Old 09-06-2020, 04:46 AM   #1
SteveHM
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I'm in the process of switching back to Linux and am seeing an issue with Reaper using about 30% CPU after start-up with an empty project. I don't remember seeing this happen in Windows, and I get the same behaviour with both my licenced 5.99 and trial 6.13 versions.

I'm on Mint LMDE - all up-to-date.
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Old 09-09-2020, 04:37 PM   #2
PMan
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Hi Steve,

I have no idea why this is happening, I'm running Ubuntu on a pretty old machine (soon to be upgraded), and I've never seen anything like this.

I just wanted to reply so you know your post is not simply being ignored.

Good luck!
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Old 09-09-2020, 05:17 PM   #3
Glennbo
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Not seeing it here either. With my audio device set for 64 samples and 3 periods at 48/24, REAPER's Performance Meter says Total CPU:2.0% and RT CPU: 3.9%.

I did notice that setting the buffer to 256 dropped the numbers to CPU:0.9% and RT CPU: 1.1%, but nothing I tried could make it even hit 5% with no FX and a blank project.
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Old 09-09-2020, 11:32 PM   #4
biopsin
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Yup, got similar usage. Default RT prio, alsa driver and blank project

23% - 48000/128/24/2
21% - 48000/128/24/3
18% - 48000/256/24/2
18% - 48000/256/24/3
15% - 48000/64/24/2 - borked playback
16% - 48000/64/24/3 - borked playback
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Old 09-10-2020, 08:41 AM   #5
JamesPeters
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@biopsin: That's not nearly enough information for troubleshooting. For instance: should your device work properly with those low buffering settings, is your CPU frequency governor set to "performance", and do you have a realtime-patched or low-latency kernel installed. Anyway you're running Void Linux which isn't a Debian or Ubuntu variant, so it may have its own potential issues with realtime audio applications that I wouldn't be aware of. I notice that the kernel for the latest Void is 4.14, unless you've updated it. I run Ubuntu or Debian variant distros with more current kernels (due to running a Ryzen 7 3700X and some newer audio devices). Also there have been improvements to ALSA and Pulse in later kernels. I wouldn't want to run an early 4.XX kernel anymore.

I don't do any system tweaks beyond changing the CPU frequency governor, and installing a low-latency kernel. My systems perform very well at low latency, on various CPUs with various different audio devices (and with various distros that are Ubuntu-based or Debian-based).

The first thing to consider: your CPU's "percentage" will only be accurate to whatever frequency it is currently operating at. That number will fluctuate if the frequency is throttling. Set your CPU to maximum frequency, just like you'd do for a Windows system in the "performance" power plan, by changing the CPU frequency governor. I do that by using indicator-cpufreq. After that, you'll know what the actual CPU load is (based on its maximum frequency, not a throttled-down frequency).

And without a low-latency kernel, I don't know what you would expect. If you're running an Ubuntu-based distro, just add the kernel from Synaptic or whatever. It's there in the main repo. There's no need to get a separate one like Liquorix or whatever.

If you're using Debian-based distro, you may have to patch the kernel to be "realtime" ("RT") or low latency. I don't do that kind of thing so I can't tell you how. The only Debian-based distro that I used with Reaper is MX Linux and it has a RT-patched kernel in its repo.

For other distros which aren't Ubuntu-based or Debian-based, I haven't even looked into what it would take to patch a kernel for realtime or low-latency use.

@SteveHM: you mention Mint LMDE. I doubt it has a RT-patched kernel in the repo. I don't think your CPU % has much to do with this, but it would probably be a concern for your system performance at low latency. You may have to look up how to patch the kernel for the "RT" performance, or maybe you'd prefer to use a different distro based on Ubuntu (any other Mint variant) so that there's a low-latency kernel in the repo to make installation (and subsequent updates to the kernel) very easy.

Last edited by JamesPeters; 09-10-2020 at 08:50 AM.
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Old 09-10-2020, 11:00 AM   #6
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Hi JP,
Thank you for your input.
I'm running a a Ryzen 2700 build with vanilla linux-5.4.64, while CPU governor is set to default "ondemand".
Void is rolling as Arch, so I'm on latest upstream release regarding drivers/tools/libs/apps.
Regarding the realtime kernel patches, is it realy needed anymore as most realtime stuff is present in todays kernels. Don't get me wrong as there is probably some RT-patching magic advantages on huge prosjects, but for my narrow geeking eeh.
I also don't do system tweaking other than put the user in the audio group for realtime-privileges.
Regarding the alsa driver, only obstacle I have is using dmix in conjuction with Reaper .. they are not friends, no multisource playback for me
As a sidenote using, now dead RME Hammerfall (19 years in daily service!) was a breeze, I knew I should'nt have ventured away from RME,
I basicly blame NI and kernels beyond 4.9 for my troubles today, lol
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Old 09-10-2020, 12:25 PM   #7
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I wouldn't know exactly what isn't quite working with your distro of choice (in this thread, and that other one), but it's outside the "average distro" realm enough that I'm suspicious. Plus it's the kind of distro that requires the user to maintain it more than common Ubuntu-based distros which prompt you to update, and "hold your hand" (with GUI-based utilities, scheduled updates, etc.) when it comes to that and dependency issues. So it's not so much about rolling versus non-rolling. It's more about: is your distro set up for this use, and if not, you probably missed something. Keep that in mind before you report any bugs about any software. Or try switching to a more common distro that's easier to maintain.

"Ondemand" isn't as good as "performance" for DAW use. It's probably ok for smaller projects, but anything with high CPU or very low latency should be run with "performance" as the governor.
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