latency - what do i do?

[emdsey]

sorry, nube question # 2:

i record track over track and i have a slight (maybe .05ms) latency on every new track i record. its frustrating that i need to move the entire wav file and synch it with the beat each time i record a track.
here are my guesses:
> is it my soundcard (kasi usb)?
> is there some magic setting that i havent found yet?
> driver?

my specs:
lexicon alpha desktop interface (usb2)
lenovo y410 2core 2.0ghz 1g ram
sony acid - running on asio driver from installer cv

advice naman pls sirs =]

MJ 

[KitC]

How are you monitoring your setup? The alpha has a zero latency monitoring feature that allow you to mix direct and playback signals. Check the alpha's mixer/control panel for latency settings and adjust from there.

[emdsey]

sir kit, sorry mali pala ung statement of the problem. let me explain again =]
and thanks for taking time to read through this hehe.

monitoring is fine. the prob is when the track gets layed down after recording, there is a slight delay compared to the metronome.

when i adjust the interface to min latency using acid's audio configuration what happens is that there is hardly any noticable lag when the track is layed down (compared to the metronome)
BUT what happens is while recording, when im dubbing over the first track, the playback becomes choppy, clicky and sometimes even out of sync! so of course i get really thrown off while playing over that track.

so what i tried doing is i adjusted the interface to max latency (to lessen the load on my hardware)
what happens is the playback of the first track is smooth. so this allows me to play and record over the track in good timing
BUT when the track gets layed down, there is a slight lag which i need to adjust manually (using the beat map wizard to sync the first downbeat with the metronome).

anyway, this is my first time recording with a pc. im sure some folks have had this prob before hehe.

thanks alot mr kit 

[KitC]

so what i tried doing is i adjusted the interface to max latency (to lessen the load on my hardware)
what happens is the playback of the first track is smooth. so this allows me to play and record over the track in good timing
BUT when the track gets layed down, there is a slight lag which i need to adjust manually (using the beat map wizard to sync the first downbeat with the metronome).

During any form of tracking, latency should be at its absolute lowest to which your pc is capable. This ensures that you don't get the 'lag' or delay when overdubbing tracks or putting down new tracks.

Since you are using a usb interface, you may have to adjust your recording style a bit. For one, try recording with zero plugins and effects in your track inserts. Unless your are using DSP hardware, keep plugins away for now; just use them during mixing.

Second, look at whatever services are active in your computer which are not necessary for recording. Antiviral software, firewalls, and other malware detection programs impose a hit on your pc's performance. Try to trim down unneeded services and memory resident programs. Look at the usb port's properties and disable power saving features on the usb hub; this has been known to cause more than a few glitches.

Lastly, look at the Alpha's power requirements. Each usb port is usually capable of supplying up to 500 mah of current (not sure about your laptop's spec. If your Lexicon draws more current than that, it will cause glitches. Some people resort to using a powered usb hub in order to get past the power problem although this can cause problems of their own if other usb devices are plugged into the hub and conflict with the Alpha. Just an FYI...

[emdsey]

thanks alot for the tips. will try 
i've also just downloaded the latest driver from lexicons website. will try tonight.
maybe i should have gone m audio instead 

MJ

[britesynth]

 For one, try recording with zero plugins and effects in your track inserts. Unless your are using DSP hardware, keep plugins away for now; just use them during mixing.

haha its good to know may tama rin naman pala kong nagagawa sa buhay ko,
ganito rin lang nga ginagawa ko kasi nga nangyayare rin sakin yang problema mo sir emdsay, i turn off all my plugins when tracking to reduce clicks and pops pati na rin lag naiiwasan, tapos kapag mixing na iaactivate yung mga plugz... pwede rin smart disable/enable (sa fl studio meron) automatic disabling ng vsts kapag ata inactive yung track parang ganun para less sa memory usage, pero mas mabuti pa rin na you turn it off manually kapag tracking,

 

[KitC]

Some plugins impose a cpu/ram hit even when disabled so it's often better to track without plugins. If your soundcard supports fx in DSP, meaning it has onboard processors (chips) for sound processing, then you can track with fx, but then you will also be recording 'wet'. It's often better to record a track dry so if you decide to change fx later, it's only as simple as changing a plugin in the insert or aux bus.

[emdsey]

update lang:

i called the guy who sold it to me and asked for some tips.

> my cpu could be having a hard time
> my system might be "software monitoring" rather than "direct hardware monitoring" and is eating up cpu bandwidth

im not sure if acid has the option to switch to sw monitoring. ill know when i get home.

What ive tried:
> installed the v2.5 driver (still had glitches. even didnt record sometimes.)

What i havent tried yet:
> recoring with no plugins/effects patches
> disable AVG antivirus
> i dont know how to disable power saving on usb hubs (im kinda scared to experiment on this since i might screw something up hehe)
> matching alpha's power req with usb hub (im not sure yet how ill do that. tips?)

First thing im gonna do 2nyt is record with zero plugins, then turn off AVG, then try looking for a direct monitor option.

if those dont work i wont sleep hahaha! i swear ang sama ng 2log ko kagabi coz its been a week and i cant get the thing to work perfectly!

cheers and thanks for the help sir Kit 

[emdsey]

latest update:

looks like its really a cpu problem. though i had to revert to 2.0 asio driver.
heres what i did:

> my laptops power setting was on low. i had to switch it to max
> i tuned my windows settings for "best performance"
> i turned of AVG

when i tried recording very noticable ang improvement!
i used the min latency setting. during play back 90% of the noise and clicks nawala. not completely gone pero at least the tempo remains constant.

hope this helps for future alpha users.

MJ