Output latency?

Cubase
#1

Got a new soundcard (Tascam US-20x20 USB), the output latency is much higher than my former non-USB interface, its around 10ms. So i dropped the buffers to 64 and upped the KHz to 192 in Cubase, now its around 4ms. I turned on 4 softsynths and Valhalla reverbs + some other effects on each of them to test if i would get crackling sound when they all play at the same time, it seems to work just fine with excellent sound.

“Maximum realtime audio processing load” is hitting red all the time though, but the bar below it is maybe halfway. Not sure if the realtime load means much, it doesnt seem to matter?

Is it realistic to think that it will work at these extreme settings? Not sure if its even considered extreme these days, maybe most soundcards work at these settings nowadays? If not, what will a output latency of 10ms do, will my recordings get out of sync (eg. recording vocals?). Obviously i want everything to sound tight and nice.

Thanks

#2

Hi,

Unfortunately, Tascam is known for its very high latencies on the devices.

The latency 10ms means, the audible signal Monitored thru the soundcard and Cubase will be delayed. The signal is recorded in sync. The human brain is able to distinguish two beats as separated beats, if they are more than 10ms shifted. So if your latency is under the 10ms, you should feel as “no latency” signal. Like you can hear the signal exactly at the moment, when you play it.

#3

Thanks. Wouldn’t this be a problem with vocals though, if i get a delay in the music. Let’s say the input is 2ms delay and the output is 10ms delay then it wont be super tight.

Someone on the Tascam forum mentioned he got way better result in latency with ASIO4ALL (with image to prove it), it was reduced in half… I dont experience this though, but im on Win7 he was on 10, maybe thats the reason… might update to test it.

#4

Cubase adjusts for the latency…it;s quite clever like that :smiley:

However…what you can’t adjust is the latency of monitoring the signal through Cubase while recording so you should use Tascams mixer app to pipe the mic input direct to the card output and turn off the Cubase monitoring…which is known as direct monitoring.