Ableton Forum

I should buy a new card and latency is the beast to tame for every musician. So let's compare the soundcards with usb.

Please post your happy-only overall latency with no clicks or pops using 128 or 256 samples.
Tell us also what's your Os and if 32 or 64 bit.

RME Fireface on OSX Mavericks - can run CPU light plugins at 16 samples (including my Virus Ti), almost all plugins comfortably at 32-64 samples, and only need to go up to 128 for really CPU heavy ones or plugins that require a larger buffer.

filter_7 wrote:I should buy a new card and latency is the beast to tame for every musician. So let's compare the soundcards with usb.

Please post your happy-only overall latency with no clicks or pops using 128 or 256 samples.
Tell us also what's your Os and if 32 or 64 bit.

RME Fireface on Windows 8.1 64 with 16G ram. 128 samples 7-8ms round trip latency.

RME Fireface UC on windows 7, 5-6ms latency with a 128 samples buffer.

Can go to 64 samples and 2-3ms latency if I am only recording one or two inputs or using very cpu friendly instruments.

MOTU ultralite mk3 hybrid anyone?

RME Babyface on a 2.2Ghz Core2Duo with OS X 10.9 Mavericks makes it possible to use 64-128 samples more often than not, but normally I'm on 256. The more I burden the processor the more latency I need to get. The faster the CPU the lower you can go with latency, as long as you have a good audio interface with excellent drivers.

Stromkraft wrote:RME Babyface on a 2.2Ghz Core2Duo with OS X 10.9 Mavericks makes it possible to use 64-128 samples more often than not, but normally I'm on 256.

What is your latency in ms at 256 for a not too stressed project?

filter_7 wrote:

Stromkraft wrote:RME Babyface on a 2.2Ghz Core2Duo with OS X 10.9 Mavericks makes it possible to use 64-128 samples more often than not, but normally I'm on 256.

What is your latency in ms at 256 for a not too stressed project?

7.23ms and 44.1Khz sample rate. I think I might have forgotten to state this is on 64-bit Live.

Apogee Duet 2, 128 sample, 8.68 ms, OS X Mavericks, 64 bit, i5 quad @ 3.1 Ghz, 20 GB RAM

it gets 5.78 ms @ 64 samples, but i don't know how far i could push that... i don't bother since 128 works so well for me.

RME has really took off the last years, seems people gets tired of subpar drivers.

you peeps should also state what sample rate you are working at...

fishmonkey wrote:you peeps should also state what sample rate you are working at...

Good suggestion, but I think 44.1Khz can be assumed if nothing else is stated. I tried 96Khz but my CPU isn't fast enough. I have actually worked at 32Khz, which gave me a little edge when I had a lot of instruments going at the same time and then I moved back up to 44.1 at mixdown. There would probably be problems had I done an audio recording at the lower rate.

Stromkraft wrote:

fishmonkey wrote:you peeps should also state what sample rate you are working at...

Good suggestion, but I think 44.1Khz can be assumed if nothing else is stated. I tried 96Khz but my CPU isn't fast enough. I have actually worked at 32Khz, which gave me a little edge when I had a lot of instruments going at the same time and then I moved back up to 44.1 at mixdown. There would probably be problems had I done an audio recording at the lower rate.

Right, 44.1 as general rule here.

does this thread mean anything? OP didn't even tell to post CPU/RAM/Drive.... smh

pencilrocket wrote:does this thread mean anything? OP didn't even tell to post CPU/RAM/Drive.... smh

you're welcome to say all your computer setup info for the thread.