kernel_task ruining playback & rendering (CPU/task issue)

Hi there,

I'm running Davinci Resolve 17.2.1 on a 2019 iMac,

iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2019)
Model Identifier: iMac19,1
Processor: 3.6 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9
Memory: 40 GB 2667 MHz DDR4
Graphics: Radeon Pro 580X 8 GB
Storage:: (manually upgraded 2TB SATA and 2TB PCIe/M.2 2280).

And I am running into issues where "kernel_task" seems to compete with Davinci Resolve during playback and during rendering, making both take much longer than usually required.

James-Alton-Visuals-2021-06-24-at-13.14.32-PM.jpg (861.22 KiB) Viewed 428 times

I did all sorts of debugging through Apple sites to figure it out, but I noticed this only occurs during those two uses of my CPU, making me believe it's something Davinci Resolve is sending to the task.

I have Timeline Proxy Mode at One Quarter Resolution or when I'm rendering, it can be as little as a 1080p video.

James-Alton-Visuals-2021-06-23-at-16.00.20-PM.jpg (725.62 KiB) Viewed 428 times

I have all the video footage on my 2TB PCIe/M.2 2280 to ensure top speed and it still struggles.

Any idea what's going on here?

Logs are attached.

Thanks so much!