Advice need - interface audio for weak CPU

[Jaworrr]

@merlyn those VST are not heavy, in my opinion. Reaper is showing cpu meter in corner when VST in edit mode. Witch both of them shows about 7%.

@ajay_m
Wifi - disabled.
All network adapter - disabled.
Display adapter - only integtrated GPU. (I try to run LatenycMon in safe mode as well, but then system inform that the driver for LatencyMon was not loaded because of safe mode so test in this enviroment wasn't possible.)

I have to admin that I have BitLocker installed od laptop. I know it may cause same system slowness, it doesn't speed up computer for sure, but to we see it in the LatencyMon logs?

Test on regular WIN11 logon:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your system seems to be having difficulty handling real-time audio and other tasks. You may experience drop outs, clicks or pops due to buffer underruns. One or more DPC routines that belong to a driver running in your system appear to be executing for too long. One problem may be related to power management, disable CPU throttling settings in Control Panel and BIOS setup. Check for BIOS updates.
LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 0:10:10 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SYSTEM INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Computer name: NBGJAWOREK
OS version: Windows 11, 10.0, version 2009, build: 22621 (x64)
Hardware: Latitude 5490, Dell Inc.
BIOS: 1.27.1
CPU: GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-8350U CPU @ 1.70GHz
Logical processors: 8
Processor groups: 1
Processor group size: 8
RAM: 16242 MB total

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU SPEED
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reported CPU speed (WMI): 1896 MHz
Reported CPU speed (registry): 1896 MHz

Note: reported execution times may be calculated based on a fixed reported CPU speed. Disable variable speed settings like Intel Speed Step and AMD Cool N Quiet in the BIOS setup for more accurate results.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MEASURED INTERRUPT TO USER PROCESS LATENCIES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The interrupt to process latency reflects the measured interval that a usermode process needed to respond to a hardware request from the moment the interrupt service routine started execution. This includes the scheduling and execution of a DPC routine, the signaling of an event and the waking up of a usermode thread from an idle wait state in response to that event.

Highest measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 1128,50
Average measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 8,258469

Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 1118,70
Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 2,313912

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED ISRs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Interrupt service routines are routines installed by the OS and device drivers that execute in response to a hardware interrupt signal.

Highest ISR routine execution time (µs): 146,020570
Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: ACPI.sys - Sterownik ACPI dla systemu NT, Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 0,019182
Driver with highest ISR total time: ACPI.sys - Sterownik ACPI dla systemu NT, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in ISRs (%) 0,019183

ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 12592
ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 500-1000 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 1000-2000 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 2000-4000 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED DPCs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DPC routines are part of the interrupt servicing dispatch mechanism and disable the possibility for a process to utilize the CPU while it is interrupted until the DPC has finished execution.

Highest DPC routine execution time (µs): 1294,177215
Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: ACPI.sys - Sterownik ACPI dla systemu NT, Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 0,038150
Driver with highest DPC total execution time: ACPI.sys - Sterownik ACPI dla systemu NT, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in DPCs (%) 0,125715

DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 719087
DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 500-10000 µs): 2209
DPC count (execution time 1000-2000 µs): 66
DPC count (execution time 2000-4000 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hard pagefaults are events that get triggered by making use of virtual memory that is not resident in RAM but backed by a memory mapped file on disk. The process of resolving the hard pagefault requires reading in the memory from disk while the process is interrupted and blocked from execution.

NOTE: some processes were hit by hard pagefaults. If these were programs producing audio, they are likely to interrupt the audio stream resulting in dropouts, clicks and pops. Check the Processes tab to see which programs were hit.

Process with highest pagefault count: system

Total number of hard pagefaults 23571
Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 4916
Number of processes hit: 47

