Latency reporting to DAW

One series of tests I did seemed to indicate that plugins with delay compensation (PDC) caused the instability

TBH, the problem you’re demonstrating there appears to be a bug in Reaper. In other words, PDC is a feature of the DAW and has nothing to do with audio interfaces.
 
TBH, the problem you’re demonstrating there appears to be a bug in Reaper. In other words, PDC is a feature of the DAW and has nothing to do with audio interfaces.
I agree with you 100% that PDC is handled by the DAW, I was just trying to provide a correlation I saw. The PDC plugins seems to help "trigger" the problem, but after my testing below, I think they just cause the problem to present faster. Or it could just be random as well...

I just did the below series of steps. I got the problem to occur even without PDC plugins, although it seemed I was able to trigger it on demand once I hit about 3136 samples of latency from the PDC plugins. Getting the non PDC plugins to trigger it required many more instances. I should also mention that when it's on time I can do like 15 reamps straight and they all remain good
  1. blank project in Reaper, test for and then input the proper latency offset value (this is the only time i change it)
  2. Regular track 50 instances of non PDC plugin. Reamp on time.
  3. Regular track, 24 instances of a PDC plugin with 784 samples of latency (18816 total). Reamp still on time.
  4. Move PDC plugins to Master channel: Reamp is off time (early).
  5. Remove all plugins from project: Reamp is even earlier than with PDC plugins
  6. Close and start new project in Reaper. Reamp still early
  7. reboot off axe-fx
  8. Close and start a new project in Reaper. Reamp is back on time
  9. Add a bunch of non PDC plugins to master track. Reamp on time
  10. add 4 instances of PDC plugins: reamp off time
  11. reboot axe-fx
  12. retry reamp in same project, reamp less off time than before
  13. remove PDC plugins, reboot axe-fx
  14. retry reamp in same project, reamp on time
  15. Add a bunch of instances of a different non PDC plugin, reamp off time
  16. remove all plugins, reboot axe-fx
  17. retry reamp in same project, reamp is on time
  18. add a bunch of non PDC plugins to master channel, reamp is off time
  19. remove all plugins, reamp is still off time
  20. reboot axe-fx
  21. retry in same project no plugins, reamp is on time
  22. add a bunch of non PDC plugins to a random track reamp is off time
  23. reboot axe-fx don't remove plugins from #22 reamp is still off time

Due to the problem not presenting the same in all scenarios it makes me thing its more of an USB thing than Reaper...especially considering Logic and Cubase users have reported it as well.
 
Last edited:
i am not sure if it is related to this and if other modellers work differently and that’s why the latency compensation works with them....

I think each block added in Axe FX adds some sort of minimal latency and it also depends on the block and hence the DAW can’t know whats is added, activated etc there is no way for the input latency to work as intended...

Just an idea, i might be wrong. And i feel like there is a big silence from fractal team whenever this subject comes up. Though @Admin M@ responded in this post.

If i have totally wrong assumptions and if i am stirring the soup...my apologies.

note: since i never reamp this has been never an issue for me.
 
i am not sure if it is related to this and if other modellers work differently and that’s why the latency compensation works with them....

I think each block added in Axe FX adds some sort of minimal latency and it also depends on the block and hence the DAW can’t know whats is added, activated etc there is no way for the input latency to work as intended...

Just an idea, i might be wrong. And i feel like there is a big silence from fractal team whenever this subject comes up. Though @Admin M@ responded in this post.

If i have totally wrong assumptions and if i am stirring the soup...my apologies.

note: since i never reamp this has been never an issue for me.
The selection of blocks you have in your preset will have a small effect on the latency. But the reporting problem this thread is about is much larger, enough that it is definitely unrelated to what you're describing.

Note that this problem has nothing to do with re-amping. If you record via usb, it will affect your recording. Whether you consider it to be a large enough problem to worry about is a matter of personal preference.
 
