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  4. Issue with many VE Pro instances connected in Logic Pro X

  • Issue with many VE Pro instances connected in Logic Pro X

    M
    M

    Issue: Cracks, pops and latency issues with recording and playback in Logic Pro X

    Setup:

    Mac Pro 1 with 2 dual core Xeon processors (2.66Ghz), 32GB RAM and running El Capitan. Software is VE Pro 5 and Kontakt 5. Sample libraries are VSL Special Edition and SE Plus, various Kontakt libraries (LASS, Symphobia, Cinebrass, Albion, Spitfire, etc.). All samples are loaded on SSD drive.

    Mac Pro 2 with 2 quad core Xeon processors (2.26Ghz), 48GB RAM and running El Capitan. Software is Logic Pro X (ver.10.2.4), VE Pro 5, Kontakt 5 and Play 5. Samples libraries are various East West, EZ Drummer, Trilian, Omnisphere, 8dio, Sonokinetic, Sample Modeling, and many various other Kontakt libraries. Half of samples are on an SSD and other half are on SATA 7200rpm drive

    Mac Pro 1 has one VE Pro 64-bit Metaframe and 23 instances. VE Pro is setup for 1 thread per instance. Kontakt has memory server off. 

    Mac Pro 2 has one VE Pro 64-bit Metaframe and only 1 instance (so far). It's East West instruments running from SSD. I haven't added more since running into issues. Kontakt has memory server off and VE Pro is setup for 1 thread per instance.

    Logic Pro X has 24 multitimbral instruments setup so far. Each multitimbral ranges from 8 to 16 MIDI channels. Buffer set to 512. I'm using the default 2 buffer setting in the VEP plugin. Macs are connected via Ethernet through a gigabit switch. I can play all instruments just fine. When I start recording on any track that is connected to VI's on Mac Pro 1, there is significant delay in instrument playing and it's distorted with clicks and pops. Playback of the recorded track has same issue.

    Things I've done so far:

    Turning off Kontakt memory server, removing items from database and enabling preload in Kontakt and setting to 30kb allows 16 VE Pro plugins to be enabled in Kontakt. This is only with buffer set to 512. If I reduce buffer in Logic then I can only have 10 or 11 VEP plugins enabled. If I increase LPX buffer I can have more. Also, I can record/playback any of the East West instruments loaded on Mac Pro 2 throught the single VEP instance without any issues. My fear is if I connect to too many instances on Mac Pro 2 I will run into the same issue.

    I messed with buffer settings for each VEP plugin and no change.

    I tried connecting the Macs together via Ethernet and manually set IP addresses so they connect directly to each other and bypassing the switch.

    I tried demo of VE Pro 6 and same issue

    I don't see any CPU/RAM issues on either Mac. No spikes in CPU and still almost 8GB free of physical RAM on Mac Pro 1. Barely using RAM on Mac Pro 2.

    I've searached online for solutions and can't find anything.

    I originally tried creating a template using the VEP multiport template but got confused in the setup and I think I may run into the 256 Aux track limit in LPX. I'm creating a very large template. I'm open to using the multiport template if anyone has a good way of utilizing it.
  • R
    R

    When you get the pops, crackels you stop your Mac and go in Activity Monitor of both Mac and do a screen copy of the Memory page
  • M
    M

    Okay I've done that and attached screen shot showing both Mac's. One on the left is Mac Pro 1 and right is Mac Pro 2.

    Image
  • A
    A

    Wel I don't know what is happening but you are using an older version of the OS and an older version of VE Pro.

    The only way I know to troubleshoot it is to start smaller and test, then add things and test again, and see where you hit the tipping point.
  • M
    M

    I tried VE Pro 6 and same exact issue. Unfortunately I can't upgrade past El Capitan on either machine. One is because it won't support it and the other is because I have things that will break if I go higher on OS.

    It appears it relates to the buffer setting in LPX and how many VEPro plugins are enabled. If I use 256 buffer I can have about 10/11 VEPro plugins enabled and not have an issue. If I move to 512 buffer about 16 plugins can be enabled. Buffer of 1024 I get probably 19/20 I can enable. Also it only affects ones connected to on the slave Mac. I can keep the VEPro plugin enabled on the main Mac and can record/playback just fine on that one even with all the VEPro plugins enabled that are connected to the slave Mac.

    Not sure why the buffer size is affecting how many VEPro plugins can be connected to that slave Mac.

    The reason I put this on the forum is so I don't continue building my template and waste time if I need to do it another way to avoid this issue.
  • A
    A

    The only thing I was doing similar was running the entire EW Hollywood Orchestra in VE Pro from SSDs on a slave PC with Kontakt stuff in VE Pro on my iMac from SSDs and the restdirectly  in Logic and it worked just great.
  • M
    M

    I sent my thread to VSL support to see if they have any thoughts. My samples are running off SSD. I'm thinking there is a limit to how many VEP instances you can connect to either in general, or based off hardware configuration. 

    I'm afraid I may need to use the multiport template and figure out best way to setup for my purposes.
  • A
    A

    I think I had 46 on my slave PC and about 30 on my iMac.
  • R
    R
    last edited
    last edited

    @mbreidegam said:

    Okay I've done that and attached screen shot showing both Mac's. One on the left is Mac Pro 1 and right is Mac Pro 2.

    I have look at VM ;  is at 0 so this is fine

    What is the value of the pre-load buffer in VSL ?

    What I will try is to ofload MP 1 and put more things on MP 2

    Are you using MIR ?

    How do you send back the audio to MP 1 ? how many audio ?

    Does your MP have a dougle internet connection, if yes use both ? turn off WIFI

    I will also move all the samples on SSD.

    To find out the kulprit I will to a first trial only using VSL instrument

    Then I will add Kontakt and so on

    A good idea is to have Kontakt and other out of VEPRO on MP 2