GlennO
Axe-Master
Note: This problem has been fixed in the USB firmware for the Axe-FX III and FM9. Just make sure you are using the latest version of the USB firmware and there will be no need for this workaround. If you are using an FM3 however, you may still need to use this workaround.
Latency Compensation Measurement
The Axe-FX III has a bug related to latency compensation (https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...rding-due-to-usb-latency-compensation.181686/) Basically, this means that, unless you set a preference in your DAW, your recorded AxeFX tracks will lag behind the tracks you are listening to while you record. Setting that preference in your DAW will compensate for that lag and your tracks will align properly.
But how do you know what the proper value is to set for that DAW preference? In the interest of brevity, the instructions in the recording guide are simple, but here's a more detailed description.
(Note for FM3 owners, the workaround instructions for FM3 owners are in this post: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/latency-compensation-measurement.177851/post-2166655)
I recommend using the preset shown in this screenshot. The idea is:
1) Use the AxeFX as your audio device and connect your speakers to output 3.
2) Plug your guitar into input 3
3) Play a click track from your DAW out to usb channels 7/8. You'll hear that in your speakers.
4) Play guitar along with the click track, recording usb channels 1/2.
5) Measure the lag between your recorded guitar and the click track and use that for your DAW's latency compensation preference.
The problem with this method is that you need to play perfectly in time with the click track, something that even the best of us would have trouble doing with the sub-millisecond accuracy that is needed to achieve measurement precision we want.
Instead, take a patch cable and connect output 3 to input 3. Now you don't have to rely on precise timing when you play your guitar. The output patched from out 3 to in 3 takes the place of you playing the guitar and gives you perfect timing precision for the measurement.
Play your click track and record usb Channels 1/2. Compare the recording with the click track to find the number of samples you need to put in your DAW latency compensation preference. (Note: make sure your latency compensation preference is set to zero before doing this measurement.)
What is a typical value? I use Cubase with Asio guard set to normal and an audio buffer of 64 samples and I have my AxeFX usb buffer size set to 128. I measure a lag in the recorded track of 500 samples. When I put 500 into the record shift preference, my recordings align properly. The name of the preference varies between DAWs. In Logic it's called "Recording Delay". In Reaper it's called "Manual Offset".
What if instead of recording guitar, you are re-amping? Do you need a different value for the latency compensation? Take a look at the preset screenshot above and you'll see an output 2 block. If you record usb channels 3/4 instead of 1/2 with this preset, you'll effectively be reamping. So, if you do that, will you see a difference in the value for the latency? The answer is yes, but the difference should be quite small. For me, instead of a lag of 500 samples, I see a lag of 460 samples. That's less than a millisecond difference. Personally I don't consider that enough of a difference to justify using 2 different latency compensation values for those 2 different scenarios.
The bottom line is:
1) I measured the uncompensated latency in my AxeFX a long time ago, I set my DAW preference, and I haven't had to worry about it since.
2) I use the same value for recording and re-amping. This means my re-amped tracks are off by a few samples, but I don't consider that enough to warrant using 2 different values.
For additional details on this subject, see this thread: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...rding-due-to-usb-latency-compensation.181686/
P.S. I realize some people have reported the latency compensation they measure varies from project to project. I haven't seen that myself, so I can't comment on that.
Latency Compensation Measurement
The Axe-FX III has a bug related to latency compensation (https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...rding-due-to-usb-latency-compensation.181686/) Basically, this means that, unless you set a preference in your DAW, your recorded AxeFX tracks will lag behind the tracks you are listening to while you record. Setting that preference in your DAW will compensate for that lag and your tracks will align properly.
But how do you know what the proper value is to set for that DAW preference? In the interest of brevity, the instructions in the recording guide are simple, but here's a more detailed description.
(Note for FM3 owners, the workaround instructions for FM3 owners are in this post: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/threads/latency-compensation-measurement.177851/post-2166655)
I recommend using the preset shown in this screenshot. The idea is:
1) Use the AxeFX as your audio device and connect your speakers to output 3.
2) Plug your guitar into input 3
3) Play a click track from your DAW out to usb channels 7/8. You'll hear that in your speakers.
4) Play guitar along with the click track, recording usb channels 1/2.
5) Measure the lag between your recorded guitar and the click track and use that for your DAW's latency compensation preference.
The problem with this method is that you need to play perfectly in time with the click track, something that even the best of us would have trouble doing with the sub-millisecond accuracy that is needed to achieve measurement precision we want.
Instead, take a patch cable and connect output 3 to input 3. Now you don't have to rely on precise timing when you play your guitar. The output patched from out 3 to in 3 takes the place of you playing the guitar and gives you perfect timing precision for the measurement.
Play your click track and record usb Channels 1/2. Compare the recording with the click track to find the number of samples you need to put in your DAW latency compensation preference. (Note: make sure your latency compensation preference is set to zero before doing this measurement.)
What is a typical value? I use Cubase with Asio guard set to normal and an audio buffer of 64 samples and I have my AxeFX usb buffer size set to 128. I measure a lag in the recorded track of 500 samples. When I put 500 into the record shift preference, my recordings align properly. The name of the preference varies between DAWs. In Logic it's called "Recording Delay". In Reaper it's called "Manual Offset".
What if instead of recording guitar, you are re-amping? Do you need a different value for the latency compensation? Take a look at the preset screenshot above and you'll see an output 2 block. If you record usb channels 3/4 instead of 1/2 with this preset, you'll effectively be reamping. So, if you do that, will you see a difference in the value for the latency? The answer is yes, but the difference should be quite small. For me, instead of a lag of 500 samples, I see a lag of 460 samples. That's less than a millisecond difference. Personally I don't consider that enough of a difference to justify using 2 different latency compensation values for those 2 different scenarios.
The bottom line is:
1) I measured the uncompensated latency in my AxeFX a long time ago, I set my DAW preference, and I haven't had to worry about it since.
2) I use the same value for recording and re-amping. This means my re-amped tracks are off by a few samples, but I don't consider that enough to warrant using 2 different values.
For additional details on this subject, see this thread: https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...rding-due-to-usb-latency-compensation.181686/
P.S. I realize some people have reported the latency compensation they measure varies from project to project. I haven't seen that myself, so I can't comment on that.
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