Ableton Forum

I must say that I doubt the validity of the current test as currently designed. Especially so for evaluating 32bit vs 64bit performance under 64bit systems, like in my case OS X 10.9 Mavericks.

In 32bit Live 9.1 when I run a mere 2 simple tracks with Native Instruments Battery 4 and Absynth 5 I have to set the latency buffer to 2048 samples to not get crackling during playback. In 64bit Live 9.1 I can use 64 samples. The difference being I can't successfully play softsynth patches without heavy latency in 32bit Live. It's virtually useless to me under Mavericks.

Using software instruments of course affect the picture as they use up available CPU power. Maybe testing a simple demo song making more use of built-in software instruments would give more representative and therefore usable figures?

1) CPU Meter 34% peak
2) Early 2011 13" MacBook Pro
3) OS X 10.9.1
4) Live 9.1
5) 2.7 GHz dual-core i7
6) 16GB ram
7) Built in soundcard
8 ) Samsung 840 Evo SSD
9) Number of playback tracks? 8
10) 64bit

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 12%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Custom Built PC
3) Operating System? Windows 7 64-bit SP1
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel Core i7 4770K @ 3.5Ghz
6) Amount of Ram? 8gb Corsair Vengeance Blue Low Profile DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? RME Fireface UFX
8) Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? Intel SSD X25-M 160gb & Intel SSD 330 Series 240gb
9) Number of playback tracks? 8
10) 64 or 32bit live? 32 bit

Guys, what about 11) Max amount of tracks before crackling..........?

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter: 17% (8 tracks)
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MacBook Pro retina 15" late 2013 model
3) Operating System? OSX 10.9.1
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.1
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2,3 GHz Intel Core i7
6) Amount of Ram? 16 Gb
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? internal

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter: 17% (8 tracks)
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MacBook Pro retina 15" late 2013 model
3) Operating System? OSX 10.9.1
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.1
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2,3 GHz Intel Core i7
6) Amount of Ram? 16 Gb
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Focusrite Scarlett 2i4

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 15%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Custom Built PC
3) Operating System? Windows 8.1 64-bit
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 @ 3 Ghz
6) Amount of Ram? 4 GB Patriot Signature DDR3 CL9 1600 MHz
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? E-MU 0404 PCI
Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? WD 320 GB SATA 2 Raid0 7200 rpm
9) Number of playback tracks? 8
10) 64 or 32bit live? 32 bit

dj madmatt wrote:1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 15%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Custom Built PC
3) Operating System? Windows 8.1 64-bit
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 @ 3 Ghz
6) Amount of Ram? 4 GB Patriot Signature DDR3 CL9 1600 MHz
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? E-MU 0404 PCI
Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? WD 320 GB SATA 2 Raid0 7200 rpm
9) Number of playback tracks? 8
10) 64 or 32bit live? 32 bit

And what about 11) Max amount of tracks before crackling..........? I mean, that's the test actually.

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter 11%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Custom Built PC
3) Operating System? Windows 7 64-bit
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.2
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel I7-4770K stock speed
6) Amount of Ram? 16 GB Kingston HyperX DDR3 CL10 1600 MHz
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6
Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? Samsung 840 EVO 500gb
9) Number of playback tracks? 8
10) 64 or 32bit live? 64bit

Maximum Tracks: 132

9% @ 4.4 GHz with 150 tracks max

raapie wrote:1) Ableton Live CPU Meter: 17% (8 tracks)
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MacBook Pro retina 15" late 2013 model
3) Operating System? OSX 10.9.1
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.1
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2,3 GHz Intel Core i7
6) Amount of Ram? 16 Gb
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? internal

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter: 17% (8 tracks)
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MacBook Pro retina 15" late 2013 model
3) Operating System? OSX 10.9.1
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.1
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2,3 GHz Intel Core i7
6) Amount of Ram? 16 Gb
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Focusrite Scarlett 2i4

Are you sure you changed output settings from lives preferences?
I have significant difference between onboard and external.

1A) Ableton Live CPU Meter >>> onboard 22%
1B) Ableton Live CPU Meter >>> Zoom H4N 16%
1C) Ableton Live CPU Meter >>> TC Impact Twin 20%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? >>> MBP 2012 unibody (9.1)
3) Operating System >>>>>>>>>> ML 10.8.5
4) Ableton Live version >>>>>> 9.1.2
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed >> 2.6 Ghz Intel Core i7
6) Amount of Ram? >>>>>>>>>>> 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
7A) Soundcard (and driver version)>> onboard ??
7B) Soundcard (and driver version)>> Zoom H4N Ver: 1.72
7C) Soundcard (and driver version)>> TC IT Ver: 3.2.0
8 ) Hard Disk Drive Speed >>>>>>>>> 500 GB SSD
9) Number of playback tracks? >>>> 8
10) 64 or 32bit live? >>>>>>> 64bit

Maximum tracks before glitch: Onboard SC: 75-80
Zoom H4N: 100-105
Impact Twin: 80-82
It's funny, Zoom gives better results than TC. I didn't expect that.

