Excessive CPU Temperature (not CPU load) Increase with Audio Interface

Benzai10 · 12-12-2020, 02:24 AM

Hi Reaper Linux forum,

Posted this in the general forum and got a tip to post it here.

I'm evaluating Reaper as a current Ardour user. I would really like to join the Reaper community but I have a possible deal-breaking issue.

As soon as I start Reaper, my CPU temperature jumps 20C degrees. No increase in CPU load though.

This happens only when I have a USB audio interface connected. I tried it with an NI Komplete Audio 6 and an old M-Audio Fast Track and it happens with both.

Same setup with Ardour doesn't increase my CPU temp at all. The temperature itself wouldn't be a too big issue, the bigger problem is that I have to deal with unnecessary fan noise that kicks in at these CPU temperatures.

Any hints are highly appreciated and please let me know if you need more info. Thanks!

Tobbe · 12-12-2020, 03:38 AM

Hi,

You can start Reaper via terminal and see if it shows any strange things. I use BPyTOP (https://snapcraft.io/bpytop) more advanced than HTop to see my CPU load. I start it first and then Reaper. It doesn't use that much power. In the picture I have 60+ SFizz tracks loaded (online) and some reverb effects. Only Linux native plugins here. No Wine. There's not much load on the CPU or temperature what I can see.

I'm on Ubuntu Studio 20.04 right now. My computer works best with that distro. Others I have trouble with. It reboots now and then without any reason. US20.04 doesn't. I tried them all...well almost.

Benzai10 · 12-12-2020, 07:09 AM

Thanks for the hints. It was definitely not a CPU load issue. I switched the Reaper installation from my Thinkpad X230 to a Thinkpad T430s and voila: No issues here!

So I reckon the issue is hardware related. Maybe it's indeed the case that on the X230 the USB connection somehow heats up and is close to the CPU temp sensor (which I read somewhere in the interwebs).

I will not investigate further, just happy that it seems to work on my T430s and looking forward to use Reaper!

Jack Winter · 12-16-2020, 04:21 AM

It might be preferences->audio->device->disable power management if supported. This tells the cpu to not go into deeper powersaving modes.

Benzai10 · 12-16-2020, 05:30 AM

Thanks for the hint, but I tried that already and it didn't change anything. But as I said, never mind, I'm happy that it works on my other machine

.

I also tried to connect the audio interface on different USB ports but problem remains (so far, this only happens on my Lenovo Thinkpad X230, so I guess it's a hardware issue with this machine).

Jack Winter · 12-16-2020, 10:36 AM

I suppose if it was a hardware problem then it would happen with Ardour too..

Strange that it only happens with Reaper, but there is nothing that springs immediately to mind..

PMan · 01-18-2021, 10:09 PM

Welcome to the Reaper community, Benzai10!

Reaper is awesome software, there is an amazing community of generally knowledgeable and helpful people, *and* some amazing coders!

There have been a couple of times where a Reaper JSFX plugin didn't work on Linux, I reported it in the forums, and the person who created the plugin found the bug and fixed it, right away. Pretty cool to see people who work on other platforms ready and willing to make their code work on Linux.

Good Luck and Happy Reaping!

12-12-2020, 02:24 AM	#1
Benzai10 Human being with feelings Join Date: Nov 2020 Posts: 5	Excessive CPU Temperature (not CPU load) Increase with Audio Interface Hi Reaper Linux forum, Posted this in the general forum and got a tip to post it here. I'm evaluating Reaper as a current Ardour user. I would really like to join the Reaper community but I have a possible deal-breaking issue. As soon as I start Reaper, my CPU temperature jumps 20C degrees. No increase in CPU load though. This happens only when I have a USB audio interface connected. I tried it with an NI Komplete Audio 6 and an old M-Audio Fast Track and it happens with both. Same setup with Ardour doesn't increase my CPU temp at all. The temperature itself wouldn't be a too big issue, the bigger problem is that I have to deal with unnecessary fan noise that kicks in at these CPU temperatures. Any hints are highly appreciated and please let me know if you need more info. Thanks!

12-12-2020, 03:38 AM	#2
Tobbe Human being with feelings Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern Lights Posts: 749	Hi, You can start Reaper via terminal and see if it shows any strange things. I use BPyTOP (https://snapcraft.io/bpytop) more advanced than HTop to see my CPU load. I start it first and then Reaper. It doesn't use that much power. In the picture I have 60+ SFizz tracks loaded (online) and some reverb effects. Only Linux native plugins here. No Wine. There's not much load on the CPU or temperature what I can see. I'm on Ubuntu Studio 20.04 right now. My computer works best with that distro. Others I have trouble with. It reboots now and then without any reason. US20.04 doesn't. I tried them all...well almost. __________________ OS: Manjaro KDE Plasma, Reaper For Linux (64Bit) native linux-vst plugins, LSP-Plugins, TpL-Plugins, Harrison's AVA & VST Plugins. Behringer U-PHORIA UMC22.

12-16-2020, 04:21 AM	#4
Jack Winter Human being with feelings Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Luxembourg/Spain Posts: 1,922	It might be preferences->audio->device->disable power management if supported. This tells the cpu to not go into deeper powersaving modes. __________________ Reaper for Linux Documentation (WIP). Software: Archlinux/KDE, Fabfilter FX, Komplete 8, Nebula, Schwa/Stillwell, T-racks Max/Amplitube/SVX, etc. Gear: i7-2600k/4700HQ/16GB, RME Multiface/Babyface, Behringer X32, Genelec 8040, etc. :)

12-16-2020, 10:36 AM	#6
Jack Winter Human being with feelings Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Luxembourg/Spain Posts: 1,922	I suppose if it was a hardware problem then it would happen with Ardour too.. Strange that it only happens with Reaper, but there is nothing that springs immediately to mind.. __________________ Reaper for Linux Documentation (WIP). Software: Archlinux/KDE, Fabfilter FX, Komplete 8, Nebula, Schwa/Stillwell, T-racks Max/Amplitube/SVX, etc. Gear: i7-2600k/4700HQ/16GB, RME Multiface/Babyface, Behringer X32, Genelec 8040, etc. :)

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12-12-2020, 07:09 AM	#3
Benzai10 Human being with feelings Join Date: Nov 2020 Posts: 5	Thanks for the hints. It was definitely not a CPU load issue. I switched the Reaper installation from my Thinkpad X230 to a Thinkpad T430s and voila: No issues here! So I reckon the issue is hardware related. Maybe it's indeed the case that on the X230 the USB connection somehow heats up and is close to the CPU temp sensor (which I read somewhere in the interwebs). I will not investigate further, just happy that it seems to work on my T430s and looking forward to use Reaper!

12-16-2020, 05:30 AM	#5
Benzai10 Human being with feelings Join Date: Nov 2020 Posts: 5	Thanks for the hint, but I tried that already and it didn't change anything. But as I said, never mind, I'm happy that it works on my other machine . I also tried to connect the audio interface on different USB ports but problem remains (so far, this only happens on my Lenovo Thinkpad X230, so I guess it's a hardware issue with this machine).

01-18-2021, 10:09 PM	#7
PMan Human being with feelings Join Date: Aug 2019 Posts: 656	Welcome to the Reaper community, Benzai10! Reaper is awesome software, there is an amazing community of generally knowledgeable and helpful people, and some amazing coders! There have been a couple of times where a Reaper JSFX plugin didn't work on Linux, I reported it in the forums, and the person who created the plugin found the bug and fixed it, right away. Pretty cool to see people who work on other platforms ready and willing to make their code work on Linux. Good Luck and Happy Reaping!