Bitwig performance problems

[JO512]

I normally use Reaper, but I've been evaluating Bitwig because I love the MPE micro-pitch expression editing feature. Every DAW should have that! But I am having major performance problems in Bitwig. I added just two instrument tracks with a bit of MIDI on each (nothing very complex), one track with a single instance of Kontakt with The Grandeur piano, and the other with a single instance of Repro-1, followed by Tube Delay, Amplitube 4 (with only a single amp running, no cabs), Presswerk, Libra (IR loader), and Arturia's Rev Plate 140.

With only these in Bitwig, my system chokes. I get big audio dropouts frequently. In Reaper, this same system can handle MUCH more before I start getting dropouts.

My computer is quite old and weak by today's standards. It is a Core i5 2500 3.3GHz with 16GB RAM and a Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2nd generation.

Is Bitwig normally much more resource hungry than Reaper? Or there something that can be done here aside from getting a faster PC?

I wish Reaper had that pitch expression editing feature! I requested it on the Cockos forums, but I am not holding my breath. I have seen little sign that they pay attention to feature requests like that.

As much poorer as the performance in Bitwig seems to be, I have a suspicion that if I were to upgrade my PC and buy Bitwig, my projects would probably be limited to a complexity not much better than what I am already able to handle in Reaper with my old PC.

[Passing Bye]

Seems about right, Repro is enormous CPU hog, do you have multi core enabled? (mcore button in upper right corner)

But yes, Bitwig is more resource hungry, because of way it works, same as Ableton Live.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=542406

Test Machine - 09 Mac Pro (modified) 2x6 core Xeon 3.33ghz, 24GBRAM, M.2 SSDs for OS etc. Fireface 800 audio card.

Logic Pro 10.48 - 56 AUi instances. I could get more, but there were noticeable artifacts, oddly the most 'gentle' sounding of the artifacts. Logic CPU meter at 100%

Digital Performer 10.11 - 60 AUi - 60 VSTi I could get 61 but doing anything caused glitches. The Performance meter is pegged at 61 and it's no good.
Reaper v6.70- 63 AUi, 58 VSTi This one is just, weird? Reaper seems to be optimizing for whatever changes AU has been doing, or Reapers MIDI abilities are more fully realized in VSTi, MIDI out from VSTi's VS AUi etc.

Bitwig 3.1.3 32 VSTi, 31 (with sandboxing), not too bad of a CPU hit there, but much worse than Reapers performance using Diva, where it skunks Live.

Live 10.19 31 VSTi 31 AUi

Like I've often thought and tested, the "performance oriented" DAWs tend to underperform in stress tests, but I'm pretty shocked by how neck and neck Reaper, DP10 and Logic are currently on my system? I've noted version numbers because the differences are small enough to change in updates IMO.

Guess the answer is quite obvious, but if you still want to get Bitwig a chance and update your PC, cheapest route would be to get second hand i7 3770 (it should cost less than 100 bucks, locally I found them for like 70 bucks, if you sell your i5 for 20 bucks, you can get it cheaper) and audio interface drivers will make big difference too, best and cheapest thing would be to go for second hand RME 9632 PCI, it should cost you less than 200 bucks with breakout cable and etc (locally I could find them for like 180 bucks, sell your Focusrite for 70-80 and you got yourself a nice deal there).



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[JO512]

Thanks for the helpful response!

Seems about right, Repro is enormous CPU hog, do you have multi core enabled? (mcore button in upper right corner)

This was Repro-1, which, being monophonic, doesn't have a multicore option.

if you still want to get Bitwig a chance and update your PC, cheapest route would be to get second hand i7 3770 (it should cost less than 100 bucks, locally I found them for like 70 bucks, if you sell your i5 for 20 bucks, you can get it cheaper)

At minimum, I would have to upgrade my motherboard and RAM as well.

best and cheapest thing would be to go for second hand RME 9632 PCI, it should cost you less than 200 bucks with breakout cable and etc (locally I could find them for like 180 bucks, sell your Focusrite for 70-80 and you got yourself a nice deal there).

I'll have to look into that!

[Passing Bye]

Good luck!

[Passing Bye]

If you are gonna get new mobo and RAM too, than maybe look into getting for example:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Mobo: MSI B450 Tomahawk Max
RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4

Sell your old mobo, CPU and RAM, use rest of the components.