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PER CPU DATA
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 13,404365
CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 146,020570
CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 0,936919
CPU 0 ISR count: 12592
CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 1294,177215
CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 4,333587
CPU 0 DPC count: 424640
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1,669621
CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 1 ISR count: 0
CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 181,694093
CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 0,047468
CPU 1 DPC count: 6436
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 2,178760
CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 2 ISR count: 0
CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 158,563819
CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 0,230942
CPU 2 DPC count: 31373
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1,650076
CPU 3 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 3 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 3 ISR count: 0
CPU 3 DPC highest execution time (µs): 108,165612
CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 0,055132
CPU 3 DPC count: 7255
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 4 Interrupt cycle time (s): 2,500924
CPU 4 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 4 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 4 ISR count: 0
CPU 4 DPC highest execution time (µs): 493,054325
CPU 4 DPC total execution time (s): 0,251458
CPU 4 DPC count: 26540
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 5 Interrupt cycle time (s): 2,446085
CPU 5 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 5 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 5 ISR count: 0
CPU 5 DPC highest execution time (µs): 87,926160
CPU 5 DPC total execution time (s): 0,461384
CPU 5 DPC count: 96863
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 6 Interrupt cycle time (s): 3,142867
CPU 6 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 6 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 6 ISR count: 0
CPU 6 DPC highest execution time (µs): 89,723101
CPU 6 DPC total execution time (s): 0,644896
CPU 6 DPC count: 118241
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 7 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1,786472
CPU 7 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 7 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 7 ISR count: 0
CPU 7 DPC highest execution time (µs): 184,232068
CPU 7 DPC total execution time (s): 0,115047
CPU 7 DPC count: 10014
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[merlyn]

The 8350U has a turbo boost of 3.6GHz. You want to be running it at that speed, while LatencyMon reports the CPU speed as ~1.7GHz which is the base clock. For realtime audio it's performance you want rather than efficiency.

Unfortunately ACPI.sys looks like a problem.

[Jimmy B]

... I'm using Neural DSP vst like John Petrucci and Rabea Massaad. ...

It's possible that that plugin is too heavy duty for your processor to run at a low latency, and no audio interface is going to fix that.

-----(stuff deleted)---

Unfortunately, I think that it is likely that this is the case, and we will end up with a recommendation for an expensive new computer. However, the current one is quite good, and it should be suitable for many musical purposes. The LatencyMon results appear to indicate that it is not working properly, and it is worth trying to fix the problem in the software before giving up on it. We will also be able to suggest the many workarounds, documented elsewhere on this site, for getting a great recording when the computer is not as powerful as one would like.

[merlyn]

In Jaworr's most recent post he quoted the CPU usage for Neural DSP at 7%. So the CPU is good enough. When I saw '1.7GHz' I thought this was a biscuit tin from the early 2000s. Actually it's from 2017, and has a 3.6GHz turbo boost, so it should be good enough.

It now looks like it's ACPI.sys.

[sonics]

... I'm using Neural DSP vst like John Petrucci and Rabea Massaad. ...

It's possible that that plugin is too heavy duty for your processor to run at a low latency, and no audio interface is going to fix that.

I concur. Your computer should be able to run dozens of audio tracks and a good few plugins. If the Neural DSP is very "hungry", that's the issue. I don't know that plugin at all so can't comment further.

[Jimmy B]

Reaper is showing cpu meter in corner when VST in edit mode. Witch both of them shows about 7%.

--deleted---

What is Reaper's Performance Meter showing when the VST is actually playing guitar sounds (as opposed to being edited)? And what is the Task Manager's performance tab showing under those conditions?

[ajay_m]

If you Google acpi.sys dpc latency you find an interesting thread that discusses this issue. One poster said that by disabling all Dell services he was able to resolve the issue. Don't know your laptop brand but any vendor specific services might be worth temporarily disabling to see what happens

[Jaworrr]

@merlin
You right, I want performance, my bad in taking words. I'm not sure if I can make my CPU works at 3.5Ghz. I will check again in BIOS tomorrow.
//EDIT. I just checked. Max clock speed is set to 3.6Ghz. There is no way to unleash this power on demand.

@Jimmy B
Reaper's Performance Meter showing 7% when I'm playing guitar (not editing, just in editing mode ). In this situation Task Manager's performance tab shows about 20% usage.

@ajay_m
Killed Dell processes rise again immediately. I will kill it as serives and run LatancyMon again:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Your system seems to be having difficulty handling real-time audio and other tasks. You may experience drop outs, clicks or pops due to buffer underruns. One or more DPC routines that belong to a driver running in your system appear to be executing for too long. One problem may be related to power management, disable CPU throttling settings in Control Panel and BIOS setup. Check for BIOS updates.
LatencyMon has been analyzing your system for 0:04:18 (h:mm:ss) on all processors.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SYSTEM INFORMATION
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Computer name:
OS version: Windows 11, 10.0, version 2009, build: 22621 (x64)
Hardware: Latitude 5490, Dell Inc.
BIOS: 1.27.1
CPU: GenuineIntel Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-8350U CPU @ 1.70GHz
Logical processors: 8
Processor groups: 1
Processor group size: 8
RAM: 16242 MB total

