Performance issues

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Panth
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:59 pm

Performance issues

Post by Panth » Wed Jan 31, 2007 12:19 pm

I just purchased Live 6.0.3 recently and I'm having annoying performance issues. I'm running a 2.8 ghz 2gig ram Acer TravelMate laptop but I just can't seem to run more than 8 tracks before my cpu overloads. The fan starts working hard, the CPU meter reads up to 80-90% or so & everything starts to freeze up. And some of those tracks are just used for sidechaining so they're not using that much processing power. I even deep freeze all the audio tracks & VSTs that I can, but this doesn't help that much, it still hovers at about 40-50%. I've even opened the laptop up & cleaned the fan out but this hasn't helped. I've seen people with massive arrangements and I'm very disappointed that I can't have that!? Am I using too many effects or something? I'm using the hercules as my soundcard could this be my problem?
Any advice would be welcome

anti-banausic
Posts: 1609
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 9:15 pm
Location: NYC

Post by anti-banausic » Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:01 am

Check your sample rate. If it is over 44100, then your computer will be using a lot of processing power in using higher sample rates.
Macbook c2d 2.0, 2G RAM, 160G HD 5400 RPM, OSX(10.5.5), XP Home, LIVE6, BCR 2000, UC33e, Yamaha P-200, Logic Studio, KRK V6 II

leedsquietman
Posts: 6659
Joined: Sun Nov 19, 2006 1:56 am
Location: greater toronto area

Post by leedsquietman » Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:05 am

also using mono channels/samples etc helps a lot (better for lead vocals, guitars and bass anyway, as they centre better), a lot of stuff does not need to be stereo. also running Xp computers on 'background tasks' rather than 'programs', defragging HDDs, using task manager to stop any non essential programs or services etc. can help. running higher latency if possible also helps. Actually, I'm flogging a dead horse here, this is all common knowledge, so I'll stfu now :D

anti-banausic
Posts: 1609
Joined: Fri Jun 11, 2004 9:15 pm
Location: NYC

Post by anti-banausic » Thu Feb 01, 2007 4:21 am

Not always common knowledge.

You can head over to www.musicxp.net for tweaking your system to perform its best for audio. Be careful though, when you get to the services think hard before you turn anything off. If you use your computer for something other than audio, you may turn off something important. Depends on your knowledge of XP.

Best,
AB
Macbook c2d 2.0, 2G RAM, 160G HD 5400 RPM, OSX(10.5.5), XP Home, LIVE6, BCR 2000, UC33e, Yamaha P-200, Logic Studio, KRK V6 II

BigBuddha
Posts: 80
Joined: Wed Nov 22, 2006 11:37 pm
Location: Germany

Post by BigBuddha » Thu Feb 01, 2007 10:11 am

Besides, Ableton has to increase performance! :wink:

Live 6 seems to me totally goin out of control in case of performance. :?

Panth
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:59 pm

Post by Panth » Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:26 pm

Thanks for your replies! I think I'm gonna have to invest in a new laptop soon, I was running Cubasis before I bought Live & I could run many more tracks than I can in Ableton. Don't get me wrong Ableton is an awesome program, but I think it needs some more optimizing their side. Its like just because they've implemented dual core support now they've forgotten about everyone who isn't running a dual core system. And in any case laptops are often inherrantly slower than desktops, and seeing that Live is mostly aimed at people using laptops in the live environment, all the more reason for Live to be streamlined and less prcoessor heavy than other DAW's that are designed for desktops.

Meef Chaloin
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Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2005 10:09 pm

Post by Meef Chaloin » Thu Feb 01, 2007 12:56 pm

BigBuddha wrote:Besides, Ableton has to increase performance! :wink:
Amen to that, has always seemed too cpu heavy since v5. Although i suppose they are trying with the Deep Freeze & Flatten functions.

Panth
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:59 pm

Post by Panth » Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:27 pm

Just to get an idea, how powerful does your laptop need to be to use Live as a DAW & not just a DJing tool? I feel like I've been conned a bit, because I thought I could get everything done on one machine, and I thought I could DJ & produce using just one program. I guess thats not the case. So now I have to decide if I should shell out the money for a new laptop to run Ableton smoothly or just buy Cubase to do the producing side of things. I hope I can get Live running properly to do my producing cause I really like it :(

Panth
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2007 3:59 pm

Post by Panth » Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:40 pm

Sorry for my double post but will buying an external 7200rpm hard drive improve things that much? Will it take some load off the CPU? I know the one in the laptop is 5400rpm

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