Mbox 3 Low Latency Monitoring

[charlesd81]

I have been trying to do some reading up on low latency monitoring prior to purchasing my Mbox 3. My concern is this. I will most likely be tracking guitars using amp models and effects plugins (I live in an apartment). I'll want to record various tracks with delay or other types of effects that I will want to hear in real time as I am playing them during recording. My understanding is in order to achieve 0 latency by using low latency monitoring, PT will bypass any plugins you have set on a track. I can't imagine tracking a riff or notes using a delay effect without actually using the effect. What really are my options? I find this to be a deal breaker for me. Would I have similar issues with other DAWs?

[spkguitar]

Originally Posted by charlesd81

What really are my options?

Use the lowest buffer setting possible.

Originally Posted by charlesd81

Would I have similar issues with other DAWs?

If/When using plugins for tracking? Yes.

[bigsnack]

Charles,

For what it's worth, I record guitars at home using amp modelers, and the latency is not so bad. I use a 128 buffer and (in my experience) most people don't notice anything as they are tracking. A word of warning though is that there is a pretty nasty PRE-latency bug right now that makes tracking a lot more difficult than any latency that you would experience while recording. You might want to hang tight until Avid gets that one worked out.

[spkguitar]

Originally Posted by bigsnack

A word of warning though is that there is a pretty nasty PRE-latency bug right now that makes tracking a lot more difficult than any latency that you would experience while recording. You might want to hang tight until Avid gets that one worked out.

While there is still an audio placement problem, the "pre-latency" bug has been solved in 8.0.4cs2 and the latest drivers. There is still an audio placement problem, it's just placing audio later in the timeline now instead of early, and it only affects certain FW interface hardware.

Just a clarification.

[bigsnack]

spk,

If there the early audio placement is no longer an issue, do you have any insight as to why I am still seeing early audio placement on the timeline (no sarcasm implied)? I have an Mbox 3 / 8.0.4cs2 / Win7 64-bit. I performed the test outlined in the actual thread about the issue, and I am seeing early audio placement on the timeline at this time. My Mbox driver is x.19 which is the newest version that I found on the Avid website. Do the drivers need to be installed in a certain order? If I install new drivers, should I reapply the 8.0.4cs2 install? I'm just trying to nail down why I am still having the issue. I guess I would feel better if I was seeing late audio placement, so that at least I would be on the same page as everyone else! Thanks for any insight and sorry about the slight hijack here.

[spkguitar]

I'm honestly not sure if they have updated the MBox 3 drivers with this fix yet. They may not even be aware of a problem with the MBox 3.

Several solutions and troubleshooting steps are in the separate respective threads:

Pro Tools placing sound Early
and
8.04cs2 WhoKnowsWTFWillHappen-ency bug

Specific ongoing issues with the problem should probably be discussed there.

As far as I am aware, the ongoing late placement issue is a driver issue. If you are still experiencing early placement, I would try deleting the current drivers for the MBox 3 altogether, restarting, and then loading the latest drivers from the website again. Otherwise contacting Avid might be in the cards.

[bigsnack]

Thanks for the insight. You inspired me and I did some experimenting. It seems as though there still may be an issue with pre-delay on Mbox 3. I will report my findings in the proper thread.

[Adman44]

I am having serious low latency issues with my new Mbox 3 Pro. This thread has gone from low latency to "placing sound early." ...I didn't see a real solution addressing the low latency issue. I've tried lowering the hardware buffer size and I am tracking without plugins... there is still latency.

I am simply tracking my voice against an imported song.

[JMS40]

Mute the track you're recording to.

[Adman44]

If you mute the track, it will not record to that track because it is muted. So, I must be missing something in what you are suggesting. :)