Yeah, the issue is not limited to reamping. It's just less pronounced since you are only getting input latency or output latency separately and not the combined round trip latency.

Even if the latency is not consistent, if the driver is able to report it accurately, the DAW can compensate correctly each time you record.
 
Yeah, the issue is not limited to reamping. It's just less pronounced since you are only getting input latency or output latency separately and not the combined round trip latency.

Even if the latency is not consistent, if the driver is able to report it accurately, the DAW can compensate correctly each time you record.
i got you, let's say during recording you activate and deactivate blocks. This changes the latency, right? if so, in such a scenario i don't think the DAW would be able to adjust the latency further.

And sorry if i wasn't clear, i did not mean this only reamping but for generall latency compansation when recording. With all this said, just as i don't reamp, i do also not use Axe Fx as an audio interface.
 
A little update from me:

I got a brand new W10 PC with all new components and fresh W10 P install. I'm still dealing with the latency. This time it's around 850ms, constantly.
 
A little update from me:

I got a brand new W10 PC with all new components and fresh W10 P install. I'm still dealing with the latency. This time it's around 850ms, constantly.
If you're referring to your reamped tracks always being off by 850ms, you should be able to set the offset value in your DAW to automatically compensate for that. If you provide the DAW in question, someone should be able to point you to where to set the value.

Some users have the problem where the value for the reamp offset doesn't remain static. If this is the case for you, the current workaround is to manually offset after the reamp is done.
 
Wonder if a DAW mode can be made where a large albeit fixed amount of latency can be applied to the fractal, to keep the number fixed so its a known, consistent quantity. Another manufacturer (not an amp sim company) is looking at doing the same soon as well.
 
+1
There is also something funky happening on a Mac when used with other audio interfaces like a UAD Apollo.
If the axe fx is started before UAD, I cannot select its inputs and outputs. Even if the axe is started second, sometimes, the aggregate audio interface will not pick it up and it has to be de-selected and re-selected. Only happens with the axe fx 3, not with any of my other interfaces.
Mine does this sometimes, too....
 
Wonder if a DAW mode can be made where a large albeit fixed amount of latency can be applied to the fractal, to keep the number fixed so its a known, consistent quantity. Another manufacturer (not an amp sim company) is looking at doing the same soon as well.
Can you elaborate on the manufacturer?
 
+1
There is also something funky happening on a Mac when used with other audio interfaces like a UAD Apollo.
If the axe fx is started before UAD, I cannot select its inputs and outputs. Even if the axe is started second, sometimes, the aggregate audio interface will not pick it up and it has to be de-selected and re-selected. Only happens with the axe fx 3, not with any of my other interfaces.
Same issue with my Mac (Big Sur) aggregate audio interface using an RME (which is never turned off) + the Axe III. I find most of the time I'll need to de/re-select the Axe in the aggregate interface if the Axe has been powered off since last use.
(And also +1 on the OP request!)
 
This was driving me insane so I called it quits on this issue and bought a dedicated interface with SPDIF I/O (Antelope Zen Go). Overkill for just tracking guitars and bass at home but we have the same interface at our studio so I was already familiar with it.

I plug my guitar cable into the Antelope and route that down the SPDIF output (into the AX3). This way I can record the dry guitar on one track and the SPDIF wet signal from the AX3 on another mono or stereo track.

I could have just gone with an used Scarlett 8i6 3rd gen for <$200 since I wouldn’t be running through the Scarlett’s analog inputs. That’s the unit I’d recommend for most people.

I’m much happier with this setup:
  1. no latency issues
  2. I can leave all my I/O permanently connected to the Antelope (headphones, guitar cable, monitor cables, SPDIF cables)
  3. when I bring the AX3 in and out of the studio all I have to connect is power, SPDIF I/O, and an XLR for the FC12, all of which I leave routed behind my desk so all 4 are right there waiting for me.
  4. I have more flexibility with routing and levels by using Antelope’s mixer application.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom