KVR Audio

Barmaleus · Post by **Barmaleus** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 8:47 pm

@andy4trance

Thanks a lot for the details!

We've analyzed the limited feedback where customers had complaints of Spark's poor performance.

We've noticed 4 main things:
1. Hyper-threading (if your CPU has it) must be enabled as well as all cores must be enabled on the processor. Spark relies on using all the CPU cores to spread out the load. If, for some reason, you turned off any of the available cores, please turn them on.
2. Your DAW should not run in a compatibility mode. We noticed a user was running Reaper in a Windows Vista compatibility mode and it drastically decreased Spark's performance.
3. Your DAW settings need to be configured to use all the CPU cores your machine has.
4. (I am sorry, but seems it is your case, andy4trance) It looks like processors with 2 cores and 2 threads are having a hard time running Spark and there is no cure to this. I know it may sound harsh, but this is a sign of these processors getting old. They are not fast enough to seamlessly run Spark even at low settings. And yes, U530 does require less CPU than Spark.

With that said, potential things to try:
1. Hopefully, your OS is 64 bit (if not, disregard this point). If you are running your DAW and plugins at 32 bit, please try to run your DAW and Spark at 64 bits. There should be better performance.
2. Try different DAW and see if the result is different.

Apart from that, we do want to optimize Spark further.

Pädy · Post by **Pädy** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 8:59 pm

Like I said earlier in this thread. I'm running Spark on a brand new iMac and I also get the occasional CPU spike and therefore drop-out - plus over all a big CPU load compared to any other amp sim, that seems to jump up and down quite erratically.

Specs: iMac 5K, 3.3 GHz i5, 24 GB RAM, 2 TB Fusion Drive, AMD R9 M395 2048 MB, OS X 10.11.6
Running latest Logic Pro X

jinotsuh · Post by **jinotsuh** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 9:20 pm

Spark is running fine for me in Studio One 3, Sonar Platinum (don't know if i have run it in REAPER yet), the only 'issue' I have had is a slight crackling sound when moving some dials, apart from that i runs fine, can't say I find it a CPU hog, if I push the OS to 8x or full it gets a little heavy but is still fine, at 2x OS it's a dream, as good or better than others in my extensive collection of amp sims with regards to performance/CPU usage. As to the sound and feel, well it's better than most, and right up there with the best.

My opinion of course, but that's the only opinion that matters to me

Spark could really use some preset management, otherwise . . . Spark

Windows 10 Pro 64bit
Intel i7 4790 @3.6 GHz
32 GB Ram
M-Audio Delta 1010

Barmaleus · Post by **Barmaleus** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 9:42 pm

Pädy wrote:Like I said earlier in this thread. I'm running Spark on a brand new iMac and I also get the occasional CPU spike and therefore drop-out - plus over all a big CPU load compared to any other amp sim, that seems to jump up and down quite erratically.

Specs: iMac 5K, 3.3 GHz i5, 24 GB RAM, 2 TB Fusion Drive, AMD R9 M395 2048 MB, OS X 10.11.6
Running latest Logic Pro X

This case is not common. We have not seen complaints from Mac people yet.
Kindly contact our support so the case can be investigated separately: https://mercuriall.com/cms/contact

@jinotsuh
Thank you for your support and kind words!

incubus · Post by **incubus** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 1:08 am

jinotsuh wrote:Spark is running fine for me in Studio One 3, Sonar Platinum (don't know if i have run it in REAPER yet), the only 'issue' I have had is a slight crackling sound when moving some dials, apart from that i runs fine, can't say I find it a CPU hog, if I push the OS to 8x or full it gets a little heavy but is still fine, at 2x OS it's a dream, as good or better than others in my extensive collection of amp sims with regards to performance/CPU usage. As to the sound and feel, well it's better than most, and right up there with the best.

