External FX latency question

[MrFranky]

Hey,


I just started using an outboard compressor using the External FX inside Cubase 6. I came across something weird though.

When I insert the compressor (as external FX) and I change the latency, phase issues start to occur. When I set the delay compensation fully to the right (100 I believe) I get a slap kind of echo. I wondered how this is possible? How can I ever possibly hear 2 of the same signals when the compressor is in series on that channel, and that channel is in solo? Shouldn’t the track just (for instance the lead vocal track) be out of sync with the rest of the song by the amount you delay it? Now it seems it’s getting summed with the original, dry signal instead of being a REAL insert.

Also, using the external FX (with nothing inserted in the analog world, just a clean loop going directly from my SSL convertors right back in the convertors) the sound becomes somewhat more boxy, even though the delay has been compensated for by the auto latency calc thingy (about 1,81 ms). How is this possible?


Regards,
Mr.Franky

[thinkingcap]

@MrFranky

Hey,


I just started using an outboard compressor using the External FX inside Cubase 6. I came across something weird though.

When I insert the compressor (as external FX) and I change the latency, phase issues start to occur. When I set the delay compensation fully to the right (100 I believe) I get a slap kind of echo. I wondered how this is possible? How can I ever possibly hear 2 of the same signals when the compressor is in series on that channel, and that channel is in solo? Shouldn’t the track just (for instance the lead vocal track) be out of sync with the rest of the song by the amount you delay it? Now it seems it’s getting summed with the original, dry signal instead of being a REAL insert.

Also, using the external FX (with nothing inserted in the analog world, just a clean loop going directly from my SSL convertors right back in the convertors) the sound becomes somewhat more boxy, even though the delay has been compensated for by the auto latency calc thingy (about 1,81 ms). How is this possible?


Regards,

this is possible because you have set up the external FX wrong - you probably also hear the signal via your soundcard.

[MoPro]

+1 Thinkingcap!

I’ve had this sort of issue before… It usually happens as a result of making adjustments in my soundcard software, and then forgetting to reset the soundcard software for a new project! That had me chasing my tail also!

Al

[MrFranky]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies. It appears to be a problem when I send a track to a group channel, and use the external effect on that group channel.

When I use the external effect on the track itself (for instance lead vocal), it works as it’s supposed to be. But normally I should be able to use the external FX on group channels as well… Weird how it doesn’t work that way. And I don’t really have a soundcard setup (like totalmix for instance) where I can change routings. I use SSL Alphalinks.



Cheers!