Horrible performance on new Mac pro

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Horrible performance on new Mac pro

I have a new 2014 Mac pro with an 8-core processor and 64 gb RAM and with it logic is unable to handle more than 9-10 software instrument channels operating with midi data and minimal processing. I've tried switching out external audio interfaces and messing with every audio setting, but no matter what I do logic is laggy and keeps giving me the message "unable to synchronize midi time clock...check conflict with external device" over and over again. I've done quite a bit of research and it feels like i've tried EVERYTHING that could potentially fix the problem. All software is up to date. it has an SD hard drive with an added 7200rpm 4tb LaCie thunderbolt external drive that contains all my samples/audio. Please help!

Posted on Feb 5, 2015 9:59 PM

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Answer 1

Pleg910 Author

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Feb 5, 2015 10:07 PM in response to Pleg910

i've tried changing buffer settings and everything else I've seen suggested on forums. Some things have made minor improvements, but even with them performance when working with midi is terrible. Could I have a hardware problem? What could I be missing?

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Answer 2

Feb 5, 2015 10:53 PM in response to Pleg910

If you haven't done so already....

Please try this....(making sure you have the appropriate System drive clone backup made beforehand..)

1) Open a terminal

2) Enter and run the following command, entering your password when prompted:

sudo nvram boot-args="debug=0x10"

3) Restart the computer

You should see a boost in general performance with Yosemite.... and various apps... including but not limited to Logic Pro...

Note: 10.10.2 and 10.1 should work fine together on a new Mac Pro.. .. .I have one here (3.0Ghz 8 Core 32GB Ram., Dual D500s) with Motu Ultralite (Buffer set to 256) via FW to TBolt adaptor..and Im running LPX 10.1 and the Yosemite 10.10.2 without any such issues..... Working currently on a large 80+ track orchestral mockup.... using K5 (Spitfire) and VSL libs... along with Diva and Spire and mainly multiple B2 reverbs.. and assorted 3rd party FX on multiple channels and buses etc...

No sluggishness (or lagging Gui) noted and plenty of CPU headroom left.... I think the highest it reaches at one point is about 80% CPU on Core 1... with the rest hovering around the 60 to 70% mark for most of the time...

"unable to synchronize midi time clock...check conflict with external device"

Which audio / midi interfaces and which versions of the drivers for them and what connection type.... as what is being reported tends to be related to driver issues/conflicts more than anything else... (or.. the use of USB interfaces...)

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Answer 3

Feb 5, 2015 10:58 PM in response to The Art Of Sound

Also check both of your Library/Audio/Midi Drivers folders and list what drivers are present there (Both System drive and user libs please)

Finally

Please download Etrecheck from here...

http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck

..and then launch Logic Pro

Now run Etrecheck and post up the full report here....

Thanks..

Nigel

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Answer 4

Pleg910 Author

Level 1

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Feb 6, 2015 5:42 PM in response to Pleg910

Thanks, Nigel, for the quick response!

Ive tried switching between my newer antelope zodiac+ and my old focusrite 2i2, both of which are up to date on their drivers, but in both cases I've experienced similar problems.

I did just try reconfiguring things as you advised through the terminal. It doesn't seem to have helped much.

According to the etresoft report, when a project with 9 software instrument tracks (4 Battery and 5 Sylenth in three track stacks) and a somewhat significant amount of processing (two reverb busses, 3 mastering plugins on the master, 3-10 effects plugins per track) is playing with a blank audio track selected, Logic is using 131% of my computers faculties, and I was surprised to see that 32lives is actually using an additional 42 (I guess I need to find an alternative 64 bit plugin for sylenth).

Any other Ideas? Could 32lives and sylenth be my only issue?

EtreCheck version: 2.1.8 (121)

Report generated February 6, 2015 at 5:21:12 PM PST

Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck

Click the [Click for support] links for help with non-Apple products.

Click the [Click for details] links for more information about that line.

