Ableton Forum

As much as I'm going to hate to, I think I might be jumping camp fulltime over to a peecee (ugh!) for the performance gains. I currently have a Powerbook 1GHz and while it's fine for most things, it just ain't cutting the mustard (impossible to run Albino in Live without CPU performance going over the top!). Before I move over, I was wondering if a G5 would be any better. Could one of you nice G5 users do me a favor? Could you run the demo song in Live (either v3 or v4) and throw Live's Reverb on each track (including Master) at high quality and let me know if you're able to do it and if you are, what the CPU is pegged at? Though this isn't "real world" testing, it will give me an idea of performance.

Some tests on did on Live v3 on my Powerbook and my P4 3.0GHz at work resulted with these results:

Dell: Able to apply reverb to all tracks - CPU at 60%
Mac: Only able to apply reverb to two tracks before processor maxxed out!

Thanks,
Brian

Brian,
When do you plan on moving over to the unforgiven darkside? I will be purchasing a new 2.5ghz G5 at the end of July. My first software purchase will be the LIVE4 upgrade. So if you got a few weeks I can give you some "real world" numbers. By the way, I am joking about the PCvsMac stuff. I don't care what anyone uses as long as the music is good!!! By the way, If you haven't already done so, download the "open beta" for LIVE 4 and see if you have any performance gains. LIVE4 is supposed to be more optimized for the MAC this time around. You should get better results than you had with LIVE3.

Yeah, I could wait that long I s'pose...

I am kind of chomping on the bit, though....

I've been using L4 since B1 and though I see a slight increase, it's not going to make my 1Ghz G4 a 3Ghz P4

Have fun with your liquid cooled G5!

-brian

I am kind of chomping on the bit, though....

How do you think I feel about buying this computer?????

LOL!

Yeah, I totally understand why you are anxious. I promise as soon as I get everything up and running I will post some results. I can't wait!

I just don't get it why people are always so stoked on measuring performance especially by throwing reverbs at a certain track config ....

Personnally I find that -especially- reverb is one of the last efx in the chain that needs to be applied with utmost care.

If you start using reverb in quantities, we're speaking more in terms of samplecreation and than I consider you're far better of resampling etc.

I just did this test on my Dual 1.8 G5.

Eight tracks plus the master with high quality reverb on each.

Sometimes it spikes around 75%, then settles down to 60%. Never stutters or distorts.

Since I've had this computer, Live has never failed me (I use V3).

I also use a Tascam 428 for sound output.

Thanks for the test on the dualie 1.8s. That does make me feel better. Looks like I'll be upgrading the Mac instead of going peecee (as long as the funds will be available!).

Mbazzy-I just wanted to see how much could be thrown through Live to the G5 and then see how much headroom is left over. I'm not stuck on speed like those PC overclocking'-neon-tube case modders, mind you. It's just if I run Albino in Live4 and hit more than two notes (depending on the sound) I crackle and the CPU pegs and stays at 100%. I wouldn't want to stay with a Mac if that was still the case with a G5 setup, would I? So, throwing reverbs all over the place gives me a good idea of what the machine can handle.

Hope you get your 2x2.5's delivered in atimely manner, Ryst. (Don't hold your breathe, though! ) Even though the 1.8s show good performance, I would still love to see what the 2.5's do!

i'm using a dual 1.8 G5 with 1.5G ram and haven't ever had any performace issues with Live. I use final cut pro 4 intensely with performace peaking at around %50. I also rewire Live3 and Reason2.5 simultaneously into Pro Tools with multiple waves plugins and performace still only tops out around %60 on a bad day. hope this helps your possible defection to the 'other side'

Demo Session playing through with all clips
reverb on each channel, and master, all at standard setting.

High quality on, 48k.

CPU-
Average 35%
Peak 38%

Compaq R3000 Notebook
Athlon 64 3000+
512mb
60gb 8mb cache 7200rpm
wifi enabled the entire time (usually affects performance)


Dual 1.8ghz G5= 75% peak 60% average. Price= $2823.00 (configured to specs of the laptop tested)
Athlon 64 1.8ghz (3000+)= 38% peak 35% average. Price=$1099.99

The laptop is almost a 3rd of the price of the G5. The laptop is obviously portable and can go with you anywhere, the G5 is definitly stuck where you put it. The laptop gets almost twice the processing power of the G5, even with 2 processors (this seems very strange).

I own a ibook. I like it a lot, but where did all the money I spend on it go too? It's looks? Because my 5 year old laptop is still faster than my 1 year old ibook. It just doesn't make sence. Spending $3000 on a computer, you would think it would destroy anything you throw at it. But where is that $3000 going too if a $1100 compaq laptop is twice as fast? When you use common sence, it starts to make you wonder...

where is all that money going to? And for what?

yep. i love my pb. but my centrino makes it look like a speak n spell.

i too am going to be moving to Windows, not by choice though. i dropped my PowerBook. FUUUUCK! so i'll be using my Windows desktop until i can afford a new Mac. hey, maybe i won't even bother if Windows and i get along ok. looking forward to better Live performance though.

so whats the best pc then?

does 64bit help in live4?

i thoght the programs had to be written to take advantage of 64bit?

if not im there...

my p4 2.4ghz is too slow nowadays, i need a major upgrade!

pentajigga wrote:so whats the best pc then?

does 64bit help in live4?

i thoght the programs had to be written to take advantage of 64bit?

if not im there...

my p4 2.4ghz is too slow nowadays, i need a major upgrade!

running in 64 bit doesn't speed anything up. Because programs aren't written in 64 bit code 'yet'. But, the athlon 64 chip has been beating ever cpu out there by a fair margin. 2nd in speed is the intel M chip (centrino). it is near the performance of the athlon 64. Both are more than capable of beating out dual G5 towers, amazingly.
I wouldn't recommend or buy anything but those two cpu's. If your buying the athlon 64, try and get a via chipset. if your buying the centrino, try and get the intel 855GME the version with the E is the newest. also, for longer battery life the ULV versions will run longer, but the regular M's will be a little faster.

good luck.

tjwett not logged in wrote: i dropped my PowerBook. FUUUUCK!

Oh man, I feel your pain

did you have Apple Care? Backups? a resurrection crew?

Heartfelt sympathy from the bottom of the planet!

paddy

AppleCare doesn't cover that sort of thing. anyway, it didn't completely die, just the LCD screen exploded and went into lava lamp mode. what make it even worse; when it dropped and broke i was right in the middle of taking pictures of it for ebay. it was about to go up for auction when it committed suicide. by the grace of god i found someone actually looking for a PowerBook with a broken screen and they bought it for a decent price.