Audio Interface with REALLY short latency?

[Plattfeste]

okay a bit HS cause you dont seem to want multiface with expresscard but here are my results

by default I have 512 samples and a latency of 27.1 ms (with both inputs and outputs enabled)

I can go down to 45 samples and a latency of 5.94 ms with clean sound (I can gain approx 1 ms while playing with the samples but I would not take the risk of crackles for live act, so 45 samples is safe)

Other option I use normally a esi quatafire as it is a quite small device (firewire) and I am bit afraid of breaking the cardbus during live acts (so I keep the RME for the studio)
Here are the results with the esi

512 samples : latency = 29 ms
61 samples : latency = 8,84 ms (and if I go down = crackles)

so yes RME is better about this (and the gain is also louder) ... but it is not the same price .)

Hope it will help others too (as you seemed not interested by the RME-cardbus solution)

Peace
PHil

PS : my latency are the ones from ableton ... (sorry I didn't do the recording stuff)

Thanks for testing! Yeah it's unfortunately a bit too big for my needs, but it's still interesting too see how cardbus based soundcards fare against FW/USB2 solutions. Guess 8-9 ms round-trip would be okay for software monitoring, too.

[Plattfeste]

Indigo express, ridiculously low latency, almost as low as RME at 1/4 of the price. I would be happy to find Firewire interface with twice the Indigos latency, it is mostly 2,3 x higher. Unfortunately new MBP does not have the slot so I had to give it up.
It does not sound as good as TC, Focusrite or even Presonus but better than most other inexpensive cards, and better than internal for sure.
Want it all-quality, low latency and small size - RME Babyface.
P.S. I used DJx so no inputs and no sweat at 1,5 ms which I find stunning for the price.

Yeah, Indigo looks like a great option too. Would save me even more space and weight. My (first gen) MBP still has a PCcard slot, so I cound do it... even if it's just for 2 years or so, would be worth it.

[Plattfeste]

As promised, did the comparison test of the Presonus mobile and Echo Audiofire. Presonus could go down to 32 samples, 64 being more realistic with average project the round latency 19 , and 21 ms respectively. Echo Audiofire at 128 samples was round -in/out at around 11ms and 8ms at 64, and was just noise with same project at 32 samples.
That was with latest 13`MBP. Didnt have WIndows lappie for the test but remember that there was difference with samples and latencies readings but the round readings were similar like on Mac.
My conclusion it is 2010 and those values are absolutely lousy and of Presonus pathetic. I remember getting better latency even with M audio Ozonic 4 years back. WIll wait a bit more, and incase Babyface delivery gets delayed might replace Presonus Mobile with Audiofire, seems to my anything else than RME is money and time wasted, Motu became shadow of past glory, TC and Focusrite while having serious achievements in sound quality in driver department are even worse than Presonus or Echo.

I completely agree with your conclusion, it's somewhat ridiculous. The 10 year old 828 practically beats every sound card available today (RME excluded, but they're not for everyone, if for example you don't need 72ins/outs, Adat2DASH converter, AES/EBU clock stabilizer, Tuchel to MIDI interface and a corkscrew ). Those 20 ms of Presonus are pathetic. 8 ms of the Audiofire at 64 samples will do though, I think (for my gig on the weekend I had the Microbook down to 32 samples... risky, but it worked).

So, it's Echo Indigo IOx or Audiofire 2 for now. Thank you and everybody else for the feedback, ideas and testing, very appreciated!!

[gosinisha]

here i use fireface uc around 2,4ms out latency without a problem. even echo iox expresscard goes around the same. edirol fa66 and echo audiofire4 do some more latency but rock solid drivers are there also. other soundcards are not even considerable to use by my opinion.

[IP]

What about Echo audiofire series VS Maudio profire series when it comes to converters? (no drivers - support - latency - preamps)

Many ppl used to say that profire series have the same converters like RME's 400 but the new model (some say its even better)

The (huge) topic on GS took fire and i stopped watching it, but after i bought this unit i dont think is so quality like ppl used to say

[rikhyray]

So, it's Echo Indigo IOx or Audiofire 2 for now. Thank you and everybody else for the feedback, ideas and testing, very appreciated!!

No question that after RME Indigo is the lowest latency solution available but if you have the Presonus Mobile perhaps it is worth not to give up yet.

I did some more testing, new install of firmware and software and can get very comfortable with 61 samples- in 3.65 out 3.65 also 7.10 ms, @ 29 samples - 2.93 2.93. but at cost of CPU doubling to over 30% (from 13-15% on that particular test song).
No question that the Presonus software for OSX is mess, Cant even see channels 1-3 , no way to resize it, not the most crucial thing but shows that it is half baked and Presonus` carelessness.
So chances that it can and hopefully be fixed,since it is not hardware problem.
I talked to German support today and they asked me to send them screenshot that they will forward to Presonus US. Following the link someone send before I could see that I am not the only one with the issue, it was reported on their forum and the user send it to support as well.
I hope that they might take some action if it comes from their biggest European distributor.
That is the difference Echo vs Presonus, tried few times calling Presonus, giving up after half an hour in the waiting loop. Echo never took more than a day to answer E mail and/or by phone, few minutes waiting and talking to real person who knows the matter. That is the advantage with small company, no outsourcing, no need for it, they are just few people , I guess a dozen or 2 anyway, the person you talk knows what he is talking about and not going through "call center style" checklist.

[jlgrimes]

I have an Echo Layla 3G.

Great Drivers. Never really had any problem with it.

Low latency (2.9 ms going in about 5.8 ms round trip).

Only gripe is that the headphone output is hardwired to analog out 1-2. No way to bus it to spdif out 1-2. Mic Pre also could be better but that is expected of a Mid Range Audio interface.


Other than that has everything you would want in a Mid grade audio interface.

(6 Analog Ins (Line inputs), 2 Universal Analog Ins (Mic Pre/Hi Z/Line), 8 Analog Outputs (Line), Spdif In/Out, Adat In/Out, Wordclock In/Out, Midi In/Out) (Headphone In/Out (hardwired to Analog 1-2 out though) (Channel Insert point for Analog 1-2 I believe).

Combined with a small Analog mixer (for more advanced routing options for headphones), this thing is hard to beat for a computer system.

I use a Rosetta 200 via spdif with mine and I have Superb sound quality @ 88200 samples/sec.

Company has great support as well.



If you require no built-in DSP effects, and want a low latency, stable, no-nonsense audio interface, I highly recommend it. I use it on Windows 7 64 bit btw.

I first saw one in action at a $60 an hour Pro Tools studio (where the album the engineer mixed won a big music award can't remember if it was a Grammy or not).

He multi-tracked everything to Pro Tools using Apogee converters but he mixed the two track into a windows computer using the older Echo Layla 24 (using Cool Edit Pro). He said he preferred the live mix through the Echo interface compared to a 100% digital audio bounce.

[Hermanus]

for low latency go for firewire only