8.0

Optimizing
Optimizing Audio Performance
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Hard Disk and Controller
The number of hard disk tracks that you can record and play back at the same time
also depends on the speed of your hard disk and hard disk controller. If you use
E-IDE disks and controllers, make sure that the transfer mode is DMA Busmaster.
Under Windows, you can check the current mode by launching the Windows
Device Manager and looking for properties of the IDE ATA/ATAPI controller’s
primary and secondary channel. DMA transfer mode is enabled by default, but may
be turned off by the system in case of hardware problems.
Audio Hardware and Driver
The hardware and its driver can have some effect on regular performance. A badly
written driver can reduce the performance of your computer. But where the
hardware driver design makes the most difference is with latency.
NOTE
We recommend that you use audio hardware for which there is a specific ASIO
driver.
This is especially true when using Cubase for Windows:
• Under Windows, ASIO drivers written specifically for the hardware are more
efficient than the Generic Low Latency ASIO Driver or a DirectX driver and
produce shorter latency times.
• Under Mac OS X, audio hardware with properly written Mac OS X (Core
Audio) drivers can be very efficient and produce very low latency times.
However, there are additional features currently only available with ASIO drivers,
such as the ASIO Positioning Protocol.
Settings That Affect Performance
Audio Buffer Settings
Audio buffers affect how audio is sent to and from the audio hardware. The size of
the audio buffers affects both the latency and the audio performance.
Generally, the smaller the buffer size, the lower the latency. On the other hand,
working with small buffers can be demanding for the computer. If the audio buffers
are too small, you may get clicks, pops or other audio playback problems.
• To adjust the buffer size settings under Mac OS X, select Devices > Device
Setup, and select the Device Setup dialog. You may also find buffer settings
in the control panel for the audio hardware.
• To adjust the buffer size settings under Windows, select Devices > Device
Setup, select the driver page, and click Control Panel.