Over the last couple of weeks there were some topics from users reporting that current versions of Music Maker freeze or run very slow or produce audio glitches.
I've read this interesting article from Steinberg, which describes similar problems with Cubase and Nuende on Intel Core processors of the 12th generation or newer.
Problem
Running Cubase/Nuendo on systems with hybrid-architecture CPUs utilizing performance and efficiency cores (P-Cores/E-Cores), such as the 12th Gen Intel® Core™ Alder Lake or newer, can lead to audio dropouts and reduced performance.
This is why we currently cannot recommend using these processors!
Cause
Windows 11 is recommended for CPUs with hybrid-architecture. The included "Thread Director" assigns tasks to available cores to use as many cores as possible simultaneously. However, tests have shown that tasks which are not in focus and run in background, such as rendering jobs, minimized windows or real-time audio tasks, could end up on the much slower E-Cores.
Workarounds include disabling the E-Cores in the UEFI/BIOS setup (if accessible) or manually setting the processor affinity for the application each time you run the program. For details check the link above.
Otherwise it is recommended to use older processors.
I'm not sure if the cause of these problems are identical and whether the workarounds may also help if your computer has a Ryzen processor or an older Intel Core processor.
Some general solutions to get Music Maker to run fast again:
- right click on the shotcut program icon and run the program as administrator
- a user reported, that Comodo Security on the computer was the cause for extremely slow response times https://www.magix.info/us/forum/musicmaker-2023-is-extremely-slow-on-new-and-super-fast-windows-11-pc--1307426/?page=2#ca1833161