Live 10 Performance Test

[poshook]

]1. Ableton Live CPU Meter % with the Live Set for the Lesson – 19%
2. Maximum number of playback tracks? – somewhere between 494 and 511 - I used the same technique as garyboozy - couldn't be arsed finessing it in between those two numbers.
3. Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? – Desktop Home Brew
4. Operating System? – Windows 10 Pro
5. Ableton Live version? – 10.1.14 Suite
6. CPU Make, Model, and Speed? – AMD 3900X - 12 Core
7. Amount of Ram? – 64GB - G.Skill Trident Neo 3600Mhz CL16 (4 x 16GB)
8. Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? – Focusrite 2i4 - Driver Version 4.63.24.564
9. Hard Disk type (SSD or HDD) and Speed (if you know)? – ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro M2 NVMe 1TB SSD



I wonder if some of you guys with 16GB are running into issues with Live swapping from memory to disk because my system is reporting 28GB of RAM usage with the number of tracks it hits before the audio issues start.

Word of warning to any Motu Ultralite users though - my AMD machine hates my Ultralite Mk3. All sorts of audio problems with it. I've given up using it.

God knows what a 3970X would do.

Can you make screenshot from the later part around Bar 39-40 how big CPU usage is there?

[Alfonx]

Macbook Pro late 2013 (i7 2 GHz, 8 GB RAM - https://support.apple.com/kb/SP690?locale=de_DE)

1. Ableton Live CPU Meter % with the the Live Set for the Lesson. 16 Tracks:40% (32: 47%, 64: 69%, 80:78%, 96:101%)
2. Maximum number of playback tracks? 96
3. Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Macbook Pro late 2013 i7
4. Operating System? macOS Mojave 10.14.6
5. Ableton Live version? Suite 10.1.14
6. CPU Make, Model, and Speed? i7 2 GHZ (4 real Cores; 8 Cores incl. virtual cores)
7. Amount of Ram? 8GB
8. Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? built in
9. Hard Disk type (SSD or HDD) and Speed (if you know)? 256 GB SSD PCIE (Apple)

THANK YOU for this Comparsion-thread, @tone deft!
I will test my PC now....

[Alfonx]

Test with ESI Juli@ PCI-Card on self built PC I7 8700K - Win: high performance mode

1. Ableton Live CPU Meter % with the the Live Set for the Lesson. 16 Tracks:24% (32:31%, 64:41%, 128:63%, 256:95% while taskmanager CPU-meter hits 94%, 288:100%)
2. Maximum number of playback tracks? between 256 and 288 - at 256 Tracks i have still 2GB free RAM (of my 16 GB); 320 Tracks: 1 GB RAM free; 352 Tracks: 400 MB of 16GB free
3. Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? self built Desktop with Gigabyte GA Z370 HD3P - BIOS: F13
4. Operating System? Windows 10 Pro 1903
5. Ableton Live version? Suite 10.1.14
6. CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel i7 8700K (Base: 3,7 GHZ (6 real Cores; 12 Cores incl. virtual cores))
7. Amount of Ram? 16GB (XMP-Profile deactivated/disabled)
8. Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? ESI Juli@ PCI (23.2 ms at 44100 and 512 samples)
9. Hard Disk type (SSD or HDD) and Speed (if you know)?
c: Ableton installed on SSD (Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB sata III - 6 GB/s)
d: Harddisk Seagate BarraCuda st3000DM008-2DM166


Info:
1. Ableton Push 2 and Native Instruments S25 MK1 are connected!
2. D is sometimes "red" at playback with 16 Tracks (but cpu is not at the highest value - at this moment) - but Taskmanager shows 0% activity of all harddisks.
3. Cache DIR is C: (ssd sata III)
4. TEMP DIR is on slow drive d: (normal harddisk) - i see "Temp-Projects" with timestamp today...
5. Factory packs are on C: (ssd)
6. User library is on F: (external SSD USB 3.1)

Update to 2.:
I changed the Temp Dir to C: (ssd) to avoid the red "D" - closed live, open new, choose live set - i see the files in c:\Ableton\Temp - but the red D is still there sometimes (even with 16 Tracks)

[Alfonx]

Test with Steinberg UR22MK2 USB on self built PC I7 8700K - Win: high performance mode

1. Ableton Live CPU Meter % with the the Live Set for the Lesson. 16 Tracks: 24% (32:30%, 64: 39%, 128:61%, 256:94%, 288:103%)
2. Maximum number of playback tracks? between 256 and 288 - at 256 Tracks i have still 2GB free RAM (of my 16 GB); 320 Tracks: 1 GB RAM free; 352 Tracks: 400 MB of 16GB free
3. Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Self built Desktop with Gigabyte GA Z370 HD3P - BIOS: F13
4. Operating System? Windows 10 Pro 1903
5. Ableton Live version? Suite 10.1.14
6. CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel i7 8700K (Base: 3,7 GHZ (6 real Cores; 12 Cores incl. virtual cores))
7. Amount of Ram? 16GB (XMP-Profile deactivated/disabled)
8. Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Steinberg UR22MK2 USB driver 2.0.3 (35,9 ms at 44100 and 512 samples; 16.485 ms input + 19.456 msec output) - Latency mode: "Standard"
9. Hard Disk type (SSD or HDD) and Speed (if you know)?
c: Ableton installed on SSD (Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB sata III - 6 GB/s)
d: Harddisk Seagate BarraCuda st3000DM008-2DM166

