Latency question

[MarkG]

For my competition I wanted to record my Blackmore, but I there was massive delay on the guitars so I took it out of the competition.

What settings are you using? I'm getting 43ms delay @ a sample rate of 96khz and 2048 samples/sec. I turned on automatic compensation for latency, but it didn't work too well.

 

[ahjteam]

The 96khz is just overkill, you really don't need the +22khz frequencies for anything. I usually use either 44.1 @ 24bit for CD material and 48khz @ 24bit if it is for DVD. And for tracking I have ~3ms latency (128 samples) and for mixing I increase my buffersize to 4096 samples.

And FYI: the automatic delay compensation just adds more latency.

 

[::XeS::]

Same here.....128/256 samples when I track
And 44Khz/24bit

 

[Erkan]

I just go with 44.1 and 64 samples latency. Gives me around 2ms or so of latency while I'm tracking. My recording computer isn't super though, but it is able to track all my 8 channels at 64 samples, with a bunch of plugins for monitoring, like ApTrigga etc.

 

[MarkG]

Well, going fom 44.1 to 96 actually halfed my latency.

44.1 @ 2048 samples gives me 90ms latency, 96 @ 2048 gives me 43ms latency.

But I gather from this 96 @ 256 would be plenty? This gives me about 5ms latency. 96 @ 128 is about 2ms.

Do note I am recording my blackmore preamp out, not my guitar DI. Not sure if it matters.

I do hear the difference between 44.1 @ 128 and 96 @ 2048.

 

[Metaltastic]

Wow dude, that's ridiculously high - are you adjusting the latency via the Onyx Satellite control panel? Cuz, well, you should be I run it at 128 samples, you may be able to get away with that on your computer, but you'd probably have better luck at 256 samples (which is still only ~5 ms delay)

 

[::XeS::]

Uhm....If you use preamp output, you're using impulses definitelly so....which convolution reverb are you using? I remember that voxengo had some switch button for the latency (zero latency, etc..)
Try to record/monitor without plugin...if you have delay with the dry preamp signal..it's an interface problem (setup problem, not hardware problem) otherwise it's the plugin setup

 

[MarkG]

Alright, I'll just run it at 256 samples then. I'm also using voxengo, so I'll look for that latency reducing feature.

Thanks!

 

[Erkan]

Well, going fom 44.1 to 96 actually halfed my latency.

44.1 @ 2048 samples gives me 90ms latency, 96 @ 2048 gives me 43ms latency.

But I gather from this 96 @ 256 would be plenty? This gives me about 5ms latency. 96 @ 128 is about 2ms.

Do note I am recording my blackmore preamp out, not my guitar DI. Not sure if it matters.

I do hear the difference between 44.1 @ 128 and 96 @ 2048.

I remember I used to think that 96khz gave me lower latency too, but a friend explained it to me once... can't remember now, it's been a while, but I don't think 96khz actually gives you lower latency, due to some calculation mumbo jumbo... if I only could remember :|

 

[MarkG]

I remember I used to think that 96khz gave me lower latency too, but a friend explained it to me once... can't remember now, it's been a while, but I don't think 96khz actually gives you lower latency, due to some calculation mumbo jumbo... if I only could remember :|

 

[Erkan]

Yes, I know it says it gives you lower latency, it does that for me too.

My friend is... a genius, he's a math freak and shit and he explained to me why the computer reports less latency but that it actually isn't less, and it made sense back then. Unforunately, I can't remember why it is the way he said though. Would be cool if someone knew, could use a refreshing of my memory.

 

[Line666]

Well apparently Andy can't hear the difference between anything over 44.1 anyway, so I doubt anyone else can either and if they do imagination is probably playing a part of it

I always record at 44.1 khz 24bit and just dither to 16 bit at the final stage. I'm still to hear sample rate conversion that I think sounds as good as just sticking to 44.1khz. We have some bats that live out here at the farm that may appreciate the extra khz, but they don't pay council tax so fuck em.

 

[Metaltastic]

HAHAHAHAAHAHAhahaha, I must've missed that quote the first time, love it

 

[MarkG]

HAHAHAHAAHAHAhahaha, I must've missed that quote the first time, love it

Hahaha +1

 

[Yhanthlei]

... due to some calculation mumbo jumbo...

Well it's actually pretty simple... 256 samples latency means 256 samples
get gathered before they are processed further, and 44.1 khz means that
you have 44100 samples per second. That makes 256 / 44100 = 0,005804 s
= 5,804 ms of latency
with 96 khz thats 256 / 96000 = 0,002666 s = 2,666 ms

so: higher sampling rate -> lower latency

 

[Line666]

HAHAHAHAAHAHAhahaha, I must've missed that quote the first time, love it

Actually I quoted that to one of my lecturers when they were on one of their "high fidelity recording" rants (usually accompanied by a pro-mac/pro-analogue rant) and the response was "I don't know who gives you this sort of misleading information, but if that engineer cant tell the difference between 44.1 and 96khz then they must be deaf".

 

[Metaltastic]

Ugghh, there really are certain points where you just have to give up and stop trying to argue, cuz it's like talking to a wall!

 

[Line666]

Haha, yeah that is exactly what I did to be honest, the whole class was sitting there nodding like every word was gospel - they assume it is too - nobody in that class wants to work with anything remotely digital - and they all think that triggering is a crime against humanity or something

Anyway, turns out the engineer in question was comparing an old 44.1khz Tascam system compared to a Digidesign 96 - running at 96khz obviously, and I'm sitting there thinking 'that's a fair test when you consider the latter is going to have infinitely better D/A A/D converters anyway', the stupidity, it amazes me

 

[Metaltastic]

Hey, I say fuck 'em, let 'em spend all their money (and hard drive space) on converters and recording at high sample rates, while you dedicate your time and efforts to actually improving your skills so they get bitter as to why your stuff sounds so much better!

 

[Line666]

Hell yeah man, that's what I'm going to do