Hardware Information: ℹ️

Mac Pro (Late 2013) (Technical Specifications)

Mac Pro - model: MacPro6,1

1 3 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon E5 CPU: 8-core

64 GB RAM Upgradeable

DIMM1

16 GB DDR3 ECC 1866 MHz ok

DIMM2

16 GB DDR3 ECC 1866 MHz ok

DIMM3

16 GB DDR3 ECC 1866 MHz ok

DIMM4

16 GB DDR3 ECC 1866 MHz ok

Bluetooth: Good - Handoff/Airdrop2 supported

Wireless: en2: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

Video Information: ℹ️

AMD FirePro D300 - VRAM: 2048 MB

Thunderbolt Display 2560 x 1440

AMD FirePro D300 - VRAM: 2048 MB

System Software: ℹ️

OS X 10.10.2 (14C109) - Time since boot: 0:2:22

Disk Information: ℹ️

APPLE SSD SM0512F disk0 : (500.28 GB)

EFI (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 499.42 GB (295.45 GB free)

Recovery HD (disk0s3) <not mounted> [Recovery]: 650 MB

ST3000DM001-1ER166 disk1 : (3 TB)

EFI (disk1s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB

LaCie (disk1s2) /Volumes/LaCie : 3.00 TB (2.21 TB free)

USB Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. BRCM20702 Hub

Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller

M-Audio USB Axiom 49

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB

Syncrosoft eLicenser

Antelope Audio Zodiac+

Apple, Inc. Keyboard Hub

Apple Inc. Apple Keyboard

Logitech USB Receiver

iLok iLok

Apple Inc. Apple Thunderbolt Display

Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Display)

Apple Inc. Display Audio

Thunderbolt Information: ℹ️

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus_2

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus_1

Apple Inc. thunderbolt_bus_0

LaCie d2 TBT2 USB3

Apple Inc. Thunderbolt Display

Gatekeeper: ℹ️

Mac App Store and identified developers

Kernel Extensions: ℹ️

/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.caiaq.driver.NIUSBAudio4DJDriver (2.6.0 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.caiaq.driver.NIUSBHardwareDriver (2.6.0 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.caiaq.driver.NIUSBTraktorAudio2Driver (2.6.0 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.caiaq.driver.NIUSBTraktorKontrolS4Driver (2.6.0 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions

[not loaded] com.caiaq.driver.NIUSBAudio2DJDriver (2.4.23) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.caiaq.driver.NIUSBTraktorKontrolX1Driver (2.4.21) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.focusrite.driver.usb2audio (1.5 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.native-instruments.driver.NIUSBDeviceHelper (1.1.0 - SDK 10.7) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.master (5.9.1 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

/System/Library/Extensions/PACESupportFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns

[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.leopard (5.9.1 - SDK 10.4) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.panther (5.9.1 - SDK 10.-1) [Click for support]

[loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.snowleopard (5.9.1 - SDK 10.6) [Click for support]

[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.tiger (5.9.1 - SDK 10.4) [Click for support]

Launch Agents: ℹ️

[running] 9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperAgent.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] 9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperAgent.SL.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] 9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperSandbox.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] 9ZTHPRB4MV.com.soundradix.TTLWrapperSandbox.SL.plist [Click for support]

Launch Daemons: ℹ️

[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.audirvana.Audirvana-Plus.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]

[running] com.paceap.eden.licensed.plist [Click for support]

[loaded] PACESupport.plist [Click for support]

User Launch Agents: ℹ️

[running] com.spotify.webhelper.plist [Click for support]

User Login Items: ℹ️

iTunesHelper Application (/Applications/iTunes.app/Contents/MacOS/iTunesHelper.app)

NIHardwareAgent Application Hidden (/Library/Application Support/Native Instruments/Hardware/NIHardwareAgent.app)

Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️

Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 3.2.0.16 - SDK 10.8 [Click for support]

FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 16.0.0.305 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.7.3

Flash Player: Version: 16.0.0.305 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Default Browser: Version: 600 - SDK 10.10

SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.1 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Silverlight: Version: 5.1.20913.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]

Safari Extensions: ℹ️

Shopy mate

3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️

Flash Player [Click for support]

Flip4Mac WMV [Click for support]

Native Instruments USB Audio [Click for support]

