Are you sure both TM FX are set up 100% identically? For example one with MIDI and one without could make a big difference.

Hey MC,

do you have any idea what causes this Totalmix Bug?
Other users with similar Macs have the same problem:

https://www.forum.rme-audio.de/viewtopi … 86#p101886 (post 6)
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-c … emite.html

It took me a few hours to locate Totalmix as the source of the problem.
It's a reproduce-able problem on the Macbook and the Mac Mini.
Since I know about the bug and close Totalmix every time I work, I can work again on Logic Sessions that often caused my Macbook to stop because of "computer was not fast enough to process all data" error.
But it's very annoying to stop Totalmix all the time, as I need to control the parameters and the metering when in a session.

I guess lots of users who think their computer is not fast enough, or their OS X system is slowing it down actually don't figure out that Totalmix is driving the kernel_task nuts...

Perhaps I am not understanding.
Please clarify the hardware test details:

What speed/capacity are the processor/memory/hard drive/SSD are in the macbook pro and in the mac mini (ie what are the differences)?

Test configuration:
1. Are you running both the UFX and the BF at the same time on one computer and have tried them (together) on both computers?
OR
2. Are you running both the UFX and the BF one at a time on one computer and have tried them (separately) on both computers?
OR
3. Are you running the BF on one computer and the UFX on the other computer?

> just needed to overdub two tracks of bass and Logic was very unresponsive and stopped playpback very often with "System too slow" messages because of CPU spikes.

Which were most  probably not caused by TotalMix FX. Otherwise this fourm would be fiull of complaints.

We think that your testing and therefore the results is flawed. You used both a UFX and a Babyface, which behave already differently. And it seems you did not notice the difference between audio play and stop. Let me explain:

- Kernel task is about 6% or lower when no audio is processed. USB in Core Audio will usually cause 15% there as soon as playback starts. You get lower numbers with FireWire and Thunderbolt, though.

- The Babyface uses the CPU to render Reverb/Echo, therefore has to transmit audio even in stop mode - if Reverb and Echo had been turned on. Turn them off and Kernel Task will fall to 6%.

- The UFX will only cause the higher number when playback/record are active.

Those 6% / 15% refer to my old MacBook Air 2012 with 4 Core CPU. On a modern machine the numbers are typically 3% / 10% and - as explained - refer to one core only.

In our opinion there is no bug and nothing unexpected going on.

Thanks for the input and the suggestions. I'll try it all as soon as I have the time and I'll post the results.
In the meanwhile - what OSX system are you running your macbook air with?
Cheers,

R.

Sorry for reactivating and old thread, but the problem still remains after updating my Macbook Pro to Sierra and to the latest Drivers/TotalMix 3.08.

I just ran several tests and also connect the UFX in CC Mode as MC suggested.
All tests are without actually recording anything - just connecting hardware, opening / closing software:

- Computer in idle mode, no RME Hardware connected, TotalMix not running:
Kernel task is around 1% - 2%

- RME UFX connected via USB and TotalMix USB open:
Kernel task constantly around 20% (!) fans start to be audible after a while.

- RME UFX disconnected from USB but TotalMix USB open:
Kernel task constantly around 20% (!) fans start to be audible after a while.

- RME UFX in CC mode, connected via USB:
Kernel task is around 2% - 5%

- RME UFX connected via Firewire and TotalMix FW open:
Kernel task around 15%

- RME UFX disconnected from Firewire but TotalMix FW open:
Kernel task around 8% - 10%

As it only affects my older macs with Core2Duo guess it is somehow related to the hardware.
It doesn't happen on a MBA or iMac for example but on both, my MacMini and Macbook Pro.
The MacMini and Macbook Pro share identical hardware: both are USB2, Core2Duo, Nvidia GForce230M.
Both computers had been upgraded with SSD and perform well for record audio.
Unfortunately it's not possible to use them with TotalMix as 20 % of both CPUs are constantly occupied.
As soon as I also start recording within a project that uses a few (simple) plugins, the fans sound like a hair dryer

Thanks in advance - any help is highly appreciated!

I'm seeing a bit odd behavior, running on High Sierra (10.13.5 at the moment) where I'm seeing a slightly odd issue that may or may not be related to this.

What I'm seeing however is WindowServer taking up a lot of CPU resources.

I'm unsure whether the ownership of some tasks may have moved between the WindowServer process and kernel_task between El Capitan and High Sierra, which is why I'm not ruling it impossible that it's related to this.

In my case, as soon as I have the TotalMix FX (version 1.50 right now) visible on screen, WindowServer stays pinned above 10%, normally idling around 11-12%. As soon as I minimize and hide the TotalMix window, I'm back moving up and down between 1-3%.

So, I don't see it being mentioned in this thread so far, but one thing you could test to see if it has any effect is to hide the TotalMix window. In case your CPU usage goes down, it could be related to what I'm seeing.