Lagging and slow performance when using plugins during playback

[safehaven1017]

I just recently bought a new Mid 2015 Macbook Pro (specs will be posted under this paragraph) and I seem to be having performance issues even after the 12.3.1.260 update. Whenever I use any plugins during playback, including the air bundle that comes with pro tools, I have some serious slowdowns that affect my ability to mix and edit my tracks. I noticed that for some plugins it happens as soon as I open the window for that specific plugin. For other plugins, it only happens when I actually change parameters within the plugin. This obviously means my computer is having a hard time processing information, but I tested a brand new project where it was one mono track with a compressor on it and it still lagged. It may seem trivial, but I don't remember having this problem on my old macbook, and the specs were worse. Does it have to do with the new OS El Capitan, or does it have to do with anything in my setup? I use a Scarlett 2i4 interface. Please tell me if you need more information.

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)
2.8 GHz Intel Core i7
16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
AMD Radeon R9 M370X 2048 MB
1 TB Flash Storage
El Capitan 10.11.1

[albee1952]

Is that a Fusion drive? I have heard that those are not so good and wonder if that's the issue Sessions on the internal or a separate hard drive?

[safehaven1017]

No, I believe it is a PCI-e SSD which apparently is faster than regular SSDs. And the sessions is internal. I often use Logic Pro X and I don't have these issues so it has to do with Pro Tools.

[safehaven1017]

Update: I just checked my CPU usage using the activity monitor on mac and it literally spikes to around 70% whenever I start any sort of playback or do anything with plugins in Pro Tools, but if I stop playback or stop using any plugins in Pro Tools it drops to around 20%. Is this normal or am I having issues?

[RichardTheGreat]

I am also having the same problem! Has anybody come up with a solution?

[RichardTheGreat]

My Macbook Pro settings are the same as safehaven1017.

[Intransit]

It's a known bug. Avid has a fix http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=375911&page=9

[FabricioKrasovski]

Originally Posted by Intransit

It's a known bug. Avid has a fix http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=375911&page=9

Hi Intransit! I have the same problems with Lagging and the others bugs. I have checked the link you posted and I did not find any fix by AVID. Please, do you know about a solution for that ?

Thanks

[FabricioKrasovski]

I am sorry, I did not find any solutions by AVID to fix the problem in the link you sent....

Any idea ?

[JuanPC]

Originally Posted by safehaven1017

Update: I just checked my CPU usage using the activity monitor on mac and it literally spikes to around 70% whenever I start any sort of playback or do anything with plugins in Pro Tools, but if I stop playback or stop using any plugins in Pro Tools it drops to around 20%. Is this normal or am I having issues?

Since ProTools 11 has Dynamic Plugin Load Engine...
http://www.sweetwater.com/insync/dyn...in-processing/

Can be disabled,
But not recommended...

That feature has many advantages...
Allows the CPU to cool down, "when stopped for more than a minute." = good.
Allows to bounce a little faster = very good.

But when Plugins demand more than 100% Dynamic load goes crazy trying to accommodate more load by fast switching.
= a good thing also.
"It disables any plugins that is not processing audio, to load more plugins, automatically."
To Squeeze more plugins into the same CPU.

The high CPU spikes, usually mean you have a small BufferSize., or a very Inefficient/CPU hungry plugin.
Like Pspaudioware E27 v1.0.2 it's so hungry it needs 2048 buffer size and more than 2.6GHz at 96KHz.

Try increasing buffer size, or decreasing Sample Rate...

Also... There is a feature called Ram Cache, when you have lot's of audio tracks & >16GB of ECC ram, it's very useful feature.

Cinebench R15 allows you to compare how good is your CPU all threads vs. single core, to other systems.

Everymac.com