Ableton UI unusably slow on M2 max

[tucker_coughlin]

Hello everyone!

I am running the Apple silicon native version of Ableton live on my fully maxed out M2 max MacBook Pro. I'm having an issue where the UI will freeze and glitch even though my CPU is around 5 to 10% usage. Any fixes that reduce CPU load don't help because CPU usage is already low. There are no audio problems - it's just that the UI will freeze and I get the spinning wheel of death for 5 to 10 seconds before the session goes back to normal. Help!?

[Tarekith]

Try setting your latency in Live to 128samples, does that help? Which version of Live are you using?

[tucker_coughlin]

Try setting your latency in Live to 128samples, does that help? Which version of Live are you using?

Changing the buffer size doesn't help. 128 samples reduces CPU usage from ~10% to ~5% but no changes in the UI.

It's Ableton 11.3.3, apple silicon native.

[[jur]]

Probably not the cause for such slow down, but just in case: are you sure you're not running Live in Rosetta mode (do a cmd+i on the application icon to check this)?

Is your audio interface silicon-compatible? Is it happening both with an external interface and the laptop's built-in one?
Did you try with no 3rd party plugin?

[tucker_coughlin]

Probably not the cause for such slow down, but just in case: are you sure you're not running Live in Rosetta mode (do a cmd+i on the application icon to check this)?

Is your audio interface silicon-compatible? Is it happening both with an external interface and the laptop's built-in one?
Did you try with no 3rd party plugin?

Ableton isn't running in Rosetta mode. It happens with both my interface (Scarlett 3rd gen which should be fine) and laptop speakers. It happens without external plugins. It even happens when I don't have any plugins or audio (like when loading a new live set). It's really strange...

[[jur]]

Sounds really strange indeed!
I'd try re-installing Live (also "delete" the prefs and library.cfg files - keep them somewhere just in case)

[weston underwood]

Really odd!

Over the last three weeks I've run it on a 2008 mac pro, mac mini m2, studio m2 max and studio m2 ultra. It's been perfect and snappy on all.

Hope you find out what's going on!

[casimirdesmet]

The same problem for me on the 11.3.3 version.
Ableton 10.1.43 doesn't have this problem.
I tested both versions with the same project and it runs flawless on 10.1.43

[old_raetterTAENT]

Same problem here. The UI is too slow to work with. Any solutions?

[[jur]]

What if you open an empty live set? Is it also slow in this case?

[old_raetterTAENT]

Yes, still laggy

EDIT: Interesting fact: When I start a screen recording, everything works fine. When I stop it, it's laggy again...

[[jur]]

Yes, still laggy

EDIT: Interesting fact: When I start a screen recording, everything works fine. When I stop it, it's laggy again...

Interesting, but freaking weird!
I'm clueless.
Did you already contact Support?

[old_raetterTAENT]

Interesting, but freaking weird!
I'm clueless.
Did you already contact Support?

Yes, but no feedback so far

[scheffkoch]

...just a thought...: i have a similar behaviour when i open the plugin window of the vst "duck"...i found out that "duck" uses a lot of gpu resources so having 3 or 4 instances open could bring my m1pro's gpu to the knees...open apple's "activity monitor" when the lag happens and look for the gpu activity...

[Rivanni]

@ users with laggy macBooks:
You could try if disabling the low power mode in the Battery settings has a positive effect on the performance.

What macos version are you using?


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