I know this question is probably been asked countless times but I can’t seem to get a definitive answer from looking across the web.
My performance meter is maxed out on most projects and my laptop decides from day to day whether or not to act in a stable manner! I currently run an MSI laptop, i7 6700 2.6Ghz / 16Gb RAM / SSD. Whilst ASIO performance is maxed, processor and memory are both at 50%.
Now I think I understand that my ASIO performance is at the limit due to the number of tracks/instruments/plugins (mainly Izotope, Waves, Soundtoys) etc and the limitations of my audio interface driver but I recently upgraded to an RME UCX from a Steinberg interface I was using, expecting to see an improvement and yes, sonically I’m over the moon, but if anything the ASIO performance is no different.
BTW I’ve tried all the optimization tricks that I can find and I’ve seen improvement with some, but its not taken the step I need.
So after saying all that…my question is this…
Despite my current PC running at around 50%, is it worth me considering a desktop PC, maybe a 6 core processor with faster clock speed and possibly more/better quality RAM to try to improve my situation? I can’t seem to find tests or information providing any evidence that parting with the best part of £2k will do me any favors!! Would the fact that a higher spec machine can maybe process more information and quicker, help the RME out or is the bottle neck the RME itself and what I’m asking it to deal with?
Any help would be gratefully received. Thanks again!
Hey my fellow partner… I totally get you and I will tell you the truth…
I just bought a monster i7 8700k 3.7ghz overclocked stable at 4.5ghz with 16gb ram 2x8 running at 3200mhz with a pcie m.2 nvme 1to samsung 960 drive with asus z370 prime a motherboard… this computer installs windows 10 in 10minutes and loads Cubase in seconds. I can run tons of windows and do multiple tasks without ANY slow down and I can’t think before programs start.
But guess what! I Am extremely disapointed to tell you that my SAME music projects in Cubase are running the same on this new computer. My audio performance is busted still. Even the export function to mp3 or wav is SLOWER than my 7 year old i7 2600 3.4ghz with the same.firewire sound interface !!! My new computer is between 0 and 30% usage while exporting this 5m30 basic song that now takes 7minutes to export!!!
It blows my mind and defies all logic I’ve learned…
I am going to trouble shoot all the possible ways even try Reaper and Protools with the same projects and different hard drives holding the active project to export…
DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY YET. AUDIO IS VERY COMPLICATED AND NO1 KNOWS WHAT TO REALLY DO UNLESS STEINBERG GIVE US BETTER DETAILS IN THE MANUAL.
This madness got me to work harder by testing my two computers. I swaped my SSD to compare how the two computers perform on the same Cubase 9.5 project with the same Audio FireWire interface.
I conclude that it’s much better with the new computer even if my cpu usage is low on both of my two systems (about 20-30% usage globaly)
Soon I will post on YouTube a detailed video series on these tests to reveal usefull info on this mysterious topic “Audio performance”
if you use the website “userbenchmark.com” you can see commun PC builds that reaveal good performance on charts then compare this to your Cubase knowledge to choose what PC to pay for.
