Recording - June 2018 - 20

UPGRADE

Another important performance indicator is the
size of the CPU's cache-a small but ultra-fast chunk
of memory inside the CPU where often-used instructions
and data can be temporarily stored, rather than
constantly requesting them from the RAM or hard
drive. The result is an increase, often dramatic, in
efficiency and overall speed.
You'll want to consider all of these features when
choosing a new CPU or evaluating the components
of a complete computer you may be contemplating
buying. You're going to want to choose a CPU with
the highest clock rate, the largest cache, and the
greatest number of cores you can afford.
As an example, my solid old DAW computer has
an Intel i7 processor with a clock speed of 2.2 GHz.
When "Turbo Boost" kicks in the clock speed can
increase to 3.30 GHz. (It's not the fastest kid on the block.) The
CPU boasts 4 cores, 8 threads, and 6 MB of cache-a middleweight, not a heavyweight.
My projects tend to have between 20 and 50 audio tracks.
I use multiple native and third-party plug-ins on most tracks,
and at least one or two virtual instruments. I often slave a
second program to my main DAW via ReWire. My CPU has
never maxed out on me. See Figures 1 and 2, which show
memory and CPU loads for a project with 34 tracks, two
virtual instruments, and over 40 plug-ins.

YOUR DAW!

Getting better performance doesn't
have to mean starting from scratch
BY BILL STUNT

ne nice thing about digital audio recording is that the principal
work tool, the Digital Audio Workstation, is not so much a
single device as it is a collection of modules, many of which
can be swapped out or upgraded as requirements dictate. As you need
more horsepower, more inputs, better monitoring, or more sophisticated
routing, you can address each problem as a part of the larger system.
Your experience will of course be unique, but there are some logical
ways to go about designing and upgrading your system, and I'm going
to go over the basics in this article.

Heart and brain: CPU

One of the most effective ways to upgrade your system is to
beef up the computer. There are many benefits to be had from
upgrading your CPU, your RAM, and both the capacity and
the speed of your storage devices.
The CPU (Central Processing Unit) is the brain and the heart
of your DAW. As the brain, the CPU processes all the data
needed to perform the audio tasks at hand. As the heart, it
moves data and functions better when it beats faster and more
efficiently. Generally speaking, a CPU with a faster clock
speed will handle more tracks than a slower one, and give you
more horsepower to run more plug-ins. Many modern CPUs
can, when the OS demands, temporarily run above the unit's
nominal clock speed-this boost is essentially a form of dynamic
overclocking and can result in enhanced performance.
While it's an important performance indicator, speed is not
the only factor. Clock speeds haven't increased as rapidly in
recent years as they have in the past; CPUs are more powerful because they now utilize multiple processors or cores.
Each core is an actual processor in and of itself, and multiple
cores facilitate multitasking-the ability to work on
multiple processes in parallel. This can result in a welcome
performance boost. Many modern DAWs take advantage of
this ability to spread the processing load over multiple cores;
you'll want to research how well your DAW does this, as some
are more efficient with certain tasks than others. Further, some
cores can also multitask internally, via multiple threads.
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RECORDING June 2018

Short-term memory: RAM

RAM (Random Access Memory) is something we never seem to
have enough of. With every new generation, software wants more
RAM, and yesterday's 'tons' is today's 'bare minimum.' Most DAWs
require 4 to 8 GB, and many systems recommend 16 GB or more.
Part of that ever-increasing demand stems from the adoption
of 64-bit operating systems. 32-bit operating systems limited

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - June 2018