Windows 10: audio dropouts on multi-core CPU setups

Install WIn7 64 let it update once, then install audio software and keep it away from the net afterwards.I am somewhat serious! Although win 10 can run smoothly for some, it is a little bit like Russian roulette. And even if you had a perfect system, the next win10 update might break it.

Oh and your system is not affected by the bug in this thread.

Is there anyone that have tried the new Windows for Workstations Ultimate Performance thing with your daw? If so Is there any performance increase in any way? Is it worth to make a new installation u think.

Basically the Hypertrading must be Off in the Bios, that will let you go with a steady comp. This will also advance into a buffer you can set below <128 Samples and will be steady. The rest is … Can my computer handle it ? Well i have my latency set for 8ms-10ms and that is good enough for me.
Lucky the Soundblaster lets me adjust in mS instead of buffer, so it is quite exact.

Thanks. Is it possible to roll back to 7 from 10? I would assume not as I’ve never held a licence for 7.

Also, how do you keep plugins updated if pc isn’t on the net?

I keep getting getting real-time peak spikes on the cpu meter too - would this be because my samples are on my D: drive, which is a normal spinner and cubase is installed on C: which is an SSD?

Such a headache all of this

1 No not afaik, but it can be bought cheap
2 I download them on another machine or you can disable windows update on win 7 (not on 10)
3 No my samples are on a normal HD too.

If you make a backup image of 10, you can install win7 64 pro and if I remember correctly it will work for 30 days without a key. Your win 10 key might work but I am not sure.
What is your audio card/device?

Exactly. If you are serious about music production Win 7 is still the way to go. Its just a lot more stable.

Well I wish Id found this thread before buying an 18 core i9 computer which will only run Windows 10 and crackles like a panful of bacon. Terrific. 40% CPU and pops every few seconds. Tried everything and nothing fixes it. Is there any hope that either Steinberg or Microsoft will resolve this?

Thanks for the advise.

Just a crappy focusrite 2i2

That really sucks - I feel your pain. At the end of the day, it’s Steinberg who need to sort this, not Microsoft.

Just for the record for anyone else looking for big fast multicore solution that really works, the other rig I have runs a Xeon 14 core 2673v3 and windows 7 and it is flawless. 25% cpu on a huge template 1700 tracks with VSL EP and CB9 running on the same machine. What an idiot I am! Should have stuck with that.

I think Steinberg should really think about putting this warning in the tech requirements as more and more W10 i9 multicore computers wont run CB. Currently their tech requirements are simply not true.

Is it microsoft or Steinberg that have to do something about this multicore system thing?
I Think this is redicilous that we have such problem. Invest in an expensive computer cus we want a better daw, and then it shows that there is limits in the software/OS that make the daw worse instead. If it is MS problem then i cant understand how it was better in win 7 since it is not new. This new win 10 should be far better, at least better for us who upgraded everything and had the hope of it been better than the older OS. IF its Steinbergs problem i also dont understand why it was better in win 7. Im not a technical guy but when people say it has something with mmcss to do then i gyess its MS to blame…or am i wrong?

Its steinbergs issue. MS will always be moving the goal posts, with updates, etc. Cubase means nothing to them, its merely a drop in the ocean. Steinberg need to keep on top of MS architecture and updates and keep tweaking with their own updates. At the moment it’s a joke.

Are these dropouts in Cubase 9 too, or only in 9.5?

Why can I use all 20 logical cores on my i7-6950X without having issues with dropouts? The latency setting usually is 128 samples.

Drop outs on 9 and 9.5. re the 6950 - good question. It may only become obvious at higher processor loads or there’s more to this

This system can also handle relativley high workload on all 20 logical cores and I haven’t even disabled the power-saving features in the BIOS. I only use a “High performance” Power Plan setting in Windows wich is automatically switched by Process Lasso when i start Cubase.

The only way you can / could get lower latency then 128 is by setting hypertrading to OFF in the bios…

There are a couple of tweeks in the BIOS that might help. I got these from support:

Intel SpeedStep
Turbo Mode
CPU C-States

Make sure those three are disabled. I think the C-States on did the most for me.

Also, limiting the number of cores used by Cubase can help. See this article, but support showed me a registry edit which is the better way of doing it. Ask them as I am not sure how they worked out the number.

Finally, there is a problem with Dropbox, of all things. One of the dropbox DLLs can cause issues. Just turn off dropbox sync while working, if you have it.

None of this is a perfect solution, but it may get you out of the mud!

It is a real mix, to be honest. MS have introduced some issues with Windows 10 and the way it is handling audio. PLEASE don’t ask me for details - someone pointed me to a MS dev discussion that was SO over my head!!!

However, it is something that is messing things up, not just Cubase, and they are looking at how it is fixed. Maybe in Redstone 4 (April update)? I haven’t updated yet, so I have no idea.

In my case with a 14-core i9, turning of hyperthreading made no difference. Disabling C-States did, however