MAC STUDIO and Logic PRO CPU spikes

[adn_01]

Hi all;

My recent studio upgrade - the Mac STUDIO - arrived couple of days ago.

I noticed that the Mac with Logic often causes CPU spikes (usually on far right core meter in Logic) with sound glitches with different, usually third party plugins. However...

Once you turn Rosetta ON (!) for Logic only the CPU meters go down and the CPU spikes do not seem to appear any longer. Funny thing is, the Rosetta itself theoretically might use some resources causing higher cpu usage. Well, its not, or at least not that I can observe. And the CPU usage measured in Logic meter as well as iStat Menus is actually LOWER.

Can't quite understand other than some of the plugins I use are not native silicon supported, so when Logic runs in Rosetta mode it's just more smooth and efficient. Strange, however.

[chagzuki]

I've had all sorts of issues with M1 and Logic, there's a big thread about it with loads of very pissed off apple customers on the official forums. Currently things seem to be running well and I'm not sure why, I've lost track of the goings-on.

The latest version of Logic improved matters substantially but many people were/are still getting issues. Buffer size changes seemed to fix things for lots of people.

Does this link work? I'm not sure as the sign-in process might goof it:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253438649

[chagzuki]

I had a project running fine on Big Sur that produces fatal OS crashes in Monterey. Eventually I realised it was a midi script for humanisation, it was actually causing my machine to reboot. So there are weird incompatibilities with OS changes.

[adn_01]

I just cannot understand which way Apple is going. Years ago I could have upgraded my OS without thinking of compatibility issues, my project for Logic etc. I did not even suppose my time machine restored backup would cause the machine run so unstable. With my transition from intel to M1 I must have formatted and set up a new copy of the system and installed all stuff one by one for it to become usable. Now with rosetta on I hope to concentrate on music with this machine.

So unApple, Apple...

[chagzuki]

Things are generally working well for me in native mode, though that last core in the meter that you mention, sometimes something does cause it to overload and stay at 100% for a duration, and it's not clear why. It's not happening much though.

The odd thing is that afaik DAWs other than Logic are working well, at least with VST plugins. Waveform works great for me with VSTs.

[macmuse]

I first bought Logic back in the 90s starting with version 4 and find it’s always had overload spikes from time to time with every iteration. Usually right after the spike I can start Play again and it will be fine. As for Rosetta, I don’t yet have an M1 so don’t know, but generally speaking the overload has always been present at some point in use, in my experience. I still get that from time to time even when there seems to be no reason.

[sQeetz]

I use Logic native with intel plugins and do not experience any problems whatsoever regarding CPU spikes. Better check which plugins are causing it

[adn_01]

of course the best way to avoid any spikes is to create silence with no plugins whatsoever

i know which plugins sometimes cause CPU spikes but if i use them i need them anyway, the DAW is... well, the host and the plugins are dramatic personae, DAW must adapt to serve them well

[sQeetz]

of course the best way to avoid any spikes is to create silence with no plugins whatsoever

No. Just plugins that don't cause any problems.

i know which plugins sometimes cause CPU spikes

Then I don't really know what the problem is. You know which ones are troublesome, so either contact the developers and try to solve the problem or stop using them..

[adn_01]

right, you don't understand. there are synths that are no longer supported or the support is poor, and the chance for the update just minimal. take access virus as an example (hardware/ soft). for years the developer was not able to get rid of total integration problems, sound glitches and sync issues. but the sound is great. i use lots of dated soft synths and i like some sounds so much i would rather get a separate intel based mac mini just to host them than wipe them out...

[sQeetz]

i use lots of dated soft synths and i like some sounds so much i would rather get a separate intel based mac mini just to host them than wipe them out...

Then just do that.

[pdxindy]

i use lots of dated soft synths and i like some sounds so much i would rather get a separate intel based mac mini just to host them than wipe them out...

If that works for you.

I'd rather just stick to up to date plugins that work without issues.

[chagzuki]

I'd rather just stick to up to date plugins that work without issues.

I don't think it's that clear what causes the problems. For me some of the issues that people report happen and there's no obvious pattern. I would guess it has something to do with a conflict with Logic and other system processes.

[sQeetz]

... there's no obvious pattern.

What if the pattern is just seriously outdated plugins?
What seems to be the case in point right here

I have quite a bunch of plugins and have no problem at all.

[chagzuki]

... there's no obvious pattern.

What if the pattern is just seriously outdated plugins?
What seems to be the case in point right here

I have quite a bunch of plugins and have no problem at all.

I've mentioned it already, sometimes using Logic I get the last core stuck maxed out in a project at a particular play position, which results in pops and crackles. It will repeatedly happen in that specific section of the project if I keep it open. But 4 out of 5 times when I open and work on that project no such thing happens. Something strange going on.
It's not for no reason that there's a massive thread on apple's forums about such issues. Delving deeper the Falcon dev directed me to a developers forum with a discussion of a timing problem that's part of the M1 architecture. Too technical for me to understand properly, but clearly there are still teething problems, and the last few Logic updates prior to the current one were behaving very badly. Seems a lot has been fixed, but there's still weirdness to iron out.