Hi @wave100 !
Thanks for your suggestions!
Unfortunately, there is only one USB port in the Surface Pro 6, so I do need to plug the interface directly into it (on account of the dongle for Cubase 11, iLok for Waves).
I wonder if a powered hub would make a difference?
Yes indeed, thanks!The CPU speed is nice and flat, no spikes etc., but unfortunately it is at the upper limit of the computer (I tried it with turbo on and also with max power limited to 99%).
Is there anything else I can be looking at the Task Manager to learn?
That’s a good idea. I don’t actually have one though.
I think I can see you’re considering the interface might be an issue. I’ll try ASIO4ALL. I’ll be bummed if it does turn out to be that the UR28M doesn’t play well with the Microsoft Surface Pro 6. It’s got the latest driver downloaded, written last month or so it looks like.
Thanks for your help! I’ll go to Guitar Center and see if they’ll let me rent an interface for a day or so.
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ADDENDUM: Well, I downloaded ASIO4ALL and played the project. The good news is that ASIO4ALL didn’t play my small project any better than my Steinberg UR28M, so I guess I don’t need to go check out another interface. The bad news is I’m still red lining in this small project at a 512 buffer.
I’ll spend a few bucks on a powered hub, just to see if that would make a difference, unless someone says that’s a dumb idea because the hub wouldn’t have anything to do with it … ?
It’s nice eliminating potential causes … I just hope in the end the one remaining explanation for why I can’t run my small project on the Surface Pro 6 is not simply because it’s not up to the task.
Can’t imagine that’s the case though - Robin Vincent ran 48 instances of a Halion Sonic SE patch (8 notes played simultaneously on each patch) before the Surface Pro 6 gave up the ghost. Surely there’s something I can identify and fix?
(Here’s what triggers the red line:
- Armed MIDI piano track. Lots of polyphony - two full hands playing, sustain pedal
- PianoTeq 7 VSTi
- Soundtoys Microshift
- Greg Wells VoiceCentric, PianoCentric, ToneCentric, and MixCentric plugins.
Each of those added in turn in any order noticeably bump up the audio meter, and when all are activated, that’s when it red lines.
Thanks @wave100 and @evanh75 for your help - any other suggestions from you guys or anyone else would be much appreciated!