My opinion of course, but that's the only opinion that matters to me

Spark could really use some preset management, otherwise . . . Spark

Windows 10 Pro 64bit
Intel i7 4790 @3.6 GHz
32 GB Ram
M-Audio Delta 1010

I too have noticed the dials crackling.

Barmaleus · Post by **Barmaleus** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 9:34 am

The crackling dials is something we are aware of, thank you for confirming this issue!
We are working on this!

andy4trance · Post by **andy4trance** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 12:34 pm

[quote="Barmaleus"]@andy4trance

Thanks a lot for the details!

We've analyzed the limited feedback where customers had complaints of Spark's poor performance.

We've noticed 4 main things:
1. Hyper-threading (if your CPU has it) must be enabled as well as all cores must be enabled on the processor. Spark relies on using all the CPU cores to spread out the load. If, for some reason, you turned off any of the available cores, please turn them on.
2. Your DAW should not run in a compatibility mode. We noticed a user was running Reaper in a Windows Vista compatibility mode and it drastically decreased Spark's performance.
3. Your DAW settings need to be configured to use all the CPU cores your machine has.
4. (I am sorry, but seems it is your case, andy4trance) It looks like processors with 2 cores and 2 threads are having a hard time running Spark and there is no cure to this. I know it may sound harsh, but this is a sign of these processors getting old. They are not fast enough to seamlessly run Spark even at low settings. And yes, U530 does require less CPU than Spark.

With that said, potential things to try:
1. Hopefully, your OS is 64 bit (if not, disregard this point). If you are running your DAW and plugins at 32 bit, please try to run your DAW and Spark at 64 bits. There should be better performance.
2. Try different DAW and see if the result is different.

Apart from that, we do want to optimize Spark further.[/quote]

Thanks for the response. The argument with the CPU quality is something I can't debate, but unless a significant part of the current vsts on the market kneel my CPU, the most plausible conclusion is that Spark has some room for optimisation.
I'm not saying this to ditch Mercuriall, I'm a happy U530 user.
Thanks.

Barmaleus · Post by **Barmaleus** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 1:16 pm

@andy4trance
We do plan to optimize, especially 32 bit versions of Spark.
Btw, are you using 32 or 64 bit plugin?

rasmusklump · Post by **rasmusklump** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 1:31 pm

OK: so for cubase I have to disable HT and for you Plugin I have to enable it ?
Does anybody else see a problem herin ?

andy4trance · Post by **andy4trance** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 2:12 pm

I'm using the 64bit one, didn't try the 32.

And another thing, the demo's dropout is one of the most annoying. If this was the intention, it's a success. :)The fades are too slow and the overall dropouts too long. The most fair approach is Kazrog's(like Reaper) but if one thinks it's too much, Revalver4 is also a great example of how not to be ofensive with the demo.
It's understandable Mercuriall couldn't go the generous path of U530free for a demo, so that people hear the bigger variety of sounds of Spark, but there are better ways imo.

Barmaleus · Post by **Barmaleus** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 2:22 pm

rasmusklump wrote:OK: so for cubase I have to disable HT and for you Plugin I have to enable it ?
Does anybody else see a problem herin ?

That suggestion was for people having hard time with running Spark smoothly, to try out different things and see if the issue remains the same.
If Spark is running fine on your system, no need to mess with any settings.

@andy4trance
The dropouts are part of the Demo limitations. I'll check if we can make those faster and shorter.