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU SPEED
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Reported CPU speed (WMI): 1896 MHz
Reported CPU speed (registry): 1896 MHz

Note: reported execution times may be calculated based on a fixed reported CPU speed. Disable variable speed settings like Intel Speed Step and AMD Cool N Quiet in the BIOS setup for more accurate results.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MEASURED INTERRUPT TO USER PROCESS LATENCIES
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The interrupt to process latency reflects the measured interval that a usermode process needed to respond to a hardware request from the moment the interrupt service routine started execution. This includes the scheduling and execution of a DPC routine, the signaling of an event and the waking up of a usermode thread from an idle wait state in response to that event.

Highest measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 959,10
Average measured interrupt to process latency (µs): 9,015658

Highest measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 947,80
Average measured interrupt to DPC latency (µs): 2,505446

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED ISRs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Interrupt service routines are routines installed by the OS and device drivers that execute in response to a hardware interrupt signal.

Highest ISR routine execution time (µs): 135,264768
Driver with highest ISR routine execution time: ACPI.sys - Sterownik ACPI dla systemu NT, Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total ISR routine time (%): 0,010284
Driver with highest ISR total time: ACPI.sys - Sterownik ACPI dla systemu NT, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in ISRs (%) 0,010287

ISR count (execution time <250 µs): 2868
ISR count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 500-1000 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 1000-2000 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time 2000-4000 µs): 0
ISR count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED DPCs
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DPC routines are part of the interrupt servicing dispatch mechanism and disable the possibility for a process to utilize the CPU while it is interrupted until the DPC has finished execution.

Highest DPC routine execution time (µs): 1233,506857
Driver with highest DPC routine execution time: ACPI.sys - Sterownik ACPI dla systemu NT, Microsoft Corporation

Highest reported total DPC routine time (%): 0,022321
Driver with highest DPC total execution time: ACPI.sys - Sterownik ACPI dla systemu NT, Microsoft Corporation

Total time spent in DPCs (%) 0,113484

DPC count (execution time <250 µs): 273808
DPC count (execution time 250-500 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time 500-10000 µs): 570
DPC count (execution time 1000-2000 µs): 20
DPC count (execution time 2000-4000 µs): 0
DPC count (execution time >=4000 µs): 0

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
REPORTED HARD PAGEFAULTS
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Hard pagefaults are events that get triggered by making use of virtual memory that is not resident in RAM but backed by a memory mapped file on disk. The process of resolving the hard pagefault requires reading in the memory from disk while the process is interrupted and blocked from execution.

NOTE: some processes were hit by hard pagefaults. If these were programs producing audio, they are likely to interrupt the audio stream resulting in dropouts, clicks and pops. Check the Processes tab to see which programs were hit.

Process with highest pagefault count: ntrtscan.exe

Total number of hard pagefaults 33533
Hard pagefault count of hardest hit process: 20691
Number of processes hit: 49

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PER CPU DATA
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 0 Interrupt cycle time (s): 5,554193
CPU 0 ISR highest execution time (µs): 135,264768
CPU 0 ISR total execution time (s): 0,212633
CPU 0 ISR count: 2868
CPU 0 DPC highest execution time (µs): 1233,506857
CPU 0 DPC total execution time (s): 1,514739
CPU 0 DPC count: 178306
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 1 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0,880620
CPU 1 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 1 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 1 ISR count: 0
CPU 1 DPC highest execution time (µs): 83,176688
CPU 1 DPC total execution time (s): 0,040224
CPU 1 DPC count: 4610
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 2 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1,205536
CPU 2 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 2 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 2 ISR count: 0
CPU 2 DPC highest execution time (µs): 83,987869
CPU 2 DPC total execution time (s): 0,149474
CPU 2 DPC count: 17531
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 3 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0,962370
CPU 3 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 3 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 3 ISR count: 0
CPU 3 DPC highest execution time (µs): 95,676160
CPU 3 DPC total execution time (s): 0,067580
CPU 3 DPC count: 7399
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 4 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1,268346
CPU 4 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 4 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 4 ISR count: 0
CPU 4 DPC highest execution time (µs): 110,506329
CPU 4 DPC total execution time (s): 0,161275
CPU 4 DPC count: 16565
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 5 Interrupt cycle time (s): 0,897146
CPU 5 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 5 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 5 ISR count: 0
CPU 5 DPC highest execution time (µs): 56,297996
CPU 5 DPC total execution time (s): 0,050217
CPU 5 DPC count: 5006
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 6 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1,206674
CPU 6 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 6 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 6 ISR count: 0
CPU 6 DPC highest execution time (µs): 133,360232
CPU 6 DPC total execution time (s): 0,139241
CPU 6 DPC count: 12423
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CPU 7 Interrupt cycle time (s): 1,202748
CPU 7 ISR highest execution time (µs): 0,0
CPU 7 ISR total execution time (s): 0,0
CPU 7 ISR count: 0
CPU 7 DPC highest execution time (µs): 97,228903
CPU 7 DPC total execution time (s): 0,222955
CPU 7 DPC count: 32558
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[merlyn]

