Not so good low buffer performance - PT11HD, Omni, TB interface, 2012 mac mini i7

[propower]

I have been doing rough tracks for a singer songrwriter CD all day.
-Click track (audio samples of cowbell on quarter notes, tick based, rhythmic setting
-Stereo acoustic guitar track
- Vocal track
- Revibe II
- A dynIII compressor
- A bunch of submasters for later on.
That's it!
-2012 mac mini 16G ram, internal SSD for system and a second internal SSD for audio

I am running at 96kHz and 64 samples buffer because I am very sensitive to latency and this is where it sounds best to me. 128 is pretty good - but 64 is better (My opinion here for sure - don't want to debate this part).

When I start a session I get ~11% CPU load (istat) with protools total system meter more going between ~30% and 70% - back and forth. I start recording. After a few takes - or sometimes into the next tune - I look up and the istat activity meter is like 35%! this is high enough to put the CPU at 95degC and fans ~ 4500rpm (I record in a separate room so this is at least not a total killer). Nothing I do in session (make things inactive etc.) makes this go back down. Increase buffer to 128 and it hangs around 25%. When I look at the pro tools meters - no change! Wen I look at activity monitor (OSX) protools CPU usage is over 200%.

This is on a Clean OSX / PT10/PT11.01HD installation.

If I shut protools down and restart - the cycle begins again. If I start with 128 buffer it has been better (staying around 18% load) but I ran much longer at 64 so far.

I know I can increase buffers but I am really a low latency nut. If this system can not reliably run 16 tracks at the lowest buffer than it will not work for me.

So:
- Any one else have anything like this??
- Any suggestions what I could try to reduce this??
- Is it the mini?? Do you need a hex core to really do this??
- 20% to 30% load for one stereo and two mono tracks seems pretty disappointing.

[Darryl Ramm]

You have fully optimized this system?

What are your playback engine settings? Do you have dynamic processing enabled? Try the reverse of whatever you have that set to?

Exact OS X version, etc. All the usual things asked for under the "Help us Help You - READ THIS Before Posting!" link above.

My gut quick test would be to unload each of the plugins (e.g. remove revibe fully from the track not just deactivate it) and see if that improves things. Then I'd try a new bank empty session with no plugins at all loaded and import your existing session audio content into that for a test. If that does not fix things (e.g. you burn CPU even with no plugins inserted) try removing all the plugin files from the plugin folder and see if the session works OK. If it does then you need to track down which specific plugin is causing the problem (I'll bet you'll find a culprit getting this far).

[propower]

Darryl,

Thanks for the quick reply!!

-I did do all the suggested optimizations

OSX 10.8.4 PTHD 11.0.1
Loaded plugs are: All PT11 + MetricHalo production bundle AAX2 + Superior drummer AAX2, Revibe II, -- no other AAX or AAX2 ones

I think you were right on about Revibe though. It had the biggest impact when deleting from session. I just tracked for 90 minutes at 96kHz/64 buffer with dverb substituted for Revibe and CPU is more like 8% to 14% (even with a ModDeayIII added for the guitar groove). Dverb not quite as nice to track with but acceptable for now. Will be recording for many hours tomorrow and will post back how it goes.

Thanks!
-Lee