Does PT10 automatically compensate for delays up to the buffer size (like PT 8 did)?

[DC-Choppah]

I learned PT using PT8 M-Powered. In PT8, delay compensation happened automatically for delays up to the buffer size used.

I got used to tracking with a short buffer size, then moving up to 1024 for mixing. That meant that I never really had to think about delay compensation, and there was no way to turn it off. I see lots of erroneous stuff on the web saying that PT8 did not have automatic delay compensation but that is just not correct.

Anyway, now in PT10, you can turn delay compensation off, and when it is on, you can choose the size.

I have learned that I need to turn delay compensation off when tracking.

So my question is when you turn delay compensation off, is PT still compensating for delay up to the buffer size? (like in PT8). Or is it really just doing nothing?

[albee1952]

I believe you are trying to compare apples and oranges. The delay compensation that was added in PT9(and up) compensates for the latency incurred by plugins and has nothing to do with the latency caused by the playback buffer setting.

[DC-Choppah]

Thanks for the reply. Let me try to explain.

In PT8 M-Powered, my ears were telling me that I had no phase issues even when using plugins that introduced some latency that should be causing audible phase issues if left uncorrected. SO something in PT8 M-Powered WAS in fact doing plugin latency correction automatically.

I recalled that in a legit course book I used to learn PT, this plugin latency correction was described. But I gave it no further thought.

So I was confused when I upgraded to PT10/11 and started hearing phase issues with some plugins.

I dug in a little and found this link that describes how PT8MP does in fact compensate for plugin latency. http://www.musictech.net/2010/12/pro...orial-latency/

I wish I could find my original course book too. But anyway, there it is both in my ears and described in words. PT 8 M-powered does in fact compensate for plugin latency provided if it is within the buffer size used.

I guess this is why that when I used large buffer sizes for mixing in PT8 I never had to think about it. Plugin latency was happening for me automatically.

The confusing thing is that so many sites and books just say that PT8 MP had no delay compensation. I think that is just wrong. But correcting all the errors on the web is not my goal. I just want to understand what is going on with my mixes.

So whatever this thing is called that PT8MP was doing that was correcting my plugin latency in the background, my question is, is it still in PT10 when you turn automatic delay compensation off?

[albee1952]

I don't believe MP8 compensates for any plugin latency. You can have latency that sounds fine, depending on A-how much latency, and B-what signals are passing thru that plugin. The way to truly test for B is; pick an audio track with plugins that have some latency. Now duplicate the track and delete the plugin(s) with the latency. Now when you listen to both tracks, you will hear comb filtering. If the program was compensating for plugin latency, there would be no comb filtering.

[nst7]

That is correct. PT8 and PT M-Powered did not have automatic delay compensation.

Most plugins such as EQ's, compressors, reverbs, etc. have little to no latency. If you want to test it, like Albee suggested, try something with higher latency like a lookahead limiter (Maxim, Waves L1, etc.).

[DC-Choppah]

To quote from the link I provided:

"To further confuse the matter, it’s only fair to point out that Pro Tools LE/M-Powered does, in fact, have some degree of fixed latency compensation built-in and any plug-in latency that falls within the hardware buffer should be compensated for adequately by this."

[Zarabozo]

Originally Posted by DC-Choppah

I learned PT using PT8 M-Powered. In PT8, delay compensation happened automatically for delays up to the buffer size used.

I don't believe that's accurate. I remember myself having to manually compensate tracks with time adjuster plugin even for small latency plugins. I don't have a chance to install PT8 just to test that statement, but I don't believe that's necessary as you are asking about PT10 now.

Originally Posted by DC-Choppah

Anyway, now in PT10, you can turn delay compensation off, and when it is on, you can choose the size.

You can choose between small, medium and large, that's it.

Originally Posted by DC-Choppah

I have learned that I need to turn delay compensation off when tracking.

What are you talking about? That's a terrible idea. If you record something like a live instrument or voice that needs to hear the rest of the tracks at the same time, and you have ADC disabled and there's indeed a delay in something important like the drums or a rythmic instrument, then the person recording will effectively record out of time.

If you repeat the same situation but have ADC enabled, then the person will hear everything on time and will record with a real reference, not with an out of sync reference. WYHIWYG. Pro Tools automatically places the recorded clip in the right spot. Meaning it doesn't matter if ADC was compensating 30,000 samples, the new clip will be placed where it was supposed to be, not 30,000 samples delayed.

Originally Posted by DC-Choppah

So my question is when you turn delay compensation off, is PT still compensating for delay up to the buffer size? (like in PT8). Or is it really just doing nothing?

When ADC is disabled, there's no compensation at all. Just like in PT8 and early versions.


Francisco

[DC-Choppah]

I'm with you Zaraboza, I don't need to work out what PT8MP was doing, I just want to get things right with PT10. I don't have PT8MP any more so can't test anything. Please help me get this straight with PT10. Thanks!

So last time I tried to punch in with PT10 and record something with ADC enabled, the track I recorded was out of synch when played back. My solution was to disable ADC then my punch-in was in the right place.

From your response I must be doing something wrong. Any help is appreciated.

BTW I never had this issues with PT8MP so I was trying to find if something fundamental has changed that I missed.