Weird Latency Issue

It's been a long time since I posted here - long enough that I couldn't remember my user name and password (though I think the new forum software had something to do with it).
 
Problem
I'm having a strange latency problem, and I'm hoping that there's an answer. Sometimes latency is low and acceptable, and other times it is high enough that it's unplayable (especially for very rhythmic parts). it changes based on info below, but I can't figure out what the underlying problem is.
 
Repro Steps
1.Open an existing project with multiple audio outs from the same plugin, and multiple MIDI tracks .
2.Play something with a percussive attack (Marimba). Note that there is a long latency (probably 50+ MS)
3.Change the Archive state (on or off) of a different plugin audio channel (same plug in, different audio output) and play the first midi channel again - latency is acceptable.
4.Start playback of the track, and then try to play the marimba again, and it now has a long latency (50+ ms again).
 
So, changing the archive state of one of the outputs resets to low latency, but starting playback adds the latency back in.
 
It's not plugin specific, as any plug in has the same behavior (e.g., Kontakt or Garritan Aria). However, in a new project, I don't see the same issue (though I haven't filled the project up with tracks yet).
 
I think it has something to do with the audio engine, but I could use some help nailing this down so I can correct it. Maybe archiving an audio track resets an audio buffer to 0, but playing back the track then adds it back in (e.g., a buffer).
 
Ideas and/or next steps? I'm at a standstill for my "Christmas" tune until I can figure out how to make this work...
 
Thanks, Pat
 
DAW Specs

• Sonar X3 Intel Q6600
• M-Audio 2626 Interface (Firewire). ASIO drivers, 16/44.1, buffer size 128
• Line 6 KB37 (MIDI only) and M-Audio MIDISport 4x4 USB interfaces
• Lots of plug ins, but this is happening with two instances of Garritan Personal Orchestra V4.

 

Disabling all FX in the bar did the trick.
 
It appears to be Perfect space that's being problematic - remove it from all tracks and busses and the problem is gone. I replaced it with a UAD reverb and the problem stayed away.
 
I remember a problem earlier with Perfect Space's latency settings, but I set those way down and it's still giving me the latency problems. I'll dig in deeper, but if you have another idea about how to fix Perfect Space,  I'd love to hear it.
 
Thanks -
Pat

Yup - Perfect Space is a convoluted reverb, and uses look-ahead processing to do its thing, meaning it scans audio some distance into the future beyond where the Now Time Marker is.
 
Any effect the uses this look-ahead processing can add enough latency to cause dropouts/lag/hair-pulling/dog-punting.  Some other effects also just chew up massive amounts of CPU, and these too can wreak havoc if loaded into a project during recording/tracking.
 
Those kinds of plugins are really not meant to be used while you are still recording tracks.  These are explicitly designed for mixing/mastering stages in the project work flow.  Boost11 is another one, and there are others, as well.
 
So, make sure you keep your ASIO Buffer Size relatively low - I use 128, during recording, and use less-'costly' effects just during the recording process.
 
Once you are ready to move on to mixing/mastering, NOW you want to open up the size of the ASIO Buffer - I use 1024, and here is where you can load up all the super-duper awe inspiring effects.  The reason to do that here is that since you aren't trying to record some guitar part to what is already there, you don't need to worry about latency from your plugins.  Who cares if playback starts 1/2 second after you hit play?  No problem.  Sooo, here is where you load in Perfect Space, and Boost11, and whatever else you need.
 
The above is something you will forever more be switching back and forth for - low latency (small ASIO Buffer) and lean plugins during recording, then high latency (large ASIO Buffer) and fancy powerful plugins for mixing/mastering.
 
I hope the above makes some sense - give it a shot and post back.
 
Bob Bone
 

PatAzzMusic
Disabling all FX in the bar did the trick.
 
It appears to be Perfect space that's being problematic - remove it from all tracks and busses and the problem is gone. I replaced it with a UAD reverb and the problem stayed away.
 
I remember a problem earlier with Perfect Space's latency settings, but I set those way down and it's still giving me the latency problems. I'll dig in deeper, but if you have another idea about how to fix Perfect Space,  I'd love to hear it.
 
Thanks -
Pat

Glad I helped you!
 
Unfortunately, there's no way to fix Perfect Space latency.
 
As other guys said above, convolution reverbs adds a lot of latency, and we can't do nothing about it .
 
Only thing we can do is, when tracking/recording/playing, use a algorithm reverb (like Sonitus Reverb), then when mixing, swap to PS.
 
Hope this helps!

Thanks for the help gang - I was able to get the tracks recorded (late night last night). Now just waiting for an engineer friend to mix it. I'll post it when I'm done -
 
Pat

Perfect Space is intended for mixing, not for use while recording.  If you load it when ready to mix, and set your ASIO Buffer Size to 1024 or if available 2048, it will have enough of a buffer to do what it needs to, and it will sound great.
 
I cannot speak to it staying/going for any future Sonar release - I have no idea, but I can say that to the best of my knowledge, any of the 32-bit Cakewalk-supplied effects/synths work fine in a 64-bit X3.
 
Bob Bone