High DSP on new PC and Install

[TheBassBagwhan]

Hi everyone, I've rebuilt my PC with a fresh Win 10 Install, an i5 10-core CPU and 32Gb Ram and new mobo ... and figured it was worth investing in 32c 9.2. I've used Version 7 in the past, so I'm not a complete newbie.

With just one track created in a new MB session, no recordings, and absolutely no plugins whatsoever, I'm seeing 35-40% DSP use. CPU according to Task Manager is about 2%

Perhaps rather than address this particular problem - unless that's worthwhile - can anyone point me to good threads or MB resources in regards to making sure I've got basic settings and setups correct? Meaning, I should try and work my way through these things myself before starting to cry for help.

I'm using a Presonus 1810C interface and it's definitely selected as the audio device, 48 Khz rate and 256 buffers for a start.

Likely, I have a lot of basic Windows tweaking to do first, but it did seem an odd issue right off the bat. There are a lot of background processes happening that I need to cull, but that CPU use suggests that's not a problem.

Thanks for any help.

[Tassy]

DSP is always higher than CPU since it calculates all the built in features, comp, eq... buses etc. So even if you do not use any mixbuses DSP thinks it is in use and reserves the dsp need for those. So CPU and DSP are independent. If CPU is low MB does not work at all but if it has a lot cores it does not help DSP need.
I use CPU unpark that works on win7. This makes all the cores redy to use at once without windows thinking when to activate them. whether it is working in win10 I do mot know.
256 buffer pushes DSP high. It could be your main case. All right for recording. but for mixing 1024, 2048, 4096 and more are good.
Unfortunately MB was never able to handle 4096 without crackles/clicks on my win 7/64. Little Buffer needs a lot DSP, so go to at leas 2048 for mixing and you will be much better on DSP.
Furthermore due to the new features introduced into V9.2 that you used, about 15% DSP imore is also needed for those.
I hope you have only SSDs as hard drives.
Soundcards also have different DSP need. For example, my motherboard Realtek soundcard if choosen runs a session at 80% DSP, but changing it to my Yamaha outboard USB it runs over 100 and starts crackling...

[TheBassBagwhan]

Thanks Tassy, I was thinking that the standard comps, eqs were probably in the equation. If 35% DSP is normal for a blank session, that's all I need to know. I'm aiming to sort all this stuff out before having a big day on Saturday (wife's away) playing with MB and seeing what it can do. Cheers.

[madmaxmiller]

Thanks Tassy, I was thinking that the standard comps, eqs were probably in the equation. If 35% DSP is normal for a blank session, that's all I need to know. I'm aiming to sort all this stuff out before having a big day on Saturday (wife's away) playing with MB and seeing what it can do. Cheers.

If you do not record and monitor through the DAW (no one should do this if avoidable) you can set the buffers high, 2048 for example. Then watch the DSP strain disappear. It's all to do with realtime capability. Watch the linked video, this guy explains it better than I ever could. - Maybe your components/background tasks throw a lot of interrupts?
Realtime and CPU power

MMM

[Holger]

35% DSP load is much too high. In a session with 26 tracks, 4 utility buses , 12 mixbuses and already 4 external plugins (bridged with wine) my dsp load is at 12% with 512 buffers.
My CPU (see signature) seems to be less powerful. Ok, I'm on Linux but I doubt this should make such a difference.

[Tassy]

35% DSP load is much too high. In a session with 26 tracks, 4 utility buses , 12 mixbuses and already 4 external plugins (bridged with wine) my dsp load is at 12% with 512 buffers.
My CPU (see signature) seems to be less powerful. Ok, I'm on Linux but I doubt this should make such a difference.

The guy has Windows not Linux, so what dsp is on yours is just a good fact that has nothing to do with his question..
Though it is an interesting question for Harrison why so much difference in DSP between different OS systems. 
 Can be that windows can hadle audio very purlyand I am not surprised on that.

[Holger]

The guy has Windows not Linux, so what dsp is on yours is just a good fact that has nothing to do with his question..

 
Of course it's related. We are working on the same hardware and sound drivers are usually programmed very close to the hardware, so there is not such a big difference. It might be mor a configuration issue or other applications which interfere here.
I will try to load the same project on the same Laptop when I boot Windows, Could be intresting...

[sunrat]

Windows needs a lot of tuning to be optimal for audio, although a few tweaks are more essential and effective than others. One big one is "Set Processor Scheduling to ‘Background services’" as audio is a background service.
Here's a decent guide - https://www.audinate.com/learning/faqs/h...erformance

And more in-depth - https://merging.atlassian.net/wiki/space...figuration

[Tassy]

The guy has Windows not Linux, so what dsp is on yours is just a good fact that has nothing to do with his question..

 
Of course it's related. We are working on the same hardware and sound drivers are usually programmed very close to the hardware, so there is not such a big difference. It might be mor a configuration issue or other applications which interfere here.
I will try to load the same project on the same Laptop when I boot Windows, Could be intresting...

I think it will be...
"Windows is a virus itself" they have been saying
I use windows from the "blue death" period.
Remember the foolish popups?
"there is no keyboard present, hit any key to continue")   that is windows...

[Dingo]

I use windows from the "blue death" period.
Remember the foolish popups?
"there is no keyboard present, hit any key to continue")   that is windows...

Yes I remember that period....it still sends chills down my spine.
One of the many reasons I walked away from Mr Gates and his Frankenstein creations of other peoples bits of code.
"no keyboard - hit any key" ..... classic