When monitoring through Logic X, audio goes out of sync sometimes

Thorpe

Thorpe

Member
If this is in the wrong section, I apologize.

This has been an issue plaguing me for a long time now. I don't think it's something the Axe-FX is doing, but I was just wondering if someone else has had this problem and found a way to fix it.

My setup is an Axe-FX II mk II as input going into my computer through USB (a 2.0 slot), computer is running OS X 10.10.5, and my audio output device is a Scarlett 2i2. I normally play and record with input monitoring turned on in Logic, but sometimes it seems like the sound will hiccup and it will then be delayed for a second or two, like it had monster latency on it. Might just be coincidental, but it seems to happen a lot when I turn the volume down on my guitar or bass and don't play anything for a short time.

My Axe is running the most current firmware, and everything else is running class compliant USB so no driver weirdness should be going on.

I was just wondering if someone else has experienced this and what they did to fix it? It's driving me up the walls.
 
Thorpe said:
If this is in the wrong section, I apologize.

This has been an issue plaguing me for a long time now. I don't think it's something the Axe-FX is doing, but I was just wondering if someone else has had this problem and found a way to fix it.

My setup is an Axe-FX II mk II as input going into my computer through USB (a 2.0 slot), computer is running OS X 10.10.5, and my audio output device is a Scarlett 2i2. I normally play and record with input monitoring turned on in Logic, but sometimes it seems like the sound will hiccup and it will then be delayed for a second or two, like it had monster latency on it. Might just be coincidental, but it seems to happen a lot when I turn the volume down on my guitar or bass and don't play anything for a short time.

My Axe is running the most current firmware, and everything else is running class compliant USB so no driver weirdness should be going on.

I was just wondering if someone else has experienced this and what they did to fix it? It's driving me up the walls.
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Can you also provide your Logic audio preferences?? Buffer size & available RAM will be important
 
I have had that issue before. Moreso when running Logic 9 after updating to Mavericks. On Logic X it happened less. I reduced the USB buffer on the Fractal which I think helped but by and large I usually have to save project then shut down Logic totally and reopen.

Honestly I think it's a hard drive issue brought about somewhere around Mountain Lion or Mavericks. Curious as to whether you are running a 7200 RPM Seagate.
 
I have similar issues with my setup.

Do you have the AFX connected to yr interface via SPDIF or analogue?

I thought the culprit was something to do with SPDIF clocking. When it happens changing the clock source on my interface from master to slave and back again usually sorts it.

It is very annoying - I've taken to hardware monitoring via the analogue outs and a mixer and only using SPDIF/software monitoring when I want to record.
 
The professional solution is and always has been: Direct monitoring. A glance at the manual shows 2i2 does offer this. Turn off input monitoring for the guitar. At some point, when a session is larded up with a lot of tracks and processing, the CPU just can't keep up and input monitoring is going to let you down. This is true of input monitoring on any DAW and hardware. CPU, USB, driver, hard drive, RAM all factor in: and acceptable performance (YMMV) will vary. In Logic Pro 10.2.1 there is now a Playback & Live Tracks setting in the Audio setup menu that improves multithreading and latency performance: but critical ears (singers in particular) find input monitoring of more than a few milliseconds latency unacceptable. Direct monitoring is available on most interfaces, and is the reliable solution.

When recording (2011 iMac), I set a substantial buffer to make sure everything has plenty of time to process existing tracks and write the new tracks to disc (an external one at that) and there's no latency: ie direct monitoring. No problems with AX8 XLR via interface (Apollo Twin - thunderbolt) or S/PDIF into the iMac's audio/digital input. The gig rig also works without a hitch: AX8 and everything else into a Behringer Xr18 (great direct monitoring routing options!) to PA/monitors and via USB into an old Macbook for recording.
 
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I have 16gb of Ram in my computer. I have the Axe hooked through USB and set as my input device, and my 2i2 set as the output. My I/O buffer size is set to 64 and I don't have any issues with stuttering or pops or anything while recording as long as I have low latency mode turned on. When I'm mixing and stuff I'll bump up the I/O buffer higher. Latency is a non-issue except when it hiccups and is several seconds behind, which is why I don't use direct monitoring.
 
FWIW I can tell you I did not have any issues whatsoever with Logic 9 and I ran an Ultra via analog into multiple audio interfaces over time. My OSX was Snow Leopard with 16GB RAM and a 1TB Seagate drive.

In purchasing my Axe XL I had to upgrade my OSX past Leopard to use Axe Edit (or USB recording I can't remember which). I landed on Mavericks. At the same time I installed a Seagate (same RPM) 3TB drive and 32GB memory.

At which point the lag delay issues started. I upgraded to Logic X and it was better but I can't really say it was cured.
 
I know this is a bit of a necro bump but I was wondering if anyone else has had this and found a way to fix this? Mines been getting incredibly bad lately, it's skipped to a second or two out of sync about 5 times in the last hour of playing and its really getting annoying to deal with.
 
When I use Logic X to record, I use the Axefx2 as the interface. I never have any issues. The Axefx outputs the normal wet sound it always does, and mixes in any audio from Logic (drums, synth, bass etc). There is no latency because the guitar sound is not having to do a round trip through Logic (obviously software monitoring is off). There is no loss of fidelity and you can record the wet and dry at the same time. The only very minor downside is having USB plugged in does use some CPU on the Axefx. But not enough to cause me issues. My patches aren't running the thing at redline.

How is this not the normal done thing?
 
When it is working right it does exactly what you say Fret. However at this point latency has to be separately defined from track delay. There are users, including me, whereas when you record the track you recorded is literally shifted to the right. I've had it shift substantially more than 1/8" to the right.

Shut down, open back up and it records perfectly. Only to start shifting later. This isn't a plug-in compensation or monitoring latency issue, but rather a random track delay problem.
 
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