> Having an issue with latency. PLEASE HELP!

[megahurt]

Live 7 • iBook G4 • Digidesign M-Box

Here's the situation:
My live session has 3 tracks
1. simple stereo audio track
2. external instrument track (Reason)
3. empty audio track with about 5 built-in Ableton plug-ins, and automation on the plugs.

It's a full live band, with a track playing along in Live. My mic is connected to that empty audio track, and I automate the effects throughout the set for my vocals.

Well, my vocals are lagging behind. Why is there a delay with so little going on in the session? I've tried to change the delay setting on that track, pushing it forward and back. Nothing has helped.

Anyone?

[megahurt]

ttt

[anamexis]

latency from your audio interface.
manual, forum search, and google should set you in the right direction

[H20nly]

Lowering your buffer on your ASIO/soundcard interface temporarily could help.

[tw1nstates]

latency from your audio interface.
manual, forum search, and google should set you in the right direction

That's not very helpful now is it?

The whole point of these forums is for people to help each other out.

Anyway, to the OP.

You could try one of the live lessons, sctually there are a couple, start with recording audio and go from there, there is one on Driver Error compensation which should help you compensate for latency issues caused by your sound card. . .

[leedsquietman]

You are using a low spec computer and a recording interface which doesn't allow for low latencies (256 samples is possible on a super fast modern tricked out computer on the Mbox, but on a G4 processor, 512 samples is likely the starting point and load on FX and this will need to be further increased).

You should look at a computer and audio interface upgrade. I know this is not the information you want to hear in these troubled economic times, but the truth can hurt ....

[megahurt]

So, an iBook and M Box are 100% incapable of doing this?

If that is the case, what is the cheapest available solution?

[leedsquietman]

An Intel Core2Duo Macbook with at least 2GB ram (pref 4GB) and 2Ghz upwards processor or various PC options should do nicely. Or the new Mac mini.

In terms of interface that's trickier, but avoid the Mbox at all costs unless you are solely running PTLE. I'd even suggest PTM-Powered is better because some of M-Audio's interfaces run better than the M-Box.

The new Macbooks don't have firewire, I think the white plastic ones do, but the cool titanium looking ones don't, so you're looking at USB interfaces given expresscard interfaces are very few and far between. It also depends on how much I/O you need, how many ins and outs are required ??

[mike_o]

I have a MOTU ultralight MK3 ($500), and an m audio fast track pro ($200) and they are equal in quality of output but the fast track has a lot less latency.

the ultralight has built in DSP compressors and eq's but it adds to the latency to pass through this process.

the fast track has no DSP or built in EQ of any kind and has about half of the latency as the ultralight.

in my experience a high quality but lesser feature heavy interface will give the fastest performance.

[megahurt]

So, I'm basically better off with a floorboard vocal processor.

[leedsquietman]

not necessarily - RME has DSP processing and are the lowest latency interfaces out there, and the EMU 1812, 1616 and so on are also very low latency in spite of having DSP fx. I believe in many cards these options can be turned off ?? The m-audio fast track pro is not noted for having great latency either, the MOTU ultralite is not known for having horrible latency (nor is it known for having ultra low latency like an RME card), perhaps some tweaking could fix these issues ????


Once again - OP, how many input/outputs do you require on your audio interface ?? There are plenty of good options - firewire has more choice, but given that Apple eliminated it from some of it's range, including the new Macbook (but not the Macbook Pro), USB is a good way to go - the ultimate is the new RME UC (it uses proprietary technology like the FW interfaces, so can allegedly run as low as 14 samples in Mac OSX, which is near as dammit to zero and on a par with a Protools HD rig, but at a hefty price, otherwise, the Native INstruments Audio Kontrol 1 is awesome and the EMU 0404 USB is quite good with respectable latency for a USB interface.

[ethios4]

In addition to whats been said above, have you tried turning off delay compensation?

[mike_o]

not necessarily - RME has DSP processing and are the lowest latency interfaces out there, and the EMU 1812, 1616 and so on are also very low latency in spite of having DSP fx. I believe in many cards these options can be turned off ?? The m-audio fast track pro is not noted for having great latency either, the MOTU ultralite is not known for having horrible latency (nor is it known for having ultra low latency like an RME card), perhaps some tweaking could fix these issues ????

never used RME, may look into them a little more if this is true, over the past decade though every DSP equipped interface or card that I've ever used has had more latency than the ones without, just my experience.


just remembered why I never use RME, their prices are crazy as hell.