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What is Audiobus?Audiobus is an award-winning music app for iPhone and iPad which lets you use your other music apps together. Chain effects on your favourite synth, run the output of apps or Audio Units into an app like GarageBand or Loopy, or select a different audio interface output for each app. Route MIDI between apps — drive a synth from a MIDI sequencer, or add an arpeggiator to your MIDI keyboard — or sync with your external MIDI gear. And control your entire setup from a MIDI controller.

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Au3 instruments with low CPU

Hi, i just started using Audio unit au3 workflow with AUM and like it alot but keep having crackling issues with ipad. Could you please help?

I have 2 Au3 synths so far- moog model D and Zeeon. When i run model D, i have crackling often with just one instance and nothing else. Zeeon starts crackling when i run 2 instances, plus two instances of step poly arp. The appeal of Au3 is to be able to run a bunch of instances of the synth and multiple instances of sequencer applications or whatever with it in AUM, but i can't do that now.

Its a 2016 ipad pro 9.7". I've checked the forum for advice about saving cpu and and have done most things recommended, but still crackling.

So 3 questions-

1) Is this normal/expected to have cracking at this kind of usage with my ipad?

2) is there any way to see how much CPU each app is taking up?

3) Are there any AU3 synths or other instruments that have very low CPU usage where i can run many instances of them at once?

Comments

  • Poison-202 is quite light on the CPU and Sunrizer will become AUv3 soonish.

    Zeeon and Model D (& Model 15) are both quite CPU hungry in iOS terms.

    Depending on the needs KQ Dixie (DX7/FM Synth) is quite easy on the CPU.
    IceGear synts are also quite CPU friendly.

    When the CPU starts crackling increase the buffer size (but that in turn increases latency for real-time performance but for sequencing it's fine).

  • The IceWorks stuff seems pretty low to me - Redshrike, Mersenne, Lorentz, Laplace, Kronecker. Brambos' stuff is also pretty low (too many to enumerate now). Blamsoft's Viking Synth also very cpu-friendly.

  • Buffer size is an issue like already mentioned and samplerate maybe too high if you are using a audio device.

  • Thanks. I have 44100 hz sample rate- thats the lowest right?

    Is it normal for zeeon and Model D cause crackle so quickly or is my ipad acting abnormally?

  • edited July 2018

    What's your latency setting inside AUM? I suggest you use 256 frames for Model D and Zeeon. Both are very (too much) CPU hungry, with 128 frames it's cracklefest very fast, and even at 256 more than two Model D or Zeeon you will possibly have some crackles. Here on iPhone 7 Plus which is more powerful than your iPad.

  • edited July 2018

    I had it at 256. Just tried putting it at 128 but haven't had the chance to test it yet, wondering if the the latency will be noticable

  • edited July 2018

    I also suggest that you render as audio those two synths midi tracks, when you want to use them on more complex projects. You can record a ModelD/Zeeon audio loop with AUM an load it in an AUM file player. Or you can record it in Blocswave with Audiobus, or even use Cubasis freezing capabilities. That, way, you will have lot of CPU ressources available while your project is growing. This is truly an iOS workflow fundamental IMO, managing CPU ressources is much more challenging and necessary than on desktop/laptops/vst's environment.

    But you should not have crackes with only one Model D in AUM. Do you use AU effects at the same time?

  • On my 2017 Pro those Moog apps crackle like crazy for me too. Sometimes if it’s the only thing I have running. They are much more stable as IAA for me. I’ve never had problems with Zeeon not even on my Air 2, I don’t use it that often but I’ve used it enough. Try a 512 buffer. Higher numbers are safer but you get more latency. 512 is as far as I can tolerate. 1024 you can do some sequencing and absolutely nothing live.

  • @Samu said:
    Depending on the needs KQ Dixie (DX7/FM Synth) is quite easy on the CPU.

    This is a good one if you want to stack 5 AUv3's to make a drum kit, for example.

  • @DMan said:
    On my 2017 Pro those Moog apps crackle like crazy for me too. Sometimes if it’s the only thing I have running. They are much more stable as IAA for me. I’ve never had problems with Zeeon not even on my Air 2, I don’t use it that often but I’ve used it enough. Try a 512 buffer. Higher numbers are safer but you get more latency. 512 is as far as I can tolerate. 1024 you can do some sequencing and absolutely nothing live.

    I have a 2017 Pro and also IAA works better. It seems opening up the Auv3 app GUI causes terrible lag.

  • @dan151 said:
    Hi, i just started using Audio unit au3 workflow with AUM and like it alot but keep having crackling issues with ipad. Could you please help?

    I have 2 Au3 synths so far- moog model D and Zeeon. When i run model D, i have crackling often with just one instance and nothing else. Zeeon starts crackling when i run 2 instances, plus two instances of step poly arp. The appeal of Au3 is to be able to run a bunch of instances of the synth and multiple instances of sequencer applications or whatever with it in AUM, but i can't do that now.

    Its a 2016 ipad pro 9.7". I've checked the forum for advice about saving cpu and and have done most things recommended, but still crackling.

    So 3 questions-

    1) Is this normal/expected to have cracking at this kind of usage with my ipad?

    2) is there any way to see how much CPU each app is taking up?

    3) Are there any AU3 synths or other instruments that have very low CPU usage where i can run many instances of them at once?

    Yeah I have the same issues on my Air 2.

    Ripplemaker, Mood, Kauldron and the Icegear synths all work well for me.

  • @dan151 said:
    I had it at 256. Just tried putting it at 128 but haven't had the chance to test it yet, wondering if the the latency will be noticable

    Try it at 512, that's an easier load than 256/128. In AUM there's a cpu/DSP meter top right next to battery symbol

  • Set to 256 Buffer 44100 sample rate I can run two instances of Model D with no crackle on my 2017 9.7" iPad is not the pro. DSP reads between 70-80%. With one AU instance each of Zeeon and Model D my DSP has a more frugal read between 41-54%. I'm still running iOS 10.3. Perhaps iOS 11 is causing a major drop in performance?

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