MIDI Latency Mac vs PC

tech23 · Post by **tech23** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:32 am

Totally NOT trying to start a platform war here, but I do have a question:

I have an M-Audio 02 (controller) and Live6.

On my three year old (slow) Powerbook G4 (1.25 GHz G4, 768k RAM), when I hit a key on the 02, I INSTANTLY hear the note. It's wonderful. Doesn't matter which instrument I'm using. No latency. Perfect.

But, on my brand new Dell Latitude D620 (Core duo at 1.6GHz, 2GB RAM - MUCH faster computer) when I hit a note on the 02, there is at least a 100ms delay before I hear anything. Totally unacceptable. Impossible to play in sync with drums. Horrifying. Makes me quit LIVE immediately.

The problem is that my Dell is a much more powerful computer and can play MANY more tracks and effects than the older G4, so I would rather use it, but not if I hear the notes I play a 16th note after I played them!

What's the deal here? Is this just a PC thing? The latency between hitting the key and hearing a sound? I find it hard to believe that XP still has not fixed this issue. Am I stuck with the old PowerBook if I want to actually hear the note when I play it?

And before you start in on "get an external sound card," it's exactly the same when i use my Tascam US-122 as when I use the built-in sound cards on each computer.

FWIW, I've been making music with Macs for years (LIVE, Logic, Reason, etc, and have NEVER heard a latency when playing the keyboard. It's just that my employer gave me this (very fast) laptop to do with what I want, and I thought I'd give it a try.

Comments appreciated, and please be honest, but again, no platform wars. I just want to make music.

RT · Post by RT » Tue May 15, 2007 12:36 am

Do you have the latest M Audio drivers installed?

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:37 am

Did you ever adjust the buffer settings on the new computer?

Like I've always said, the biggest difference in performance between Mac and PCs is THE USER.

Forget the M Audio drivers, on the PC install ASIO4ALL and set all the buffer settings to the SAME SIZE. I get ~30mS with my stock Edirol driver and 7mS with ASIO4ALL.

tech23 · Post by **tech23** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:41 am

Thanks for the quick responses!

M-Audio Driver: MA_CMIDI_WDM_4.2.03v4.exe

I'm off to look for the ASIO driver now.

tech23 · Post by **tech23** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:42 am

Should I install ASIO ALL 2.7 or 2.8 Beta2?

And should I uninstall the M-Audio driver?

muthafunka · Post by **muthafunka** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:43 am

Not wishing to thread-jack here, but I 'm still surprised at how little complaint there is about the dreadful latency when triggering midi notes from keyboard etc in some sets, just unuseable. This'll be a non/purchase issue in 7 for me.

tech23 · Post by **tech23** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:45 am

muthafunka: are you talking about PC, Mac, or both?

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:45 am

extra drivers don't matter, I've got half a dozen I've only used once, some for devices I don't own.

Might as well get the latest ASIO4ALL, I've been using one from about a year ago, never updated, but people don't seem to have problems with ASIO4ALL.

Do you know how to tune an audio buffer? Get some audio playing, adjust it down until it crackles then bump it up a bit.

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:46 am

muthafunka wrote:Not wishing to thread-jack here, but I 'm still surprised at how little complaint there is about the dreadful latency when triggering midi notes from keyboard etc in some sets, just unuseable. This'll be a non/purchase issue in 7 for me.

That's all you man, I play midi guitar into Operator at 7mS latency, sometimes 4mS.

1mS is the same amount of delay as standing 1 foot from a sound source.

tech23 · Post by **tech23** » Tue May 15, 2007 12:53 am

Tone Deft: THANK YOU!

You just saved me a lot of stress, and now I can work on the PC, which is much faster. I hit a note, and I hear it instantly - just like on a Mac.

Thanks again.

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Tue May 15, 2007 1:00 am

Whoohooo!!!

The other cool thing about ASIO4ALL is that on my laptop, for example I can use my internal and external sound cards at the same time, so I can record YouTube or Winamp right into Live. To get this going start the ASIO4ALL interface within Live (options-preferences-audio-hardware config) and set all the buffers the same size. It can take some futzing around with but it's great once you get it down.

But, do you know how to adjust audio buffers? That makes all the difference.

tech23 · Post by **tech23** » Tue May 15, 2007 1:17 am

I set the buffers to the minimum - 64 samples, and am having no problems. Any more advice on the settings in ASIO ALL?

And, would you use the beta, or the last stable release?

thanks again!

Tone Deft · Post by **Tone Deft** » Tue May 15, 2007 1:19 am

I downloaded ASIO4ALL a year ago and haven't bothered to update, I have no opinion on which to use.

Only other tips were in my previous post about buffer size and multiple sound cards.

Have fun!

Clearscreen · Post by **Clearscreen** » Tue May 15, 2007 1:33 am

i'm using the latest beta, and haven't had a single problem. i have had some strange problems with asio4all in the past which i've always solved by reinstalling it, or using a different/newer version.

tech23 · Post by **tech23** » Tue May 15, 2007 1:50 am

Thanks to all, especially Tone Deft!

Now I'm off, happily making music...