There are a few things that could be causing a problem.

Bitlocker -- that doesn't seem like a good idea for an audio machine.

ACPI.sys -- To try a fix for this update to the latest BIOS, and update the motherboard drivers (which you'll get from Dell) if there is an update available.

Hard pagefaults -- The pagefile is virtual memory. Seems strange, as I can't imagine Reaper and a couple of plugins use anywhere near 16GB. It is possible to disable the pagefile, which you could do to see if the pagefile is causing a problem. This could be related to Bitlocker if the pagefile is encrypted. Compared to RAM, the pagefile is slow. An encrypted pagefile would be even slower.

[sonics]

I might be tempted to image the drive and reinstall, just to confirm that everything's working okay, and that the problem goes away.

[Jimmy B]

I would do the new install without Bitlocker, just in case it's the source of the trouble. It might be safer to do this on a new SSD, so that you can always put the old one back in if things go wrong. 128GB should be enough to run some tests (and not cost very much), and if it is successful, you can wipe the old one and reinstall.

[Jaworrr]

Ok gyus, I thing we did everything what was possible. That's mean there is no more we can do right now.
This laptop is my business laptop so I can't use it without BitLocker, as well as I can't mess with pagefile.sys to don't interrupt my daily workflow.
Possibly I will change this unit in the next year. Until this time I will keep this in mind "However, the current one is quite good, and it should be suitable for many musical purposes." by Jimmy B and try to turn off unnessesary fx and track when recording.
So Motu M4 stays with me, I also bought pair od Iloud MTM monitors (because of small size of desk) and this must be enaught for now for me. Anyway it is quite good staff for beginning. The knowledge I got from You guys is priceless. Thank You all!

BTW. Bios, motherboard, all drivers are up to date. Windows is working from 2019 continously, in the meantime was jump from win10 to 11. Maybe format C: and fresh install could help make it works better. But this is not for now.

[Jimmy B]

I didn't know that it was your business laptop. Obviously, you can't mess with it. A couple of suggestions:
1. Refurbished business laptops are available for not much money these days from Dell themselves and others and they can make a very decent music computer.
2. There a lots of ways of making good recordings without a low latency system. One way would be to split the guitar output (using a DI box) so that you are playing through a practice amp and the signal is also going to the audio interface. There are lots of good articles on this website, dating form when powerful computers were not obtainable.

[James Perrett]

1. Refurbished business laptops are available for not much money these days from Dell themselves and others and they can make a very decent music computer.

Indeed, the Dell that I use is available from a refurbisher on Ebay for £120 although if I was buying now I would prefer to go for something newer from the same range around the £250-300 mark.

[Jaworrr]

Guys, at the end of the story I end up with new laptop
I created one song using previous one, but it was taff task.
Recording guitar at 10ms overall latency was possible but every other tracks has to be muted. To keep responsivness of Reaper when wiritting drums, bass and mixing the buffor settings goes to 1024 samples.
The laptop then was hot as hell (I figured how to engage 3,5Ghz turbo boost), fan works on max RPM making a lot of noise. Software ocasionally poping and craping and doesn't react for fundamental stop/play function...

So now I get Asus vivobook laptop with Ryzen cpu 6 x 3,3Ghz (4,2 at turbo boost) 24GB a bit faster ram, works at 3200Mhz bus. I keep laptop on Whispering mode, so it's dead quiet, fan is not hearable from sitting position. Also I do windows configuraction for DAW (as same as I do on previous one).
I can do now everything describing above at 64 samples buffor (6ms latency) without any glitches or noise.
I think I can recommend this piece of hardware, especially cpu wchich works just perfect.

[Drew Stephenson]

Glad you got sorted, thanks for the update.