Latency Nightmare Help

15 years ago I had a Firewire Solo. It was awesome. Zero latency.
Eventually, I upgraded computers and for whatever reason, it wasn't compatible.
I got a 2nd generation Scarlett Solo. It worked for a couple of months and then no matter what I did it had terrible latency.
Actually, I found one driver that worked pretty good, but it had horrible static.....
I bought a 3rd generation. It had even worse latency......
I just bought a M-Audio Air 192.... It seems to have noticeable latency but less than the Scarlett.... It has less if I plug it into a regular USB port. It's worse with the USB3 port.
None of them are even close to the Firewire solo.....

This leads me to my question.... Is it strange I've had so many problems? Could it be my computer? Would a separate USB card help?
Is it the fact I'm using Windows 7?
It seemed like once I upgraded from XP back in the day is when all of my problems started to arise...
Is it more likely a PC problem?
I'm still using Adobe Audition 1.5.

Any suggestions to try? I feel like I've tried everything over the years other than a completely different computer.

Ps. I have an I7 with 64 gigs of ram and SSD.... I can't think of any reason why the specs would be a problem....
 
Windows 7 might be a problem, I don't know. Are you using the latest driver specifically for the Solo 2nd generation? It should allow for near zero latency by routing the input monitoring via the direct path inside the interface, without making the round trip through USB to the computer and back (though many people are making the round trip on newer computers without too much latency).
 
Yes, the newest Scarlett solo driver makes the delay crazy bad. Like full 1-2 second delays.
The only driver that's sorta usable is years old.... it's a beta driver.... but it has crazy static and pops...
 
I think it's probably impossible for the direct monitoring path to add a full one or two seconds. I don't think it has enough of a buffer. Are you sure you're not monitoring through the CPU? In your DAW, turn off input monitoring*.

*I know, it should be possible to monitor through the DAW without that much latency, but for testing purposes let's sort out one problem at a time.
 
I cannot see a reputable Co like Focusrite marketing an interface with such high latency not even the bog starter Solo unit, so let's check the basics first?

Make sure the Solo is the Default play and record audio device and disable any other AND Windows Sounds.

Have you got the latest ASIO* driver installed for W7 from F'rite? Next, download and install the trial of Modartt's Pianoteq. That will allow you to play the keys from your qwerty and should give a subjectively instant note as you hit it. If not, or you get crackles you have a computer problem, any 1/2 decent PC should be glitch free at 128 samples.

*I assume the Solo HAS an ASIO driver? If not try ASIO4all but it ain't as good.

Dave.
 
What is your sample rate and buffer size?
64gb ram in windows 7?
There is no point in using hobby drivers like ASIO4ALL when using a well tried and tested interface like Focusrite
 
What is your sample rate and buffer size?
64gb ram in windows 7?
There is no point in using hobby drivers like ASIO4ALL when using a well tried and tested interface like Focusrite

I can get the sample rate down to 16 without crackling on my M-Audio.
On my Focusrite older drivers I can get it down to 1ms but it still has noticeable latency.
On the newer drivers it lets me go down to 16.
Same rate 44100
 
You are using a buffer rate if 16, I don't even see 16 on my interface (Presonus or Tascam)? I use 256, and while there is latency, it is about like a chorus effect.

Also, do not use a USB hub, plug straight into your computer.

I don't think it is Win7 as many of us had Win7 and had little to no problem. However, drivers that support Win7 are harder to find these days.
 
I had crackling/static issues with my old Win 7 computer, even when I moved to my new F'rite AI. Not sure if it was motherboard or the hard drive.
 
I bet the static was due to trying to push the buffer too low, don't get hung up on low buffer size mine is set an forgotten about at 512 on a UAD Apollo. Use direct monitoring and you will never have to worry about latency.

Switch to Win 10 windows 7 cant use above 3.4gb of ram so your stash of ram is wasted.

TBH you shouldn't notice 1ms roundtrip latency, its possible as others have said you are still getting some signal from the DAW
 
I bet the static was due to trying to push the buffer too low, don't get hung up on low buffer size mine is set an forgotten about at 512 on a UAD Apollo. Use direct monitoring and you will never have to worry about latency.

Switch to Win 10 windows 7 cant use above 3.4gb of ram so your stash of ram is wasted.

TBH you shouldn't notice 1ms roundtrip latency, its possible as others have said you are still getting some signal from the DAW

You DO have to worry about latency if you want to play a softsynth or use computer effects.

The ram limit is about the OS bit count. W10.W7, 32 bit are ram restricted but any 64 bit OS* can use an almost infinite amount but it is usually limited in the MOBO.

I have an HP W7 laptop 64 with 8G and a W7 desktop 64 with 6G of ram.

*There was an XP 64 but it was pretty ***t by all accounts!

Dave.
 
I use bucket loads of VST effects and use both Kontact and MPC and have zero issues with latency at 512.

I take your point about 64bit OS I hadnt realised.
 
I use bucket loads of VST effects and use both Kontact and MPC and have zero issues with latency at 512.

Then you cannot be using Direct (aka Zero Latency) Monitoring. Another clue is the 512 samples? Ain't none if you just 'go in and out of the AI" !

Sure you are not using DSP modules?
Dave.
 
I use some UAD modules but also use Waves in Protools with Low Latency enabled round trip latency is less than 3 milliseconds. I notice if I monitor from the DAW but not from the interface even with fully loaded track.
 
I appear to have fixed my latency problems on the M-Audio. What I did.
1. Disabled some power saving options in the bios.
2. Disabled bluetooth and wifi.
3. Downloaded a program called Systemcare and I turned on economy mode which stopped around 65 processes.
I presume there's a driver conflicting with it. Regardless I fixed the problem.

Ps. The static on the scarlett was not from low numbers. I didn't get big pops/skips. It was a super loud noise floor. The M-audio is super clean.
 
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