Ableton Forum

We did so many Performance tests with Live 2 and Live 3, but i dont remember a comprehensive
one being done yet with Live 4. so here goes.

I've created an .als that uses Simpler and Impulse presets, so all you'll have to do
to participate in this test is download this .als that i have uploaded and hit play in Live 4. The .als also works with the Live 4 demo if you do not own Live 4. It uses no additional sounds, vsts, au's, etc. simply download, and hit play.


I created a session that uses Simpler, Impulse, and a variety of live's FX.
It was created in all but 15 minutes. I tried to make something that didnt sound like ass,
but i also didnt work on any details too much either. Arrangement view is not used, and its a
2 bar loop, so your Live CPU meter shouldn't bounce around too much, if it does bounce
around - please list the Peak % that Live's CPU meter displays.


Live4PerformanceTest.als contains a variety of instruments/fx, here's the list of what it incorporates...
1 Simpler Instrument with Filter & LFO activated
8 sounds in Impulse, all with Filters activated, sent to 8 individual channels for processing.
8 EQ4's, 1 CompressorI, 1 EQ3, 1 Chrous, 1 Redux, 1 Erosion
in the FX Returns - 1 Reverb (Comfort Setting), 1 Simple Delay
in the Master - 1 Compressor 2

VERY IMPORTANT!!!!
before performing the test - please set in preferences...
Audio - Input Audio Device > "No Input"
Audio - Output Buffer Latency > "512 Samples" (if you can't get latency this low - set it as low as you can without pops'n'clicks and make a note in your post)
Audio - Sample Rate > "44100"
Audio - Overall Latency - "0ms" latency compensation. For instance, 11ms + 0ms + "0ms" = 11ms

Midi/Sync - Input - Computer Keyboard should be activated only.

***NOTE MAC USERS: Please check before you test that the Energy Saver settings under System Prefererences/Energy Saver/Options/Processor peformance are optimized. This needs to be set to HIGHEST for any OSX laptop to give a realistic result.
PC USERS: Make sure that your Power Options are set to "Always ON" ( Start / Settings / Control Panel / Power Options


HERE's THE .ALS
http://66.221.205.118/adamjay/Live4PerformanceTest.als
(size of the .als is 109KB)

after completing the test, please post in this thread....

please list:

1) Ableton Live CPU Meter % (if it bounces around, please list the peak)
2) Laptop/Desktop? Make/Model
3) Operating System
4) CPU Make Model and Speed
5) Amount of Ram / Speed of Ram (if you know)
6) Soundcard (Stock or add on?, usb/firewire/pci ?)
7) Hard Disk Drive Speed (if you know)

if you do not know all of the specifications of your machine as listed above, please fill
free to still participate in this public benchmark and at least list the specifications that you DO know.

***IMPORTANT*** - Some Macintosh users may experience no audio output and/or no action on the level meters, as the Simpler/Impulse presets arent loading correctly.
For those users experiencing no Volume Meter activity or no audible output.. the .als as well as the sounds (215KB Total) can be found here:
http://66.221.205.118/adamjay/Live4PerformanceTest.zip

Also, If you get glitches or Disk Overload, please make a note of it in your post.

***UPDATE Mar. 13, 2005***
Here's the most recent list of results:

1) 24%
2) HP zv5000z Pavilion Notebook
3) Windows XP Home (SP1)
4) Athlon 64 3000 DTR (Desktop Replacement) @ 1.8ghz, 1MB L2
5) 512MB Ram, PC-2700
6) Stock SoundMAX onboard sound
7) 4200rpm HD


Screenshot:
http://www.chromanetmusicworks.com/adam ... ceTest.jpg

1) 25% (peak at 27%)
2) Dell Inspiron 8600C
3) Windows XP Home (SP1)
4) Pentium M 715(centrino)@ 1.5ghz, 2MB L2
5) 512MB Ram, PC-2700
6) Sygmatel audio (internal card with ASIO4ALL)
7) 7200rpm HD 60 gb (hitachi)
edited with the minimum and the peak..

1) 33%
2) Shuttle PC X
3) Windows XP Pro
4) Pentium 4 2.8 GHZ
5) 512 MB Ram, DDR
6) Stock Realtek onboard sound*
7) 7200RPM HD


*note, had to use 44ms for this test due to the sound card crapping out with anything below this.

my second laptop (the first one is the dell inspiron in a post above)

1) 66% (peak at 70%)
2) Apple Ibook G4 12"
3) Mac OSX 10.3.4
4) G4 1ghz, 512 kb L2 cache
5) 768 MB Ram, DDR
6) Built in soundcard , core audio driver
7) 4200RPM 30 gb HD
edited with minimum and peak...

1) 41%
2) Custom desktop. ASUS P4P800 board.
3) Windows XP Professional
4) P4 2.4 GHz
5) 1024 MB PC3200 RAM
6) M-Audio Delta 44 (PCI w/ Breakout Box)
7) Dedicated 7200RPM 80GB IDE Audio Drive

Nice loop, too!

1) 44%
2) Apple Powerbook 12"
3) OS X.3.5
4) 1 GHz G4 (1.1) 512kb L2 cache
5) 768mb PC2100 (266 MHz) DDR SDRAM
6) built-in audio
7) 4200 rpm

screenshot:
http://ultrasourcelabs.com/livetest.jpg

(adamjay, unreferenced samples. had to find them. audio was on the whole time. i thought something was fishy)

ultra... judging by your screen shot... none of the audio is leaving live's master output... can you activate your master outputs so that the audio is actually being rendered - and edit your above post with the new cpu % ?

thanks.
-AJ

EDIT: For those users experiencing no Volume Meter activity or no audible output.. the .als as well as the sounds (215KB Total) can be found here:
http://www.chromanetmusicworks.com/adam ... ceTest.zip

1) 47% - 51%
2) Apple powerbook 15"
3) Mac OS 10.3.5
4) G4 1,25 GHz CPU speed
5) 1,25 G ram (DDR SDRAM PC27oou-25330)
6) Indigo Echo I/O (almost same result with built in core audo)
7) 4,200 RPM

a friend of mine just sent me his results via AIM...
thanks Brandon.

1) 45% constant
2) Dell Dimension 8200
3) win XP
4) P4; 2.8 gHz
5) 512 mB
6) Add-on --> EMULATOR soundcard (emu) 2-slot PCI
7) 7200rpm HD

ultra... judging by your screen shot... none of the audio is leaving live's master output... can you activate your master outputs so that the audio is actually being rendered - and edit your above post with the new cpu % ?

29%!!
No, i think Ultrasource get the same problem i had when i've tested on my ibook, Live doesn't find the sample in the .als, you got to search them manually........So , it explain why there's no vumeter activity on his screenshot, it was the same for me (about 29% too) before i load the samples..
But i got my DELL

darn, well...

For those users experiencing no Volume Meter activity or no audible output.. the .als as well as the sounds (215KB Total) can be found here:
http://www.chromanetmusicworks.com/adam ... ceTest.zip

1) 72%
2) Apple Ibook 12"
3) OS 10.3.5
4) G3 900mhz
5) 384mb
6) Stock
7) 4200 rpm

weird. i rebooted just now and now i'm peaking at 50 instead of 44. computers scare me.

ultrasource wrote:weird. i rebooted just now and now i'm peaking at 50 instead of 44. computers scare me.

ultra - try downloading this:

http://www.chromanetmusicworks.com/adam ... ceTest.zip
it has the .als AND sounds, so the presets should load fine. sorry for the bug. cheers.