Low Latency Mode

[jtnyc]

Hi -

 

I'm having some trouble getting low latency mode to work (i think). When I engage it I don't hear any difference made to my input signal (guitar). As I understand it, if a plugin is inserted on the channel that is record enabled, it will be bypassed. I inserted an instance of Space Designer. When I turn on low latency mode, it doesn't bypass. Shouldn't it? Also, if the hardware buffer is at 512 (which is a substantial delay for live input), when I turn on LLM, it doesn't change a thing. The only way I have been able to record is to lower the buffer size to 128 or less, which is ok, but eventually (soon) I will have sessions where I require a larger buffer size and still need to record vocals and guitars. That's what LLM is for, yes?

 

I'm thinking there must be something wrong here. No bypassing of plugs and no difference in audible delay when recording. I've gone through preferences and settings numerous times to see if I'm missing something. I just can't figure this one out.

 

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

Thanks -

[evanbrass]

When you go to Preferences/Audio/General is your Plugin Latency set to "all" and is the "low latency" box checked or unchecked?

 

I have my low latency box unchecked and I have it set to "all" and everything works fine here?

[jtnyc]

Hi Evanbrass, thanks for the response -

 

Yes, it's set to all and LLM is checked. LLM has no effect on the latency when I'm tracking. Does LLM eliminate the latency caused by the i/o buffer, or is it just for plugin latency? Does LLM bypass plugins inserted on record enabled tracks or on all tracks? For me, it's not bypassing anything. As it stands, I can't track without setting the i/o buffer to 128 or less, and even 128 feels delayed. I'm hoping that LLM is designed to deal with i/o buffer latency, but I'm beginning to suspect it doesn't. Does it?

 

You say you don't have LLM checked, so your not even using it. When you track, what is your i/o buffer set to?

 

Thanks and nice rocking track -

[Rev. Juda Sleaze]

LLM doesn't affect the buffer, it bypasses latency-inducing plugins. You can set the threshold for the amount of latency plugins will give until they're bypassed. Your instance of Space Designer must be below that threshold.

 

The only cure for buffer latency is to either reduce the buffer, or monitor direct from your interface (if that's an option).

[jtnyc]

Thanks Rev -

 

As I suspected. Too bad. I've become used to recording in Protools where Low Latency Monitoring completely eliminates buffer latency. I'll try leaving the buffer at 64, but I'm wondering how far that will go with heavy VI use.

 

Where do your set your buffer for tracking and can you leave it there once a session starts getting choked full of plugs?

 

Thanks -

[Rev. Juda Sleaze]

Thanks Rev

 

No probs

 

As I suspected. Too bad. I've become used to recording in Protools where Low Latency Monitoring completely eliminates buffer latency. I'll try leaving the buffer at 64, but I'm wondering how far that will go with heavy VI use.

 

Where do your set your buffer for tracking and can you leave it there once a session starts getting choked full of plugs?

 

How does Protools do that? Through the interface?

 

I try to get all tracking done and dusted at the very start of a project, with absolute minimal plugs, and the buffer set to 32 samples.

 

I'll usually save a tracking version, a mix version, a stem version, and a mastering version of each project, and sometimes a couple of each if I want to try different stuff with the same piece of music. This also means that if I want to record more material, I go back to the tracking version, which is very light on plugins so I can have a small buffer setting, then transfer those recordings to the mixing version. This way also doesn't take up as much extra space as you might imagine, as all audio files are shared between the projects.

 

It isn't really any more work or effort either, it's just "save as..." rather than "cmd-S".

[jtnyc]

In Protools Low Latency Monitoring is just about eliminating buffer latency, and it works great. I believe it's to do with the hardware in conjunction with the software. I'm not sure exactly how it works. Seems like the input signal get sent directly to the output while your tracking. Any plugins or sends on the record enabled track with automatically get bypassed while recording when LLM is on, so it's not for everyone. A lot of singers like to hear reverb when tracking. I can have the buffer set to 1024 and track guitars with zero latency.

 

I was disappointed when I realized LLM wasn't the same thing in Logic, but it seems like it's more important in Protools because of it's limited access to ram (still 32 bit), and general cpu usage inefficiencies. In Protools, if I have a few multi-timbral instruments like Omnisphere / Kontakt / Trillian loaded and I want to track, I'm lucky if I can set the buffer to 256 without getting error messages, and that's no good for tracking anyway. I feel delay at 128. I really like Protools, but I've been waiting almost three years for them to go 64 bit and I'm tired of expensive upgrades and no improvements for VI use, so I'm making the move to Logic. The good thing about Logic is I'm able to set the buffer very small and use VI's and track, so I'm hoping the LLM thing won't be an issue. I tend to stack up a lot of VI's and then want to track, so we'll see how far I will get, but so far it's very impressive.

 

Thanks for the info Rev -

[Rev. Juda Sleaze]

See this post (if your audio interface has a direct monitoring) for zero-latency monitoring with reverb in Logic: http://ftp.logicprohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=412783#p412783