CPU-load

[brother303]

Hi all,

I´m using Spark as a vst in Ableton Live. My problem is a very high cpu-load. A kit stuffed with 8 samples and no fx gives a reading of 15% on Abletons cpu-meter when sequencer is stopped!

A fully loaded kit with analog-stuff and samples causes drop outs when sequencer is running, cpu-readings are about 80-90%, sometimes more than 100%!!

I completely uninstalled and then re-installed Spark,still the same...I´m using the 32bit version.

System: WinXP/SP3 on a Lenovo T61, 2,4ghz dual-core, 4gb ram, Native Instruments Audio control 1 with the latest drivers.

Any suggestions?

Best regards
Greg

[brother303]

Hi all,

what does your cpu-meter in Ableton show with one instance of Spark loaded?

Please help!

 

[dijidave]

Between 10-30%
Intel Core i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.0-2.9GHz, 16GB RAM,
Windows 7 Pro, 64bit,
           Good Luck
                     Dave

[Kevin]

What are the sample rate and audio buffer size you are using?

[brother303]

Thanks for reply guys! 

@Dave: Ok,I guess 10-30% seems to be normal. Good to know other users experiences. Thx!

@Kevin: Sample rate is 44,1khz, buffer size seems to have no effect on this behavior. Regardless of the choosen value (256/512/1024 samples), it´s all the same.

Cheers
Greg

[Kevin]

Do you have the same behavior with standalone?
Are using ASIO or Direct Sound?

[brother303]

Hi Kevin,

I´m using the latest (ASIO-)drivers for my Audio Kontrol 1.

Never had such issues before,Ableton Live and NI Maschine(vst) plus some other vst-instruments/fx are running fine without any trouble.

Performance in standalone-mode seems to be a little better,but not that much.

Examples for kits causing really heavy dropouts are KPR++ or the Pulsator-kit. Only useable when not playing more than 4-5 instruments at a time.

[tomELLIS]

i'm having the same problem.
Using a PC running winxp SP3, 2.5GHZ dual core + 3GB RAM.

a simple home made kit, using only 8 channels, no FX, as VST in ableton, with no other channels loaded in Live, is completely unusable!

it's eating 60% CPU when it's not even playing!? when i hit play it goes right up to around 90% and becomes utterly useless, even with audio buffers maxed out.

this machine has loads of potential, but at the moment i feel like i've just wasted my money because it isn't capable of doing even the simplest of tasks.

stand alone mode seems to be ok, apart from the occasional drastic crash, but it's useless to me in standalone mode.

i have a load of suggestions for making this a better product. is there anyone i can write to to discuss this?

 

[brother303]

Hi Tom,

seems I´m not alone with my problems.

Sadly Arturia-support isn`t very responsive, no solution here! 

KEVIN : Any other ideas? Selling Spark maybe an option...

[Emilie]

Hi everybody,

First of all sorry for the issue you are encountering..
We will have some tests on a similar configuration in order to reproduce and find a way to fix your problem, before the end of this week.
Of course we will let you know as soon as possible,
Thanks for your patience,

Best,
Emilie

[brother303]

Hi Emilie,

thanks for letting us know!

Let´s see if it will get fixed.

 

Cheers
Greg

[emetic]

Also unusable in FLStudio @ 44.1 with Lexicon soundcard. I have a dual xeon 4gb machine and it kills it.

Selling mine is definitely an option, after only 2 months as well. Waste of time.

Cheers.

[Kevin]

Hi all,
I have been incredibly busy these days so didn't have any time to look at this.
I will try to find a computer to reproduce this.
So far we can not. So any further details concerning your setup may help us.

Kevin

[tomELLIS]

My system usually runs fine with a heavy CPU load from other VSTs. So i assume it's not my system at fault.

It seems to me that you're trying to cram too much into the software, with the graphics/animations etc, and all the features in the top window. I can't edit anything in the top window without a crash occurring or CPU load skyrocketing.

Why not make it simple but stable instead? Functional not fancy! I couldn't care less how pretty it looks, and how smooth the transitions between screens are. You only need 1 window, 1 sample edit section, and one pattern lane, all visible at the same time. And what's with the picture of the drumkit? Completely pointless waste of space. Technically there's no need for the mixer section if one has control over the parameters on the main controller either.

How about a lite version for using live? Or the option of running as a rewire slave if you can't get the VST stable enough?

I bought this with the intention of using it live, because the step-sequencer and pattern section make it a unique product. And potentially something i would happily recommend to my peers. But there is no way i'd risk taking this into a live situation as it is!

Please please please make a lite version, if nothing else! It has so much potential...

What use are extra features if the machine is unusable!? I'd say start again from scratch, get the basic functions working flawlessly, then see what extras you can add, i.e. FX, extra sequencer lanes, graphics etc. The project browser window is confusing and cumbersome.Strip it down, simplify it, get it stable, then see what can add to make it fancy without compromising the stability!

[Kevin]

Hi Tom,
thanks for your answer.
I am not telling that it is your system fault but Spark is working well on most of the systems so there might be something between your system and Spark.
My job is to find what. .
If you think this is something related with the GUI.
Can you try to launch Spark (in VST) then close the GUI and tell me if this is running better.
If not this means that it has nothing to do with the GUI.

Looking forward hearing from you
Kevin