Latency on Win 7 Dual Core

Zetar

New member
I've done home multi-track recording for many years using a Win 7 quad core (Dell OptPlex 980) and Adobe Audition 3.0 and this has worked fine for my needs. Recently, my son-in-law gave me his old Win 7 dual core machine and I wanted to use it for multi-track recording but there is a noticeable latency (when I play my keyboard there is a half-second delay).

My question is this: will getting a dedicated sound card for the Win 7 dual core solve the latency problem?

My son has recommended these new USB mixers but will that solve the latency problem?

Economically, I can't afford a new machine and I need to keep my Win 7 quad core where it is (not move it to the new home studio).

Comments very appreciated.
 
What interface/soundcard are you using?

You don’t tell us the rest of your setup but if you’re sending MIDI into a DAW to be processed (i.e. a virtual instrument) and round trip Back for monitoring it’s likely the processor and disk speed, maybe memory, that’s introducing that much latency. Still, I’d check the computer specs and make sure you’ve got USB 2.0, check drivers, etc.
 
What interface/soundcard are you using?

You don’t tell us the rest of your setup but if you’re sending MIDI into a DAW to be processed (i.e. a virtual instrument) and round trip Back for monitoring it’s likely the processor and disk speed, maybe memory, that’s introducing that much latency. Still, I’d check the computer specs and make sure you’ve got USB 2.0, check drivers, etc.

Here are the system spex:

Intel dual core
3.0 GHZ
3.0 GB of Memory
32 Bit OS (Win 7)
WDA Hard drive

I'm not doing MIDI or DAW. I'm just lining my keyboard directly in via the front audio input jack. This has worked for me in the past (but not on thie machine). This machine does not have a sound card.

Thanks for the help.
 
That's a pretty slow machine, though I have an old MacBook Pro about like that, but the RAM is really low - absolute minimum for Windows 7 (32bit). Probably a slow hard disk, too.

You could try the usual stuff to optimize the system, as in remove everything that's not related to the audio processing, and that especially includes anti-virus software. If you have anything, have Windows Defender on the machine and turn it off while recording.

Clean up the HDD and run de-fragmenter on it, etc.

Try recording with something very lightweight, like Audacity, and see if it has the same latency problem.

You still might be pushing a rope on that system.
 
Would a sound card help?

What I find curious is that I've had no problems running Audition 3.0 my old Dell Optiplex with Intel i5, 4 GB RAM running 3.47 GHz
 
I just downloaded an old Win 7 32 bit version of Audacity and I'm still getting that latency. Even though it's just monitoring. The latency is caused between the keyboard and the software.
 
Pull up Task Manager and look at your memory, hard drive and CPU usage when you are trying to record. If memory is maxed out, then your system will have to swap to the hard drive, which is slow.

A friend was experiencing slowdowns on her laptop with 4GB. Looking at TM, it was using 3.6 to 3.8 of the 4GB, and the hard drive was running up to 100% constantly. Upgrading it to 8GB improved performance immensely. The memory card cost a whopping $24, and that's because I got Crucial memory instead of generic.

Also download Latency Monitor and look at what programs are heavily pulling CPU cycles.

Get the exact CPU models, and compare the CPU benchmark ratings. I'm betting that your I5 is at least 4 times faster than your dual core.
 
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Hi,
If you're getting a long latency just listening to audio that's being fed into the line input then it's most likely just large buffer settings for your sound card.
If you're using software to monitor, like Audacity or Audition, have a poke through the settings menus, look for audio settings or device settings, and look for buffer size or latency.
If you see either turn them down. High values would be 256/512/1024.
16/32/64 would be a better setting.

If you don't see those settings anywhere tell us what software you're using to monitor and someone will have a poke for you. :)
 
Win 7 32 bit can't be upgraded with more memory. 3 GB is max.

I forgot about that limitation. Looks like 4gb is max for 32 bit.

Windows 7 Starter 32-Bit 2GB
Windows 7 Home Basic 32-Bit 4GB
Windows 7 Home Basic 64-Bit 8GB
Windows 7 Home Premium 32-Bit 4GB
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-Bit 16GB

You should be able to upgrade from 32bit to 64 bit Win7, though which will allow you to increase the memory. There are instructions all over the internet about switching from 32 to 64 bit versions.
 
Win 7 32 bit can't be upgraded with more memory. 3 GB is max.
It's actually a bit above 3GB, and earlier chipsets might be slowed down if you are using unmatched DIMMs, i.e., a 1GB and 2GB instead of 2x2GB. But, yes, I'd forgotten all about that 32-bit thing. An update to 64-bit and more memory would be worthwhile, IMO.

