Same Old Asio Spike - Related to Cubase Effects?

[Chadfish]

Hi I've been searching the forum, but no solutions for me.

8 Core Mac Pro / 9 gigs of RAM, Tiger, MOTU Traveler (Firewire Interface), Standard Cubase Prefrences, Airport disengaged, Latest version of Cubase and Tiger.

I have the infamous ASIO Spike happening. It will not stop. I have a simple project with 3 audio tracks, 2 Group Tracks. The group tracks each have the Cubase De-Esser, and Cubase Compressor.

Problem
Spiking like a champ. BUT: When I turn off the effects the spiking goes away. Great for recording. BUT: When I need to mix the spiking is back as son as I turn the effects back on.

I have read all I can stand in the forums, and I'm hoping some kind soul has a solution before I go the customer support rout. I'll be glad to answer any other questions that ill help. It seems to be the effects...

Thanks

Chadfish
_________________
8 Core Mac Pro
9 GB 667 Mhz DDR2 FB-DIMM
MOTU Traveler Firewire Interface
Mac OX 10.4.11 Tiger
Cubase 4.5 / Groove Agent 3
JBL LSR4300 Monitors

[Chadfish]

Has anyone even had a similar problem with the Cubase effects causing an ASIO spike?

Has anyone ever fixed their ASIO spike problem?

Has Steinberg support ever addressed ASIO spikes? Moderators?

Someone throw e a bone please. All the threads I've read never resolved the problem.

Thank you.

Chad
_________________
8 Core Mac Pro
9 GB 667 Mhz DDR2 FB-DIMM
MOTU Traveler Firewire Interface
Mac OX 10.4.11 Tiger
Cubase 4.5 / Groove Agent 3
JBL LSR4300 Monitors

[sunshrined]

are you up to date with your cubase version 4.5.2? and are you using any ppc vsti's or pluggins? if no to first and yes to the second then update your c4 and remove the ppc plugs from use in the project and find out if the problem goes away.

my spiking was eliminated on my mbpro as soon as i dropped all ppc plugs requiring vst bridge. 4.5.2 has been utlrasolid for me. never crashes - the only issue i have had is the meters disappearing after extended use, requiring a restart.


if these are both fine then what latency are you running and are you running with multiprocessor selected in the devices setup? try increasing latency or deselecting multiprocessor if you need to run at low latencies.
_________________
macbook pro 2.5, 2 gig ram, osx 10.5.8 - mac pro 2.8 octoxeon/ 10 gig ram, 10.5.6, ati radeon 2600 dual monitor, c4.5.2, sx3.1, fireface 800, mtp av,fs1r,ex5, zebra 2.3, waves SCC 6.05, peak pro 6.1.1, usb trigger finger

[Chadfish]

Hi Sunshrined

• Yes I'm running 4.5.2
• I am only running the effects that come with cubase: compressor, deEsser, reverb, delay
What are "ppc plugs"?

• Latency set to 256. Longer/shorter changes nothing.

• I'll check out multicore use, (((((UPDATE I did check it out. On or Off I still get the spike))))))))))

Thanks for responding.

Chadfish
_________________
8 Core Mac Pro
9 GB 667 Mhz DDR2 FB-DIMM
MOTU Traveler Firewire Interface
Mac OX 10.4.11 Tiger
Cubase 4.5 / Groove Agent 3
JBL LSR4300 Monitors

[Fitz]

Try this -

Load up the Network System Preference.

Delete all network interfaces that you do not use. (Simply click them and then click the minus).

Try again.
_________________
--
MP2.8OSX10.5.8/8G/828MkII/PoCo/Duende/CC121/C5.5/Other stuff

[Chadfish]

Hi Fritz

I don't see any check boxes to select in Network Prefs. I have my Ethernet going for my internet, and another Ethernet for my JBL LSR4300 speakers, Bluetooth for my keyboard. ????

Can you specifically walk me to the dialog you are speaking about?

