Can't beat my latency!

Discuss music production with Ableton Live.
Post Reply
KaldMusic
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2014 9:33 pm

Can't beat my latency!

Post by KaldMusic » Thu Sep 04, 2014 9:57 pm

So I've had this problem with input latency in ableton live for awhile now and no matter what I try I can't beat it. I'm using a Focusrite scarlett 2i4 and an MXL 990 coming out of alesis elevate 3 speakers. With an in/out sample rate of 44100 it starts popping and fuzzing with the input buffer size of 2720 and output of 2816. I also reduced driver error compensation to -80 and I still have an overall latency of -45.5ms. This is huge for me. I've updated all driver software, ended all unnecessary services and processes in task manager, gone into windows advanced settings and optimized it for performance not appearance, uninstalled lots of programs, set ableton as a high priority processes.. I don't know what else to do. Sometimes i can lower the input size pretty low, but if i try to lower output it starts cracking and popping.
I'm running windows 7 on a dell inspiron 1564, 4 gigs ram, intel core i3.
any help is much appreciated :)

JoshG567
Posts: 353
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 7:42 pm

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by JoshG567 » Fri Sep 05, 2014 3:01 am

It's not doing what you think it is when you're making the driver latency compensation, I think. All that's doing is shifting incoming audio on the timeline post hoc to account for any miscalculation Live does of the audio driver. It doesn't actually reduce the realtime latency.

Sounds like the buffers are already huge, I can't guess what the deal is. These are noises during playback, or noises in your input signals?

ImNotDedYet
Posts: 244
Joined: Sun Mar 16, 2014 10:52 pm

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by ImNotDedYet » Fri Sep 05, 2014 3:26 am

I've heard of a lot of people running i5's, (myself included) but you might be the first I've noticed that had an i3. Not sure if your CPU is up to par. Has it ever run with the version of Live you're running and low enough latency to not drive you crazy? If so, could be a driver update perhaps? If not, might be time to upgrade that lappy.

tintala
Posts: 476
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 5:37 pm

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by tintala » Fri Sep 05, 2014 3:52 am

I think an intel core i5 may solve your latency issues. I run an i5 and can still get some every now and then but generally have good latency with the i5. It appears it could be time for you to upgrade. 8O :|

Ryder17
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:53 pm

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by Ryder17 » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:34 am

Theres nothing wrong with the cpu. I can get 7.5 ms on a centrino 2!! Are you definately using the correct asio drivers? Check that the focusrite asio is selected in 'Driver type'....not MME/Direct x

You shouldn't even have the option to adjust in/out buffer size in live, that should be adjusted in your soundcard via 'hardware setup'

timday
Posts: 569
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 1:02 pm

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by timday » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:49 am

I'd agree with this. We used Dell PCs with Pentium 4s for years at work and we had massive latency and noise running MME, R/T or Wasapi drivers, all of which goes away when you use ASIO. So I'd check that first. I don't think it's the CPU. i3s are stupid fast compared to some of the junk I've run Ableton on.

Dragonbreath
Posts: 561
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 2:34 am

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by Dragonbreath » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:13 pm

I dont think CPU is the issue, I have a core duo 2,53ghz and I can get 7ms at 48khz

eyeknow
Posts: 5822
Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2005 6:16 am

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by eyeknow » Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:21 pm

If the op shows back up and confirms ASIO, then we'll go from there.

The next step would be to try "asio4all" and see if that works

KaldMusic
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2014 9:33 pm

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by KaldMusic » Wed Sep 10, 2014 3:20 am

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply, was getting over a sickness. I've got MME and asio as driver types and asio4all v2 as a device. I use MME because when I select asio i can't change the in/out latency? I only mention in/out so much because it's all i know that directly changes the latency and I've seen so many other posts where people solve their problems by changing it. I'm pretty new to all this, I honestly don't know what information to give at this point.

Ryder17
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:53 pm

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by Ryder17 » Wed Sep 10, 2014 8:26 am

You need to select asio, then you control latency within the hardware setup. You should be able to select one option in milliseconds. Try 4-5ms for best results, lower if you're lucky.

JoshG567
Posts: 353
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 7:42 pm

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by JoshG567 » Wed Sep 10, 2014 8:46 am

I tried the tell the guy that's not what DEC is for. RTM: https://www.ableton.com/answers/driver- ... mpensation

I'd wager not many have even calibrated it for their system.

Latency, as stated in other words above, is a function of sample rate and buffer size which are typically set in one's audio driver controls.

KaldMusic
Posts: 4
Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2014 9:33 pm

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by KaldMusic » Wed Sep 10, 2014 8:59 am

But I did what Ryder17 said and my problem seems to be fixed :) I was able to get the buffer length to 1ms without problems
As I've said I'm very new to this so thanks for helping me!

Ryder17
Posts: 185
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:53 pm

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by Ryder17 » Wed Sep 10, 2014 9:03 am

Good stuff!

ian_halsall
Posts: 1715
Joined: Fri May 27, 2011 8:52 am
Location: South London
Contact:

Re: Can't beat my latency!

Post by ian_halsall » Wed Sep 10, 2014 9:34 am

MME sucks - use only in emergencies.

ASIO every time - except if you want to use Ableton remotely over rdp.

Post Reply