Time Machine: ℹ️

Mobile backups: OFF

Auto backup: NO - Auto backup turned off

Volumes being backed up:

Destinations:

Seagate Expansion Drive [Local]

Total size: 0 B

Total number of backups: 0

Oldest backup: -

Last backup: -

Size of backup disk: Excellent

Backup size 0 B > (Disk size 0 B X 3)

Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️

131% Logic Pro X

42% 32 Lives Agent

15% WindowServer

1% coreaudiod

1% MIDIServer

Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️

962 MB Logic Pro X

137 MB mds_stores

69 MB storeinappd

69 MB mds

69 MB com.apple.WebKit.WebContent

Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️

60.72 GB Free RAM

3.24 GB Active RAM

1.06 GB Inactive RAM

3.68 GB Wired RAM

1.37 GB Page-ins

0 B Page-outs

Diagnostics Information: ℹ️

Feb 6, 2015, 05:18:10 PM Self test - passed

Feb 5, 2015, 05:39:38 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Logic Pro X_2015-02-05-173938_[redacted].crash

Feb 5, 2015, 04:01:08 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Logic Pro X_2015-02-05-160108_[redacted].crash

Feb 4, 2015, 02:56:05 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Zodiac Control Panel_2015-02-04-025605_[redacted].hang

Feb 4, 2015, 02:55:26 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Zodiac Control Panel_2015-02-04-025526_[redacted].hang

Feb 4, 2015, 02:54:36 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Zodiac Control Panel_2015-02-04-025436_[redacted].hang

Feb 4, 2015, 02:51:46 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Zodiac Control Panel_2015-02-04-025146_[redacted].hang

Feb 4, 2015, 02:51:07 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Zodiac Control Panel_2015-02-04-025107_[redacted].hang

Feb 4, 2015, 02:50:22 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Zodiac Control Panel_2015-02-04-025022_[redacted].hang

Feb 4, 2015, 02:26:56 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Logic Pro X_2015-02-04-022656_[redacted].crash

Feb 4, 2015, 02:02:23 AM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/cloudd_2015-02-04-020223_[reda cted].crash

Feb 4, 2015, 02:01:25 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Logic Pro X_2015-02-04-020125_[redacted].hang

Feb 4, 2015, 02:01:09 AM /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/Logic Pro X_2015-02-04-020109_[redacted].hang

Feb 3, 2015, 06:24:23 PM /Users/[redacted]/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/32 Lives Agent_2015-02-03-182423_[redacted].crash

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Answer 5

Feb 6, 2015 6:02 PM in response to Pleg910

Okay.. some quick observations while Im taking a break at the studio..

1) You have Audirvana-Plus running.. I would advise uninstalling it as it is actually an out of date version that could be interfering with performance... of your audio sub systems.. In reality, any of these so called Audio Enhancers are just glorifed EQ/Exciters and therefore imho, a waste of CPU resources 🙂

2) Your Zodiac CP is causing many hangs in the system,,,

3) 32Lives is also crashing on occasion so ensure you are using the latest version and also unwrap and re-wrap the 32bit plugins you are using with 32Lives...

4) As you noted... 32Lives is also using an inordinate amount of CPU resources in the report you posted up... (42% - 32 Lives Agent) No wonder Logic is struggling under those circumstances... I suspect that the issue, as has been reported here and elsewhere.. actually lies with Sylenth...Time to find a replacement synth plugin and yes, get rid of 32Lives if you can. I personally use the more expensive but much more versatile VEP5 to host 32bit plugins along with Windows VSTs etc.... (on a slaved Windows PC thats is) as well as my Play stuff because frankly the Windows VST versions of Play are more efficient and stable than any of the Mac versions...

I don't see anything else of real consquence that could be having an effect on audio/midi performance..but it's worth cleaning out stuff that you are not using.. Look through Etre and see what you are not using and trash it.. deal with the items listed above.. and then test and see what happens performance wise... running Etrecheck one more time afterwards to confirm the improvements and to ensure you truly did get rid of the extra stuff you wanted to remove from your system,

Btw,. really well spec'd Mac Pro system you got yourself for audio use. Good choice!!

Cheers..

Nigel

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