Just a quick feedback from my recent experience of switching from my trusty 2012 (I5/16G/Catalina) to one (M2 8G Sonoma).
The differences are quite striking:
. Storage speed is ama x2, as are track changes, but analysis time remains the same (maybe my wifi5 network?).
. But the most important things are listening and processing. A much more homogeneous sound, and wide-ranging with much more details, and a firm, present bass.
. The impression of having moved up a notch in reproduction quality is obvious and very pleasant.
. The impression of being able to make much better use of this brilliant software is certain… (my settings are identical)
If I’d known, I’d have done it sooner …
Un grand merci au créateur et un peu à apple !
If you have no bug and you are not upsampling,
leave it at default…
your songs will load faster in the buffer and then, the computer
will rest faster, playing just from memory
not loading while playing…
More System RAM is best, in support of all operations… macOS is ever-expanding… 2GB will be enough for pre-load buffering with the M2 Mac Mini… We see problems with macOS platforms running with 8GB when alliocating 50% or more of the available System RAM (M2 silicon or not).
Pre-load memory involves CPU activity during playback while loading the buffered files simultaneously with the file being played, until the buffer is filled, and will continue to do so, as new files are loaded…and when the queue is cleared for a new playlist, album, etc… A 2GB pre-load memory allocation, will reduce the potential for engaging virtual-memory disc-swaps…
EXACTLY that is why you want the file to be buffed fast, NO?,
then Audirvana only plays from memory, cpu is then sleeping. Again, when you arrive at the second song of a CD, it is instantly buffered, yes, not even 2 seconds, i can barely see the grey line loading… same for the third… CPU is always sleeping… mac mini 2018, i5, 20gb.
It is certaintly not macOS platform related…Those people half the time tell you that it didn’t change a thing anyway… most of the problem with those people is UPNP, with internet bug or they are upsampling their files with low memory in their computer Mac or PC… then yes, in those situations, lower the buffer might help… might.
The guy that put the memory buffer by default there in the prefs might know what he is doing since it is the developper of the soft…
Anyway, people can easily look at their grey line buffering bar, do the test while looking at the Activity Monitor (on Mac) and see what is best for them.
If the playback pre-load memory allocation is large, the CPU is loading files in the background while the first song is playing or songs are playing, up until that memory is filled… and when the memory buffer is filled and no other files are waiting in the queue, we can presume that this allocated memory is unavailable for System and Application operations outside of playback buffering.
The symbiotic relationship between System operations, like bus management, etc, etc, and the Audirvana audio-engine and transport operations, requires System RAM… CPU load is relative, but does not describe symbiotic application operations requiring memory and the integrity of those operations that are intrinsically tied to System level operations,.
50% that resolve their issues by lowering their playback pre-load memory is significant and cannot be ignored or written-off…
The fundamental axiom in modern computing is that more System RAM is better for overall performance… Otherwise we would still be using 16 Kilobytes of System RAM like that employed in my first computer, a Sinclair ZX Spectrum that utilized a cassette tape to load programs:
Oh boy, your music room should be filled with buffer memory, then…
too bad for you my old mini is upsampling everything to 24/352 and my cpu is always sleeping at 95% of its capacity and the memory load is always green with a flat line.
Your presumption is that there is no effect on the playback sound-quality, based on your subjective assessment of your system performance.
… and when the memory buffer is filled and no other files are waiting in the queue, we can presume that this allocated memory is unavailable for System and Application operations outside of playback buffering.
In regard to the pre-load memory allocation this is true…