Hadn't thought about buffer sizes. The ancient notebook (Vista era, but updated to Win7 - left behind some time ago by our son) did boot and after getting the BIOS clock reset seems alive. I do see a latency setting (the default I assume), in the old version of Audacity that's installed of 100ms (-130ms record adjust) which is going to be audible as slapback, but nowhere near 1/2 sec.
 
Yes, but I've successfully recorded with a similar system in the past. I keep thinking that the problem is lack of a sound card.
 
Yes, but I've successfully recorded with a similar system in the past. I keep thinking that the problem is lack of a sound card.
Well, there is a "soundcard" that's likely a very inexpensive chip on the motherboard. There has to be something there that's doing the A/D and D/A, unless it's all in software. What does the Control Panel->Sound setting show? (On the old laptop in front of me, it shows a Conexant device, which was a supplier back when this particular notebook was made.)
 
We, son and I were using a 3G machine with 2G ram and XP 32 and getting very acceptable latency but we had one of these...M-Audio Audiophile PCI 24/96 (2496) Sound Card (Rev-B) Complete w/ Box | eBay

Took me a while in the post to realize we was NOT talking laptop, usually are!

The 'problem' about latency is that it is not just about 'delay'. You can usually set a low enough buffer size to give virtually no perceptible delay but the computer cannot keep up and crackles like a bastard.

For a single instrument 2 in 2 out no plugs almost any PC specc' with do, 3 G 2 core should walk it BUT you need a decent interface but MOSTLY you need good drivers and those for the 2496 are top notch.

OP if you buy one make sure it comes with the breakout cables.

And, if you can find a Mk1 Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 that'le do ya but thick end of a ton.

And (and) Zetar could HAVE my ESI 1010 multitrack AI, just gathering dust but 1) it needs a PCIe slot and 2) it is a b**ch to setup, used to bug the ***t out of me but once done, stable for years. Oh and 3) I am in UK. Problem?


Dave.
 
I found an old Soundblaster (the one with the front panel). I used to use it for recording years ago. I wonder if I put that in the Win 7 machine it will solve the problem.
 
I found an old Soundblaster (the one with the front panel). I used to use it for recording years ago. I wonder if I put that in the Win 7 machine it will solve the problem.

IIRC S (of a) B cards were never much cop for latency? Same old problem, poor drivers but there is ASIO4all and you might have some success with that.

Basic steps to take first are stop any unecessary programs from running kill wireless network adapters, if you know how, set machine for "Best Performance" not "Best apperance". Stop Windows Sounds, those infernal bleeps and bloops.

Dave.
 
I've done all that. When I select ASIO4ALL as the input (from Audition) it displays: Not Connected. The only way I get audio input is by selecting Audition for Windows. Any ideas?
 
Will a USB mixer replace a sound card? Will a USB mixer work with a WIN 7 32 bit machine? Is the solution to my problem just to get a USB mixer?
 
We have not determined what the problem is, so saying "this or that" will solve it involves a bit of guessing and hoping.

It may be that whatever "soundcard" is in the computer is not actually equipped to do A/D, which is what you are asking when plugging your keyboard into an audio jack on it that is not a USB port. Most consumer laptops are only really tasked with shoving digital bits around and any ASIC dedicated to audio is probably optimized around playing MP3s or WMA content, i.e., D/A. So *if* it's the converter that's the source of your latency, any external device that works with your old system and has good driver options will be an improvement. Mixer or audio interface will work the same for what you are doing, even the lowly Behringer UCA202 might be an option if your keyboard can plug into RCA jacks.

Did you do any of the other optimizations?
 
I've done all that. When I select ASIO4ALL as the input (from Audition) it displays: Not Connected. The only way I get audio input is by selecting Audition for Windows. Any ideas?

But, ASIO4ALL might work with the SB card. No, don't buy a USB mixer. I don't think I have ever read a report about the latency with such mixers but then, USB is really just 'tacked' on so you can record your band down the Mucky Duck and for such 'tracking' low latency is not a requirement, in any case, the basic USB mixers tend to have noisy 16 bit converters.

The UCA 202/222 is touted as "ultra low latency"? Not sure I believe that for 30 bucks but worth a try if the SB card does not pan out. Regarding the latter, make sure you have the right drivers for the card before tearing into the PC.

Dave.
 
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