Having Latency Issues on MacBook Pro:

[snst]

First time poster, so please be gentle if I'm asking an obvious question or using terminology incorrectly!

I use Ableton 11 Standard on a MacBook Pro with the following specs:

16 inch, 2019
2.3 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9
32 GB 2667 MHz DDR4
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M 8 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB

I struggle pretty regularly with latency issues. For example, I'm currently working on a project file with only two samples loaded on two tracks tracks total, and I'm experiencing pretty horrible latency. No plug ins being used, sample rate is 48000, and buffer size is sitting at 64. I have played with both buffer size and sample rate, and I'm encountering more or less the same amount of latency. When it's paused, I can do whatever I need to do, but during playback, it is unbearably slow -- there's at least a 4 second delay between when I pause and when it actually pauses and forget automation during playback -- and I feel like with my computer's specs, I shouldn't be having this issue with only two samples loaded on two different tracks and no plug-ins active. I have other project files with way more samples and plug-ins being used with far less latency, so I just don't understand where the issue lies. My gut tells me it's less of an Ableton issue and more of a computer issue, but I could also just be doing something wrong.

Any feedback or advice is greatly appreciated, thank you.

[Evengy]

You missed to tell us which soundcard you use.

Edit: if you use some shitty noname soundcard, then try to install asio4all.
If you use a decent audio interface which offers ASIO drivers, then definitely choose it for playback.

also please go to preferences > audio and show us the value of "global latency"

[Mark Williams]

You missed to tell us which soundcard you use.

Edit: if you use some shitty noname soundcard, then try to install asio4all.
If you use a decent audio interface which offers ASIO drivers, then definitely choose it for playback.

also please go to preferences > audio and show us the value of "global latency"

Did you actually read the post or thread title!!! Dont use or need Asio on Mac....

[snst]

You missed to tell us which soundcard you use.

Edit: if you use some shitty noname soundcard, then try to install asio4all.
If you use a decent audio interface which offers ASIO drivers, then definitely choose it for playback.

also please go to preferences > audio and show us the value of "global latency"

Apologies, I don't see "Global Latency" under Preferences. But what is listed under Latency is as follows:

Buffer Size: 64
Input: 0.0
Output: 3.04
Driver Error Compensation: 0.0
Overall Latency: 3.04

[Evengy]

You missed to tell us which soundcard you use.

Edit: if you use some shitty noname soundcard, then try to install asio4all.
If you use a decent audio interface which offers ASIO drivers, then definitely choose it for playback.

also please go to preferences > audio and show us the value of "global latency"

Did you actually read the post or thread title!!! Dont use or need Asio on Mac....

I never used mac. what do you think how valuable your post is? do you come here to critisize people or do you plan to help this guy/gal?

@snst
overall latency is what i meant. looks fine so far but i have no clue about mac. maybe mark can help

[Shift Gorden]

Hey snst,

Are you using an audio interface? I'm guessing you're not...which is most likely the issue, mate.

I booted up Live without connecting to my audio interface and I got those exact same latency specs when using the 64 buffer size.

[Mark Williams]

I never used mac. what do you think how valuable your post is? do you come here to critisize people or do you plan to help this guy/gal?

I don't try offer help without op providing all relevant info, basics. Also I helped you by pointing out your incorrect information, maybe you learned something.

[dsu]

OP.

A little more information about how/were you are experiencing the latency issue would help. For example.

1. You are playing a MIDI keyboard connected to a softsynth and there is a lag between when you press a key and the note sounds.

2. You are playing an instrument, or singing and it sounds great when recording but is our of time when you play back.

This might be a helpful video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT5mD2Zd7F8

I'm not troubled by latency and my Mac is 2015, with and i5 so I done think your hardware is a problem.

[snst]

OP.

A little more information about how/were you are experiencing the latency issue would help. For example.

1. You are playing a MIDI keyboard connected to a softsynth and there is a lag between when you press a key and the note sounds.

2. You are playing an instrument, or singing and it sounds great when recording but is our of time when you play back.

This might be a helpful video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT5mD2Zd7F8

I'm not troubled by latency and my Mac is 2015, with and i5 so I done think your hardware is a problem.

Yes, of course. Right now I have two tracks open -- two flattened samples I made in another session that I was trying to repurpose -- no instruments loaded, no MIDI attached, and the lag occurs the minute I hit play to listen to my flattened samples. The lag is in the software, not the audio, so there aren't any weird issues with the audio, but if I was to try to copy/paste or do literally anything in the software during playback, there is about a 4 second delay. Like, even just changing the length of a clip is a hassle if I am listening live. Does that make sense? I can try to elaborate further, but I hope that makes my issue a little more clear.

[snst]

Hey snst,

Are you using an audio interface? I'm guessing you're not...which is most likely the issue, mate.

I booted up Live without connecting to my audio interface and I got those exact same latency specs when using the 64 buffer size.

I am not using an AI. Do you have any recommendations that are under say, $300?

