When I record, if I use monitor, there is a lot of delay on the voice, specially if I try to use reverb.  There is so much delay it is next to impossible to sing. 
 
I assume I have a latency problem.  I just got around this by not using monitor in the record mode at all, but it isn't much  fun to sing this way as everything is dry, and there isn't much volume either.  I have been doing this a long time this way, but haven't had time to getting around to fixing the problem.
 
Can someone please advise me.
Thanks
Frank
 
 

1) Check your interface user manual to see how to reduce your input latency settings. Lower them as low as you can before it introduces pops/crackles then back it off a bit. Actually I prefer to set it to JUST before the point the delay causes me to get distracted which is about 12ms roundtrip reported by Sonar.
 
2) Make sure you are not using any plugins in the project that use "lookahead" technology or are so CPU intensive they add latency (things like Perfect Space reverb or heavy duty compressors/EQs like the LP64 stuff will do this). If you have those inserted into any of your tracks remove them or freeze those tracks and certainly do not use them on the track you are recording into. If you need those effects to get a good performance use more lightweight substitutes until you are done tracking (you will find that the Sonitus Suite of effects can do almost anything you want and will introduce next to no latency/system overhead).
 
3) If you have a lot of synths in the project freeze those tracks while recording. You can also use the "Archive" function to remove uneeded track completely from you system's processing. This means if you did some backer tracks that you have already replaced... press the A button on the track controls and it will be removed from memory (but you can turn it back on at any time). Another thing I like to do is if I have a track that I have recorded a ton of takes into but I have made my final comp from I will copy/paste the comp (or the various flattened versions of the comp I may use) into a new track then archive the one I recorded into. This way all of those parts that I am no longer using aren't preloaded waiting to be accessed which puts unnecessary strain on the system yet I still have access to what I want in the new track.
 
Try that stuff and let us know how it goes.
 
Cheers.

Also... just to be safe, do a "Save As" of your project right now before screwing around with Freezing and Archiving or whatever. That way you can always return to it later.
 
Also once you are done recording your tracks you could always just import your new recordings into the original project so you can return to exactly where you were if you really wanted to instead of reversing all the actions you took to reduce latency. Probably not necessary but it's a course of action I've used before.
 
Cheers.

The Firestudio should have an internal zero latency setting (it has been a long time since I used mine), so your real time recording goes into the FS and directly back out w/ your previous recorded material without the new recording going through your computer and its attendant latency and any reverb etc. latency (as said above, look-ahead programs such as comps and convolution reverbs).  Of course, setting the relative levels is the hard part.
 
It would probably be best to start with a new project to work out your best method.

I think he's using direct monitoring as a workaround already but doesn't like the "dryness" of it which is understandable. I'm thinking there is probably a heavy duty reverb in play causing the latency.
 
It would be helpful if the OP listed what plugins he is using in the project... especially on the track(s)/bus(ses) being recorded into.
 
Hi, @. :-)

I changed my Universal Control settings in the Presonus Firestudio from 1024 to 128 buffer sizes.  This changed my effective latency at 44Khz/stereo to 2.9 seconds.  I was still hearing the latency  problem in the project I was working on. 
 
I opened a new project as suggested, and there was no latency without any plugins.  I am in the process of testing with a reverb, most likely Lexicon, and I will let you all know.  Thank you so much for the suggestions.

OK, still no delay with the one reverb plugged into the channel, but on playback I did have breaking up, and the file would stop running, but I have been having that problem before this a lot anyway.  I am also going to have to deal with that too. But, for now I decided to raise the buffers to 256 which gave me a latency of 5.8 .seconds.  If I go to 512 the latency goes above 11 so I backed down to 256.
 
I opened the project I had been working on which does have 33 tracks, and added a new vocal track as a test and it still has the latency problem.  So is it correct to assume that the more tracks, plugins, etc. the better the change of latency problems?
 
I only have 8 megs maxed out of ram.  I am looking to either buy or build a new machine with 32 megs of ram.  Would that make the difference.
 

I am using BTbrickwall on master output.  I am using HF exciter, VC-64 Vintage channel, Lexicon Patheon Reverb, Cakewalk compressor.Gate on an effects channel where I am sending the vocal tracks as well as some instrument tracks.

Try taking the brickwall out for now. I'm pretty sure it's "looking ahead" and causing the delay you're dealing with. Usually better to leave brickwall limiters out until you doing the final mix.
 

Ok thanks, I will try