Wish Latency / Time Alignment block

Rip

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Hello my name is Rip (...as in Van Winkle...not Rest In Peace...) this is my first post, but I’ve been reading/learning from others here for sometime now so thank you all.

I have an odd suggestion/request...

I don’t have an AxeFX 3 rather a 2 but I hope my suggestion might help others and potentially (fingers crossed) makes its way to a AxeFX 2 update...I know not likely...

The suggestion is to create an Time Alignment block, so that users may be able to blend AxeFX tones with analogue gear/amps and be able to compensate for the latency within a patch. I’ve experienced some comb filtering artifacts when trying to use the AxeFX with tube amps as there is differences between the AxeFX’s latency and the tube amp. If there was a Time Alignment block where one could delay the outputted signal by the latency amount then one could send out a parallel analogue signal to blend analogue gear with the AxeFX’s processed signals.

I imagine that this would be something relatively easy to do...

Thank you
Rip
 
Digital delay type should have no additional EQ or adjustment by default. Yes 100% mix (fully wet), delay time as needed, Feedback 0% I think is “1 repeat” or no additional regeneration.
 
Maybe I'm not understanding.

A small amount of latency is incurred by running audio through the Axe Fx.

How is adding a further delay going to help?

And if you run "a parallel analog signal" into the Axe Fx it will also have this latency. There is no "pass thru" audio.
 
Maybe I'm not understanding.

A small amount of latency is incurred by running audio through the Axe Fx.

How is adding a further delay going to help?

And if you run "a parallel analog signal" into the Axe Fx it will also have this latency. There is no "pass thru" audio.

Say you wanted to have a dry tube amp blended with a wet AxeFX modeled amp(s).

you could plug into the AxeFx, pass through various gain based effects, then split the signal; with one side going out via FX loop block, and the other continuing toamp/cab/delay/mod/etc blocks

the problem is that you remain time aligned up to the split...after the split the “wet” signal will have more latency because of the amp block(s). With this very short difference in signal timing (~0.5-1.0ms) you suffer from comb filtering.

adding a small delay/latency to the “dry” signal will time align the signals thus reduce the comb filtering.
 
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Enhancer or flanger block can work for this type of thing.

Using flanger with mix at 0%, adjust the "dry delay" parameter.

The enhancer width control in "classic" mode is a delay on one channel with range of 0-20 ms. (Some care may be required to isolate the delayed channel, but simply balancing the enhancer block to that side may work in many cases. Occasionally you may need a vol/pan block afterward to select the delayed channel and have it output as both L & R from that point.)
 
Digital delay type should have no additional EQ or adjustment by default. Yes 100% mix (fully wet), delay time as needed, Feedback 0% I think is “1 repeat” or no additional regeneration.


I don’t believe a delay effect will provide a short enough delay/accuracy...

Your suggestion is similar to how I’ve seen studios time align mic/DI tracks, with microsecond delays; most people use their DAW to do this now these days, but the idea is very similar...

The cab block has block has a small delay parameter 0-1.0ms but then you have a cab there...
 
I don’t believe a delay effect will provide a short enough delay/accuracy...

Your suggestion is similar to how I’ve seen studios time align mic/DI tracks, with microsecond delays; most people use their DAW to do this now these days, but the idea is very similar...

The cab block has block has a small delay parameter 0-1.0ms but then you have a cab there...
The original post didn’t specify one. I suggested something based on the information given.
 
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The original post didn’t specify one. I suggested something based on the information given.

And thank you for the suggestion, it reminded me of the studio trick... if I remember right, one of the guys I knew used to use a broadcast delay to do this...the good ones allow you to control down to the microsecond

but very pricey...
 
I saw an interesting post on facebook recently about tightening up your band mix sound by delaying the whole FOH mix by 1ms per foot how far behind the PA the instruments are. So if the drums and backline are 15 feet behind the PA 15ms delay.
 
So you would want to delay the tube amp correct?

A true loop setup (Out 2 - preamp - In 2) would add latency and require delaying the signal that stays within the Axe-FX.

If the signal was split from guitar directly to Axe & preamp (preamp output to Axe In 2) you'd need to delay the external preamp signal, as the Axe amp block adds some latency, but less than the first loop example. (IIRC the values are something like 0.8 & 0.3 ms.)

Another block that can work for this is compressor. Use studio type, mix 0%, adjust "lookahead" parameter.
 
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Another block that can work for this is compressor. Use studio type, mix 0%, adjust "lookahead" parameter.

Very interesting... I’m going to have to give that a shot; then I don’t have to lose a cab block

thank you all for your help
Rip
 
This times 1000. I frequently, probably more often than not, have to use a flanger block (or both blocks) to time align parallel signals in the Axe. A dedicated ultra fine delay block with an invert button would be extremely useful. This has nothing to do with external gear in my use case.
 
A micro delay mode of the delay block would be handy, adjustment range in the 0.001 ms range. Zoia has a delay unit in it that allows 0.01ms adjustment, it works as expected, so obviously simple and fun. Really enlightening to get in that small and attach modifiers to time and experiment with super small size delay effects
 
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