System Overload In Logic 4.7, help! Options

OK...I'm a newbie running an 800 MHz TiBook with 512 RAM on 9.2 (and using an 828)...I'm running Logic 4.7 and Reaktor 3.007, and on Logic I'm running an audio track, Reaktor, a few FX plug ins, and about 7 VSTi's. When the song gets to the part with the Reaktor patch (and all the other VSTis) I get a dropout and the message "ASIO: System Overload. The audio engine was not able to process all required data in time"..I assume this is a processor problem and not a memory issue? Maybe I was naive but I was expecting more from the 800 TiBook. What can I do (other than bouncing plug-ins to disk) to ease this up. I guess more RAM wouldn't help? My Reaktor ensemble is using 20% of the CPU after being stripped down, and memory for Logic is (Min:200558K, Pref:256000K), and Reaktor is (Min:58976, Pref:83976)...my drive is partitioned, vir. mem. off, extensions stripped...all that stuff. I'm just unsure of my memory settings, and whether or not my processor just can't cut it. Is a VSTi really that much more taxing than an audio track?
I've followed EVERY tip in both the computermusic.co.uk article and the post on this forum about 9.2 tweaks...which brings me to last question...computer music says to keep default cache, and the post on this forum says to drop down to 512, which is substantially lower...which is right?
Please help a misled ex-Win98 user...
Gray

[lepetitmartien]

Check:

http://www.macmusic.org/agora/forums/index...9118a3d&lang=FR

In case there's an answer (not sure but try)

[formatj]

You are correct in assuming it is a processor problem not a memory issue.
VST instruments can be very processor hungry. It depends on which ones you use (Reaktor can be especially) and can even change depending on the particular sound you use within a synth (number of oscillators used, FX on/off etc).

Open a new Logic Song and then open the "system performance" from the "Audio" menu. Now add a vsti and look at the Audio performance. When you play some notes from your keyboard you will notice that it uses more processing the more notes you play at once.
You will also notice that if you record some notes and then select another track on the arrange page (not a VSTi) that this will drop the processor usage slightly.

There is not much you can do to increase performance except for bouncing tracks to disk. Also, as stated above, make sure when you play a Logic song that has heaps of plugins that you don't have a vsti track selected in the arrange window.
Increasing your buffer size will also help your problem slightly.

Do not change change your cache setting to 512k. Emagic recommends you keep it set to "default".

Search through or join the logic users group for more info and tips on logic.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/logic-users/

HTH

Matt