Logic, I/O and Latency compensation with outboard gear

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Level 1

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Logic, I/O and Latency compensation with outboard gear

I tried to attach a hardware compressor and went through the steps outlined and quickly found out that the I/O utility will not work with outboard gear if you enable the software latency compensation (SLC) function. So, if true, and this is what I'd like to find out, you can't use outboard gear unless you deselect the SLC function.

Or am I doing something wrong? This has massive implications if true because if you use an outboard compressor to finalise your mix and you have used the SLC up to tis point for your soft plugins then this could throw everything out of sync. Any suggestions or knowledge on this are would be welcome.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Oct 19, 2015 4:05 AM

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Answer 1

Jan Due1

Level 2

479 points

Oct 20, 2015 1:04 PM in response to shotsi673

I quite often use a Tube Tech comp to finalise tracks before mastering. There is a substantial delay, when you compare before and after.

With a 2-track premaster I wouldn't mind, but if you want to compress a bus, or a single track via some hardware, you need to delay your arrangement

until it's in sync with the compressed signal. How much? Haven't done it lately, but I used to record a transient (sidekick) and then measure the

difference in samples (in Audio editor) between the original and the recorded signal. And then setting the 'Recording Delay' in 'Preferences'>'Audio'.

(To make this perfect, I think there's a trick, inverting the phase. When you hear nothing, you´re done. Please help me out on this)

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Answer 2

shotsi673 Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 20, 2015 2:05 PM in response to Jan Due1

Thanks for that. The issue i am trying to resolve is different I think. When I connect my hardware compressor as a plugin on a track, I use the I/O plugin which has a ping function that supposedly accounts for the delay. When this is enacted the Software Latency delay function, found on the top menu bar, will if selected stop the output to the hardware comp. Easy fix is to deselect the software latency function but what if it is needed for the other tracks?

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Answer 3

Pancenter

Level 6

14,782 points

Oct 20, 2015 4:57 PM in response to Jan Due1

Sure it can, Cubase has had it for years, Logic since version 9 I think... the software ping's the device and measures the latency.

At the bottom of the I/O Utility there is a Ping and offset. At least there is in Logic 9

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Answer 4

shotsi673 Author

Level 1

10 points

Oct 20, 2015 8:57 PM in response to Jan Due1

It does work. And you can manually manipulate the Latency Offset function to get rid of any phase/flange.

But the ping won't work when the Software Latency Function is on. AND, more importantly, the output of the I/O won't work when the Software Latency Function is on!

So in other words no signal is being sent to the outboard compressor or whatever outboard gear you have setup. So it looks like it is an either or situation. If you want the software latency function, which is necessary when you are recording midi or audio if you want to stay in sync then you need to turn off any I/O plugins you have. This is of course, unless someone knows something more about this and knows how both can live together.

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Answer 5

Pancenter

Level 6

14,782 points

Oct 20, 2015 9:55 PM in response to shotsi673

Software latency function?? Took me a while to realize what you were talking about... you mean "Low Latency Mode"

Well, yes, Low Latency Mode cuts out all latency inducing plugins that are above a user adjustable threshold, evidently that includes the I/O plugin in your case. Can you make a compromise setting that allows the I/O plug to function yet cuts out other latency inducing plugins....? Probably not, your outboard gear has far more latency than the plugins used. Does work for mixing though.

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Answer 6

shotsi673 Author

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10 points

Oct 21, 2015 5:20 AM in response to Pancenter

Yes indeed Low latency mode. I think I am over the Latency issue. It's an either or. BUT - get this. In using my compressor (a DBX 162SL) with both Ableton Live and Logic and setting the compressor to +4dBu, in Logic the I/O connection works best when I set my interface, an Apogee Quartet via Maestro to -10dBV. It seems to overload in +4dBu mode. Yet in Ableton Live it works fantastic in +4dBu. Why would this be so different and does it matter?

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Answer 7

shotsi673 Author

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10 points

Oct 20, 2015 5:07 PM in response to Jan Due1

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Answer 8

Jan Due1

Level 2

479 points

Oct 20, 2015 4:41 PM in response to shotsi673

Well, maybe I'm a dumb a.., but Logic can never (automatically) figure out the latency, when an external device is in play.

Or?

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Answer 9

Jan Due1

Level 2

479 points

Oct 20, 2015 7:14 PM in response to shotsi673

Right, but I don't think it works! Get this flanging feeling, Nope!

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Answer 10

Pancenter

Level 6

14,782 points

Oct 20, 2015 7:51 PM in response to Jan Due1

Probably if you run the both the original sound and the sound going through the effect. Depends on how you use software monitoring, I've used it with both reverb and compression without any problems.

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