Tracking and Mixing @ 32 sample Buffer

[bobcats]

Originally Posted by zion

I can now track and mix @ 32 sample buffer size with my HD Native card and 16x16 Digital interface with no errors.
I achieved this by turning Intel turbo boost off in the motherboard bios and setting CPU to the highest fixed speed (not over clocked). also I find my RTAS usage is lower. For example in one project the RTAS meter went from 32% down to 8%. Previously a 64 sample buffer was as low as I could achieve. Very stable now with 32 samples. Even with this low sample size I can track and mix some pretty nice size projects. Currently working on a project with 24 tracks (wave files) 8 native-instruments soft synth's about 32 Waves plugins 1 convulsion reverb on aux 1 and a delay plug on aux 2. Wow! I just wanted to share the breakthrough.

Hey Zion
I modeled my system after yours Same MOD, CPU, Ram, Drives, and cant get close to 32 Samples.
Are you running PT Version 9.05? Which version of the MOB Bios are you using?
And What slot is your Native card in?
I already had the Turbo Boost off, and CPU Speed up to the max w/out Overclocking.
I appreciate any and all suggestions

[zion]

Originally Posted by bobcats

Hey Zion
I modeled my system after yours Same MOD, CPU, Ram, Drives, and cant get close to 32 Samples.
Are you running PT Version 9.05? Which version of the MOB Bios are you using?
And What slot is your Native card in?
I already had the Turbo Boost off, and CPU Speed up to the max w/out Overclocking.
I appreciate any and all suggestions

I'm running PT 9.0.5, Bios Version 8.F, slot pci-e slot between the black pci
slots. I aslo follows all Pro Tools recommendations. Maybe we can post a sandra and see what the difference is. Also if you can give me a snapshot of your bios settings I can see were they differ.

[zion]

Bobcats here is a copy of my sandra report.



SiSoftware Sandra

Computer
Model : MSI MS-7522
Workgroup : WORKGROUP
Host Name :
User :

Processor
Model : Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU 950 @ 3.07GHz
Speed : 3.2GHz
Cores per Processor : 4 Unit(s)
Threads per Core : 2 Unit(s)
Type : Quad-Core
Integrated Data Cache : 4x 32kB, Synchronous, Write-Thru, 8-way, 64 byte line size, 2 threads sharing
L2 Cache : 4x 256kB, ECC, Synchronous, ATC, 8-way, 64 byte line size, 2 threads sharing
L3 Cache : 8MB, ECC, Synchronous, ATC, 16-way, Exclusive, 64 byte line size, 16 threads sharing

Computer
Mainboard : MSI MSI X58 Pro-E (MS-7522)
BIOS : AMI (OEM) V8.15 03/19/2011
Bus(es) : ISA X-Bus PCI PCIe IMB USB FireWire/1394 i2c/SMBus
Multi-Processor (MP) Support : No
Multi-Processor Advanced PIC (APIC) : Yes
Total Memory : 24GB DIMM DDR3

Chipset
Model : MSI X58 I/O Hub
Front Side Bus Speed : 2x 2.41GHz (4.82GHz)

Chipset
Model : Intel Core Desktop (Bloomfield) UnCore
Front Side Bus Speed : 2x 2.41GHz (4.82GHz)
Total Memory : 24GB DIMM DDR3
Channels : 3
Memory Bus Speed : 2x 670MHz (1.34GHz)

Memory Module(s)
Memory Module : Kingston 9905403-148A00LF 4GB DIMM DDR3 PC3-12800U DDR3-1600 (9-9-9-25 4-34-10-5)
Memory Module : Kingston 9905403-148A00LF 4GB DIMM DDR3 PC3-12800U DDR3-1600 (9-9-9-25 4-34-10-5)
Memory Module : Kingston 9905403-148A00LF 4GB DIMM DDR3 PC3-12800U DDR3-1600 (9-9-9-25 4-34-10-5)
Memory Module : Kingston 9905403-148A00LF 4GB DIMM DDR3 PC3-12800U DDR3-1600 (9-9-9-25 4-34-10-5)
Memory Module : Kingston 9905403-148A00LF 4GB DIMM DDR3 PC3-12800U DDR3-1600 (9-9-9-25 4-34-10-5)
Memory Module : Kingston 9905403-148A00LF 4GB DIMM DDR3 PC3-12800U DDR3-1600 (9-9-9-25 4-34-10-5)

