HW Buffer Size

[adam79]

Hey, I'm looking for the recommended HW Buffer size for Recording and Playback. My MacBook Pro is pretty powerful.. 8GB of Memory, a SSD HD.
Also, how much free HD space is recommended for recording?
Thanks.

[Darryl Ramm]

How about some useful information about exact Mac model, exact Pro Tools version and exact interface?

You using hardware or software monitoring? Your profile lists an Apollo Duo -- is that the interface you are asking about?

Recommended IO buffer size for mixing is easy: set it to the maximum size, 1024 or whatever...

If you are software monitoring though Pro Tools and want low latencies then just try and see what you can stably get down to. All folks here can do is point out what they get down to on their similar systems, and we have no frigging clue what your system it.

Make sure the computer is fully optimized, every last thing done.

If running recent Pro Tools versions make sure disk cache is enabled (standard == off, set it to a size value). Learn how to use track freeze and commit to reduce CPU load on the Mac.

If you are hardware monitoring then forget all this and just leave the buffer set high. And since you have an Apollo it's very likely you might hardware monitor though the Apollo console. So again, you need to clue us in here a lot more.

What exact model Mac? You talking about recording to the internal Apple SSD? Or an external SSD? What exact model? Certainly for any recent model MBP with the high-performance internal PCIe SSD you likely can run them up to very low free space. Depends on the sessions and lots of other stuff. The main issue is running low on disk space is just a PITA to deal with, anything less than 10%-20% free and I'd be removing stuff or adding more disk space. If using an external SSD make sure you set it up as best you can, e.g. turn on TRIM on Thunderbolt SSDs... which again, why some clear info on exactly what you have would help.

[adam79]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

How about some useful information about exact Mac model, exact Pro Tools version and exact interface?

You using hardware or software monitoring? Your profile lists an Apollo Duo -- is that the interface you are asking about?

Recommended IO buffer size for mixing is easy: set it to the maximum size, 1024 or whatever...

If you are software monitoring though Pro Tools and want low latencies then just try and see what you can stably get down to. All folks here can do is point out what they get down to on their similar systems, and we have no frigging clue what your system it.

Make sure the computer is fully optimized, every last thing done.

If running recent Pro Tools versions make sure disk cache is enabled (standard == off, set it to a size value). Learn how to use track freeze and commit to reduce CPU load on the Mac.

If you are hardware monitoring then forget all this and just leave the buffer set high. And since you have an Apollo it's very likely you might hardware monitor though the Apollo console. So again, you need to clue us in here a lot more.

What exact model Mac? You talking about recording to the internal Apple SSD? Or an external SSD? What exact model? Certainly for any recent model MBP with the high-performance internal PCIe SSD you likely can run them up to very low free space. Depends on the sessions and lots of other stuff. The main issue is running low on disk space is just a PITA to deal with, anything less than 10%-20% free and I'd be removing stuff or adding more disk space. If using an external SSD make sure you set it up as best you can, e.g. turn on TRIM on Thunderbolt SSDs... which again, why some clear info on exactly what you have would help.

I had the specs wrong..

I'm running OS X 10.10.5 Yosemite
2.2 Ghz Intel Core i7 Processor
16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Internal 128 GB SSD Hard Drive
4 Cores
256 KB L2 Cache (per Core)
6 MB L3 Cache

So 1024 Buffer size for Mixing, how about for Recording?

[albee1952]

My 2 cents, while tracking, I run the buffer at 64. While mixing a big session, it goes to 1024. The in-between settings are somewhat useless to me. Tracking at 128 is not too bad for latency, but 256 and 512 "feel" bad for timing Honestly, I would stay at 64 all the time, but some sessions get big, between the sheer number of tracks, and the number of VI plugins(if you are in PT12.4 or later, make use of the track FREEZE and COMMIT features)

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by adam79

I had the specs wrong..

I'm running OS X 10.10.5 Yosemite
2.2 Ghz Intel Core i7 Processor
16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Internal 128 GB SSD Hard Drive
4 Cores
256 KB L2 Cache (per Core)
6 MB L3 Cache

So 1024 Buffer size for Mixing, how about for Recording?

Well I can tell you did not read what I wrote very carefully.

So again... What interface? The Apollo? Software or hardware monitoring? etc.

How about just starting with the basics, the MacBook/iMac/Mac Mini/Mac Pro whatever you have has a model number etched on the back of the bloody thing. Type that in here.

And what SSD? What exact make/model if it's a third party drive/upgrade? Or was that SSD an Apple one that came with the Mac? 128GB only... that's your boot drive and you are recoding audio to that? Probably not a good idea, but tell us exactly what you have and I'll tell you how bad an idea that is.

