Is base memory usage of Reaper (no VSTs) supposed to be 1 GB?

[mike1127]

On my M2 MacBook, when I run Reaper with a 48KHz project, from which I removed all plugin and audio data, the memory usage is close to 1 GB. Does that make sense?

Mike

[Softsynth]

Isn't that mainly just the memory used for the operating system?

Compare the memory usage of the operating system alone without Reaper running and that with Reaper.

[mike1127]

Originally Posted by Softsynth

Isn't that mainly just the memory used for the operating system?

Compare the memory usage of the operating system alone without Reaper running and that with Reaper.

No, the activity monitor tells me the memory usage associated with Reaper. The OS is something separate.

When I add Altiverb 7 to Reaper the usage goes up by about 300 MB which I'm told by Audio Ease is about right. This makes Reaper the most costly single process I'm running. (Although Chrome uses more memory in total distributed among its separate processes.)

[MiddleC]

Originally Posted by mike1127

On my M2 MacBook, when I run Reaper with a 48KHz project, from which I removed all plugin and audio data, the memory usage is close to 1 GB. Does that make sense?

Mike

What is the utilization of Reaper with "no" project loaded?

[MiddleC]

I guess my question would be better phrased differently.

Are you loading up an existing project, and then deleting out all of the components from it? That's very different than simply having a truly empty project.

Just as a quick test (windows only) When I open Reaper, but do not open a project at all, it's taking... 47MB. <-Yes, MB

If I load a project that causes it to jump to 700MB, then I delete all effects and delete the tracks, it comes back down to 150MB.

In short, it's not an easy question. Does 1GB bother you in principle, or in practice?

[Softsynth]

Reaper starts up here using 61 megabyte with nothing loaded here in a Windows 11 32GB machine.

[lozzec]

Here on an ancient MacOS
Loading an empty reaper session took about 100M°

Just out of curiosity,
Adding pianoteq, memory jump to 322
Adding Lounge Lizzard Session 4, jump to 630M°
Another instance of lounge Liizard add only 100M°

[mike1127]

Originally Posted by MiddleC

I guess my question would be better phrased differently.

Are you loading up an existing project, and then deleting out all of the components from it? That's very different than simply having a truly empty project.

Just as a quick test (windows only) When I open Reaper, but do not open a project at all, it's taking... 47MB. <-Yes, MB

If I load a project that causes it to jump to 700MB, then I delete all effects and delete the tracks, it comes back down to 150MB.

In short, it's not an easy question. Does 1GB bother you in principle, or in practice?

I was loading a project with a few empty tracks. I wasn't deleting items after loading. It was about 900 MB. But I'll experiment some more.

This is a problem in practice. It's not just Reaper---my M2 is getting sluggish when I run all the programs I need to. I have other memory hog programs that need to be running at the same time. In particular I injured my hands recently and I want to use Voice Control. That is a memory hog! The M2 becomes essentially unusably slow when I run Voice Control.

So I need every program I can to be using as little memory as it can. It seems strange that a project with just a few empty tracks takes almost 1 GB.

I did find a discussion of some kind of performance problem with Reaper (the universal binary) on M1/M2 Macs, I forget now whether it was CPU or Memory, but they suggested running on Rosetta. (The Intel simulator software.) I tried that but no improvement in memory usage.

[King Stupid]

Originally Posted by mike1127

I was loading a project with a few empty tracks. I wasn't deleting items after loading. It was about 900 MB. But I'll experiment some more.

This is a problem in practice. It's not just Reaper---my M2 is getting sluggish when I run all the programs I need to. I have other memory hog programs that need to be running at the same time. In particular I injured my hands recently and I want to use Voice Control. That is a memory hog! The M2 becomes essentially unusably slow when I run Voice Control.

So I need every program I can to be using as little memory as it can. It seems strange that a project with just a few empty tracks takes almost 1 GB.

I did find a discussion of some kind of performance problem with Reaper (the universal binary) on M1/M2 Macs, I forget now whether it was CPU or Memory, but they suggested running on Rosetta. (The Intel simulator software.) I tried that but no improvement in memory usage.

Which version of Mac? The new macs use the SSD a lot as "virtual memory". If your HD is near full, you may have some issues on memory intensive processes.

[MiddleC]

Not to sidetrack the conversation, but the non-upgradeable memory situation is a full-on blocker for me. I understand why, but it's still my single pet peeve. I love the idea of the M-series of processors, and I'm glad to see some innovation. But... yeah.

Back to the question. So I'm not sure I understand what you mean by, "loading a project with a few empty tracks".


I did the following:

- Created a brand new project
- Added three tracks without content
- Saved the project
- Closed and reopened Reaper (and the project)

Memory for Reaper - 50.4MB (Windows - I can try it on my non-M Mac, but I'd have to dig it out of the closet)

So what did the creation of your project look like?

[mike1127]

Originally Posted by MiddleC

Not to sidetrack the conversation, but the non-upgradeable memory situation is a full-on blocker for me. I understand why, but it's still my single pet peeve. I love the idea of the M-series of processors, and I'm glad to see some innovation. But... yeah.

Back to the question. So I'm not sure I understand what you mean by, "loading a project with a few empty tracks".


I did the following:

- Created a brand new project
- Added three tracks without content
- Saved the project
- Closed and reopened Reaper (and the project)

Memory for Reaper - 50.4MB (Windows - I can try it on my non-M Mac, but I'd have to dig it out of the closet)

So what did the creation of your project look like?

First, I created three tracks with virtual instruments, then removed the virtual instruments so there were no FX at all, saved the project, then restarted Reaper and it used over 900 MB.

I just created an empty project, saved it, reopened Reaper and it's using 825 MB.

Those of you on Windows, thanks for testing this, but it's clear now that it's a Mac problem, possibly an M1/M2 problem (ARM chip).

I guess I'll contact Reaper support, unless someone here has heard of this.

Mike

P.S. Wish I had gotten the 32 GB RAM version now that I know how programs on an M1/M2 are memory hogs, but it was an extra $400 over the 16 GB version. Still, the performance overall is very good, I got it refurbished (while only 6 months old) and paid $2100 (for the 14 inch), which is about the price of an equivalent performance Windows laptop. I have up to 15 hours battery life, it runs very cool, and for my other uses of the laptop I greatly prefer the Mac over Windows.

[MiddleC]

What happens if you try opening with Rosetta?

Right-Click->Get Info->Open Using Rosetta

[Daodan]

Any scripts running? Extensions? Plugins in Monitoring FX?

[mike1127]

Originally Posted by MiddleC

What happens if you try opening with Rosetta?

Right-Click->Get Info->Open Using Rosetta

I found that suggestion online and tried it already, but no significant change.

[mike1127]

Originally Posted by Daodan

Any scripts running? Extensions? Plugins in Monitoring FX?

Not to my knowledge. I don't know how to check for scripts running, but I haven't added any. Haven't added any extensions or global FX (if I understand what "plugins in Monitoring FX means"). This was the result of "new project", "save", and restarting Reaper and letting it load the last project. (825 MB)

[b2001]

Maybe after creating that empty project, post that rpp file on here for someone to look at compare to theirs…

[daverich]

check the memory pressure in mac system settings.

MACos will set aside RAM to speed things up but not use it necessarily so whilst it might register as used it's just kept aside unless it's needed for something else. Memory pressure shows how close you are to saturating available memory.