Latency (MIDI!)

[Lucid Light]

Hi!

This one is not about Audio latency, but about MIDI:
I have a huge delay between playing keyboard and getting sound from my sound card's synth, or some other Software-Synth (incl. VST) in Cubase 5 (the same story with Logic Audio). Such software as Probe VAS, for example, has "latency" option, and you can make this delay smaller (as small, as your PC can handle). But what can I do about it in Cubase? I haven't seen such option there! How to make response to a keyboard faster?

[Chriss]

it's still the audio that's the problem.. midi runs at 0-1 ms latency (in theory)..
You need to go to Options - Audio Setup - System, and select the device with the smallest latency..
then you click the button saying "Asio Control Panel" and find the place in the playback (and record if you please..) where is says "Buffer".. Now reduce the buffer a bit and see the latency getting smaller... but beware: if you make the buffer too little you'll experience skips and clicks..

[Lucid Light]

Ok, thanks. I'll experiment with this... (I have a realy sh**y sound card, so I don't think it will be perfect )

[Chriss]

if you don't want latency you'll have to spend a few bucks.. and not on Soundblaster Live damn you!!!

[Lucid Light]

I know... I have a worster card, than SB Live! I wanted to change it, but... here's one more sad story: I have a "bus noises". Yeah, it's when you buy a good sound card, but it makes clicks and scrrratches even if there's no audio signal! Noone could help me... The result: I have to buy new computer, not only sound card. Well, maybe I need to upgrade PC anyway (Celeron 400 for multitrack recording - sounds funny, right?). Right now I'm just searching for compromises... and money. I'll tell you - money can make your latency stay near to zero!

[Chriss]

check out hoontech soundcards m8.. they rock imo
motu is also really somthing for multi track

[Lucid Light]

Yes, SoundTrack Audio DSP24 Value is not a bad idea. Haven't read any reviews about that card, but looks realy cool (and only 180$).
If I'll get enough money (as I sad I have to buy new PC too) I think I'll buy Echo Mia (300$) (and some MIDI 3x3 or something...).

[Alchemist3k]

yeah mate latency is nearly always releated to audio. Sync is nearly always related to midi... but that is a story for another time...

Anyhow u can pick up a soundcard for audio aps quite cheap. good ones have already been mentioned but note that most audio cards, unlike the SB types, do NOT have midi port or even midi handling built in to them. You may need to buy a cheap soundcard and cheap midi interface.

[Chriss]

all hoontech cards got midi luckily... don't buy cheap stuff.. it'll make your audio sound cheap..
I remember when i changed my soundcard to Hoontech.. damn.. I didn't think i'd be able to hear the difference, but it was much more pleasent and smooth sound..
Don't know the Echo Mia though...

[Lucid Light]

Ok. Thanks. I have a few ideas for future now.

[laj35]

the echo mia is a really good card, and you can probably find it for cheaper than $300, I use m-audio audiophile (paid $180) which is similar to the echo and I think has much better sound quality and latency is a relative non-issue, so far....

Laj