[chrisdee]

Originally Posted by adam79

Hey, I'm looking for the recommended HW Buffer size for Recording and Playback.

Personally I avoid the issue of buffer size by monitoring analog. I set and forget the buffer size to max.

[adam79]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

Well I can tell you did not read what I wrote very carefully.

So again... What interface? The Apollo? Software or hardware monitoring? etc.

How about just starting with the basics, the MacBook/iMac/Mac Mini/Mac Pro whatever you have has a model number etched on the back of the bloody thing. Type that in here.

And what SSD? What exact make/model if it's a third party drive/upgrade? Or was that SSD an Apple one that came with the Mac? 128GB only... that's your boot drive and you are recoding audio to that? Probably not a good idea, but tell us exactly what you have and I'll tell you how bad an idea that is.

HAHA.

-MacBook Pro, Model #: A1398 EMC 2976UA Apollo Duo
-I'm using the UA Console Software v9.0 along w/ Pro Tools 12.4
-The HD is Apple brand SSD (I bought the laptop direct from Apple), 250 GB (guess I had that wrong too). I had an external HD that I was using as a backup, but it died last year and I lost a ton of Media. It says in the Pro Tools manual that recording on this drive is perfectly fine; I haven't had any issues with it. I also have a StorCase Rhino Jr Firewire 800 7200RPM HD, but I've been unable to use it since my new MacBook Pro has the Thunderbolt connections; I need to get a Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter. Either way, I definitely need another HD for backup.

[adam79]

Originally Posted by chrisdee

Personally I avoid the issue of buffer size by monitoring analog. I set and forget the buffer size to max.

What do you mean by "monitoring analog?"

[7Seas]

Originally Posted by chrisdee

Personally I avoid the issue of buffer size by monitoring analog. I set and forget the buffer size to max.

You monitor through a desk?

I have been thinking about splitting input signals before they hit the A/Ds
What do you do when punching from PT?

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by adam79

HAHA.

-MacBook Pro, Model #: A1398 EMC 2976UA

I am pretty sure that these mid-2012 MacBook Pro Retina's has a M.2 like form factor SSD but it's using a SATA III connection on that drive, nothing like the fast PCIe and PCIe/NVMe M.2 like drives used in later MacBook Pros. I would not recommend using that SATA SSD as a combined boot/system and audio drive. The later PCIe based drives, sure go for it. So you should be using a Thunderbolt or USB 3 external drive. I'd go for SSD. A good low-cost option is a Samsung T3 drive. It's based on the Samsung 850 Evo SATA III SSD internally. You can get still higher peroance with thunderbolt to PCIe SSDs but at higher price.

Apollo Duo
-I'm using the UA Console Software v9.0 along w/ Pro Tools 12.4

But are you monitoring thought the UA Console or Pro Tools? This is the third time I've asked the same question.

First get your audio/session disk properly set up (off your boot drive), turn on disk cache, turn off dynamic plugin processing, make sure the system is fully optimized... then...

If you are monitoring through the UA Console then run the same Pro Tools buffer size as you mix with. Done. Next question.

If you are monitoring through Pro Tools. Then just try reducing the buffer size and seeing what you can get away with start at say 128 and go up or down if you can/need to. It's always a trade off between stability and latency. Latency sensitivity depends greatly on the talent you are recoding. And it depends a lot on Pro Tools plugin processing load. You should avoid UAD plugins in Pro Tools while tracking, try freezing/committing native and UAD plugins in Pro Tools and run UAD plugins in the console while tracking

If you don't undertand the question about monitoring thought the console or pro tools you probably need to read the UAD documentation.

-The HD is Apple brand SSD (I bought the laptop direct from Apple), 250 GB (guess I had that wrong too). I had an external HD that I was using as a backup, but it died last year and I lost a ton of Media. It says in the Pro Tools manual that recording on this drive is perfectly fine;

Huh? Where exactly in what exact doc does it name the drive model or type (e.g. SATA III SSD) you have and says that is OK to combine as a boot/system and audio drive? Sure you can always do stuff like that for a few audio tracks at a large IO buffer size with no plugins, ... but ...

I haven't had any issues with it. I also have a StorCase Rhino Jr Firewire 800 7200RPM HD, but I've been unable to use it since my new MacBook Pro has the Thunderbolt connections; I need to get a Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter. Either way, I definitely need another HD for backup.

You have not had any issues? Tracking at what buffer size, how any tracks at what sample rate? if you are going to try to reduce the IO buffer size then this poor disk setup may cause you problems.

Yes you should use a HD for backup/archiving (better long term *powered off* lifetime than an SSD). But especially if you want to track at low IO buffer sizes you likely want to get off that internal SATA SSD onto a dedicated audio drive/SSD.