KVR Audio

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Wed Apr 12, 2023 9:41 pm

I'm working on a song in FL Studio latest version and it's been okay CPU wise, but I throw on this effect and there's a big red line all across the CPU meter and it reads CPU Use is 100%. That can't be accurate, right? Wouldn't the computer just shut down and die? The other strange thing is all the CPU use doesn't seem to affect playback. Usually, at high CPU I get some audio indication, but pretty much nothing. So is this CPU Meter just measuring what it's using? Thanks for any input.(or output)

Blaster · Post by **Blaster** » Wed Apr 12, 2023 11:16 pm

Yes, it hasn't got a lot to do with the computer CPU usage. Maybe you can change some settings to lower the usage. There's a youtube video that describes the FL Studio CPU meter:

legendCNCD · Post by **legendCNCD** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 8:55 am

100% CPU usage is just 100% CPU usage. Computer doesnt shut down and die, why would it? CPU is in use 100% and thats the end of the story. As for FL I dunno what to say.

carrieres · Post by **carrieres** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:14 am

100% cpu can lead to heat the cpu too much and the motherboard will shutdown the computer

whyterabbyt · Post by **whyterabbyt** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:18 am

osiris wrote: Wed Apr 12, 2023 9:41 pmit reads CPU Use is 100%. That can't be accurate, right? Wouldn't the computer just shut down and die?

why would it shut down and die? that's like asking if a container that can hold a litre of water will explode if you fill it with a litre of water.

AdvancedFollower · Post by **AdvancedFollower** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 11:25 am

carrieres wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 10:14 am 100% cpu can lead to heat the cpu too much and the motherboard will shutdown the computer

Only if the cooling isn't adequate. CPUs have a specified TDP (Thermal Design Power) which is the amount of heat (in Watts) the CPU is expected to produce under a theoretical max load. In a properly designed computer, the cooling solution is dimensioned to be able to remove this amount of heat energy (plus a bit extra for good margin). We're talking about wattages similar to an incandescent light bulb here, not a nuclear reactor core.

Of course if 100% of the CPU were in use the system would feel very sluggish and unresponsive as there wouldn't be any CPU cycles left for anything, but that's not how the FL Studio CPU meter works anyway.

sjm · Post by **sjm** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 12:11 pm

It's explained in the manual:
https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-le ... #panel_cpu

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 1:48 pm

Thanks. That's good to know, especially the heat thing. I didn't even consider that. I re-ran this last night & the 100% is on last section, then towards the end clears out. I know buffer size affects this but I'm not hearing any pops or clicks.

carrieres · Post by **carrieres** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 2:03 pm

most cpu have multiple core now, so 100 % cpu can mean that only one core is full, so your system will not halt because of one vst eating one core.
About adequate cooling, I had some years ago a computer with a lot of dirt inside the cooling fan and radiator, so it was not cooling enough and the computer halted while I was playing a cpu hungry game

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 2:14 pm

This is a laptop so I'm sure cooling isn't much. I will say Intel Pentium just slays AMD hands down. On my AMD, if you hit maybe 75%, that's when audio issues would start. I'm so close to being finished I think bouncing one of the leads to audio would be possible and further cut some CPU. I've already done that with the pads.

BertKoor · Post by **BertKoor** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 2:46 pm

sjm wrote: Thu Apr 13, 2023 12:11 pm It's explained in the manual:
https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-le ... #panel_cpu

FL Studio Manual wrote:CPU Meter - When this meter nears 100%, FL Studio's audio output will glitch or crackle, this is known as an underrun. The meter shows the percentage of time required to fill each audio buffer, compared to the buffers length. For example; 20% means FL Studio created the audio for the buffer in 20% of the time available. 90% means FL Studio required 90% of the buffers time to fill it with audio. Very close to running out of time to complete the task. Once FL Studio needs the same, or more time than is available, there will be gaps in the audio (heard as glitches or stuttering). For tips on reducing CPU usage see the Optimization section. To learn why the FL Studio CPU meter is not the same as the Operating System CPU meter see the section below on Multi-core CPU Processing.

lotus2035 · Post by **lotus2035** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 3:19 pm

Just curious, did you activate the "Switch smart disable for all plugins" macro after you added that plugin?
I find that I have to activate it more than once on projects and there is no indication whether it's activated or not apart from the CPU meter dropping considerably. But the CPU meter might go up again on another session on the same project until I activate the macro again.

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:23 pm

I did and I also checked the Smart Disable on each plugin. I also set Polyphony on 1. What's strange is zero Underruns. Nothing.

donkey tugger · Post by **donkey tugger** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:32 pm

osiris wrote: Wed Apr 12, 2023 9:41 pm I'm working on a song in FL Studio latest version and it's been okay CPU wise, but I throw on this effect and there's a big red line all across the CPU meter and it reads CPU Use is 100%.

What's the effect?

Have you tried adjusting the troubleshooting options in the wrapper settings?

https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio-le ... ne-manual/

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:43 pm

Did that also. Bumped the PQM or whatever it's called. I don't need that level of zoom anymore, and put animations on 'Don't bother me'. I'll see tonight what happens when I do a run through. It didn't do this until I put the Klevgrand Stark plugin on a drum track. But I love this thing and it was needed.

Answer me this. 100% CPU. How is that?