I've been using Cubase 13 for a while with fairly big proyects with tons of VSTs and plugins.
Lately I've been getting some performance issues, cubase just randomly starts struggling and when I hit play both video and audio starts stuttering to a point where I just see the marker going forward but playing no sound. This is fixed if I just restart Cubase, but it's really annoying that I have to do this every several minutes.

The other thing that happens is that it plays normally and when I hit stop it lags very bad for about 10-15 seconds before it starts working normally again.

Here are my specs:

• Processor (CPU): AMD Ryzen 5 3600, base clock 3.60GHz, turbo boost up to 4.2 GHz, 32MB L3 Cache, 6 cores, 12 threads, 17858 core rating.
  
  
• Motherboard: ASUS Micro ATX TUF Gaming B450M, supports up to 128GB of RAM.
  
  
• RAM: 128GB. Don't know any hardware specifications
  
  
• Case: 550W power supply and a liquid cooler.
  
  
• Graphics Card (GPU): ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3060 12GB.

I also have 2 SSD of 1TB, 1 of 2TB and 1 of 500GB where I put all my VSTs and a Focusrite Scarlett 8i6.

 

Last edited: Oct 11, 2024

Have you updated windows lately? There has been some issues on win11 updates. Also any other updates done recently?
Did it work properly earlier with similar projects? Any new plugins used?

 

What's the resolution of the video?

 

Actually, yes. Izotope RX 11, but I don't use it in the DAW. I've been using it externally with audio files. The plugins were installed in Cubase though.
I'm on windows 10 and no recent updates.

 

You mean like the proyect?

 

The video. 1080? 4K?

 

1080

 

I actually just noticed that it happens when I stop working and do other stuff on the computer. When I get back to Cubase it gets laggy so I have to re-launch.

 

@Dieminun Also, do you know how to pull up your latency monitor? You say you have a lot going on, there is a limit of accumulated latency before you start to see issues with playing back video.

 

Ah, it has gone to the page and I can tell you from personal experience, 20 years using Cubase, that really affects projects, usually the large ones.

 

^
You mean page file, that could be the culprit.
I always disable it, memories from old optimizations

 

I have no idea what that is. Any details you care to give me?

 

Check the sampling rate to see if it matches.

Do you have an earlier restore point? If yes, you can reset your PC. You can also roll back the latest Windows updates if you are connected to the Internet. You can also check your PC for errors: In the Command Prompt window, type SFC /scannow and press Enter.

Please continue reading under “ Analysis tools ”, there are some tools to help you narrow down your problem. Also take a look at Taskmanager to see which programs are using how much CPU. Do a virus test.

Windows: How to set up and optimize a Digital Audio Workstation
The basics

A DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) application has very specific requirements that cannot be compared to other applications. A system that runs perfectly fine with games or video rendering may still not be suitable for audio real-time tasks with its very different priorities. While this may [not?] be the final verdict, here are some suggestions on setting up a DAW system properly.

Operating System
Windows 10/11 64-bit is the recommended platform! Most of this article’s content also applies to Windows 7 and Windows 8, though.

Update the operating system regularly. If the Windows 10/11 Update feature yields no results on already released major updates, check this page for additional options.

What about my old Windows 7 or Windows 8 system and my old hardware?
Many of these can be upgraded to Windows 10, however, some systems that appear to be compatible are not really suited for DAW tasks. Please see this article for details.

Components
Make sure that all device drivers are up-to-date and use the latest firmware (if applicable).

• Graphic cards/graphics processing unit (GPU)
  Use the latest official Windows drivers provided, but do not install the additional software that comes with the driver! PhysX, GeForce Experience, AMD Settings (formerly Catalyst Control Center) are mostly game-related features not needed on a DAW. They consume extra CPU resources and may mess up the processing priorities to the disadvantage of audio real-time processing.
• Audio interfaces
  Use the latest official Windows drivers provided. If external devices are used, make sure that the drivers for the interface cards (USB, Firewire, Thunderbolt) are also up-to-date.
  More on audio interfaces further down.
• Update the UEFI BIOS. This may not only improve the stability of the system, but also enhances security and compatibility. See the manufacturer’s documentation for details.
• Avoid using dedicated mouse and keyboard drivers, instead use the drivers provided by Windows.

Tweaking Windows

• Energy saving
  Any energy saving option should be deactivated in favor of continuous operation.
  Open Control Panel ▸ Power Options ▸ Create a power plan ▸ High Performance and set the computer sleep time to ‘Never’.
  Once set-up, go to Change plan settings ▸ Change advanced power settings ▸ USB settings and disable the ‘USB selective suspend settings’.
• Uninstall unused applications and plug-ins.
• Remove or disable unused components (WIFI, webcams, printers etc.).
• Minimize background tasks as much as possible. This also includes online storage solutions as Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, iCloud, etc. They are often not considered, even though constant synchronization can stress the system significantly. Even if you do not experience performance difficulties, it is advisable to pause cloud services at least while recording.
• Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST) - long-term audio recording tests have shown audio glitches every few hours on some systems if the 'Link Power Management' option in the RST control panel ▸ Performance is enabled. Disable it if similar issues appear and the software is used.
• Try a ‘clean boot’ without all the additional services and auto-start programs to troubleshoot issues. This is described here.