Thanks

Chadfish
_________________
8 Core Mac Pro
9 GB 667 Mhz DDR2 FB-DIMM
MOTU Traveler Firewire Interface
Mac OX 10.4.11 Tiger
Cubase 4.5 / Groove Agent 3
JBL LSR4300 Monitors

[Fitz]

System Preferences > Network >

You are using Tiger and I think it's a little different than Leopard (getting hard to remember) but basically you will have a list of interfaces that you can edit somehow. In Leopard they are presented in a list down the left of the Network preference pane. I think Tiger has the system where you choose the interface from the drop down menu. You will have to choose something like 'show all interfaces' and you will get a list below a bit like this -
http://www.applelinks.com/news/gifs/cr2ns.jpg

Delete all that you are not using (i.e. Firewire, bluetooth, etc). Deleting Bluetooth from here doesn't stop Bluetooth or Firewire from working, it just unbinds the TCP/IP stack from those interfaces.

In my tests I found that this resolves the ASIO spikes when using older PPC plugins invoked by the VST Bridge as to use the old plugins Cubase basically loads up a PPC VST host and communicates with it over an internal TCP/IP network.

This might not fix your problem but it also won't do any harm.
_________________
--
MP2.8OSX10.5.8/8G/828MkII/PoCo/Duende/CC121/C5.5/Other stuff

[Chadfish]

Fitz

FYI: I do have a PC networked with my Mac. Though I think it happens with or without the PC turned on.

Preferences
All I have on that Network dialog you have pictured is "Built-in Ethernet 1". There is no toggle to turn it off. If I do turn it off will it cut my internet?

Also you mention "older PPC plugins invoked by the VST Bridge". What are "PPC" plugins. Right now I have the stock plugins that came with Cubase4. I'm using "Vintage Compressor" and "DeEsser" in a group channel, and "RoomWorks SE" in the FX 1 Send.

Question: Do you think if I stopped using all the stock plugs, and went 3rd party, like Waves Diamond, this issue would resolve? The problem does stop when I turn off all the plugs.

Thanks

Chadfish
_________________
8 Core Mac Pro
9 GB 667 Mhz DDR2 FB-DIMM
MOTU Traveler Firewire Interface
Mac OX 10.4.11 Tiger
Cubase 4.5 / Groove Agent 3
JBL LSR4300 Monitors

[Fitz]

[ossomepossum]

From my experience the cubase deesser is a total hog and always causes spikes. For some reason I can't process the effect either (doesn't show up in the plugin menu) so it's basically a waste. I've tried asking about this before but didn't get much help as it seems that everybody uses third party deessers.

You could change your buffer size to 512, and disk preload to 6 seconds (when mixing) in the device menu.

Good luck!
_________________
Cubase 4.52, Macbook Pro 2.4ghz 10.5.4, 4 GB RAM, Audiophile USB, Mackie 1604 VZL PRO, Reason 3.05, Grand 2, HSO.

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man."
-George Bernard Shaw

www.myspace.com/ripcitymusic
www.myspace.com/kameronjohnsonmusic

[Chadfish]

Thanks Fitz and ossomepossum...

Last night I did find that the man culprit was the DeEsser. Either of the available ones caused the ASIO spike. Fitz, I will study your last post more later, as I am laying down vocals right now. It's really lame that Steingerg let this slide. Now I have to buy a whole plugin package just to get a DeEsser. Oh well, the Cubase plugs are pretty bare bones anyway.

Question:

Do 3rd party plugins like Waves require VST Bridge to run on MacPro?

I don't want to invest only to find that the problem is still happening. God I'm toying with the idea of going Logic8 if this *klonk* holds me up. Though Logic8 can't run VST - even with fxpansion, a VST to AU adapter. fxpansion does not support Logic8.
_________________
8 Core Mac Pro
9 GB 667 Mhz DDR2 FB-DIMM
MOTU Traveler Firewire Interface
Mac OX 10.4.11 Tiger
Cubase 4.5 / Groove Agent 3
JBL LSR4300 Monitors

[Fitz]