Stereo Tool

Are there any preferred Buffer Size settings for Inputs and Outputs? Which one has most effect on smooth operation of ST if I am not concerned about Latency?

I have buffer issues and the CPU is running at 38%. Not overtaxed at all.

I do some changes like reducing Declipper Quality/Precision, Step Size Reduction, and Max Input Distortion and even with small adjustments there the buffers work fine. The CPU usage doesn't change noticably up or down with the changes.

Are those settings just for the Declipper or the Advanced Clipper as well?

If I am running some material we have recorded in our own recording studios do I need DeClipping on at all?

I have Advanced Clipper ON, Composite Clipper ON, 16x Preclip Oversampling ON, Strictness CPU at 16, Stronger Clipping at 30%. CPU averages 36-38%.

Thanks to everyone on these forums for sharing their expertise.

Clipper

It's hard to say anything useful about the CPU usage without knowing how many cores you have - you should check how 'filled up' the core with the highest load is.

If you're not interested in latency, just use maximum buffer sizes. Any hiccups caused by things in Windows can then be handled without issues.

If you don't clip the audio, and you record things yourself, you shouldn't need the declipper.

Hans, Thanks for your reply.

I am using a Q9650. The cores are at 0=3%, 1=16%, 2=3%, 4=18%. If I use Process Lasso and set the Affinity of ST to just 2 cores; 1 and 3, I get 1=20% and 3=20%.

I was concerned about my CPU usage but then I looked at the Omnia.9 to see:





Now I feel better knowing it works in the 40%'s too.

I'll play with the buffers and DeClip and check my results.

Thanks,
Clipper

The Omnia 9 has an i7, those are a lot faster than a Q9x50 (my old system was a Q9450, my i7 laptop (!) is a lot faster - and a laptop i7 is a lot slower than the desktop version.

The O9 also processes several HD outputs (but they don't require 16x oversampling).

Hans,

Thanks for your reply. Good point. I was just happy to know that it seems normal to be running the CPU at 40%+ for this type of application.

We're going to try it out with an i3 3220 and see if we can sort out the buffers to get the results we want. If not we'll go to a i7 3770. I am not sure I fully understand the buffers problems and what causes them; whether it means the CPU can't process the data fast enough or something else. If the CPU is only going 40% busy then it seems it has plenty of processing power left so would seem to me the CPU isn't the issue. It's only using 33% of RAM (total) so that doesn't appear to be an issue either.

I appreciate your advice.

Clipper

Q9650 should be just fine. Since E5400 (@3GHz) is fine
http://i.imgur.com/wnvEcIg.png
Try to use asio.

Stereo Tool uses 2 cores, so 50% would be the maximum. But not everything is using 2 cores so it will be even lower - I would guess around 40-45%.

38 is pretty close to that! What I don't understand is how to match the numbers you are reporting against the total - old you make a screenshot like Bojcha's?

Quick test: lower the Quality slider and check if things are ok then.

Affinity need to be set to 2 cores if CPU is 4 or more cores! Really helps. Also helps in comparing.

Hans and Bojcha, thanks for the replies and suggestions.

I have set it to use 2 cores and copied Bojcha's settings, Screenshot below like Bojcha's.




The way I have it all setup at the moment is:

On the PC, which has the Q9650 CPU and 4 Gig of RAM (3.25Gig in XP 32bit), I have NexGen Digital Playout software which connects to ST via VAC 4.12. At this time the output from ST is only running via VAC to MPX Tool.

I have setup VAC based on advice to others (within the forum posts) given by Bojcha.

In the screenshot I have ST set to Cores 0 and 2 (chosen by the Process Lasso software I run), and I have NexGen on Cores 1 and 3. As you see NexGen uses an average of 0.43% CPU. ST using 39% (38.47% overall average). The graphs show the CPU and RAM usage.

I need to understand what affects the buffers. I notice in some presets I load the FM Output buffer is 0ms. I don't mind the latency if that is what is required to get it so the buffers don't exhaust.

Thanks again for the help. It is very much appreciated.

Clipper

Ok, please try to turn off MPX Tool and set FM output to soundcard so you can hear it.
Buffer ~0.100s should enough. Also check is vac1 (input) is fixed to 48kHz and VAC2 output to 192kHz, so and ST Sample rate 192kHz.

Also i want to clear up some things...
PC where i run ST (E5700) is sensitive to everything, which is normal since cpu is on very edge. Remote connection, changing ST parameters, minimizing ST, etc... all that makes ST to drop buffer.

If you really want to use ST for FM, Asio and dedicated PC with ST only is recommended.