Tweaking Cubase/Nuendo
In the Studio ▸ Studio Setup ▸ VST Audio System ▸ Advanced Options, there are some settings you can experiment with.

• ‘Processing precision’
  A processing precision of 64-bit float can increase CPU load and memory consumption.
• ‘Activate Multi Processing’
  Usually, having this selected is the preferred setting. But if performance issues arise, it is worth deactivating the multiprocessing support for a test.
• ‘Activate ASIO-Guard’
  As mentioned earlier, Cubase/Nuendo makes heavy use of real-time processing.
  The ASIO-Guard allows you to shift as much processing as possible from the ASIO real-time path to the ASIO-Guard processing path. This results in a more stable system.
  However, depending on the system, the project and the plug-ins used, it is worth a try deactivating it or selecting a different level.
  

Tweaking the computer
Modern systems with a fully updated Windows should not need any of the default settings to be modified. However, if certain drivers are not fully optimized and you experience audio drop-outs, it is worth having a closer look. Note that the following settings are often not accessible, especially on laptop systems.

• Disable Hyper-Threading (Intel)/Simultaneous Multi-Threading (AMD) in the UEFI BIOS if your CPU supports it and if your BIOS allows you to modify this setting.
• Disable advanced power-saving and dynamic performance options for your CPU if applicable. This usually needs to be done in the UEFI BIOS of your computer and includes ‘Enhanced Intel SpeedStep (EIST)’, ‘AMD Cool 'n' Quiet’, ‘Intel Turbo Boost’, and ‘AMD Turbo CORE’.
• Disable C-States in the UEFI BIOS if this is accessible. C-States allow your CPU to sleep when idle, which may interfere with real-time applications such as audio. This option is often called ‘Disable CPU Idle State for Power Saving’.

Tweaking the audio interface
Onboard sound cards: If your motherboard provides an onboard sound card, it should be configured to be the standard playback device in the Windows Sound Settings. This way, the Windows system sounds will be played back by the onboard device without affecting the audio signal of your audio interface or sound card. However, if playback issues occur, it can also be advisable to deactivate the onboard device in the UEFI BIOS of your system. Onboard sound cards cannot be recommended for the usage with our products since they do not allow working with low latencies due to missing ASIO drivers. Furthermore, some onboard sound chips are equipped with substandard AD/DA converters and only offer low signal quality (high noise level, non-linear frequency response, bad electrostatic shield).

Latency/Buffer Setting
If you experience audio drop-outs or crackles, look at the ‘Audio Performance’ (‘Studio’ menu in Cubase and Nuendo). It indicates how much resources are left to calculate the audio data and forward it to the audio driver in time. If the latency is very low (which is corresponding to a very small buffer size) time might be too short for proper signal processing. Depending on the system, the audio interface and the running project, it might make sense to increase the latency/buffer setting. Please refer to the manual of the corresponding audio interface for details. Updating the audio driver might also improve the overall system performance and allow using latencies which weren't usable before.


Advanced troubleshooting
Still with us? Great! Here is more to consider, more tips and some real-life experience from the support department.

Analysis Tools
Use analysis software to monitor the overall real-time performance of your system.
The free utilities ‘DPC Latency Checker’ (only Windows 7) and ‘LatencyMon‘ facilitate the search for possible sources of error a lot. Another tool to find bottlenecks can be ‘WhySoSlow’

USB 2.0 vs USB 3.x
While USB 3.x is backwards compatible and USB 2.0 components should work on a USB 3.x port, the stability and performance may suffer. Preferably, connect USB 2.0 devices to USB 2.0 ports. If none are available, some UEFI BIOS settings allow switching USB 3.x ports back to USB 2.0.

In contrast to that, we also had reports on various MIDI and audio issues (timing, drop-outs) on AMD systems with the audio/MIDI interface connected to a USB 2.0 port. Switching to one of the available USB 3.0 ports resolved the issue. Note, however, that this is highly dependent on the interface, its drivers and the motherboard used.

USB ports vs. USB hubs
Normally, it is best to connect audio interfaces directly with the computer. However, certain difficulties can be solved by using a USB hub. Self-powered USB hubs (those with a power supply) are usually the best choice. There are even USB hubs available designed to be used with audio interfaces.

Plug-ins
Do you really need them all? Try to minimize your setup to the plug-ins you really need.
Often, plug-ins cause performance or stability issues. We strongly recommend using VST 3 and 64-bit plug-ins only! Do not use VST bridges like JBridge if you want maximum stability and performance.

