Quote:
Originally Posted by TNM
FWIW, since my post i have tried every optimisation i can think of on mac regarding number of CPU's.
I have disabled hyperthreading to have only the 4 physical cores, and i even disabled one of those cores so pro tools would only see three.
I then enabled hyper threading again and went down from 8 to 2 cores one by one, trying pro tools in between each change.
There is absolutely nothing I can do to improve performance at 32 and 64 buffer.. I can't even arm one audio track at 32 buffer and put a single effect, even a Dverb. I *can* do that at 64 samples, but just one dverb, and cpu is going into red all the time.
This is a pro tools issue, it's a buffering issue of some kind..
because the real cpu being used when pro tools is overloading, is nothing, it's showing 10% per core in istat/activity meter.. barely above what it shows just using the bare os.
So pro tools simply can't get the info to and back from the audio driver in time or something like that.
I then re tested Vi's.. I did the codex test.. i disabled turbo, enabled turbo, changed number of cores etc.. with default patch pro tools can not play codex if the VI track is armed, trying to play one single 3 note chord.
At 128 armed, pro tools is using similar "buffer time" (let's call the the pro tools performance meter, vs logic meter or cubase meter), that those two daws are at 32 buffer..At 64 samples, logic/Cubase perform better for armed tracks than PT does at 128.. and this is only at 44.1k sample rate! It's only when pro tools does not have any tracks armed for monitoring that it spreads the load perfectly (and it does such a really amazing job in that case for mixing down).
So it's good to read that optimisations can be done on windows to alleviate the spiking, but as far as I can tell, nothing can be done on sierra and pro tools 2018.1
It's totally up to avid to fix this once and for all.
Just for a laugh, i will try with only one core enabled and see what happens.
Edit: pro tools will only launch with minimum 2 logical cores.
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I replied to your upper message but i don't know why it hasn't shown up yet. So i will reply again.
My lenovo P50 also can't go down to 32. Yes, it's either some kind of an internal protools issue, or the soundcard drivers issue, i'm not sure. But at a buffer of 64 nobody usually has any latency problems. I couldn't hear them myself in a 48khz session. At 64 with this optimization i can do some quiet serious recording, even with some plugins.
In protools 12.5 on windows there is no internal option to disable the usage of some cores. That's gone since protools 10 i think. That's why i wanted this script.
Personally, the entire list of recomended protools optimization by AVID. Does not really do much difference at all. Disabling hyperthreading, C-states and turbo boost only makes performance worse because by reducing clock speeds the cpu usage jumps.
So if you want to do things like these, then lock your CPU into the highest possible clock speeds. Don't just turn off turbo boost because then it will run clocked lower then it could.
I keep both hyperthreading, C-states and turbo boost on. Because turning them off makes no difference at all. I even believe that some of these optimization tips are myths and they seem to work because of wrong reasons.
On windows at least. Letting protools run on 6/8 cores for an example drasticaly helps, and getting even better performance after you have done that doesn't really seem possible because it's choked by either hardware or bad drivers or not well optimized internal Protools code.
And yes, i can't speak for OSX because personaly i find windows to be a much better environment for me. Even for DAW recording and mixing. It can be stable and give amazing performance. So i really don't see the point in forcing OSX usage in professional audio applications like running a studio.
But then again, that's maybe just personal preference