Running out of power - bug?

Jeff Moore

Member
comp-od-rotary-amp-trem-delay-multi delay (in parallel)-verb-cab

All is good until I turn the trem on at which point the reverb disables. Verb is lower resolution and depth is down to 4 or 6.
 
is there a question? also it would help if you upload the preset so we aren't guessing.
 
is there a question? also it would help if you upload the preset so we aren't guessing.
Sorry - thought it was implied :)

My (mis)understanding was the effects take the same power whether engaged or bypassed. When the preset was set up and no issues presented themselves I thought I was in the clear. When the verb shut off with the trem engaged it caught me by surprise. The only things on (in addition to amp/cab) at that point were comp-OD-trem-verb. If I take the rotary out I can run everything with no problems. Guess I'm confused. I guess my question is more "why does it behave this way?" Seems inconsistent.
 
Unfortunately its called compromise - if you are close to the CPU limit you might hit (maybe random) problems ..... you could run some external pedals if you absolutley need lots of FX ... or just buy an AXE-FX II then you have lots of CPU to play with :)
 
Rotary, Drive and Reverb are the most CPU hungry FX. What is your Cab block set to?

It is true that FX take up the same amount of CPU regardless if they are enabled or not, but actual playing takes more CPU than when not playing/processing audio. Your tremolo could trigger some dynamics that later blocks need more power to process [pure guesswork ]. Sometimes, I have a preset that is on the edge, and it will be OK until I have played for maybe 30 secs, and then it will suddenly give up.

Is the Ax8 plugged in with USB while running the preset. Try to unplug as the USB connection itself takes CPU.
 
I've had the same happen to me. If you are right on the edge of the CPU usage, it can occasionally disable the reverb when other FX are engaged. Generally, I have found that about 86% CPU usage is safe. I try to keep it under that.
 
Use a combination of presets and scenes. Split into multiple presets that don't require all of the blocks.
 
My confusion is that adding the trem is what disables the reverb. I can add the rotary and it's just fine. In fact I can add anything BUT the trem together or separately, in any x/y state, and everything is fine.
 
Trem/Pan is not expensive. It must just be the last thing you added and pushed things over the edge.

This page has a list of the blocks and their CPU usage:

http://axefxtutorials.com/2015/12/ax8-cpu-usage-of-all-blocks-types-fw-1-00/

Again, splitting things up into multiple presets that don't require all of the blocks is a great solution. I use 3 presets with 5 scenes each.
Totally understand all that. My point is that I can engage everything in the same preset At the same time and get no issues. If I engage ONLY the tremolo and nothing else it disable the reverb. Seems like a bug to me.
 
When you say engage the trem, are you switching scenes or using AxEdit?

If switching scenes, I suspect some block(s) are changing X/Y state to a more expensive mode.

If not, I don't get it, but regardless, your preset sounds pretty full. Split it up and you may get to increase the quality of the reverb.

Other things to reduce CPU would be using non-ultrares mode in the Cab block, use scene controllers to change gain on amp instead of OD.

If you are recording, remove the reverb - you'll want that done in the DAW anyway. If you are playing live, remove the reverb - the room will take care of that. If you are just playing for enjoyment....split the preset :)
 
When you say engage the trem, are you switching scenes or using AxEdit?

If switching scenes, I suspect some block(s) are changing X/Y state to a more expensive mode.

If not, I don't get it, but regardless, your preset sounds pretty full. Split it up and you may get to increase the quality of the reverb.

Other things to reduce CPU would be using non-ultrares mode in the Cab block, use scene controllers to change gain on amp instead of OD.

If you are recording, remove the reverb - you'll want that done in the DAW anyway. If you are playing live, remove the reverb - the room will take care of that. If you are just playing for enjoyment....split the preset :)
Just using as a standard pedalboard, switching on/off. Nothing fancy. Can is in non-ultra mode, reverb in normal mode at density of 4. Regardless of X/y state of other effects I can manually engage every effect at the same time with no issues. If everything else is in the off state and I engage trem it disables the reverb.
 
Here's the preset. Curious if you have any feedback.
your preset is already at 90%, basically "the" limit. (for those who don't know, the remaining 10% or so is everything else - the LCD screen, reaction to knobs, etc.)

i'm surprised the Reverb doesn't disable when you start playing, as the CPU increases about 1-3% when it's actually processing the audio.

i can confirm that turning the Trem on in this particular preset will make the Reverb disable. the preset increases CPU about 1.5 when the Trem block is engaged. perhaps this is not intended, or a bug, but with your window so small (already at 90%), there isn't much wiggle room at all.

i changed the Reverb Echo Density from 4 to 2 and i was able to keep the Reverb block on when turning the Trem on.

i'll ask about the Trem block, but maybe that's just how the trem block works. but to be honest, this is just a "too much stuff" situation with the AX8. maybe it seems like not a lot of blocks, but we can only do what the CPU allows.

setting the Comp block to a Pedal type will save about 3-4% more CPU, just an FYI - i know Studio mode is radically different.

but even if the Trem did not push it over the edge on engage, a preset already at 90% is not the best situation. if a new amazing feature was added that used just 1% more CPU in the background, your preset may not work.

so yeah, try reducing Echo Density to 2 from 4 and you could also change the Comp from Studio to Pedal. Reverb, Comp and Drive are the heaviest CPU blocks, and they're all here :)

when i put a Trem block in an empty preset, there is still the 1.5% CPU difference when Engaged vs Bypassed. so the behavior is consistent, and again, might be by design.
 
I gotcha. Thanks for taking the time to look at it!

What's confusing (from a logic standpoint) is that engaging everything doesn't affect it but engaging just the tremolo with nothing else causes the behavior. It would seem that it would have this behavior regardless of which effect is engaged.
 
I gotcha. Thanks for taking the time to look at it!

What's confusing (from a logic standpoint) is that engaging everything doesn't affect it but engaging just the tremolo with nothing else causes the behavior. It would seem that it would have this behavior regardless of which effect is engaged.
In general, engaging and disengaging has little effect on the CPU load. However, the Tremolo is an exception. There is approximately 1.5% difference.

The biggest consideration is the general run-time load of your preset, which is apparently approximately 90%. Running this high almost guarantees CPU load issues while playing.
 
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