7.1.7. Crackles, dropouts and high CPU

7.1.7.1. Crackles and dropouts

Crackles occur when the host cannot finish an audio block before its deadline. The host buffer sets the time available for processing; the patch sets the amount of work to do.

1. Save the DAW project, then stop other demanding applications.
2. Increase the DAW audio buffer and replay the same passage.
3. Reduce the Polyphony Input Voices chooser, then compare the same passage again.
4. Move shared effects after Polyphony Output. See Shared or per-voice.
5. Bypass expensive nodes one at a time to find the part that changes the symptom.

Result: you have identified whether buffer pressure or a particular part of the patch causes the dropouts.

7.1.7.2. Latency

Latency is the time between playing a note and hearing its output. A larger host buffer gives processing more time but can increase the monitoring delay. Crackles and latency need different adjustments.

Check the DAW audio device, buffer and monitoring route. Compare a small patch on the same track before changing the sound design. Throughline does not set the DAW audio buffer.

Caveat: a CPU meter is a host measurement, not a promise of a fixed voice count. Engine facts records tested runtime behaviour.