System Overload problem

Hi all,

 

I have recently bought Logic for my iMac but I am encountering system overload issue's once I start to get around 6-8 tracks on the go. I have followed the in program advice and increased the buffer size to reduce the risk but I am still getting the issue. I have an iMac 21.5" with the following spec:

 

2.3GHz dual-core 7th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz

8GB 2133MHz DDR4

1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm

Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640

 

Before purchasing the software I checked the required specs and found that my unit exceeded this slightly so assumed it would be ok. My question really is what would you guys (and girls!) recommend as a minimum spec to prevent the system overload issue's? I think my ram can be increased, but because of my specific model of iMac it is a costly process to have done via Apple as the ram slots are deep within the unit. I'm considering (and believing to be my only option) trading in my iMac but want to make sure I get the right spec before taking the plunge.

 

Any support/advice greatly received and thanks in advance!

 

Rob

A drive speed of 5400 is certainly a red flag, given that pretty much everyone around you has switched to SSD already. To verify this, you should not be able to get significantly better performance by freezing tracks, as the drive throughput is the limiting factor.

 

Then, a dual core 2.3 processor can only do so much.

 

Also, 8GB RAM is not exactly luxurious.

 

You can check how this all balances out by performing tests in separate projects. Make sure you have the transport window set to custom, then you'll see a CPU/Disk meter

 

1. Create one track with Sculpture synth, and keep adding Chromaverb reverbs until it chokes. This only uses processor.

2. Create an audio track with a long audio Region with no plugins. Keep adding tracks until it chokes. This only uses disk.

Thanks for your reply.

 

My understanding then is that essentially my iMac is not really sufficient despite meeting/exceeding the minimum spec requirements. Obviously getting the top spec iMac with max upgrades (I'm assuming) would suffice without the overload issue but is there somewhere in between my spec and the top spec that would suffice? Just want to save the pennies as much as possible if I can!

is there somewhere in between my spec and the top spec that would suffice?

 

How much are you willing to spend?

Does it have to be iMac?

You definitely should be seeing more tracks assuming you aren’t using super heavy plugins. How full is your hard drive?

is there somewhere in between my spec and the top spec that would suffice?

 

How much are you willing to spend?

Does it have to be iMac?

 

 

Tbh no, but I prefer having a desktop computer as I'm not likely to travel about whilst trying to produce. I may be swayed if MacBook is a better alternative but aren't the screens limited to 15/16"?

 

Don't want to spend an excessive amount really, maybe up to £2k

You definitely should be seeing more tracks assuming you aren’t using super heavy plugins. How full is your hard drive?

 

 

I've made a couple of projects using an external sampler called arcade which seems to be superheavy on consumption but I only had that as a trial and doesn't seem worth a monthly subscription to me. I don't know much about RAM or CPU usage and what causes it to be used so heavily but I have only been using the sound banks that came as standard with Logic Pro X. I use a memory monitor app from the App Store that has a quick clean function on it and with no apps open the iMac idles at just under 4gb. When running logic it drops to 2gb and then almost down to 0gb once I start laying tracks down in a project. I assumed being an apple product and that my iMac met the minimum requirements, and also advice from an in-store advisor, that I would not suffer any issues like this but clearly I was mis-lead!

 

Hard drive is just under 50% used

I prefer having a desktop computer

 

What about a Mac Mini?

Ideally you'd want the 6-core CPU, 16 gigs of Ram and a 512 SSD drive. That's 1300 bucks plus tax here in the US.

And you would need a monitor as well.

 

A comparable 21-inch iMac would cost 2200 bucks plus tax.

Ditch the App Store memory monitor/clean up utility Most of them are more trouble than they are help.

Use Logic’s monitor and the Console instead.

Do these show what is choking your system ie HD access or CPU. Do you have any other programs running at the time this happens?

How much free space do you have on the hard drive and what is it formatted as (eg as APFS or Mac Extended) ?

Get an SSD - if you use a USB3 SATA SSD drive for your projects you should be far better off. It's a complete shame that there are spinning hard disk Macs out there. No chance of getting any real work done in Logic (or many other applications) if you have to use an HDD.

I don't know much about RAM or CPU usage

 

Click on the Logic CPU meter in the transport display to see which one is peaking.

Hi, yeah, having the same issues, especially since adding the Neural DSP plugins. Here's my current rig:

 

2018 MacBook Pro

(running Catalina 10.15.7)

2.8 GHz core i7

16GB 1600 MHz DDR3

1TB SSD with 43 GB free space

 

Probably not ideal either, for this day and age. WDYT?

Erm - what issues exactly ? And your computer is in perfectly good shape to run lots of stuff - except the disk is nearly full.

 

For context, I'm routinely recording whole multitracked reharsals and performances (if and when Covid allows) with 16 tracks recording, 5 independent FoH- and in-ear mixes, moderate sample usage and lots of plugins for a full mix. On a 2012 Macbook Pro.

Yeah. Four guitar tracks (w amp modeler, pedalboard effects and Neural DSP plugins) two keys tracks (using Arturia Lab plugin), full drumset. All tracks with Chromaverb and channel EQ. Have to set low latency every time and even then still getting clicks and pops. Wonder if maybe I’m also making a rookie workflow mistake.

I guess so. If you have a ChromaVerb (which is the most CPU-intensive plugin in Logic) on each track, that's a clear sign. Use Sends from all Channels to just one ChromaVerb instead. Also, if you're tracking at 192kHz with 32 samples buffer, then that's not exactly nice on your CPU either.

Ah, see. Yup. rookie workflow mistake. I've read (watched YouTube videos) about using sends. Only touched on it a bit. Thanks for the info!

Ah, see. Yup. rookie workflow mistake. I've read (watched YouTube videos) about using sends. Only touched on it a bit. Thanks for the info!

 

 

You have GOT to clear off some disk space, having less than 20% free is bad, having 10% free is very very bad. You have 4%. You risk having a serious OS issue when it gets that low.

You have GOT to clear off some disk space, having less than 20% free is bad, having 10% free is very very bad. You have 4%. You risk having a serious OS issue when it gets that low.

 

Source for this? He's got 40+GB free, it should be fine. In my experience, the system performance only starts to be negatively impacted is when you get down to about 10GB free space, which is definitely too low. I'm almost permanently running with somewhere around 20+GB free space. Performance is fine.

Yeah. Amateur photographer as well, plus video editing for the band too. Gotta purge for sure.