question regarding Macs.

[dematrix666]

I have an iMAC that im using with Cubase4 and an interface for recording.
Just lately ive been getting an audio dropout message coming on the screen.

Ive posted this question too many times and never ever got a response, though i havent posted here about it.

if someone wants to help me out with the above that'd be great, if not though then i will just ask these questions.

I just installed 2x2 gig ram sticks into the iMac so i got 4 gig ram now, should i be having any issues trying to record on 256 or 384 buffer settings with audio dropout meesages??

also, with regard to the installation of the new ram, do i just put it in there? do i need to do anything in the mac software?
I think this all may have started after the ne ram went in.

hope someone has some idea.
cheers
Deon.

[paul999]

I run an I mac and cubase studio 4. I get drop outs sometimes but it is always the disk not the cpu. Have you monitored the performance window as the song is playing? Increasing buffer sizes as big as you can will help some. You may need to start committing and converting tracks into being finished audio. As in printing the track with comp, fx, and eq.

[dematrix666]

yeah freezing would be a good option, dint think of that.
My main concern is really finding out if i am expecting too much with those buffers settings or if somethings a miss with my Mac atm.

can i ask what your buffs are at while recording? and how many tracks and fx roughly do you have going on while this is happening?

cheers.

[paul999]

I'll check and let you know in the morning.

[dematrix666]

great thanks mate.

[brandondrury]

What is your CPU usage at the various buffer settings?

I'm not a Mac guy, but I'd assume the idea of a computer complaining when it is overworked is universal.

What audio interface are you using?

Brandon

[paul999]

In the Vst Audio system I set the Audio priority to boost. I don't actually see the buffer size setting like I used to have in my old PC. It gives me an input latency of 12.245 ms and Output latency of 9.796 ms Disk preload is set to 6 seconds.

The reason I run an Imac is because I use a lot of hardware. I re-record my tracks after my out board gear processing. I do use cubase eq, some drumagog, and gates. Probably 15 eq, 5 drumagog max, 15 gates max. After all the out board processing I can have up wards of 130 tracks. If I get glitching I will save to a new song and get rid of raw tracks that I know i am done with.

Hope this helps.

[garageband]

Are you using a second hard drive to record to? Recording to the system drive on a Mac will make for a very unhappy and ill-performing machine.

[paul999]

Originally Posted by garageband

Are you using a second hard drive to record to? Recording to the system drive on a Mac will make for a very unhappy and ill-performing machine.

Good point GB. Is there a way to set the specific buffer size as with PC?

[garageband]

There is within the DAW. Something to the effect of "Hardware Driver" settings.