Ways to reduce latency???

Hi,

I'm using a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for my audio interface and I am trying to record electric guitar into Logic. Recording to Logic's click track is almost impossible due to the latency of going through my amp first...I have the latency set at 64. Is there anything I can do to reduce the latency even more separate from the buffer setting? Does latency have anything to do with computer power? In other words, would something like bypassing plugins or freezing tracks help reduce the latency issues I am having? 

Thanks. 

You shouldn't have much latency on 64 buffer.  Are you processing the guitar signal further as you input monitor in Logic?  I.e. can you just disable input monitoring and direct monitor via the Scarlett as you play?

If you're really seeing a lot of latency, make sure you're running with the Scarlett directly selected within Logic prefs (i.e. not an aggregate device), and also check that you don't have any mastering plugins on the stereo/master out in Logic - they will cripple you for live play.

If you enable Low latency mode, high latency inducing plugins will be disabled for you automatically - an excellent feature of Logic.

Thanks. When you direct monitor is the signal dry? I like to record with the guitar effects engaged.

I didn't know about low latency mode. I will check that out. Also, I do have plugins on the output channel so I will bypass those as well. I am pretty sure I am running the Scarlett directly...it's not set up as an aggregate device. 

Plugins on the master will 100% be your issue, guarantee it!

When you engage low latency mode you will see the plugins it deems to be latency inducing highlighted as disabled, it's a great feature.

And yes, when you direct monitor, it's 'zero' latency and you hear what's going in to the audio interface only, i.e. not any post processing/audio fx plugins or channel settings from logic.

You can get away with direct monitoring for vocals, but as you say, if you're using FX from logic on your guitar, you really want to stick with software monitoring to hear those as you play.

Couple of things to remember,

Plugins: Adaptive Limiter, Multipressor, Linear Phase EQ and plugins with a lookahead function will create latency when recording.

Change the Multithreading setting to Playback and Live Tracks in Logic's preferences.

Not significant at all, although standing 20 ft away from the speaker would create a little more latency due to the speed of airborne sounds reaching your ear!

Funny to think really, that audio cables transfer sound faster than the actual speed of sound.

Technically we're audio time travellers

Not significant at all, although standing 20 ft away from the speaker would create a little more latency due to the speed of airborne sounds reaching your ear!

 

Funny to think really, that audio cables transfer sound faster than the actual speed of sound.

 

Technically we're audio time travellers

Thanks. I'm recording DI via a load box/attenuator so the speaker is disconnected.

Are you still having problems with latency then, or was this more a curious thought?

Yep. About 1 second's worth of latency, or 1,000 ms. Why would using long patch cables not effect latency? Speed of light is so fast that cable length is negligible...just a guess. 

Is a buffer of 64 on an interface the same as a buffer of 64 on any other interface? Put another way, would a buffer of 64 on a Scarlett 2i2 be the same as a buffer of 64 on an interface 10x the price as the Scarlett?  

Thanks. 

Not significant at all, although standing 20 ft away from the speaker would create a little more latency due to the speed of airborne sounds reaching your ear!

 

Funny to think really, that audio cables transfer sound faster than the actual speed of sound.

 

Technically we're audio time travellers

But the audio cables are not actually transferring sound. Or, am I taking you too literally?

I know what you mean though. 

No, a 64 buffer on one card will not be the 'exactly' same as another, but it will be similar.

USB/Firewire bus speeds, A/D conversion, how well the driver has been optimised for the audio interface, and at what samplerate the audio interface is running at all affect how much '64' buffer is worth in real world latency.  

i.e. a 64 Sample buffer @ 48khz Sample rate is the same (In time) as 128 Sample Buffer @96khz - but the 96khz is far more CPU intensive samplerate so you may find you have to raise the buffer the higher you set sample rates.  So, no, the Sample buffer is very much suck and see, and work out which is best for you in any given setup.

It's a little bit like putting fixed amount of petrol in a car, and then driving it faster or slower to see which gets you the further distance, and then trying the same in different cars and asking if a gallon of petrol = x miles, kinda lol.

However, any modern interface, particularly something like the Scarlett's, shouldn't be giving you anywhere near a seconds latency!  That's nuts!   Most people are quite comfortable 128, or even 256 Buffers.  Which would relate to around 8-15ms in terms of latency.

Let's get this sorted anyway, so:-

Firstly, what does Logic report the latency is on the Audio setup screen, are you able to screenshot it so we can see your setup?

Secondly, if you put Logic in low latency mode, does that help?  (If it does help, it means you're using a plugin/channel strip which is killing your latency somewhere).

And yes, in regards to cable length, data travels through at such a speed you're literally talking thousands, if not billionths of a second per foot of cable or something crazy like that (I don't know for sure, i have a life to live lol). 

No, a 64 buffer on one card will not be the 'exactly' same as another, but it will be similar.

 

USB/Firewire bus speeds, A/D conversion, how well the driver has been optimised for the audio interface, and at what samplerate the audio interface is running at all affect how much '64' buffer is worth in real world latency.  

 

i.e. a 64 Sample buffer @ 48khz Sample rate is the same (In time) as 128 Sample Buffer @96khz - but the 96khz is far more CPU intensive samplerate so you may find you have to raise the buffer the higher you set sample rates.  So, no, the Sample buffer is very much suck and see, and work out which is best for you in any given setup.

 

It's a little bit like putting fixed amount of petrol in a car, and then driving it faster or slower to see which gets you the further distance, and then trying the same in different cars and asking if a gallon of petrol = x miles, kinda lol.

 

However, any modern interface, particularly something like the Scarlett's, shouldn't be giving you anywhere near a seconds latency!  That's nuts!   Most people are quite comfortable 128, or even 256 Buffers.  Which would relate to around 8-15ms in terms of latency.

 

Let's get this sorted anyway, so:-

 

Firstly, what does Logic report the latency is on the Audio setup screen, are you able to screenshot it so we can see your setup?

 

Secondly, if you put Logic in low latency mode, does that help?  (If it does help, it means you're using a plugin/channel strip which is killing your latency somewhere).

 

And yes, in regards to cable length, data travels through at such a speed you're literally talking thousands, if not billionths of a second per foot of cable or something crazy like that (I don't know for sure, i have a life to live lol). 

Great post! Thanks. I'll do those things you suggested and report back. 

Thanks for your help.

Okay! Thanks for your help. Did what you suggested and the latency problem is solved I believe (although another problem did come up that I just noticed...unrelated to latency). 

What I didn't realize, and what was really confusing me, is the fact that some plugins have zero latency while others do not. It turns out just one of the plugins I had in my signal chain was causing the terrible latency...with a buffer of 64. Here is the culprit:

The other problem I am having is getting rid of the '60-cycle hum' from my tube amp. Is there a way to get rid of the hum without using a noise suppressor? Here's a pic of just the hum:

Start a new thread with the hum issue, mate, and detail what you have plugged into what etc.

And yes, any plugin that needs more time to process will increase the overall latency, luckily Logic knows this and adjusts itself for playback (i.e. by reading ahead), however, when recording you have to disable that plugin or go low latency mode.

Start a new thread with the hum issue, mate, and detail what you have plugged into what etc.

 

And yes, any plugin that needs more time to process will increase the overall latency, luckily Logic knows this and adjusts itself for playback (i.e. by reading ahead), however, when recording you have to disable that plugin or go low latency mode.

Great. Thanks for your help.