# Scatterer Instrument Keeps Using CPU When Virtualized Despite Being Out of Range

**URL:** https://qa.fmod.com/t/scatterer-instrument-keeps-using-cpu-when-virtualized-despite-being-out-of-range/24069
**Category:** Unreal Engine
**Tags:** ue5
**Created:** [February 27, 2026, 4:51am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/scatterer-instrument-keeps-using-cpu-when-virtualized-despite-being-out-of-range/24069 "2026-02-27T04:51:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![woong\_abutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ee7513/32.png) [@woong\_abutton](https://qa.fmod.com/u/woong_abutton)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2026, 4:51am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/scatterer-instrument-keeps-using-cpu-when-virtualized-despite-being-out-of-range/24069/1 "2026-02-27T04:51:58Z")

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![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/uploads/fmod/original/2X/1/11f8133fd0ac866d2eac9a40b71048dadf9ce8d0.png)

Even though the scatterer instrument is set to _virtualize_, it keeps consuming about **0.5% CPU** even when it’s far beyond the maximum distance.  
So I added a trigger condition to set the instrument’s volume to **0 when it’s outside the distance range** , and after that, the CPU usage dropped to **0%**.

Is this an acceptable workaround?  
Also, why does it still consume CPU outside the distance range even though volume virtualization is enabled?  
Could this be a bug in the current version of FMOD?

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### Author: ![Leah\_FMOD](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/leah_fmod/32/3685_2.png) [@Leah\_FMOD](https://qa.fmod.com/u/Leah_FMOD)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2026, 2:40am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/scatterer-instrument-keeps-using-cpu-when-virtualized-despite-being-out-of-range/24069/2 "2026-03-02T02:40:09Z")

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Hi,

Can I get some additional info? Specifically:

- What content is the nested event playing?
- What stealing settings are the parent and nested event using?
- What version of Studio are you using?

If you could also provide me with a short series of steps that consistently reproduces the issue for you, that would be great.

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### Author: ![Leah\_FMOD](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/leah_fmod/32/3685_2.png) [@Leah\_FMOD](https://qa.fmod.com/u/Leah_FMOD)
#### Post date: [March 10, 2026, 6:59am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/scatterer-instrument-keeps-using-cpu-when-virtualized-despite-being-out-of-range/24069/3 "2026-03-10T06:59:23Z")

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Just following up on this - if you can provide the additional information I asked for in my previous reply, and a series of steps that reproduces the issue, that would be great!

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### Author: ![woong\_abutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ee7513/32.png) [@woong\_abutton](https://qa.fmod.com/u/woong_abutton)
#### Post date: [March 12, 2026, 5:23am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/scatterer-instrument-keeps-using-cpu-when-virtualized-despite-being-out-of-range/24069/4 "2026-03-12T05:23:57Z")

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I’ll send you the profiler data later since our team is really busy right now. Thank you."

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Leah\_FMOD](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/qa.fmod.com/leah_fmod/32/3685_2.png) [@Leah\_FMOD](https://qa.fmod.com/u/Leah_FMOD)
#### Post date: [March 24, 2026, 4:20am UTC](https://qa.fmod.com/t/scatterer-instrument-keeps-using-cpu-when-virtualized-despite-being-out-of-range/24069/5 "2026-03-24T04:20:37Z")

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Of course - please feel free to upload a profiler session to your FMOD profile whenever you have the time, and I’ll take a look at it.
