Latency using an analog mixer

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nico2112
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Nico2112

Nico2112

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I really can't understand why I'm having latency problems with my new laptop; my setup and rigging hasn't changed, except for the new laptop that is.


*Here's how I rig:

1) I use a Peavey PV6 analog mixer. All my mics and line instruments go into this board.
2) I plug my board's tape out into my laptop's line in.
3) I plug my laptop's line out into my board's tape in.
4) I set the board to "tape to ctrl room/headphones"


*Here's the problem:

I record 8 tracks of drums in a Tascam 2488MKII; then transfer all the tracks into a new Cool Edit session. Tracks recorded into the Tascam are 44100 Hz 16 bit.

I set Cool Edit to record using the same sample rate and bit depth.

Using the drum tracks as my guide, I start recording a new guitar track.
It sounds fine and locked on time in the monitoring headphones, but when you playback the newly recorded track, it lags behind by a fraction of a second.

All newly recorded tracks into the laptop have the same problem, they are a bit behind the drum tracks.

After reading the CEP forum, I tried out using a CEP setting called "correct for drift in recordings", which should fix the problem, but it didn't. This setting is supposed to help when tracks have been or are being recorded at different sample rates or bit depth (at least that's what I've read).

Before I didn't have this problem; I used this same mixer setup using an Acer Aspire Centrino processor 512MB laptop, using Windows XP platform. All I did was upgrade to a Toshiba Dual core processor 1GB laptop, using Windows Vista platform. Exact same rigging.

Could it be the Vista platform?

Could it be the integrated soundcard's settings or driver?

Please help me out here; I'm extremely frustrated; had to cancel a band's recording session due to this problem.

Any help will be extremely appreciated.

Cheers!
 
My guess would be that the built in soundcard has too much latency. I've had a friend who did the same thing with the same results. Basically, the first computer's card worked fine, and when he bought the new computer with the same equpiment running into it, he couldn't get things to work the same as they did on the first. We tried different drivers including ASIO4all (which solves a LOT of problems for a lot of people - definitely worth a try,) but he finally had to get an interface to solve the problem.

Not all built in soundcards are created equal, so while the computer itself may be an improvement, you most likey will need to look into a dedicated audio interface to solve the problem. If you can't solve the latency problem by changing drivers, that's really the only solution that I can think of.
 
Thanks mate!

I will try updating the existing driver. And if that doesn't work, do you suggest installing the Asio4all driver?

Thanks again.
 
Oops. Replied to the wrong thread. Hey, when did they remove the delete button?

But to answer this question, yeah, you should probably try ASIO4All. Worth a shot.
 
Thanks for the info guys. Seems like I'm stuck with a cheap soundcard.

Can you recommend a good USB interface that works well with Vista?

Cheers!
 
NY, you're right, I could just use the Tascam; problem is, I have it setup permanently where I record drums. The laptop is used as a mobile studio setup.

I know using the Tascam would be the easy way out, but I refuse to accept I just threw away $800 on a new laptop; that's why I want the laptop to be fully operational, so I can still have 2 recording machines. Been used to having both, Tascam and laptop:(

I'm looking into a Tascam US122L, but it's not available locally. Only M Audio products are to be found here, and I trust Tascam quality.

Thanks for your input.

Cheers!
 
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