What Is Latency In Audio Recording?
So your asking yourself, what is latency? Well audio latency is the time difference between input and output of any digital audio workstation, like SONAR, Cubase and Pro Tools. what is it caused by? It is cause by mathematical/algorithmic issues and by mechanical/physical procedures that occur usually in software and A/D and D/A converters, and when hard drives are used.
What does latency mean? Latency precisely means the build up of delays in an audio signal as it passes through the audio interface. Its measured in milliseconds. There is input latency, output latency and round trip latency.
How do you encounter it? You get latency when you monitor an audio signal through a computers signal chain. If you at all heard a delay sound when triggering a synth with a midi controller, you actually experienced latency. You can also get latency form using effects (VST’s / DX’s) with hidden buffers. These effects are CPU intensive and usually meant to be used in mastering stage of a project. You experience latency if your ASIO buffers are set to high or your WDM latency is set to high.
How to answer it: Your round trip latency should be less than 11 milliseconds if you do not want to experience latency.
In ASIO driver mode, make sure your ASIO buffers are at its lowest settings. A setting of 32, 64, 128, or 192 should be acceptable.
In WDM driver mode, make sure you slide the latency slider all the Way to the left. A millisecond settings of 5ms or less should be acceptable.
Zero Latency Monitoring: These days, bountiful recording platforms and audio interfaces offer zero latency monitoring. This means that your audio signal is sent to your main outs and/or headphone outs during recording is split from the input audio signal, before the digital conversion takes place. Essentially, before it enters the computer. This means that you will not hear any software effects when your recording using this method. Also, some recording systems will allow for both latent and non latent signals to be heard at the same time. You need to make sure that this doesn’t happen.
Make sure you go to your interface/sound card manufactures web site and download/install the latest drivers for your operating system.
Put to the test both driver modes to see what works greatest for you and your PC.
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