Third-party applications
Try avoiding them as much as possible. Install only, what is really needed to work with a DAW.
No additional virus scanner (use the Windows Defender instead), no tweaking utilities, no printer software, streaming clients or management tools (e.g. Asus AI Suite) etc. should be installed let alone running in background constantly.
It is advisable to deactivate these programs and slim out your auto-start. Again, see 'clean boot' for details.

Graphic card settings
Obviously, driver settings depend on the manufacturer, the graphics card model and the driver version. But as a rule, options that boost graphics/gaming performance can be suspected to interfere with real-time audio processing.
If you have to use the additional software coming with the GPU, try whether switching off high/ultra-performance modes, overclocking, high-resolution textures/polygon/shader options etc. solves the issue. Restarts might be required and probably some trial and error efforts.

Some graphic cards like the NVIDIA Quadro series offers different profiles to work with.
In rare cases, the default profile for the card caused performance issues. NVIDIA suggests trying the ‘Workstation App – dynamic streaming’ instead. The option can be found in the Nvidia 3D configuration options under <3D settings management>
Also, if a ‘multithreaded rendering’ option is available, turn that off as well! More on this here.

Motherboard
We have had reports on poor performance on even high-end systems like an Intel Core i9.
It turned out that the motherboard and a specific UEFI BIOS version had issues with memory performance and the manufacturer suggested rolling back to an older BIOS version, which resolved the issue. As mentioned earlier on, BIOS updates are important but in rare cases, it is worth taking a closer look at the version history or even online discussions in the communities.

Additional troubleshooting
If Windows 10/11 was installed as an upgrade, install Windows from scratch instead.

Source: https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/...t-up-and-optimize-a-Digital-Audio-Workstation

 

Last edited: Oct 11, 2024

^ lol. This is the repair version of carpet bombing.

You are using the Focusrite Mix Control or Focusrite Control software? Because it sounds like your audio driver being released by restarting Cubase fixes the problem. That could certainly be caused by Windows issues, RAM buffer set too low in Cubase, or issues with your ASIO/driver.

Normal stuff. But you are using Focusrite Mix Control or Focusrite Control and maybe a driver from Focusrite? Before you go tearing Windows apart, make sure your issue is not being caused by the Focusrite software and driver you have selected in Cubase. You could rule out many tests dealing with Windows itself, by using another DAW to test. Like REAPER. You could possibly save a lot of time by not skipping directly to OS optimizations. Those should be done anyway, but if the problem is your driver/software from Focusrite; optimizing Windows is not going to fix it. You would have had the same issues from Day One.

Another dumb issue that could be a time killer, you could reseat your RAM modules. Remove them from the slot, and put them right back in, securely.

 

Last edited: Oct 11, 2024

Sorry for the delay..
How To Manage Virtual Memory (Pagefile) In Windows 10 | Tom's Hardware (tomshardware.com)

 

Optimize Pagefile.sys safely (change size, move, but better NOT delete)
www-windows--tweaks-info.translate.goog/anleitung/pagefile-sys-in-windows/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

I would recommend running LatencyMon 10 once to see if it finds any problematic components or drivers.
www.resplendence.com/latencymon

 

I'm getting this

 

Hello Dieminun, thank you for the informative test, now we can finally move forward. First you could go into the BIOS and do the following: "Reset system settings"

Then restart the PC and run "LatencyMon" again and post the results here again.
If it is unchanged - we have to think of something else.

Help: BIOS reset – How to return to factory settings in a few steps
www.ionos.com/digitalguide/server/configuration/bios-reset/

==========================================================================
If the second LatecyMon does not bring any improvement, I recommend these settings:

Tweaking the computer

Modern systems with a fully updated Windows should not need any of the default settings to be modified. However, if certain drivers are not fully optimized and you experience audio drop-outs, it is worth having a closer look. Note that the following settings are often not accessible, especially on laptop systems.

- Disable Hyper-Threading (Intel)/Simultaneous Multi-Threading (AMD) in the UEFI BIOS if your CPU supports it and if your BIOS allows you to modify this setting.

- Disable advanced power-saving and dynamic performance options for your CPU if applicable. This usually needs to be done in the UEFI BIOS of your computer and includes ‘Enhanced Intel SpeedStep (EIST)’, ‘AMD Cool 'n' Quiet’, ‘Intel Turbo Boost’, and ‘AMD Turbo CORE’.

- Disable C-States in the UEFI BIOS if this is accessible. C-States allow your CPU to sleep when idle, which may interfere with real-time applications such as audio. This option is often called ‘Disable CPU Idle State for Power Saving’.

 

Last edited: Oct 14, 2024

May be worth looking at: https://forums.blurbusters.com/viewtopic.php?t=13084

 

I disabled CPU throttling on windows, updated drivers with Iobit driver booster and reset system settings in bios (only change was SVM: Enabled->Disabled) and I'm still getting this. I did not find the way to disable CPU throttling in BIOS as latencymon says. I only found a way to do it while on windows. The analysis runs ok but when I start cubase it starts going up.