High midi latencty, is it the interface?

from your description it sounds more like you might have a memory leak from a plugin or something.  it doesn't sound like real "latency"

your RAM numbers are as reported by sonar, right?  what does windows say how much ram is being used?

sorry - RAM info is reported in X1, not in 8.5.

it still sounds like a memory leak or a CPU problem with one of your plugins or something like that.  what plugins do you have in this project?  what synths?  (specifically NON-cakewalk supplied ones)

if you start another new project does it still do the same thign?

Jim Roseberry

But, this seems to be only in the start of the project, when the projects build up and there is more and more going on - the midi latency seems to build up to a level which is unbearable (like a quarter of a second!)

 
Keep in mind that if you insert latent audio plugins anywhere in the project... Sonar's automatic plugin delay compensation (PDC) will delay everything by that amount (to maintain sample accurate sync across all tracks).
The workaround is to either turn-off PDC while tracking (reinable when finished tracking)... or remove latent plugins while tracking.

Beagle


sorry - RAM info is reported in X1, not in 8.5.

it still sounds like a memory leak or a CPU problem with one of your plugins or something like that.  what plugins do you have in this project?  what synths?  (specifically NON-cakewalk supplied ones)

if you start another new project does it still do the same thign?

Beagle:
No, a new project is not influenced by this at all.
But then again, a new project havent the same amount of effects and audio tracks.
The project I tested with, was one of the Sonar demo projects which came with, its the same if I try "unified tribe" or Justin Lassen.
There is only Cakewalk supplied effects in that project, AFAIK.
 
Jim
I'll look into that. Never heard of before :)
 
Both/all
I see that I've been a litte unprecise:
This is the latency of the "direct monitoring", aka the sound which I'm listening to when I record.
The actual recording I think is OK, as far as I remember.
 
the problem is, if I turn of the direct monitoring - I have no idea what I play :)

Searching a bit, Ctrl-D is it to disable PDC?

kristoffer


Tried Ctrl-D, worked perfectly. The direct monitoring latency is now zero.

Why are we using PDC, actually? :D

As far as I can understand, this means that I have an issue with a plugin.

Some plugs do a LOT of processing (calculation) which even in a fast computer environment takes a noticeable amount of time to complete. Mixing using this type of plug is like cooking a meal; you have to have everything get done at the same time if you want to eat the meal at one sitting. The roast may take a couple of hours and the salad a couple of minutes, so your timing has to be adjusted as to when to start each dish. So the slow plugs "look ahead" i.e. get data earlier than the faster stuff, and work on it. Since you really can't speed up the slow plugs, you need to slow down the rest of the mix until the data from the slow plugs is ready. There is a built-in delay in getting the slow plug results, and there needs to be a compensation for that delay (delay compensation) applied to the mix as a whole so the whole mix will play together at the appropriate time.
Avoid using any plugs when recording if possible to minimize processing delays (latency), and definitely avoid using the hogs (aka mastering plugins). Some lightweight plugs on a fast machine would be fine.
"Direct monitoring" usually means you are hearing the sound you are recording without it going into the box at all, just a loop echo through the interface or mixer. If you are doing that, then the processing speed of the plugs is irrelevant, so that is not apparently what you are doing.