What Playback Engine settings work best?

[Stephen Bond]

Hi,
Just wondering what Playback Engine settings work best for you? Here's the options

• H/W Buffer Size:
  
• Host Engine: Ignore Errors
• Host Engine: Dynamic Plug-In Processing
• Video Engine:
  
• Disk Playback Cache Size:

I'm running native so like to keep the buffer lowish for tracking, usually 256 works fine but 128 is nice if I can. For mixing this needs to go up as the plugin count increases. However, my guess is 512 still performs better than 1024 as it always used to back in LE?

I assume most people do not enable Ignore Errors when recording or bouncing as this can lead to dropouts in the audio. However, if the playback errors get excessive once in a while then needs must but it is pretty much always off for myself.

I personally am finding things are likely run smoother with Dynamic Plug-In Processing switched off on my modest system. Once, again like a 512 buffer this seems counterintuitive but in practice just causes more errors. Anyone else agree?

I have the Video Engine off as I never use video and guess it would cause more load on my resources just being enabled?

Lastly, I've recently gone back to Cache Size:Normal. I don't have huge Sessions and with 16Gb of RAM 8Gb seemed plenty or possibly overkill when many Sessions I have amount to only 1-2Gb in file size. I've had the RAM Cache on in the past but it tends to stay off as it is there by default (after trashing prefs).

So what setting are working best for you in your situation and maybe more importantly what hasn't worked?

Stephen

[musicman691]

I thought that since PT11 the only buffer size one can set is the record buffer and the playback buffer was more or less automatic?

[Emi]

H/W Buffer Size: 128 (64 when tracking / 256 when hard processing)
Host Engine: Ignore Errors - OFF
Host Engine: Dynamic Plug-In Processing - OFF
Video Engine: OFF unless I do post pro
Disk Playback Cache Size: Normal

[WKG]

H/W Buffer Size: 64 Samples always though sometimes bump up to 256 when mixing a large session
Host Engine: Ignore Errors - Disabled
Host Engine: Dynamic Plug-In Processing - Enabled
Video Engine: Enabled
Disk Playback Cache Size: 2GB

[AlexLakis]

H/W Buffer Size: 64-128 for tracking, 1024 for mixing
Host Engine: Ignore Errors - Disabled
Host Engine: Dynamic Plug-In Processing - Enabled
Video Engine: Disabled
Disk Playback Cache Size: 6GB

I've never heard/experienced this "512 performs better than 1024" bit...1024 has always been king here.

Ignore Errors NEVER gets checked (results in artifacts in recorded files & playback!)

I've experimented with lots of different Disk Cache sizes, still not sold on it, tbh; I'm interested in other people's experiences here.

[s.d. finley]

I track at 64 or 128 depending on the track count amd number of plug ins needed during tracking. I leave off the ignore errors because of artifacts
but I do enable the dynamic plug in processing as it seems to help keep
the cpu usage down somewhat. 256 or 512 for the bigger mixing sessions.

[TNM]

Disk cache depends on ram..

32gb in my imac, so i happily putt he cache at 8GB.. basically, this is why i also don't need more than a 7200rpm drive for my project drive.. the cache is never filled up anyway, as i usually don't even go over 48K!

So, for 44 or 48K..

I recommend no more than a quarter of your ram for cache.. but a quarter is too much at 16gb ram or lower. An eighth then.

Buffer at 44k, 128

Buffer at 88K 256

Buffer at 192 512

Ignore errors NOT checked.

Dynamic plugins checked. (this releases plugin resources at transport idle and when they are nor processing audio.. logic works exactly this way too.. Some plugins have their own code inside, like blue cat, to automatically release resources when not processing audio, regardless of daw).

Edit, I just checked OP's mac specs..

128 should be fine to just set and forget.. it's only record or monitor ARMED tracks that will be put on 128 buffer anyway, like VI's you are playing via KB, and armed audio tracks.. The rest are automagically put on PT's internal 1024 playback buffer.

This is why when PT "expert" keep on doing those useless performance videos and claim they can get 128 or 256 booms at 64 buffer, they are not record armed VI tracks, so they are at 1024 anyway.. yes different in PT 10 and before,.. but 11 onwards they have no idea what they are talking about LOL.. frustrates me every time.

At 32, 64 and 128, pro tools will still overall use slightly more resources at it's BASE level, which will mean slightly less performance when maxxed out. I am able to max out the computer here, all 8 logical cores, at 700% at 128 buffer.. every core shows 90% on PT meter, real cpu is 700% out of max 800.

But it is a bit lower than that if i set at say 256 , 512or 1024 (256 is the point of diminishing return, no point to ever go above that setting in PT 11/12/2018 at 44 or 48K, ever). A tiny, tiny bit more headroom.. like 2 percent, never over 5.

anyway just a little heads up..

performance at 44K at 128 buffer = best compromise

256 buffer at 88k is the same setting as 128 at 44, performance wise.. identical.. it's the number you use to not see multiple cores moving when they shouldn't.

512 is that number at 192K to equal identical performance of 128 buffer at 44k

This is valid for armed tracks. I can only work at 512 buffer at 192K with VI's to get GOOD performance. 256 buffer is like 64 buffer at 44K.. works for some Vi's, not for others, and gets worse as project gets busy and you need to arm a track to record.. becomes a problem.