first let me tell you what im runnin, and what im trying to do here.

G4 powerbook 1.67ghz, 1GB ram
M-audio FW410 interface
radium 61 controller
ableton 5
protools m-powered 6.7
arturia minimoogV 1.5

so for this question we really only need to worry about computer, interface and live5.

so im running ableton with 2 audio tracks, one for straight recording and the other for my FX loop in my DJ sets. i will load up usually anywhere from 6-10 vst FX in ly loop and my CPU is reaching its peak.

so i was thinking about using an external DSP like the TC electronics powercore compact or firewire. my question is will the DSP run vsts other than the ones TC electronic offers? for instance i have alot of freeware VSTs that i have downloaded, would these be able to run on the external DSP or will i still have to use my CPU for those? if not the powercore, how about the RME hammerfall cardbus?

thanks for the help guys.

note: im also lookin to pick up this unit so i can run the virtual virus, if anyone has this plug-in, how do you like it?