Buffer/latency bouncing tracks problem...

[SteveFireland]

I'm bouncing down some bass tracks through the IK Ampeg plugin - the tracks are being mixed elsewhere and they don't have this plugin. Because there is more than one bass track per song, I've bussed the bass tracks to an aux track, slapped the Ampeg plugin on that and bussed it to the input of a single "printed" bass track.

Now, on one song, this works perfectly. The difference in samples between the original bass tracks and the printed track is in single figures (the aux track reports 4 samples when you ctrl-click in the vol display), so obviously that's not a problem.

On another song, however, there is a difference of the buffer size + the single figure latency caused by the plugin. I've disabled all other plugins, and tried all the different buffer sizes, but the end result is the same.

I even bypassed the aux track and sent the original bass tracks straight to the printed track - and the difference in samples between the two works out at half the buffer size... wtf?!!!

I know I can just nudge the problematic track back, but I don't want to have to check this on every single session...

Using 7.3.1cs4. Any ideas what is going on here?


Cheers,
Steve.

[jfitz]

um... change the buffer sizes so they're all the same? are you using any other plugins in that signal chain beside the ampeg?

If you're handing it over to another engineer, I WOULD print it and nudge it and consolidate it, so that he/she doesn't have to worry about it.

And also, It's usually a GOOD Idea to always check delay on every session. The things you don't check are usually the ones that bite ya in the butt.

That doesn't help specifically, but are just my suggestions.

[SteveFireland]

um... change the buffer sizes so they're all the same? are you using any other plugins in that signal chain beside the ampeg?

I've tried all different buffer sizes on each session - one has the problem, the others I've done (only two others so far) don't No other plugins....

If you're handing it over to another engineer, I WOULD print it and nudge it and consolidate it, so that he/she doesn't have to worry about it.

Yup, that's what I'll hafta do if no one can explain why it's happening...

And also, It's usually a GOOD Idea to always check delay on every session. The things you don't check are usually the ones that bite ya in the butt.

The software can do it, and I would check if they lined up anyways with just a quick zoom right in, but I just want to know why it doesn't work as expected on this one session... I hate nudging tracks around to compensate for stuff. I remember having latency problems with n-track way back... but it's 2007 and Pro Tools, I expect audio to be put where it's supposed to!

Cheers,
Steve.

PS I'm gonna take the problematic session (with the correctly nudged track) to the mixing studio tonight and perform the same experiment on the HD2 rig there, see if it does the same thing.