High Compiz UPS usage while audio is playing (in Audacious)

[Nicholas J. Alonge]

I noticed that compiz CPU usage was a little on the high side after I noticed some sluggish desktop performance. I opened up htop and noticed that the CPU usage was only high when audio was playing. I use Audacious as my music player. The high CPU usage continues as long as audio is playing, regardless if the audacious window is visible or not.

I recorded a video with recordmydesktop and attached it, for easier viewing it is also available on youtube http://youtu.be/L6H9cQ0pKBs

Notice how Compiz starts out nice and low CPU usage, then as soon as I begin playing audio it spikes up and stays high, even as I minimize the window. Then I stop the audio and CPU usage returns to normal.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: compiz 1:0.9.11+14.04.20140423-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.13.0-24.47-generic 3.13.9
Uname: Linux 3.13.0-24-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
.tmp.unity.support.test.0:

ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3
Architecture: amd64
CompizPlugins: No value set for `/apps/compiz-1/general/screen0/options/active_plugins'
CompositorRunning: compiz
CompositorUnredirectDriverBlacklist: '(nouveau|Intel).*Mesa 8.0'
CompositorUnredirectFSW: true
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Fri May 9 00:40:28 2014
DistUpgraded: Fresh install
DistroCodename: trusty
DistroVariant: ubuntu
DkmsStatus:
 fglrx-updates, 13.350.1, 3.13.0-24-generic, x86_64: installed
 virtualbox, 4.3.10, 3.13.0-24-generic, x86_64: installed
GraphicsCard:
 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] RS780 [Radeon HD 3200] [1002:9610] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: Acer Incorporated [ALI] Device [1025:014e]
 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Oland PRO [Radeon R7 240] [1002:6613] (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
   Subsystem: XFX Pine Group Inc. Device [1682:7240]
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-05-08 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140417)
MachineType: Gateway DX4200-UB101A
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-24-generic root=UUID=37b17c02-57f0-41a9-8eac-fba541dd7ac5 ro nomodeset quiet splash vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: compiz
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/05/2008
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 7B3P081G
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: RS780
dmi.board.vendor: Gateway
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gateway
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr7B3P081G:bd05/05/2008:svnGateway:pnDX4200-UB101A:pvr7B3P081G:rvnGateway:rnRS780:rvrRev1.0:cvnGateway:ct3:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: DX4200-UB101A
dmi.product.version: 7B3P081G
dmi.sys.vendor: Gateway
version.compiz: compiz 1:0.9.11+14.04.20140423-0ubuntu1
version.fglrx-installer: fglrx-installer N/A
version.ia32-libs: ia32-libs N/A
version.libdrm2: libdrm2 2.4.52-1
version.libgl1-mesa-dri: libgl1-mesa-dri 10.1.0-4ubuntu5
version.libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental: libgl1-mesa-dri-experimental N/A
version.libgl1-mesa-glx: libgl1-mesa-glx 10.1.0-4ubuntu5
version.xserver-xorg-core: xserver-xorg-core 2:1.15.1-0ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-input-evdev: xserver-xorg-input-evdev 1:2.8.2-1ubuntu2
version.xserver-xorg-video-ati: xserver-xorg-video-ati 1:7.3.0-1ubuntu3
version.xserver-xorg-video-intel: xserver-xorg-video-intel 2:2.99.910-0ubuntu1
version.xserver-xorg-video-nouveau: xserver-xorg-video-nouveau 1:1.0.10-1ubuntu2
xserver.bootTime: Fri May 9 00:25:54 2014
xserver.configfile: /etc/X11/xorg.conf
xserver.devices:
 input Power Button KEYBOARD, id 6
 input Power Button KEYBOARD, id 7
 input Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000 KEYBOARD, id 8
 input Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000 KEYBOARD, id 9
 input SteelSeries World of Warcraft MMO Gaming Mouse:Maelstrom Edition MOUSE, id 10
xserver.errors:
 AIGLX error: failed to open /usr/X11R6/lib64/modules/dri/fglrx_dri.so, error[/usr/X11R6/lib64/modules/dri/fglrx_dri.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory]
 AIGLX error: failed to open /usr/lib64/dri/fglrx_dri.so, error[/usr/lib64/dri/fglrx_dri.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory]
 AIGLX error: failed to open /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/dri/fglrx_dri.so, error[/usr/X11R6/lib/modules/dri/fglrx_dri.so: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory]
xserver.logfile: /var/log/Xorg.0.log
xserver.version: 2:1.15.1-0ubuntu2
xserver.video_driver: fglrx