Video System
Video Adapter : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460FPB (96 SM5.0 1.46GHz, 1GB 1.8GHz, PCIe 2.00 x16)

Graphics Processor
OpenCL GP Processor : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460FPB (96SP 2C 1.46GHz, 1GB 1.8GHz)
Compute Shader Processor : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460FPB (96SP 1.46GHz, 1GB 1.8GHz)
CUDA GP Processor : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460FPB (96SP 2C 1.46GHz, 1GB 1.8GHz)

Storage Devices
WDC WD3000GLFS-01F8U0 (300GB, SATA300, 3.5", 10000rpm, 16MB Cache) : 279GB (C:)
Seagate ST31000528AS (1TB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm) : 932GB (E:)
Seagate ST3300831AS (300GB, SATA150, 3.5", 8MB Cache) : 279GB (D:)
MAD DOG MD-16XDVD9A4 (ATAPI, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache) : N/A (G:)
HL-DT-ST BD-RE WH08LS20 (SATA150, BD-RE, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 4MB Cache) : N/A (F:)

Logical Storage Devices
Hard Disk (C:) : 279GB (NTFS) @ WDC WD3000GLFS-01F8U0 (300GB, SATA300, 3.5", 10000rpm, 16MB Cache)
Hard Disk (E:) : 932GB (NTFS) @ Seagate ST31000528AS (1TB, SATA300, 3.5", 7200rpm)
Hard Disk (D:) : 279GB (NTFS) @ Seagate ST3300831AS (300GB, SATA150, 3.5", 8MB Cache)
Optical Drive (G:) : N/A @ MAD DOG MD-16XDVD9A4 (ATAPI, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 2MB Cache)
Optical Drive (F:) : N/A @ HL-DT-ST BD-RE WH08LS20 (SATA150, BD-RE, DVD+-RW, CD-RW, 4MB Cache)

Peripherals
LPC Hub Controller 1 : MSI LPC Interface Controller
LPC Legacy Controller 1 : Fintek F71882FG/F71883FG
Audio Device : MSI HD Audio Controller
Audio Codec : Realtek Semi High Definition Audio
Audio Device : Giga-Byte GF108 High Definition Audio Controller
Audio Codec : nVidia 0014h
Audio Codec : nVidia 0014h
Audio Codec : nVidia 0014h
Disk Controller : MSI 4 port SATA IDE Controller
Disk Controller : MSI 2 port SATA IDE Controller
Disk Controller : MSI JMB36X PCIE-to-SATAII/IDE RAID Controller
USB Controller 1 : MSI USB UHCI Controller #4
USB Controller 2 : MSI USB UHCI Controller #5
USB Controller 3 : MSI USB UHCI Controller #6
USB Controller 4 : MSI USB EHCI Controller #2
USB Controller 5 : MSI USB UHCI Controller #1
USB Controller 6 : MSI USB UHCI Controller #2
USB Controller 7 : MSI USB UHCI Controller #3
USB Controller 8 : MSI USB EHCI Controller #1
FireWire/1394 Controller 1 : MSI IEEE 1394 Host Controller
SMBus/i2c Controller 1 : Intel ICH SMBus

Printers and Faxes
Printer : Microsoft XPS Document Writer (600x600, Colour)
Fax : Microsoft Shared Fax Driver (200x200)
Printer : EPSON Stylus Photo RX680 Series (360x360, USB, Colour)
Printer : Epson ESC/P-R (360x360, USB, Colour)

Network Services
Network Adapter : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (Ethernet, 1Gbps)

Power Management
Mains (AC) Line Status : On-Line

Operating System
Windows System : Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 6.01.7601 (Service Pack 1)
Platform Compliance : x64

Windows Experience Index
Current System : 7.6

[mrpollack]

Hi Zion!
I tried to switch off Turbo mode on my motherboard's BIOS and you were right, my system is now much more stable with 32 sample buffer during tracking with plugins and mixing ,and seems to have more power then when I had overclocked my cpu to 5 ghz in turbo mode .

