minimonsta: crazy cpu spikes?

R.J.Dubya · Post by **R.J.Dubya** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:29 pm

So I've been trying out minimonsta now that it is UB, and really love it. But one thing disturbs me. Although the cpu is normally around 10% or under, it can climb up past 50% at times, and does so fairly often. And this is on my macbook pro 2.16.

Given that even a single chip on this machine is over twice as fast as the previous ppc chips, I don't see how this plug-in could have even run as the previous version without maxing out the cpu quite often.

Is this normal? Imposcar by the same company rarely goes over 10%, and doesn't spike up. Anyone tried minimonsta ub or can comment on the older versions?

thanks

R.J.Dubya · Post by **R.J.Dubya** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 1:50 am

So I've figured out that it's unision that sends the cpu skyrocketing. Or just having multiple voices going in polyphony. Any patch with unison on takes a bundle more cpu for every voice, as does chords in polyphonic mode sometimes. Way more than I would have thought.

I do't see how even some of the default presets could have been used on PPC machines or many PC's too, given that many patches are showing over 50% cpu. And also, isn't this plug a couple years old? How could this have run a couple years ago?

Anyone out there using minimonsta? How is your cpu usage?

anti-banausic · Post by **anti-banausic** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 3:23 am

I haven't paid the upgrade price for the UB version yet, but I can vouch that even on my old P4 3.2 GHz, which 3.5 years ago was a beast but fell off over time, some of the unison patches would be over 50%.

Just the nature of the beast I guess. It is probably one of the sweetest sounding mini emus out there. You pay the price though. I will be interested to see how the UB version fares on my macbook. I plan to pick it up next week.

Also, remember that one instance of minimonsta is only really going to run on one core, so it isn't like you are getting twice the speed for that VST. And yes, the new chips are faster than PPCs, but the dual core is the real sell.

zebastian21 · Post by **zebastian21** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 4:06 am

using Minimonsta on Macbook pro 2.0 with Logic pro7 and the Monsta is a cpu whore..... there is something wrong, some patches are almost unplayable.

polyslax · Post by **polyslax** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:11 am

Yup, I pretty much always leave Unison off, it's a killer.

Just put up a new set of Minimonsta patches btw:

http://www.zoozither.com/patches.htm

bartvd · Post by **bartvd** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 10:31 am

not using minimosta, but ive got arturias Moog..
had the same problem, till i found out that when you minimize the plugin, so you wont see it anymore, cpu was going down a lot, and i mean a lot.

maybe minimosta has the same problem

R.J.Dubya · Post by **R.J.Dubya** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:31 am

I've actually found arturia's minimoog to be quite cpu friendly, like the rest of their plugs. And gforce tends to have very cpu friendly plug-ins too, even more so than arturia. Which is why I'm so surprised at the cpu use sometimes with minimonsta. I'm used to seeing the odd newish plug-in synth go up to 50 or 60% at times, like Massive, but Monsta is a couple years old. It must have really maxed out a few computers when it first came out.

Unfortunately I quite like it, but the cpu issue bugs me, especially because their other synths are so efficient, as well as competitors minimoogs. but I get an educational discount. Or the future retro bundle is only 199$ on-line. hmmmm, tough choice...

anti-banausic · Post by **anti-banausic** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:38 am

R.J.Dubya wrote:I've actually found arturia's minimoog to be quite cpu friendly, like the rest of their plugs. And gforce tends to have very cpu friendly plug-ins too, even more so than arturia. Which is why I'm so surprised at the cpu use sometimes with minimonsta. I'm used to seeing the odd newish plug-in synth go up to 50 or 60% at times, like Massive, but Monsta is a couple years old. It must have really maxed out a few computers when it first came out.

Unfortunately I quite like it, but the cpu issue bugs me, especially because their other synths are so efficient, as well as competitors minimoogs. but I get an educational discount. Or the future retro bundle is only 199$ on-line. hmmmm, tough choice...

Well, without the unison, it is quite a bit better, but even some of the pads will kill an older computer. They really went for quality on this one though.

GUY SMILEY · Post by **GUY SMILEY** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:16 am

sorry just posted a new topic about this, before noticing this one (will cross reference)
I have a modest 1.6 dual core laptop, which runs most soft synths OK (except hungry ones like Jupiter from Arturia) but can't get Minimonsta to behave unison or not. With unison on, it just won't run. With the default (three oscialltor bass) an no unison with a couple of midi tweaks it fluctuates between 30% and 130% every time I change scene. Very Odd.

timcheckley · Post by **timcheckley** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 11:37 am

Just chipping in to say I have the same problem ... I went into the store to buy the Arturia minimoog software, but they'd sold out and the guy was like "this is really identical, and it's $50 cheaper" so I just bought it.
Those CPU spikes are horrible. I have a 2ghz dual core intel mac, and this is the first piece of software I've seen give it any trouble at all.
The stand alone version seems to play fine - and I can't believe that Albetons' runtime overheads are that high when it's not going anything but supporting a VST, there must be some bugs at work here...

benj_sp · Post by **benj_sp** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 1:33 pm

You guys are running the latest Universal Binary one aren't you? You can download it from GForcesoftware.com if you are a registered user.

Not the version in the box (which will be a PPC build only).

timcheckley · Post by **timcheckley** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 6:23 pm

Yes, running the latest universal binary, and I've just updated Live to 6.0.9 which I thought would help, but it hasn't.
The funny thing is, the CPU meter isn't getting up above 30% or so ... but the sound is still totally breaking up as if the CPU was maxed out.
I've run the VST in Logic Express and it plays fine, as does the Stand Alone version so it's some kind of ableton problem I think

muthafunka · Post by **muthafunka** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:38 am

Talking of MM/Live issues, have any of you core MM users seen anything like this?

So the second pic is exactly the same chunk of midi as the first, ALL that's been done is that it was dragged a few bars to the left and as you can see the Osc 3 range parameter now suddenly has a huge jump in it, not only this but 3 or 4 other parameters too. (if Live had mult-lane automation editing I'd be able to show you them all ) What on earth is this all about?

Was using MM in a friend's studio and remember having a few issues w/parameters changing randomly. For some reason it seemed to be a fairly Live-specific thing too, tried the exact same data and moves in Logic and nothing.

GUY SMILEY · Post by **GUY SMILEY** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:06 pm

Yeah I also downloaded all the latest versions from the web when I bought it a week or so ago. I've now uninstalled minimonsta in a fit of pique, just pissed off I had to re-write my tune without it. Oddity and polysix (yeah i know its korg) are my two favourite soft synths by a mile, so disappointed gforce couldn't match previous stanards.

benj_sp · Post by **benj_sp** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:31 pm

I can confirm I get similar odd behaviour - just recorded a few bars in Live's arrangement with the default MM patch, moved the bars in Live and the octave selectors moved up to the highest position.

I don't know at this stage whether it's a Live issue or a MM issue - I'll have a look and report this to GForce if it's a MM issue...

Edit: Hmm, this happens in Live 6 but not Live 4. As you drag a MIDI block, GUI controls move. I'm wondering if this is related to control surface functionality or something - Live may be sending MIDI while items are being dragged for control surface feedback or something. Dunno.

minimonsta: crazy cpu spikes?

minimonsta: crazy cpu spikes?

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