Optimizing Multitrack Performance In Cool Edit Pro - Lexicon CORE2 User Manual

Lexicon Studio Core2 User Guide

Optimizing Multitrack Performance in Cool Edit Pro

Because background mixing requires significant computer processing power, you may experience
audio dropouts in multitrack playback during large sessions — particularly if background mixing is
incomplete when playback is initiated. Although there are several things you can do to improve this,
if you have a slower machine, you may still have to wait for a time before hitting Play when working
with very large sessions.
Careful adjustment of Playback Buffer Size and Background Mixing Priority Level (in Options/
Settings/Mutitrack) with reference to the Mix Gauge can improve efficiency. The Background Mix
Priority must be high enough to keep the mix ahead of playback, but not high enough to slow down
your computer's performance. Generally, you should keep this setting as low as possible while still
keeping the Mix Gauge relatively filled. Raising the Buffer Size consumes more computer memory,
and can adversely affect computer performance.
Adjust these setings by small amounts, using decimal increments/decrements as follows. When
dropouts occur toward the end of background mixing (the Mix Gauge indicates mixing is more than
three-quarters through), try reducing the Playback Buffer Size and raising the Background Mixing
Priority Level (higher values reduce the priority level). If dropouts occur when the Mix Gauge is near
empty, increase Playback Buffer Size and lower Background Mixing Priority Level.
The optimal settings for these controls will vary from session to session, with the number of tracks
and the number of output devices.
Cool Edit Pro will take more time to perform background mixing when you have tracks assigned to
multiple sets of Core2 ouputs. In these cases, Cool Edit Pro creates a separate mix for each output
device (each Core2 channel pair). If your system's performance is affected, you can temporarily
assign all tracks to a single channel-pair while monitoring to speed things up. If you do this, we
recommend checking 32-bit Pre-mixes mode in the Settings/Multitrack screen. When monitoring
to multiple output devices, 16-bit Pre-mixes is the recommended mode.
Note that the 16-bit and 32-bit modes are playback settings only — the data on your disk stays at the
resolution at which it was recorded.
Using Cool Edit Pro
21
21