VST plug-in now increasing CPU on Reaper

[Gtrfinger]

Downloaded Izotope RX 8 elements a few weeks ago. It functions as a standalone audio repair app, and also as a plug-in within my DAW REAPER.

Absolutely brilliant. Can't fault it. So much better than what I was using before.

However, over the last week, the interface for the plug-in has slowed nearly to a standstill. Whereas before you could see the noise reduction in real time on the EQ analyser, now it's staggered, and the figures showing CPU usage have shot up from 0.5% to 6.5. It takes 10 seconds for any click on the interface to be registered now.

This is making it very difficult to adjust.

However the problem only occurs when it is a plug-in. As a standalone audio application it works fine.

I cannot work out what I've changed in the last couple of weeks to cause the RX elements plug-in to slow down soon much. I've done a system restore, I've uninstalled some Windows updates, uninstalled Izotope and then reinstalled, to no avail.

Could it be something within Reaper itself? Within the preferences settings for the VST PLUGINS? I don't recall changing any settings in here but, I'll try anything.

[Gtrfinger]

FWIW. Sorry to have bothered you, I appear to have fixed the problem by updating Windows with every single update I've avoided over the last several months. The software must have been designed with the latest operating software in mind. So thank you Microsoft. And I don't say that very often.
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[FrankHudson]

For the benefit of those seeing this thread -- or the OP if their problem returns and they want to see what may be causing a CPU spike:

Current Windows has a very nice Resource Monitor app that can help show what is being used heavily and what processes are the heavy users. Alas, the more you know, the more you can get out of the information it provides, but even a cursory glance can sometime help. Hit the Windows logo key and type in Resource Monitor and look at what the tabs for CPU or other resources say during a slow-down.

In general with something like Izotope RX I don't need to use it "real time*" after figuring out what I need to use it fix. I be likely to "print" the fix. The workflow to do this in the software that I use RX with during mixing or mastering (Adobe Audition) is straightforward. Reaper likely has a way to do that too.


*"Print" means that you apply the fix to whatever noise or artifact you're using RX to remedy to a version of your audio file and then save it. You could do this in the standalone RX too, but at least in Audition it's easy to do within Audition itself. Something like some reverbs or a delays, or things like a amp or "stomp box" emulations may need to be "real time" as you will be "playing to the effect" and want to hear things it's doing as you play. Similarly, when mixing sometimes you need to hear how an EQ tweak works in the context of a mix rather than on the single track you're tweaking. But in those cases it may still make for a more responsive computer system if you commit after auditioning the mix with the modified track.

With the noise fixes I use RX for, I don't find it super important to use it in real time. Oh good, that chair squeak is gone. Done.