[Tarekith]

Yes, of course. Right now I have two tracks open -- two flattened samples I made in another session that I was trying to repurpose -- no instruments loaded, no MIDI attached, and the lag occurs the minute I hit play to listen to my flattened samples. The lag is in the software, not the audio, so there aren't any weird issues with the audio, but if I was to try to copy/paste or do literally anything in the software during playback, there is about a 4 second delay. Like, even just changing the length of a clip is a hassle if I am listening live. Does that make sense? I can try to elaborate further, but I hope that makes my issue a little more clear.

That sounds very odd, even without an audio interface you shouldn't be having latency like that. I had a 2019 MBP myself and never even came close to that. Almost sounds more like a hardware issue with your laptop, it's definitely not due to not having an audio interface. The ones built into MBPs are actually quite decent and more than capable of achieve professional latencies.

Do you have GarageBand installed on the laptop by any chance so you can test there too? It's free for all Mac users, so maybe try installing that and see if it helps. Also, double check that you don't have any plug ins on your master track, that's another thing that can sometimes cause this depending on the plug ins.

[dsu]

Yes, of course. Right now I have two tracks open -- two flattened samples I made in another session that I was trying to repurpose -- no instruments loaded, no MIDI attached, and the lag occurs the minute I hit play to listen to my flattened samples. The lag is in the software, not the audio, so there aren't any weird issues with the audio, but if I was to try to copy/paste or do literally anything in the software during playback, there is about a 4 second delay. Like, even just changing the length of a clip is a hassle if I am listening live. Does that make sense? I can try to elaborate further, but I hope that makes my issue a little more clear.

Sorry to be slow but I really want to understand the situation your are describing.

1. When you press the play button there is a substantial delay before Live starts playing the clip.

2. If you cut and try to paste something there is a substantial delay before LIve completes the paste operation.

If this is the case you are describing, I'm left scratching my head. It is not latency in the sense that the audio is not coming through at the "right" time. It is latency in that the computer is not responding to any sort of user input. If you try and rename a track is the Live slow to respond to your typing? If it is slow try another program, text edit, or just rename a file in finder to see if it types slowly out side of Live.

If things are slow outside of Live I would open Activity Monitor and see what other programs are running and whether CPU cycles are been used by another program.

If things are only slow in Live I would consider opening a ticket with Ableton support.

Of course, I may still not be understanding the problem yet.

[snst]

Yes, of course. Right now I have two tracks open -- two flattened samples I made in another session that I was trying to repurpose -- no instruments loaded, no MIDI attached, and the lag occurs the minute I hit play to listen to my flattened samples. The lag is in the software, not the audio, so there aren't any weird issues with the audio, but if I was to try to copy/paste or do literally anything in the software during playback, there is about a 4 second delay. Like, even just changing the length of a clip is a hassle if I am listening live. Does that make sense? I can try to elaborate further, but I hope that makes my issue a little more clear.

Sorry to be slow but I really want to understand the situation your are describing.

1. When you press the play button there is a substantial delay before Live starts playing the clip.

2. If you cut and try to paste something there is a substantial delay before LIve completes the paste operation.

If this is the case you are describing, I'm left scratching my head. It is not latency in the sense that the audio is not coming through at the "right" time. It is latency in that the computer is not responding to any sort of user input. If you try and rename a track is the Live slow to respond to your typing? If it is slow try another program, text edit, or just rename a file in finder to see if it types slowly out side of Live.

If things are slow outside of Live I would open Activity Monitor and see what other programs are running and whether CPU cycles are been used by another program.

If things are only slow in Live I would consider opening a ticket with Ableton support.

Of course, I may still not be understanding the problem yet.

1. There is no delay when pressing play, but there is a delay if I go to change volume or really any other parameter during playback. This includes any sort of automation during live playback. It is not slow in any other program, which is why I'm so confused about this issue, especially since I do not have the same latency for other projects that are much larger.

2. Yes, when I am copy/paste/trimming a clip, I experience latency.

[dsu]

snst wrote:

1. There is no delay when pressing play, but there is a delay if I go to change volume or really any other parameter during playback. This includes any sort of automation during live playback. It is not slow in any other program, which is why I'm so confused about this issue, especially since I do not have the same latency for other projects that are much larger.

When you say you don't experience the delay issue in other projects, are they Live projects?

If this is the only Live project the problem is showing up in, It might be worth while to open a ticket and send them the project so they can learn something about a potential corruption in the project file. If it is only this Live project with the problem I wouldn't worry about it too much if you can create a new Live project that doesn't have the problem.

[Shift Gorden]

Hey snst,

Are you using an audio interface? I'm guessing you're not...which is most likely the issue, mate.

I booted up Live without connecting to my audio interface and I got those exact same latency specs when using the 64 buffer size.

I am not using an AI. Do you have any recommendations that are under say, $300?

Hey mate,

Sorry for tardy reply. I love the Focusrite Scarlett series. Affordable, and plenty of options so suit a bunch of needs.

https://www.sweetwater.com/focusrite-scarlett/series