• SONAR
  • Sonar using mainly the first CPU thread? (p.3)
2017/03/17 20:51:32
phil5633
I've turned on the Plugin Load Balancing and all 8 threads of my existing i7 920 seem to be used to some extent. But I'm currently selecting components for a new computer with an i7 processor that will have 12-20 threads. Is there a limit to the number of threads that SONAR can use? 
 
Bill
2017/03/17 20:59:48
chuckebaby
phil5633
I've turned on the Plugin Load Balancing and all 8 threads of my existing i7 920 seem to be used to some extent. But I'm currently selecting components for a new computer with an i7 processor that will have 12-20 threads. Is there a limit to the number of threads that SONAR can use? 
 
Bill


It must be "bump old thread Friday"
I could be wrong but I believe it is 12. Ideally, you want fast clock-speed and more cores.
You really don't want to sacrifice one for the other. Also keep in mind the difference between physical cores and virtual
Example: 8 physical/16 virtual
2017/03/17 22:45:43
phil5633
 
chuckebaby
It must be "bump old thread Friday"
I could be wrong but I believe it is 12. Ideally, you want fast clock-speed and more cores.
You really don't want to sacrifice one for the other. Also keep in mind the difference between physical cores and virtual
Example: 8 physical/16 virtual



Thanks Chuck. Right now I'm leaning toward the i7-6850 which has 6 cores and 12 threads. So 12 would work for me.
Sorry for bumping an old thread. It's the only one I could find on the subject of SONAR's multi-core support.
2017/03/18 03:17:02
robert_e_bone
Since we are bumped and all - just thought I would mention that in addition to making sure cores aren't parked, you will also want to go into Preferences>Audio>Configuration File and edit the parameter ThreadSchedulingModel, and set it to a value of 2, which will improve Sonar performance for multi-core processors.
 
Bob Bone
 
2017/03/18 03:38:54
Billy86
AnttiSuonio
CPU meter looks like this.



I've been using the free version of this, and it's made a huge difference getting all my cores in the game, spreading the load. https://bitsum.com/parkcontrol/
2017/03/18 03:43:38
Billy86
davec69
Download "Park Control Free" to see if your CPU cores are all available and unparked.  The software has profiles that can boost CPU performance by ensuring that all of you CPU cores are available to running applications.
https://bitsum.com/parkcontrol/
 
This in addition to what "muzdol" mentioned above, worked for me.  
 
Glad to hear about the upcoming plugin load balancing feature.   Sounds very cool.


+1. Has worked great for me.
2017/03/18 03:48:39
gswitz
It depends a lot on what is causing the issue.
 
For example, if you load up Rapture and turn the voices way up it is possible to do this to the first processor.
 
For me, this is the only thing I do that causes the first processor to run too hot.
2017/03/18 11:17:53
Bhav
One thing thats funny about this is that over a decade ago now when I was at uni, just about everyone in music including the lecturers were mad about more cores, and particularly for pro tools. I was pretty much thinking in the back of mind 'none of these nubs have probably even checked their CPU utilization or ran a single PC benchmark  on their 2 grand  + web browsing machines. And not only for music production, but a lot of other productivity tasks, people would focus on maxing out their cores. I followed a thread online where loads of users were buying dual CPU 8 core workstation macs for over 5 grand, with no idea why they actually needed that many cores other than the 'moar cores' mentality. Even today, very little software makes much use of more than 4 cores, the only reason where something like my current hex core comes into use is multitasking, or for me really only when using real time video game recording software, and then compressing the videos. The thing in my sig literally only exists because Im also a PC enthusiast and I want the best stuff, though Im skipping 1080 Tis and waiting for Volta GPUs later this year or next year.
 
I also have a minimum spec under £300 secondary back up system for when my main one breaks down using just a dual core pentium. Other than for gaming, it has no issue with simple every day use for the rest of my family, and actually boots up and browses the net faster because theres nothing else running in the background and no apps or anything that it needs to be clogged up with. It even runs my library of simple indie games on steam when something's broken in my main PC. Most people who buy general use home computers and dont even play AAA or demanding video games waste so much money when they buy anything more than an <£50 Intel dual core (also AMD CPUs in the <£100 price range are terribly slow even with 4 cores, and are only worthwhile for the superior integrated graphics if you plan on playing anything more than 2D indie games).
2017/03/18 17:38:17
phil5633
Bhav, I notice you have a i7 6850K which is the processor I plan to use in the PC I'm preparing to build. How is it working for you with SONAR? Do you have Plugin Load Balancing turned on in SONAR? Are your SONAR projects significantly loading your CPU's 12 threads? How much memory are you using? I'm planning on either 32 or 64 GB.
 
2017/03/18 17:51:55
phil5633
robert_e_bone
..... you will also want to go into Preferences>Audio>Configuration File and edit the parameter ThreadSchedulingModel, and set it to a value of 2, which will improve Sonar performance for multi-core processors.
 
Bob Bone
 

 
Bob, what does changing the ThreadSchedulingModel for 1 to 2 do?
 
Billy86
AnttiSuonio
CPU meter looks like this.


I've been using the free version of this, and it's made a huge difference getting all my cores in the game, spreading the load. https://bitsum.com/parkcontrol/



Billy86 now that Plugin Load Balancing is available in SONAR, is ParkControl still needed? If yes, what does it do that enabling the Multi-Processor Engine and Plugin Load Balancing do?
 
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