Funny thing I tried to track with my Nuendo with 32 sample buffer size and on this machine and it works .. Anyway this 32 sample buffer latency on Nunendo feels more or less like 128 smaple buffer size on my Pro Tools HD Native ..

Thanks for this advice and discovery !
jacek

[zion]

Originally Posted by mrpollack

Hi Zion!
I tried to switch off Turbo mode on my motherboard's BIOS and you were right, my system is now much more stable with 32 sample buffer during tracking with plugins and mixing ,and seems to have more power then when I had overclocked my cpu to 5 ghz in turbo mode .

Funny thing I tried to track with my Nuendo with 32 sample buffer size and on this machine and it works .. Anyway this 32 sample buffer latency on Nunendo feels more or less like 128 smaple buffer size on my Pro Tools HD Native ..

Thanks for this advice and discovery !
jacek

No Problem. Glad to help!

[nerd513]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Nothing wrong with tracking thru a plugin compressor, but check the latency on the Waves comp. If its higher than zero(I bet it is), then try using BF76. It will do the same job, but with 0-1 sample of latency(you can always swap it out later if you just gotta have the Waves comp). Personally, I usually track thru an ART Pro VLA II with NOS Mullard tubes. It sounds great and you really don't hear too much until you really have too much(like 8db of GR). I find at 3-4db of GR, its fine(use it when recording acoustic guitars too). Bass goes thru the ART or a DI from Aphex called the Punch Factory(built-in opto compressor that is surprising). As for singers hearing well, I find that pushing the fader to +6 to +9 makes them all happy

+6 and +9 i know those numbers well ... Greg would prob think im crazy then because i go thru an avalon then into 3 to 5 plug ins while recording vocals usually...

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by nerd513

+6 and +9 i know those numbers well ... Greg would prob think im crazy then because i go thru an avalon then into 3 to 5 plug ins while recording vocals usually...

As long as you reach the goal, it doesn't matter how you get there

[zion]

Looks like I found another performance boost. When I turn off hyperythreading from 8 logical cores to 4 cores I get better CPU performance on Pro Tools 10.2. Looks like less is more. Pro Tools as of yet doesn't seem to take full advantage of todays multi core CPU's. Maybe that will change in the next update. It looks like I've gained another 15% increase with hyperthreading off. Also I noticed that the floating CPU bar is 50% lower when running @ a 32 sample buffer with heavy plugins. I also have all my CPU's working 100% not parked. See this youtube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl3u9eiskM4

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by zion

Looks like I found another performance boost. When I turn off hyperythreading from 8 logical cores to 4 cores I get better CPU performance on Pro Tools 10.2. Looks like less is more. Pro Tools as of yet doesn't seem to take full advantage of todays multi core CPU's. Maybe that will change in the next update. It looks like I've gained another 15% increase with hyperthreading off. Also I noticed that the floating CPU bar is 50% lower when running @ a 32 sample buffer with heavy plugins. I also have all my CPU's working 100% not parked. See this youtube clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pl3u9eiskM4

Good that you experimented to find which way works for you. Everyone needs to test both setups as its different from one system to another. My rig is definitely more potent with hyperthreading on, but you(and others) get better results with it off Roll with the config that runs best

[zion]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Good that you experimented to find which way works for you. Everyone needs to test both setups as its different from one system to another. My rig is definitely more potent with hyperthreading on, but you(and others) get better results with it off Roll with the config that runs best

Yes I agree, but were do they differ as with hyperthreading on or off?
Thats what I'd like to know. I would really like Pro Tools 10.2 to use 100%
of all 8 logical core's or one less (7). My others audio and video apps use 100% of all core's.