CPU Usage on Live 8 using MacBook Pro

[MFSnakes]

I am pretty confused about Live 8's cpu usage. I first noticed sound dropping out during playback, despite live's cpu meter being fairly low. I am using 8.1.3 with a dual core 2.53ghz MBP. I generally find that activity monitor says that live is using about 2 times more cpu than live's own cpu meter says. If i turn multicore support on, activity monitor shows no difference, but live's cpu meter drops down, making the difference about 3 times. But its when the activity monitor shows cpu running out, not when live shows it that the sound drops out. So turning multicore support on actually makes no difference in when sound drops out!
Activity monitor also shows live using about 15% when first opened, despite live saying 0%.
I have tried changing audio buffer size, this does affect both cpu usage readouts, but the 2 or 3 times difference is always there no matter what its set to.

any advice would be much appreciated

thanks!

[[dfi]]

Hi MFSnakes,

check the Live manual on page 502:
The Control Bar’s CPU meter displays how much of the computer’s computational potential is
currently being used. For example, if the displayed percentage is 10 percent, the computer
is just coasting along. If the percentage is 100 percent, the processing is being maxed
out it’s likely that you will hear gaps, clicks or other audio problems.

Note that the CPU meter takes into account only the load from processing audio, not other tasks the computer
performs (e.g., managing Live’s user interface).

best,
dfi

[diogo_semedo]

I am pretty confused about Live 8's cpu usage. I first noticed sound dropping out during playback, despite live's cpu meter being fairly low. I am using 8.1.3 with a dual core 2.53ghz MBP. I generally find that activity monitor says that live is using about 2 times more cpu than live's own cpu meter says. If i turn multicore support on, activity monitor shows no difference, but live's cpu meter drops down, making the difference about 3 times. But its when the activity monitor shows cpu running out, not when live shows it that the sound drops out. So turning multicore support on actually makes no difference in when sound drops out!
Activity monitor also shows live using about 15% when first opened, despite live saying 0%.
I have tried changing audio buffer size, this does affect both cpu usage readouts, but the 2 or 3 times difference is always there no matter what its set to.

any advice would be much appreciated

thanks!

Live 8 has serious issues on CPU usage. Though Ableton says it is normal, or don't say nothing at all, for me, as a Live 7 user, it is not. It is not possible that 3 tracks (two vst massive and one Sylenth) take almost 70 % of CPU usage.

Search the forum, because it is full of this issues, most of them on MBP and Mac8 but also some windows users have it.

[genomerecords]

So is there any solution to this? I just bought a 13" Macbook Pro 2.4ghz core 2 duo thinking it would be as good or better than my PC desktop (2.26ghs core 2 duo), especially given all that I've heard about Mac's being better for audio.

However, on the PC, opening the program with a blank set - Live CPU meter says about 2-3%, task manager CPU meter says about the same. On the Mac however, opening the blank set - Live CPU meter says 2-3%, Activity Monitor shows 20% for the Live app with nothing running. No plugins, no tracks, sitting there stopped.

And it's conistently like that. Any song opened on the PC, Live's CPU meter pretty much corresponds with the task manager. On the Mac it is *always* at least 2-3x higher in the Activity Monitor for Live specifically (not the total usage which would obviously be higher with all the background apps). So a song using 40% cpu according to live's meter, will use about 40% of the PC's CPU, but 80-100% of the Mac's CPU.

So it seems like you would need a mac that is 3-4x faster than a PC to get the same performance as the PC with Live? Surely that cant be..

[kenstudebaker]

So is there any solution to this? I just bought a 13" Macbook Pro 2.4ghz core 2 duo thinking it would be as good or better than my PC desktop (2.26ghs core 2 duo), especially given all that I've heard about Mac's being better for audio.

However, on the PC, opening the program with a blank set - Live CPU meter says about 2-3%, task manager CPU meter says about the same. On the Mac however, opening the blank set - Live CPU meter says 2-3%, Activity Monitor shows 20% for the Live app with nothing running. No plugins, no tracks, sitting there stopped.

And it's conistently like that. Any song opened on the PC, Live's CPU meter pretty much corresponds with the task manager. On the Mac it is *always* at least 2-3x higher in the Activity Monitor for Live specifically (not the total usage which would obviously be higher with all the background apps). So a song using 40% cpu according to live's meter, will use about 40% of the PC's CPU, but 80-100% of the Mac's CPU.

So it seems like you would need a mac that is 3-4x faster than a PC to get the same performance as the PC with Live? Surely that cant be..

AW, DRAT! I'm having the exact same issue, but this is where the thread dropped off...way back 2007. Ever find an answer? I've replaced all the MIDI with audio (of my MIDI) in hopes that this would be less taxing. I've deleted all (3) drum kits & replaced them with Audio as well. Still @ 75% & bummin'

[antandra]

Activity Monitor shows Ableton live 8.2.1 using 95% of my CPU stopped without anything loaded into my set whatsoever. I have 2 Gigs of ram, and a 2GHz Intel Core Duo Macbook Pro running OS X 10.4.11.

Not sure why simply running Live with no synths, vsts, effects, clips or anything fancy going on is taking so much of my CPU. It's pretty frustrating though.

I know you guys are doing the best you can, and I greatly appreciate all the countless hours spent refining the app.

[Ableton_David]

Activity Monitor shows Ableton live 8.2.1 using 95% of my CPU stopped without anything loaded into my set whatsoever. I have 2 Gigs of ram, and a 2GHz Intel Core Duo Macbook Pro running OS X 10.4.11.

Not sure why simply running Live with no synths, vsts, effects, clips or anything fancy going on is taking so much of my CPU. It's pretty frustrating though.

I know you guys are doing the best you can, and I greatly appreciate all the countless hours spent refining the app.

Hi, please get in touch with Ableton technical support about this: http://www.ableton.com/support

[antandra]

I contacted Ableton Support, and they gave me some steps to fix my problem. It seems to have worked as my CPU usage is back down to between 8% and 15% in activity monitor while idle depending on the set.

I would post the steps they gave me to fix my issue here, although they said that what worked for me may not work for others and to recommend that anyone with a similar problem contact Ableton Support directly.

[arafel]

Well follow your signature proverb... and involve us...

Do tell, spread the word!

[antandra]

Ableton does not authorize any publication of the content of their tech support e-mails without the permission of the author. I asked for permission, and was denied. They need to know how many people are having problems, and no two problems are exactly alike, so please contact the support team if you haven't already.

[antandra]

I think one of you just sent me a message through my contact form on Intuitive Beats. For some reason your email address didn't come through, so I can't reply.

[mikdog]

just post your freaking solution man.

[Jstz]

lol

ya ok

[Bad Lieutenant]

I contacted Ableton Support, and they gave me some steps to fix my problem. It seems to have worked as my CPU usage is back down to between 8% and 15% in activity monitor while idle depending on the set.

I would post the steps they gave me to fix my issue here, although they said that what worked for me may not work for others and to recommend that anyone with a similar problem contact Ableton Support directly.

I am having the exact same problem - I am on a pretty lightweight arrangement setup (6 tracks, 1 MIDI, and the rest audio) no crazy plug ins.

I add the AMP plug in and the audio drops out - but CPU says 17% and the *D* light keeps flashing.

My buffer is about 538 and latency is 18s!

Please post your solution.