619 replies to this topic

[ellisdj]

Keetakwee can you please advice on how best to use Fid 8.1 and Process Lassos together

I am a little confused by the comments above.

 

Are you suggesting disabling Pro Balance Altogether or just on specific audio services / tasks.

 

I also assume you suggest to select Core Optimisation on in Fidelizer too

 

A good description of what to do would be very useful - Thanks very much - really appreciated 

[Marcin_gps]

Hi taxman2 and Keetakawee,

 

It is my understanding that the JPLAY registry key for the core setting is a switch (on/off) only. Setting it at 1 turns it on, it does not select core 1 in hyperthreaded cores, it selects a single core (which I think is core 0). Setting it at 0 turns it off. Perhaps Marcin or Josef can confirm.

 

Cheers,

 

Bernie

Correct, it's ON/OFF

[Windows X]

I normally use Process Lasso to setup specific processes like PlexTools or some audio driver processes with high priority and assign cores differently. ProBalance feature is turned off. That's how I use it for myself.

 

As for JPLAY using core 1, I mean JPLAY process will always run at core 1 and core 1 in system with hyper-threading is logical core of core 1.

 

 

I think it should be core 2-3 for system with hyper-threading since core 0 is physical and core 1 is logical of first core.

[taxman2]

I think you are right. It is a main process in our systems and should run on a physical core. I've assigned core 0 for both PCs.

[Windows X]

I recommend to try on core 2-3 as first core will also be used on audio thread too.

 

Regards,

Keetakawee

[taxman2]

I've assigned core 2 for both PCs but could not find any difference. Anyway, I'll leave it like that.

[Windows X]

Difference can be subtle so you don't need to worry about that much. Technically speaking, it's recommended to try turning off hyper-threading and see if you notice any changes in sonic performance too.

 

Regards,

Keetakawee

[taxman2]

I thought that turning off hyper threading was good for the old processors. The developer of Process Lasso recommended hyper threading on on the new processors.

[BernieK]

I thought that turning off hyper threading was good for the old processors. The developer of Process Lasso recommended hyper threading on on the new processors.

 

Hi taxman2,

 

Just to clear up any misconceptions, Jeremy Collake does not recommend leaving hyperthreading on. Rather he points out that with respect to hyperthreading "... it wouldn’t matter if a thread is on logical core 0, or logical core 1, assuming the other core in the pair is not utilized." However "...when both are fully utilized, they bottleneck at the shared computational and cache units." "But threads put on 0 and 3 get access to two fully distinct CPUs."

 

The implication is that it may be better to have hyperthreading turned off to avoid processes using units common to the two hyperthreaded cores, a situation that conceivably could affect sound quality. Whether this does have any impact on sound quality on well-optimized PCs is up to the individual user to determine.

 

Bernie

[taxman2]

Her is what Jeremy has answered to me:

 

taxman2, on 29 Mar 2017 - 10:38 PM, said:

Do you suggest not to disable hyper threading? I have followed Audiophile Optimizer's guide and have done it as recommended. By the way, I did not change affinity of jplay.exe. Process Lasso did it by its self.

 

I am glad you asked, as this has a new answer!

 

On older processors, say previous to Intel Skylake (ix-6xxx) and AMD's Ryzen, I would recommend disabling hyper-threading.  (edit: technically probably 2 generations back you shouldn't disable them).

 

However, AMD's Ryzen now has true SMP in it's cores and Intel has had such for a while. Thus, we get in a situation where the hyper-threaded core is no longer just an 'addi-on', as it was when first introduced so long ago. Thus, it is best to leave enabled so that it can be utilized!

[Windows X]

I think it's easy enough to try both and stay with what you like. People has different gears, preferences, and principles after all. Some love big buffer design and some love bufferless design. Some love intensive DSP chaining and some love purist playback. Some love to keep HT on and some love to keep HT off too.

[BernieK]

Hyperthreading increases efficiency and processor throughput for a PC running a large number of services and processes. Under such conditions, with newer processors, it is reasonable to recommend leaving hyperthreading turned on.

 

However, for a highly optimized audio-PC running a much smaller number of services and processes, there may be an advantage, with respect to sound quality, to having hyperthreading turned off. This may be why Audiophil recommends turning hyperthreading off when using the Audiophile Optimizer (AO manual, page 9).

 

Thus, as with other factors in computer audio, whether it is beneficial for sound quality to have hyperthreading turned on or off will likely depend on the individual system in use. As I mentioned previously, and Windows X has just emphasized, it's up to individal users to try both ways and determine which works best for them with their systems.

[taxman2]

Probably thus applies for the Audio PC, but for Control PC one needs all cores I presume.

[Marcin_gps]

HT also increases TDP which is critical in a hi-end computer audio system. 

[taxman2]

My processors are rated 15W tdp. I probably don't have to worry about that.

[BernieK]

Probably thus applies for the Audio PC, but for Control PC one needs all cores I presume.

 

That's my view too and so I have hyperthreading turned on for my Control-PC and turned off for my Audio-PC (which aside from JPLAY and Process Lasso has only eight other services running).

[thuanb]

Thanks for the tips. I turned on HT and it seems to alleviate the heat issue with PPA server (controlPC). Will keep monitoring the temperature and listening for any change in SQ.

[screenmusic]

HT also increases TDP which is critical in a hi-end computer audio system. 

 

You mean that increases heat? so better in of position?

[Marcin_gps]

You mean that increases heat? so better in of position?

Correct - heat and power requirements go up. 

[taxman2]

Interesting thing is every time I do some changes on the bios, Process Lasso requires immediately activation. I've wrote to Jeremy about this issue and he promised to fix this in the next update.