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Kind 4.1.1 & XP Users - Can you re-create this problem?

Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 11:13 am
by mjpetersen68
Wondering if a few friendly Live 4.1.1/XP users can help me troubleshoot a problem I'm having with latency. I have this problem on both my Dell P4 512 laptop, and my AMD 2800 512 desktop machines. I'm using 4.1.1 (Lite) with an M-Audio MobilePre USB.

A mixture of MobilePre and non-MobilePre users would be perfect to isolate the offender, but I'll take whatever I can get!

Basically my problem is: my latency is NOT stable. It seems to change. If you have time, can you try this and post your results for me?

As per the "Overall Latency" guidelines in the manual, connect a cable from an output of your device (say, input 1) to an input of your device (say, output 2). As per the manual, continue as follows.....

In Live, have two audio tracks. Have the input of Track 1 as Input 1. Mute track 2. Turn monitoring on both tracks off.

In track 1, drag in a sample (I just use the default electronic snare out of the folders on the left). Click on the sample and make a not of where in the timeline the sound starts (mine starts about 10ms).

Arm Track 2 and record for a little bit. you'll see the recorded version of your sample appear in track 2. you may have to fiddle with the levels if it's clipped out or too quiet. Now click on the sample and see how much this sample is delayed by (if your system is setup perfectly and you have a figure entered for Overall Latency in the Audio prefs, there should'nt be any delay at all). Even if yours is perfect, bare with me!!

Now delete your new recorded sample and re-record, and do that about five times...

Is the delay of the recording in Track 2 CHANGING or STAYING THE SAME? (mine wanders about by between 10 and 70ms at a time)

Save your set, close live, re-open live. Re-record your sample. 3 or 4 times, deleting your recorded sample each time.

HAS THE DELAY CHANGED OR STAYED THE SAME? (mine is usually heavily delayed by at least 70ms, sometimes with some crackling noises PRECEEDING the actual recording)

If you have the time to do this test i would greatly appreciate it!!

matthew

Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 12:05 pm
by robbmasters
On my desktop I seem to get a consistent delay of -1 sample. (Yes, minus 1! I guess it's over compensating just slightly.). So effectively no delay.

Much the same story on my laptop - although it seems be be delayed by a few samples.

I don't remember ever setting up Overall Latency on either machine. But of course, I could be doing something wrong. How about making a Live set (maybe zipped up with a sample) downloadable that people can use to test?

System specs. below...

Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 12:15 pm
by mjpetersen68
Thanks Rob, I just used the Snar041 from SampleHits > SnareElectronic > Analogue in Live default sounds. So that would be fine.

So, your latency stays the same, even after repeating the test a few times and opening and closing Live?

Thanks!

Matthew

Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 12:23 pm
by robbmasters
Yeah, no detectable changes at all.

I was thinking mainly about making the ALS downloadable so that you can be sure testers have correctly connected input and outputs, etc. That should ensure I hadn't done anything wrong. (I just suggested including the sample with it make it even easier for people to use).

I don't think I have that sample (I chose the sample-free download option) so I just used the first one that came to hand.

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 11:51 am
by Alex
Hi mjpetersen68,

do you use the ASIO driver of the M-Audio MobilePre USB or a DirectX/Wave driver?

regards,
Alex

Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 11:57 am
by mjpetersen68
Alex,

The ASIO driver that ships with the MobilePRE (which is up to date, I checked).

Matthew