Can't record at a low buffer !!!!! Help !!

[Barry Weeks]

Mac Pro 2010, 12 core 128 gigs of ram. All SSD Drives. Sierra V 10.12.6
Graphics card Sapphire HD 7950 4k.

Can't record at buffer of under 128. Even when I have no plugins in the session. Just a stereo music track and 1 vocal track. I get an immediate CPU error. Reason I'm asking is I can't send sep lines out of analog outs to a headphone system without latency. I need to be able to set the buffer to 64 in order to get no latency on the vocal in the headphones.

[Darryl Ramm]

Please follow the DUC terms of use and make one post per problem. I'll delete my reply to your other post.

[Darryl Ramm]

What buffer size? 2128 is not a valid size.

But if you mean 2048 or 1024 or similar... Something is plain broken here, you need to go though the normal trouble shooting steps under "help us help you" up the top of every DUC web page. Especially: trash prefs, move all plugin files out of the plugin folder and restart (yes even if you are not using any plugins), trash prefs again, try using something else as the playback engine, anything e.g. an aggregate of line in and built-in output, start from a new empty session, repeat tests from a newly created admin account, uninstall and reinstall Pro Tools..... and start by making sure the system is *fully* optimized, every last thing done.

Make sure ignore errors is not checked (you want to see all errors while debugging), and while there make sure dynamic plugin processing is also not checked.

Make sure disk cache is on, set to some value not "normal".

Edit: Now I realize you probably meant 128 samples. Find the largest buffer size it does not work reliably at and go though al the above with that and see if changes improve things. If you get it stable try the next smaller buffer size.

There is no *guarantee* that a system will be fully reliable at say 64 sample buffer size. You will need to work away at your system to see what you can get it down to. If you need super reliable low latency monitoring you may need to look for outboard solutions or go HDX.

If you come back with more questions we need more details on what you are using, interface and driver version, more details on the Mac, etc.

Did this every behave better? When did that change? (e.g. upgrade from Pro Tools 11 or previous version of 12?).

[amagras]

Some interfaces support buffer sizes between the ones supported by Pro Tools, sometimes I get this error when using my NI KA6Try changing to 64, 128 or 256 and see what happens

[albee1952]

Which exact version of PT and what interface?

[Barry Weeks]

Darryl , thanks a million for your time in trying to help me.
I've done all of that as far as trashing all prefs, removing all plugins, however I just tried a different playback engine and problem solved. However, ha I must use the HD playback engine in order to use my hardware. Any thoughts?
Also, as far as I'm aware I gave you all the stats on my computer. If I left some out please advice.

[john1192]

Originally Posted by Barry Weeks

Darryl , thanks a million for your time in trying to help me.
I've done all of that as far as trashing all prefs, removing all plugins, however I just tried a different playback engine and problem solved. However, ha I must use the HD playback engine in order to use my hardware. Any thoughts?
Also, as far as I'm aware I gave you all the stats on my computer. If I left some out please advice.

a different playback engine .. which one ?? this is what Daryl means by All the INfo you have .. we do not guess well !!! haha

cheers john

[Barry Weeks]

Protools aggregate.

[john1192]

Originally Posted by Barry Weeks

Protools aggregate.

oh .. using what as IN's and OUt's ... ???

the sound of the Dentist Pulling Teeth !!

[audiobob]

Originally Posted by Barry Weeks

Mac Pro 2010, 12 core 128 gigs of ram. All SSD Drives. Sierra V 10.12.6
Graphics card Sapphire HD 7950 4k.

Can't record at buffer of under 128. Even when I have no plugins in the session. Just a stereo music track and 1 vocal track. I get an immediate CPU error. Reason I'm asking is I can't send sep lines out of analog outs to a headphone system without latency. I need to be able to set the buffer to 64 in order to get no latency on the vocal in the headphones.

Barry...I have a Mac Pro 12 core but the 2012 version and was using an HD Native card. Never had success recording at low buffer...even at 256 with NO plugins and only one track. I tried every trick in the book for over 2 years...including disabling hyperthreading with no luck. Getting CPU errors while recording an hour long program is not acceptable so ended up buying an HDX card. I've seen where people with 6 core machines have better luck than the 12 core. Not sure what to think about that. All I know is I never got PT to work at low buffer without an HDX card.