Export audio - how to utilize 100 % CPU/disk?

[Panu Pentikäinen]

Just wondering why Cakewalk does not utilize 100 % CPU or Disk when exporting a mix with Fast Bounce setting on. Is there something to tweak in the Preferences to get the most of the system?

For example, in the screen capture I was mixing a typical small project with only 32 tracks, and 20 FX. CPU usage is 41% while disk usage is barely 3%. For comparison, Premiere and AE in the same machine keep system 100% utilized during rendering.

 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2019 by panup

[scook]

Search the old forum. I am sure there are other replies like this one http://forum.cakewalk.com/FindPost/3286635

[Jim Roseberry]

Noel would have a real explanation...   ?

I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that not every process in a DAW can be multi-threaded.

Video rendering is much different in that regard.

 

[Panu Pentikäinen]

I tested some settings to see if I could increase CPU utilization.
- Cakewalk always restarted after making changes to settings.
- Same project in every test.

 

1. BounceBufSizeMsec=250
   CPU utilization dropped from 41 % to 34 %.
    
2. Increase audio interface buffer 128 => 512.
   CPU usage: 38 %.
    
3. Enable Plug-in Load Balancing
   CPU usage: 38 %.
    
4. Disable Plug-in Load Balancing
   ThreadSchedulingModel from 1 to 2.
   CPU usage: 38 %.
    
5. Close all open 5 FabFilter plugin GUIs.
   CPU usage: 28%. (Weird.)
    
6. FabFilter plugins open again.
   ThreadSchedulingModel  from 2 to 1.
   ExtraPluginBufs=5
   CPU usage: 38 %.
    
7. ThreadSchedulingModel=1
   Set  EnableSetThreadIdealProcessor=False
   ExtraPluginBufs=5
   
   CPU usage: 41-42 %.
    
8. Set  EnableSetThreadIdealProcessor=False 
   MixThreadCount=8
   ExtraPluginBufs=5
   
   CPU usage: 40%
    
9. Set  EnableSetThreadIdealProcessor=False 
   MixThreadCount=4
   ExtraPluginBufs=5
   
   CPU usage: 32%
    
10. Set  EnableSetThreadIdealProcessor=False 
    MixThreadCount=32
    ExtraPluginBufs=5
    
    CPU usage: 38-39 %, peaking to 55% every few seconds

 

Summary:

Best settings found so far for this very project:

EnableSetThreadIdealProcessor=False 
MixThreadCount=8
ExtraPluginBufs=5

MixThreadCount=32 was not bad either because it created some CPU bursts.

To be continued...

 

[Panu Pentikäinen]

Disabling plug-ins (additive):

1. Disable Waves CLADrums - 41%
2. Disable ValhallaPlate => CPU usage 41%
3. Disable 5 FabFilter Pro-R instances => 41-42%
4. Disable FabFilter Pro-MB => 42%
5. Disable FabFilter Pro-L2 => 46%
6. Disable three more FabFilter Pro-L2  => 51-52%
7. Disable 5 FabFilter-Q3 => 48-53%
8. Disable FabFilter Pro-DS => 47%
9. Disable one more FabFilter Pro-R => 46%
10. Disable FabFilter Pro-L2, DS, Q3, Q3, C2, C2, Q2, Q3, Q3, Q3 => 54%
11. Disable FabFilter Pro-C2, Sonitus:Delay, Sonitus:Gate, Sonitus:Compressor, Q2, C2, C2, => 63%
12. Disable Sonitus:Gate, Sonitus:Gate, Q3, Cakewalk Channel Tools, Cakewalk Channel Tools, Q2,  C2, Q3 => 57%

Conclusion: Plug-ins are the throttleneck, especially the old Sonitus DirectX plugins  [in thist very project at least].

Conclusion 2: I'm a big fan of FabFilter plug-ins! L2, DS, Q3, C2 and Pro-R are my goto tools now.

Edited February 27, 2019 by panup

[Noel Borthwick]

It wont consume 100% CPU because the hard disk is the gating factor. It can only run as fast as your disk can read and write the project.

[Panu Pentikäinen]

3 minutes ago, Noel Borthwick said:

It wont consume 100% CPU because the hard disk is the gating factor. It can only run as fast as your disk can read and write the project.

Are you sure? Disk usage shows barely 3%. Audio files are on SSDs.

Edited February 27, 2019 by panup

[Noel Borthwick]

Disk I/O is on a single thread so even if you have many cores we won't saturate the disk. 
But there are other factors as well. Many plugins are known to gate the speed by which they can process.
To verify if that is the case try globally bypassing all effects in the project from the toolbar before doing the bounce.

Using a large buffer size will yield some benefits however. You can set the BounceBufSize variable to a high value to force it to use a large buffer size.

There is probably room for optimization but its unlikely to ever achieve full CPU bandwidth.

[John]

I don't think one can compare video rendering to audio processing. They are very different things. Each frame in a video would have to be rendered. Audio is a walk in the park compared to that video processing. 

[Panu Pentikäinen]

Noel's explanation makes sense and it confirms there's nothing fundamentally wrong on my system settings. Render times are not even a real problem. On my new system Cakewalk renders 4 min song made of 50+ audio tracks with 50+ FX in 30 seconds. Finally it feels like being in the future. 

[mike2mars]

On 2/27/2019 at 7:44 PM, panup said:

Noel's explanation makes sense and it confirms there's nothing fundamentally wrong on my system settings. Render times are not even a real problem. On my new system Cakewalk renders 4 min song made of 50+ audio tracks with 50+ FX in 30 seconds. Finally it feels like being in the future. 

Whats your  new system?

Edited March 17, 2020 by mike2mars

[Panu Pentikäinen]

18 hours ago, mike2mars said:

Whats your  new system?

Well, after 13 months it's not brand new system anymore but see my signature for specs.

[Gswitz]