ShawnMH · Post by **ShawnMH** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 6:45 pm

1. Windows 10 Home

2. Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6820HK CPU @2.70 GHz (OC'd to 3.70 GHz, by use of MSI settings/stable)

3. 32Gb, 91% free (with 2 tabs of Edge browser and Task Manager Performance Monitor open to write this)

4. 3% (with 2 tabs of Edge browser and Task Manager Performance Monitor open to write this)

5. Zoom UAC-2 USB3.0 - 24bit/96 samples @ 44100Hz

6. SSD - Samsung 950 Pro NVMe 500GB

7. Kaspersky Internet Security 16.0.0.614(h) always on, never any issues with this. One Drive is running as well.

8. (a) 5 - 6% CPU, and 89% free (of 32GB) Memory with empty Cubase Pro 8.5 open (with 2 tabs of Edge browser and Task Manager Performance Monitor open to write this)
(b) With Spark open to Default preset:
-> on "NO": CPU = 19 - 20%, 88% free memory
-> on "X2": CPU = 19 - 20%, 88% free memory
-> on "X4": CPU = 22 - 24%, 88% free memory
-> on "X8": CPU = 28 - 30%, 88% free memory

9. all Spark oversampling settings tried and viewed (as above, in number 8.^) - using the Default Spark preset.

10. I had not been able to hear any difference in noise gate settings (on/off/or any settings otherwise). I have since figured out the noise gate does not work at all with my Fernandes Revolver which has EMG/Fernandes Sustainer pickups. Using a stock Fender Strat, it appears to work correctly. I do not have any issue using other noise gates (Waves GTR 3.5 for example) with the Fernandes though.

11. Cubase's VST Performance Monitor with ASIO Guard turned on medium setting:
**All on "Default" preset, Edge browser with 2 tabs and Performance Monitor running. These readings are very close to same as Cubase and Spark running alone.**
-> on "NO": Avg Load = 12 - 15% Real-time Peak = 22 - 30%
-> on "X2": Avg Load = 14 - 16% Real-time Peak = 25 - 35%
-> on "X4": Avg Load = 22 - 25% Real-time Peak = 38 - 48%
-> on "X8": Avg Load = 38 - 40% Real-time Peak = 60 - 65% with spikes from 85 to 100%

I have noticed some noises while adjusting things as well, just stating this to confirm what others have noticed, it doesn't actually bother me.

Wifi on or off had near un-noticeable difference in any of this.

12. - I have NVidia GTX 970M with 3GB running currently, Previously had on-board Intel HD graphics switched on. No notable difference in either.

-LatencyMon shows stellar results for this machine (MSI GT72) as always.

-Hyper-threading is turned on, and all DAW power configurations and optimizations are correctly set.

-64 bit Cubase, 64 bit Spark

andy4trance · Post by **andy4trance** » Mon Dec 26, 2016 11:09 pm

^ if that processor is pushed to 20%(how many, 4-6 cores?), with no oversampling, my 10 years old dual core it's not too shabby at 40%

For me the noise gate starts kicking in past level eight on the Treshold knob, and hysteresis on 0 or close to it. Release seems to work fine.
But unless the treshold is above 8 , it doesn't do much indeed. I got passive pickups, not sure if this has any impact on the gate behavior.

incubus · Post by **incubus** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 7:06 am

Like I said, I noticed nothing discernible with CPU, gave my specs already.

@faster/shorter for demo: Not faster, but longer/shorter.

Barmaleus · Post by **Barmaleus** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 3:32 pm

@ShawnMH
This is interesting. I am running a relatively similar system (i7 2600, 16gb ram, SSD, nVidia 970; desktop, though) and my results are quite different. I wonder if you could do a similar screenshot from the Resource monitor > CPU tab? Run it for 1-2 minutes to display the average CPU load.
I wonder if you are running from battery or the wall outlet? Is your system tuned to performance rather than battery saving, for example?
Also, does turning OC off make any difference?
And for the sake of making sure it is not the Cubase - could you kindly install Reaper and check if the results are the same? (http://reaper.fm/)

Here is what I get. Default Spark preset, turned on 8x oversampling.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gw5bfyo3ju7uygh/002.PNG?dl=0

@andy4trance
To me, Shawn's results are higher than normal. His system should run Spark with ease.

@incubus
Yup, thank you for confirming it runs well on your machine!
By faster I meant the speed of of the fades, sorry.

Mercuriall released Spark