One more thing: I tested on both SSD and 5400 RPM hdd, and results are the same.

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter? 65%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? 2014 New iMac 21.5"
3) Operating System? OS X Mavericks 10.9.3
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.2
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
6) Amount of Ram? 8GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM
7) Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Core Audio
8 ) Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? 500GB Serial ATA Drive
9) Number of playback tracks? 8
10) 64 or 32bit live? 64

I came across this thread while trying to determine if there would be any benefit in switching my main Windows 7 desktop over to OSX Mavericks (ie turn it into a hackintosh). It’s not a completely accurate comparison - SSDs are different; I’m using 32bit Live on Windows and haven’t updated anything in ages, whereas I downloaded 64bit Live on OSX and everything is up to date. I also ran the test on my Mac Mini (albeit with onboard sound) just for the sake of comparison.


Mac Mini
1) Ableton Live CPU Meter at 8 tracks - 28%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Mac mini (Late 2012)
3) Operating System? OSX 10.8.5
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.3
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2.5Ghz Intel core i5
6) Amount of Ram? 4GB 1600MHz
7) Soundcard? onboard sound
Hard Disk Drive Speed? 5400 - 500GB Apple HDD
9) Max playback tracks? 48
10) 64 or 32bit live? 64

PC Win 7
1) Ableton Live CPU Meter at 8 tracks - 14%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Gigabyte X58A-UD3P (desktop motherboard)
3) Operating System? Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit
4) Ableton Live version? 9.0.6
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel Core i7 960 3.2GHz
6) Amount of Ram? 6GB 1600MHz
7) Soundcard? M-Audio Fast Track Ultra
Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? Mushkin Callisto Deluxe 120GB SSD
9) Max playback tracks? 100
10) 64 or 32bit live? 32

PC OSX Mavericks (same physical hardware as above running on a separate SSD).
1) Ableton Live CPU Meter at 8 tracks - 14%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Gigabyte X58A-UD3P (desktop motherboard)
3) Operating System? OSX 10.9.4
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.3
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel Core i7 960 3.2GHz
6) Amount of Ram? 6GB 1600MHz
7) Soundcard? M-Audio Fast Track Ultra
Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)? Crucial M500 240GB SSD
9) Max playback tracks? 88
10) 64 or 32bit live? 64

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter at 8 tracks - 9% stable
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Selfbuilt Desktop PC (Asus Z97 Pro)
3) Operating System? Win 7 SP1
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.4
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? I7 4770K @ 3,5 Ghz (stock speed)
6) Amount of Ram? 8 GB @ 2,4 Ghz
7) Soundcard? RME Multiface I via HDSP PCIe Card
Hard Disk Drive Speed? 120 GB Samsung SSD
9) Max playback tracks? 142
10) 64 or 32bit live? 64 Bit

I am currently struggling with my Macbook heating up like crazy for Ableton. I find that the results of the test differ incredibly based on the temperature of my machine.

) Ableton Live CPU Meter at 8 tracks - 15%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Macbook Pro i7 Quadcore 2.2 Ghz. 2012
3) Operating System? OSX 10.9.4
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.4
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2.2Ghz Intel core i7
6) Amount of Ram? 8gb
7) Soundcard? Saffire 6 (Core Audio Driver)
Hard Disk Drive Speed? 5400 - 500GB Apple HDD
9) Max playback tracks? 64
10) 64 or 32bit live? 64

HOWEVER . . .
Get the fans spinning beyond 6000rpm and it is all change . . .
\Now 23% for 8 tracks.

Audio breakup at 32 tracks.

Nothing else seems to beat the shit out of my machine like live. And it is getting worse.

8 weeks ago it wasn't like this.

EDIT, oopps, n/m

Using Focusrite Scarlett 6i6
1) Ableton Live CPU Meter at 8 tracks - 21%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Laptop Toshiba Satellite L750 A070
3) Operating System? Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit SP1
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.3
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel Core i7 2.2GHz
6) Amount of Ram? 6GB DDR3 665MHz
7) Soundcard? Focusrite Scarlett 6i6
8 ) Hard Disk Drive Speed? 488GB SATA 5400rpm
9) Max playback tracks? 8
10) 64 or 32bit live? 64bit
11) Maximum tracks before glitch: ~48


Using Onboard SoundCard - Conexant SmartAudio HD
1) Ableton Live CPU Meter at 8 tracks - 22-23%
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Laptop Toshiba Satellite L750 A070
3) Operating System? Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit SP1
4) Ableton Live version? 9.1.3
5) CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel Core i7 2.2GHz
6) Amount of Ram? 6GB DDR3 665MHz
7) Soundcard? Conexant SmartAudio HD
8 ) Hard Disk Drive Speed? 488GB SATA 5400rpm
9) Max playback tracks? 8
10) 64 or 32bit live? 64bit
11) Maximum tracks before glitch: ~40