Protools LE - How to really improve system stability

[MR290378]

Dear All,

I am bit frustrated working with Protools LE 8.04. which I have installed a couple of weeks ago. I have got a Macmini (latest generation), with 2,4 Ghz Core 2 duo and 8 GB RAM running LE together with an Mbox micro.

Sure this is a rather basic configuration to run Protools LE. However, according to AVID it should be sufficient to handle basic sessions, say up to 12 tracks. The bottom line is LE does not work well at all on my machine even when I am only drafting songs with e.g. 4-5 tracks and only one RTAS plug-in per track (e.g. Kontakt)!!

I have already applied all the 'usual' advices I could find in this forum, i.e. changing both the general system configuration (power saving set up asf.) as well as the parameters within Protools (Cache, RTAS settings, using only one processor instead of two, asf.). And still I receive the typical error messages (hard drive too slow, not enough CPU power).

Did some of you guys have made the same experiences? Would an upgrade to Protools 9 or the latest generation of Mbox lead to an improvement? Or does Protools LE simply require at least a quad-core machine. If so, Avid should be honest and say so!!!

Many thanks for your advice in advance.
Cheers,
M.

[henno]

are you recording to same hard disk? - dont!

have you turned off other apps unplugged stuff from the usb /firewire ports

[MR290378]

Hi!

Thanks for your reply. I am not even talking about audio... (remember I have got the mbox micro...). The system got stucked even when simply editing/playing MIDI. And apart from an USB-hub connecting keyboard, mouse, external HD and Midi nothing is connnected to the machine.

Never had so many issues with a DAW! It is absolute simplistic things I am doing (4-5 midi tracks) and still the hardware resources I have do not seem to suffice!

On the same machine, using Logic (using core audio engine) I can run up to 16 tracks with plug-ins and never have these issues...

[Ben Jenssen]

Five instances of Kontakt can mean (depending on size and number of samples) much disk activity fetching samples, big ram requirements, heavy cpu load. I haven't used Kontakt much, but isn't it more efficient to use one instance and load your five instuments in there? Also plugin incompatability is supposed to be the cause of most problems. They cause problems even if they're not in use, just installed.

[GMP]

MR290378, some of what you're experiencing is just the nature of electronics. But Let me ask you this, how is your set up positioned in the room? are you close to any over hanging telephone pole wires over your house? do you leave your computer "on" a lot? have you ever bumped or dropped your computer at anytime? etc...all of these can cause performance issues relating to the electronic field around you. I used to leave my entire rig "on" and quickly realized that the build up of heat from the electronics can fry something, in my case was a surge protector. it just died and everything hooked into it, turned off. Now I turn off everything except computer(sleep mode set), MBox2, and my Line conditioners. everything else from monitor, powered speakers, workstation, all the way down to my disco ball gets turned off.

and I'm running on a quad core.

[MR290378]

Hi Guys,

many thanks for your answers so far. Please note that I am a musician and not a technician.

I have been using Logic 8 for 2 years on a even less powerful macbook with less ram and never experienced anything like this!! So, with all due respect, the complexity of "electronics" is not an answer I can accept.

My machine is brand new (and yes, I shut it down regularly and I am not aware of any unusual telecommunication installations in that particular area of my room). Furthermore, I have followed the improvement instructions given on AVID's support site. This needs to be sufficient for Protools to simultaneously handle 4 simple midi tracks!!

BTW - It is not only with KONTAKT also the Minigrand and other built in stuff lets the machine get stucked.

[nst7]

I have a 2007 Imac which is the exact same specs as your mac mini, and with less ram.

The other night I did a test. I was already running a 48 track session with lots of different plugins, but I deactivated a few that are cpu hogs, like Autotune and Eleven (these are easy to print to audio, or use audiosuite). I then duplicated all the tracks in the session.

So I was running 96 audio tracks with various plugins (max buffer size). It ran quite successfully. CPU was at 70%, so it was getting close to maxing out.

My point is that your computer should be able to do quite a lot. Virtual Instruments are much more demanding, and Protools is notorious for not being able to handle nearly as much VI's compared to other DAW's on the same exact system.

But you may want to double check how everything is setup.

For VI's, many people are successfully using Vienna Ensemble Pro. There are many threads here where you can look it up. It might be something to look into.

[Park Seward]

You also may want to try:

Pro Tools Plug-in Information
It is critical that any Pro Tools plug-ins you have installed on your system are compatible, whether they are used in a session or not. Information on compatible plug-in versions can be found here:

Pro Tools Plug-in Compatibility Grid

http://avid.custkb.com/avid/app/self...p?DocId=343311

[MR290378]

Hi PST7,

would you mind letting me know what configuration you are using in the playback engine settings. The only third party plug-in I am using is Kontakt 4 which I believe is compatible and very commonly used. So this should not be a problem I guess.

Thanks again,
M.

[The Dougfather]

Depending on your sample libraries and copyright protection have you thought about using Structure as your sampler, it can play kontakt samples.

IMHO NI products have never been great in RTAS, always giving me headaches.