What is "0", zero latency?

[coolsoundman]

This may be a dumb question to ask, but what does it mean by zero latency? I'm looking at some sound cards and some say zero latency. In your opinion or rule of thumb, what does it really mean?

 

[WhatdoIknow]

zero latency=zero delay

 

[SoundofMind]

I think you will like to read this

http://www.digitalprosound.com/Htm/Articles/April/Audio_Latency.htm

 

[dgatwood]

This may be a dumb question to ask, but what does it mean by zero latency? I'm looking at some sound cards and some say zero latency. In your opinion or rule of thumb, what does it really mean?

It generally means that they contain hardware monitoring. Basically like having a mixer built into the interface. Instead of having the audio software mix the incoming audio and send it back out with the mix, you let the interface mix it into the output for you, generally in the analog domain.

This technique has the advantage of having no latency, but the disadvantage of not being necessarily indicative of whether the recording is working correctly, and also not supporting any plug-in processing of the audio, and may or may not support panning a single input channel between multiple outputs, depending on the hardware.

It can be a nice feature if you don't have an external mixer.

 

[mattimus]

this may be dumb.. burt does anyone know if the m-audio project mix I/O has zero latency?

 

[TimOBrien]

Actually, it only means SO LOW YOU CANT MAKE IT OUT.

There is no such thing as truly zero latency... electricity takes a millionth of a second to go about 2ft. so there will always be SOME delay; you just can't percieve it.