In general, finding the best setting for all those parameters is often a mystery with all the involved variables, and the more you try to understand the underlying geeky stuff, the more you are getting confused. Good luck.
One thing, however, is not a mystery:
Logic can only use a single core for all the required processing on a single Channel Strip it cannot spread the load over multiple cores. One clumsy remedy is to spread a signal over one or two Aux Channel Strips if needed.
The other thing you have to be aware of is "Live Mode'. For example, when you have a Software Instrument Track with a lot of required processing and that Track is selected, then Logic uses additional CPU to be prepared for when you might record on that Track at any time. That's when you see the infamous Spike on the last Core of the HD.
Here is the Performance Meter when during playback of a Project when a demanding Software Instrument Track is selected
Here is the Performance Meter when playing back the same Project with the same demanding Software Instrument Track, but this time it is not selected.
Hope that helps,
Edgar R. (my "UserName")
Author of the best-selling book series "Graphically Enhanced Manuals" (endorsed by Apple)
(Disclaimer: My post above is in full compliance with the Apple Support Community Use Agreement and posting a link to that Apple document is not an inappropriate link!)
[Link Edited by Moderator]
