I have the same issue with CPU spikes on my MacBook Pro 15 Retina. It is the top of the line 2014 model. I thought 8.0.20 helped, but it did not. I can run Logic Pro X at 32 samples on the same project setup and it barely touches 25% CPU. I was going to buy a new beefy Window system, when I started searching and realizing some of the guys here are having issues with really powerful rigs. This is very frustrating…
I’ve had the exact same issue for about a year now. The only thing I can figure is any Nvidia card that has CUDA cores does this cpu spike. I haven’t been able to trace to one single plugin vendor or even to Cubase itself.
(BTW 8.5 does not fix it in case you were getting your hopes up)
What it appears to be as two problems
A conflict between HDMI audio and ASIO
and GUI and CUDA or OPENCL.
As far as I can tell they seem interrelated.
I run three Mac Pro 5.1 machines with Vienna Ensemble Pro 5 and Cubase 8.5 as a host. The problem has existed since 6.5 though on my Mac Pro.
I am now noticing these spikes on the slave machines NOT EVEN RUNNING CUBASE!
So that leads me to believe that it is strictly an ASIO and openCl conflict… I guess??
Because these computers are just slaved. No actual audio occurring. its sending it ethernet. Yet these spikes occur exactly the same.
And this happening sporadically on three different machines is hilarious actually. Getting work done is a joke. Its working between spikes really.
So my last ditch effort before I switch to protools HD altogether (very sad about this but its impossible to work)
will be to get 3 ATI HD5770 for all of the computers and ditch the 3 Nvidia GTX680s I have.
I will you keep you guys posted if it fixes it.
BTW it also might have to do with USB based audio drivers i.e. Orion32 Lynx16USB.
I’ve talked with people that have card based systems and they aren’t experiencing the same type of dropouts. Can anyone confirm that card based systems like a Lynx AES to a MOTU HD192 based system are throwing the same spikes? If so do you have an Nvidia card?
I’m curious if this is only a usb ASIO conflict with the Nvidia driver. No clue.
Sorry for the long post. Its been a long time coming.
I am now running Windows 10 and Cubase 8.5. The only thing that seems to cause the spikes now is Windows Defender Realtime protection. If i turn that off, I seems to be running smooth. Running Geforce GTX 970.