Info:
1. Ableton Push 2 and Native Instruments S25 MK1 are connected!
2. D is sometimes "red" at playback with 16 Tracks (but cpu is not at the highest value - at this moment) - but Taskmanager shows 0% activity of all harddisks.
3. Cache DIR is C: (ssd sata III)
4. TEMP DIR is on slow drive d: (normal harddisk) - i see "Temp-Projects" with timestamp today...
5. Factory packs are on C: (ssd)
6. User library is on F: (external SSD USB 3.1)

Update to 2.:
I changed the Temp Dir to C: (ssd) to avoid the red "D" - closed live, open new, choose live set - i see the files in c:\Ableton\Temp - but the red D is still there sometimes (even with 16 Tracks)

[cskracer]

Can you make screenshot from the later part around Bar 39-40 how big CPU usage is there?

Here you go. I couldn't quite catch it but it does momentarily hit 85% on the indicator - no pops, crackles or drop outs at that point though.

[baseinstinct]

1. Ableton Live CPU Meter % with the Live Set for the Lesson: 51%
2. Maximum number of playback tracks? 32 (93% at the most demanding parts)
3. Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? Laptop Lenovo Thinkpad x230
4. Operating System? windows 7 ultimate 64bit
5. Ableton Live version? Suite 10.1.13
6. CPU Make, Model, and Speed? Intel i5-3320M @ 2.6GHz
7. Amount of Ram? 16GB
8. Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Integrated, ASIO4ALL, 512 samples
9. Hard Disk type (SSD or HDD) and Speed? Crucial MX300

[armas]

1. Ableton Live CPU Meter % with the Live Set for the Lesson: 31%
2. Maximum number of playback tracks? 48
3. Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014)
4. Operating System? MacOS Catalina 10.15.5
5. Ableton Live version? Suite 10.1.14
6. CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2,2 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
7. Amount of Ram? 16GB
8. Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Integrated
9. Hard Disk type (SSD or HDD) and Speed? SSD 256 GB

I tested also with my older MBP.

[awinterl]

Hello to the community,

I did the measurement for my two computers, a PC and a laptop, but I do it in 2 articles, which should be the most clear.

First to my laptop which is a bit older and not really used very often.

1. Ableton Live CPU Meter 37%
2. A maximum of 92 tracks
3. System manufacturer Hewlett-Packard
System model HP ZBook 15
BIOS version / date Hewlett-Packard L70 Ver. 01.47, 03.03.2020
4. Operating system name Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Version 10.0.18363 build 18363
5. Ableton Live Suite 10.1.14
6. Processor Intel (R) Core (TM) i7-4700MQ CPU @ 2.40GHz, 2401 MHz, 4 core (s), 8 logical processor (s)
7. 16.0 GB
8. Focusrite Scarlett 2I2 (2nd Gen) firmware: 1116 driver: 4.65.5
9. Samsung SSD 860 QVO 2TB model
Samsung SSD 840 PRO Series 256GB model

The test took place with a power connection on the battery, there were no reproducible results.

For the laptop I have entered the current BIOS version, it seems to be essential for this model to have a current BIOS with the 2018 BIOS version
was already finished with 28 tracks without which I could not find a reason for it.
The procedure for determining the maximum achievable tracks was carried out as described by copying the 16 tracks from the original. Because here at 96 tracks the first
Clear audio dropouts and the earache started to reduce the traces. Starting with track 16 of the track, it was only after removing 15, 14 and 13
playback over the entire song length possible.
But even if the song played again without audio dropouts, the display in the live CPU meter made me somewhat skeptical because up to 80 tracks the highest value jumped by 68% at 92 tracks
The occupancy rate already reached 95% after the intro and then no longer fell significantly. I then experimented a little until I found the tracks that had this increased CPU usage
for me these are tracks 3 to 6, so the bass tracks. If these tracks are deleted, the CPU load drops back to around 70%, but it must be due to the combination of instruments and effects.
Would be interesting if other users could try and confirm that?
Not for the evaluation just to test that time I deleted the bass instruments and effects except for the first 16 tracks and replaced them with a reasonably suitable serum bass.
In terms of sound, of course, a catastrophe, but so 117 tracks were possible until the first audio dropouts.

