI/Direct2D conflict.

Solution: Uninstall AMD Raptr software, 

 

 

 

Image-Line Support Team