Hello Cakewalk Forums
 
When I record vocals using Sonar X2 producer, I have a very slight lag/delay. 
 
I record through the sound card in my Behringer XENYX X2442USB mixer.
 
Any suggestions on what I can do to fix this?
 
Thanks
 
Kree

Hi Kree,
 
Latency comes from two sources:

• The audio interface
• Latent plugins

If you're monitoring thru software, you're dealing with round-trip latency.
Lower the unit's ASIO buffer size to the smallest setting possible.
 
If a latent plugin is inserted anywhere in the project (doesn't have to be on that particular track), all tracks in the project will be delayed to maintain sample-accurate sync (automatic plugin delay compensation).
You can temporarily bypass automatic PDC (button in the Control Bar)... or simply avoid using latent plugins while tracking.
 

Kree, is your delay just what you are monitoring while recording (ie, your headphones), or is it actually recording a delayed signal?

If it does turn out to be a latency issue due to plug-ins and you can't get the buffer low enough to stop the latency, another thing you can do is to bounce your full mix to a new track (maybe call it vox tracking mix or something like that) within the project and use only that track as your backing track for recording the vox. That way you can disable / bypass all of your plug ins while you are tracking, but still have the benefit of recording to the full mix.

Are you monitoring through the mixer's headphone output?

Hello daveny5
 
Thank you for the reply.
 
Yes, i'm monitoring through the mixer's headphone output.
 
I'm also  monitoring playback over my studio monitors which are KRK RPG2 Rokit Powered 6  series and I still hear some vocal delays.
 
 

MorganT
Kree, is your delay just what you are monitoring while recording (ie, your headphones), or is it actually recording a delayed signal?

Hello MorganT
Thank you for the reply.
It's recording a delayed signal.

The hints above are aimed at decreasing latency in processing what you are recording, so that what you are recording is processed and comes back to your headphones as quickly as possible and to your ears is timed with with the other tracks you are playing.  If there is a lot of latency, then you will hear all the tracks but what you are singing is delayed in coming back to your ears.  This shouldn't really delay the recorded signal, but with much latency it's nearly impossible to stay on with the other tracks -- so you may just be singing behind the other tracks due to latency.  As Jim suggested, decreasing the ASIO buffer setting will decrease latency, at the price of also decreasing stability (ie, more likely to get glitches in processing if you have a lot of CPU heavy processes.) 
 
Some effects really impact latency -- I had this same issue with Sonitus reverb, which is a convolution reverb, until I learned that needed to be turned off for tracking; I use Guitar Rig and run into latency a lot with that too, even when I have the buffer size at a minimum.  So now when I am recording anything, I turn off all instances of Guitar Rig, Sonitus reverb, and other processing-heavy effects; I leave Guitar Rig on on the track I'm recording.  I leave the effects turned on only where I need them to get the feel needed to record it.  If you have a lot of synth's running that may do it too.
 
If you need more of the "feel" of the effects, you can always bounce the track, or freeze the synth -- that will hold it as an audio track with the effects as part of the audio, so it's not taking any processing power.
 
On the other hand, if your latency is minimized and your monitor headphones are synched with the tracks and you're playing and singing along in time with the already-recorded tracks -- but it's just recording a delayed signal...I'm not sure what to tell ya.  I've had a few instances of that in the past - I think before X2 came out -- but that was a pretty significant delay, not a small one.  And taking it out of record mode before playing back would fix that, as I recall.

Additionally, pressing 'E' on the keyboard will disable any plug-ins in the project that may be causing latency.