[awinterl]

Hello to the community,

So here is the performance test for my PC


1. Ableton Live CPU Meter 28%
2. A maximum of 118 tracks
3. System manufacturer Dell Inc.
System model Precision T1700
4. Operating system name Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Version 10.0.18363 build 18363
5. Ableton Live Suite 10.1.14
6. Processor Intel (R) Core (TM) i7-4790 CPU @ 3.60GHz, 3601 MHz, 4 core (s), 8 logical processor (s)
7. 32.0 GB
8. Focusrite Scarlett 2I2 (2nd Gen) firmware: 1116 driver: 4.65.5
9. Samsung SSD 850 PRO 512GB model
Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB model
Samsung SSD 850 PRO 512GB model
Samsung SSD 840 EVO 1TB model


As on the laptop, I wanted to run the complete test procedure 3 times in total to be sure that the results were reproducible.

Unlike the laptop, it is still not so reproducible here with the maximum possible tracks and the reduction of the tracks from track 16, times
the computer managed 122 tracks without dropouts sometimes it ended at 115. So I rounded off the average of 10 runs, making a maximum of 118 tracks.

The effects of the 4 bass tracks 3-6 were not as serious on the PC as on the laptop, but you could still see them if you knew what you were looking for.
With 96 tracks the CPU load was according to the Ableton display in the Max at 62% with 112 tracks at 85% from minute 0:38 and then stayed in this region.
Reduced again to 92 tracks and only added the drum tracks and tracks 7-16, the CPU was 65% but the entire song length fluctuated again and again as you can
could expect with the midi data. The gimmick with deleting the instruments from tracks 3-6 and replacing them with the serum bass did not bring much here
Jumping from more tracks at 122 was definitely over, there were no more fluctuations. 6 out of 6 runs were overwhelmed by the CPU in the 123rd track from cycle 29.

For me personally, I conclude that it is extremely important to always keep the computer up to date, also with regard to the bios.
But from this point of view I'm actually positively surprised. I had hoped for the laptop with about 64 tracks maximum and with the PC to a maximum of 80 the result is great.

[nebulae]

Thank god I’m no longer in charge of this. Freedom!



Well done, this will be useful to people.

This test means nothing to me with the Inner Portal seal of approval.

[Tarekith]

Don't you have a tree to hide behind ?

[nebulae]

No, I just hide behind my own logo now. It's all brooding and artsy, and still just as creepy. All things New Orleans, really.

[lapieuvre]

Hi,

Tested 2 computers:
First MBP 2015 (top specs)

1. Ableton Live CPU Meter % with the the Live Set for the Lesson. (#4 above) 31%
2. Maximum number of playback tracks? 112
3. Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MBP 2015
4. Operating System? 10.14.6
5. Ableton Live version? 10.1.14
6. CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2.8GHz Intel Core i7
7. Amount of Ram? 16 GB RAM
8. Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Apollo Twin (TB 2) Driver 9.12.1
9. Hard Disk type (SSD or HDD) and Speed (if you know)? SSD - Internal

Second MBP 2018 (Mid Specs) (Cold - freshly started, I specify because when it gets hot the performance drops significantly)

1. Ableton Live CPU Meter % with the the Live Set for the Lesson. 23%
2. Maximum number of playback tracks? 208
3. Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model? MBP 2018
4. Operating System? 10.14.6
5. Ableton Live version? 10.1.14
6. CPU Make, Model, and Speed? 2.9GHz Intel Core i9
7. Amount of Ram? 16 GB RAM
8. Soundcard (and driver version if you know it)? Internal
9. Hard Disk type (SSD or HDD) and Speed (if you know)? SSD - Internal

[xyz023]

Anybody have a the 2020, 13" MBP? Model MacBookPro16,2? I'm real curious to see this one pop up against those 16" posts.

[Seta666]

Are you listening the whole track for the test? some parts of the track are more demanding than other(37-45 bar??); with seven 16 track groups I get 60% CPU from bar 7 to 15 and 90% plus from 29 to 45.

I think it would be better to just loop a few bars or one of the scenes (scene 6 seems more CPU demanding), also SR & Pitch conversion setting in preferences also makes a difference in CPU use, but I guess most people have it in HI-Q

Without adjusting audio levels everything sounds distorted with just few groups, maybe is better to run the test with -10/-15dB per group..

Any way

1-Min 16% Max 32% normally stays between 20-24%
2- (7 groups)112 tracks without Push 2(Push2Display process takes another 7% CPU but still manages to play those 7 groups, just a few glitches from bars 29-45)
3- Custom built Windows desktop
4- Win 10 pro 1903
5- Suite 10.1.15
6- I7 3770K OC@4.4GHz GPU Silent Nvidia GT 1030
7- 16GB DDR3 1600 RAM
8- Presonus Studio 1810
9- Crucial MX500 SSD For App and Cache, 7200rpm HDD Raid for Factory packs and temp files