I would like to report a consistent MIDI timing issue I am experiencing in Cubase and to provide a reproducible test case.
Test setup:
Controller: Maschine Mikro MK3
DAWs tested: Cubase (red) and Studio One (blue) see PICS
Same system, same audio interface, same buffer size (128 at 96khz), same plug-ins, same MIDI source, same project tempo and settings
Test procedure:
I recorded live audio using a microphone while physically tapping the pad with my finger. At the same time, I recorded the MIDI note generated by that pad. This allows a direct comparison between the physical event (audio transient) and the resulting MIDI note timing.
Results:
Cubase red pic shows approximately 30 ms of delay between the audio transient and the MIDI note.
Studio One blue pic shows approximately 6 ms of delay under the exact same conditions. (acceptable and normal values)
I have tested multiple Cubase settings, including:
ASIO Guard on and off
Delay Compensation on and off, Midi time stamp… etc
The results remain the same in all cases.
I use Cubase daily for mixing and recording live instruments and really appreciate the software. However, this level of MIDI delay makes it very difficult to work with MIDI and VST instruments in a musical context.
I would appreciate clarification. Otherwise, I would be grateful for any guidance on additional settings, diagnostics, or troubleshooting steps that could help identify whether this is a system-specific issue or a problem with my Cubase installation.
I am also happy to provide project files, screenshots, or run additional tests if needed.
This is not Steinberg’s Technical Support forum, this is user forum.
I would like to know more about your system. Are you on Mac or Windows? What type of MIDI driver did you use in the applications (WinRT, DirectMusic, WDM, …)?
Did you try multiple times, with a clean system (after the restart)?
Sorry for not getting back to you — this past week was very busy.
To get back to my problem, I finally found the reason that caused the latency.
Preferences → Record MIDI
I had to deactivate “ASIO Latency Compensation” and “Add Latency to MIDI Processing.”
In my track window, the option to show that setting was hidden, so I couldn’t see it.
BUT!
Here is a list of all the possible settings I tried and where they are in the menus:
Preferences → Record MIDI
Options:
A) ASIO Latency Compensation
B) Add Latency to MIDI
Studio Setup → Audio System
ASIO Guard (Low, Normal, etc.)
Adjust for Record Latency
Record Shift
Studio Setup → MIDI Port Setup
Use System Timestamp, etc.
Constrain Delay Compensation
I hear people say it only removes plug-in latency, but it also affects the recording process.
In conclusion:
I’m happy to have found the problem and the setting that fixed the timing issue, and that I can continue working with Cubase, which I love. But this little adventure shows me that before adding new features in updates, maybe it’s time to tidy things up — for example, having all latency adjustments in one place, along with some kind of calibration procedure to help everyone record as close as possible to what was actually played.
No other DAW has such an exaggerated system. I have an old expression: too much is like not enough.
