Samplebuffer and latency question

[Vintagebua]

I have a Mac Mini 2018 i5 3.0GHz w/32gb ram hooked up to a Roland Octa Capture soundcard. I use a Roland TD27 kit plugged directly into the Mac Mini with usb. When running Logic Pro X I can’t set samplebuffer lower than 128 samples or else crackling starts. However at 128 samples the latency is close to 10ms. When recording/playing with SD3 with buffer set to 128 samples in Logic, one processor core is really close to max all the time.

Is it my computer that is too weak, or is it my soundcard that needs to be upgraded to handle lower samplebuffer and thusly lowering the latency or can tweaks in my current set-up get my lower latency and lower samplebuffer?

Superior Drummer 3 version: 3.3.6
Operating system: macOS Ventura (13)

Topic

[Wolfgang]

Yes, soundcards (or better: their driver) can make a difference in performance. Did you install the latest driver for the Octa Capture? There are different driver versions for different OS versions so make sure you use the correct ones: https://support.apple.com/en-us/101921

Have you checked if in SD3 performance settings the number of CPU cores is set to 1? Especially for Logic this is the recommended setting. Plus you could play around with the core settings for Logic itself https://support.apple.com/en-us/101921

Superior Drummer 3 version: 3.3.6
Operating system: macOS Ventura (13)

1

Thanked by: Vintagebua

[Bear-Faced Cow]

Considering that you are using a USB audio interface, 128 is probably the threshold at which you can run SD3 in Logic without any issues as far as tracking goes.

When the instrument track is selected in Logic, it goes into “live” mode and devotes a core to that instrument. An i5 is more likely to require more processing resources as opposed to the M-series CPUs, to which later versions of Logic is optimized towards.

jord

---

Jordan L. Chilcott

Web Site: https://jordanchilcottmusic.com/

1

Thanked by: Vintagebua

[Vintagebua]

Thanks for the replies. It might be that I have to set my sight onto an M-series CPU Mac Mini at some point… And a new soundcard as well…

[ljconstrictors@gmail.com]

Did you ever notice, the first thing that some people will say is that you need a better computer? It’s strange, Toontrack says the requirements are a :64-bit Windows 7 or newer, 4 GB RAM (8 GB RAM or more recommended). macOS 10.10 or higher, Intel or Apple silicon processor, 4 GB RAM (8 GB RAM or more recommended). 64-bit host (with support for VST, AU or AAX). Standalone is included.…

Maybe it’s time for toontrack to update their system minimum requirements or to optimize their product to truly work with the specs they recommend?

Drum sound module: TD-27
Snare: PD-140DS
Tom1: PDA100-MS
Tom2: PDA120-MS
Tom3: PDA140F-MS
Tom4: PDA140F-MS
Hi-hat: VH-14D
Crash1: CY-14C-T
Crash2: CY-16R-T
Crash3: CY-14C-T
Crash4: CY-16R-T
Ride: CY-18DR
Kick: KD-200MS
Computer: Hp Envy 17t CR-0000
32GB Ram
1TB Internal SSD, 2TB External SSD
Windows 11 Pro
Audio Interface: Apollo Solo Thunderbolt 3
VST: Superior Drummer 3
SDX:Area 33, Death and Darkness, Fields of Rock, Legacy of Rock, Orchestral, Rooms of Hansa

[tgfoyl1472_1]

agreed

[Mark King]

But it does work with the included library on lower memory. I used it for quite a while on 6gb of memory before getting more. Ok you may have to manage it better but it will work. Always worth seeing what other programs are auto starting and taking up memory. 8gb should run well as long as you don’t have something else grabbing all the memory and all the bleeds on. The basic library can be loaded without all the extras that come like surround and bleeds.

SD3 with older sdx,s plus Rooms of Hansa and Death & Darkness. Cubase and wavelab current versions. Roland TD50x using all trigger inputs for triggering SD3 only. Windows 11 computer. Various keyboards and outboard gear as well as VST instruments. Acoustic drums: Yamaha 9000 natural wood and Pearl masters. Various snare drums. RME BabyFace Pro FS and Adam A7X monitors

[Author]

Replies