Playback Latency? Unsure how to describe

[SquidEuchre]

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
Mojave 10.14.6
2.3 GHz Intel Core i9
32 GB 2400 MHz DDR4
Radeon Pro Vega 16 4 GB
Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB
Pro Tools 2018.14
18i20 and some external monitors

When I record audio it doesn't play back in time. I first noticed it tracking guitars. I'd record to a click and feel good about the take and then listen back and I was super behind. So then for years I just thought I was bad (I had this issue on my old iMac as well.)

But then I played along to just a click, playing quarters with it and recorded it with my phone as well. I was in time per my phone recording, but it recorded into pro tools late. It doesn't happen all the time, but I was just in a session where it happened again.

I've tried adjusting buffer size, toggling delay compensation and low latency monitoring, uninstalling, using a different interface, toggling ignore errors during playback, and dynamic plug in processing...

The thing is I'm not getting any latency when I'm recording. It's only on playback. Wondering if anyone has any advice. Please let me know of any other information that'd be helpful. Thanks!

[JFreak]

Hi, welcome to the community.

First of all, your os/pt combo is not supported. Compatibility info here.

Second, I suspect your playback settings on your interface drivers is the real culprit here.

[Darryl Ramm]

You need to get basic settings correct. Randomly changing stuff will not help.

Are you using software or hardware monitoring? What are you recording?

make sure the playback engine is set to the interface not an aggregate device (every time Pro Tools starts)
Ignore errors should not be checked, it adds latency
Get the the IO buffer size set as small as possible (without Pro Tools crashing)
Make sure you do not have high latency plugins in the monitoring path
Use delay compensation if needed to correct plugin latencies (learn what the delay comp numbers and colors mean in the delay comp display in the mix window)
Avoid using aux sends... or understand them better… they can add an additional 1024 or 2048 sample delay for the disk playback buffer (the buffer you do not adjust in the playback engine setting) very much discussed on DUC in the past.
If there is a problem with latencies/offsets then measure what that is… the exact values often give clues.

Who knows if something here is caused by you using an unsupported configuration, you should fix that.

[SquidEuchre]

Hi JFreak, thanks for the welcome and the reply.

I know the os/pt combo is not supported. Unfortunately I let the update window lapse and can't update my perpetual licence and don't want to get a subscription. This is my last project that I started in PT and have moved to Ableton Live.

If it's just a compatibility issue that's fine, but because it doesn't happen all the time I feel like something else is at play.

Can you give any more information on what I could look for in the playback settings of my interface drivers? I can access Focusrite control to change my clock source and make sure my sample rate is the same, but that seems to be it.

Thanks!

[SquidEuchre]

Hey Darryl, thanks for your reply.

I'm using software monitoring in this instance (vox), but mainly use hardware monitoring for guitar. Negligible latency with both.
Playback engine is set to interface.
Ignore errors is unchecked.
IO has been at 128 samples with no issues (but again, I'm not getting any monitoring latency.)
No high latency plugins, so no delay compensation.

Now the aux sends thing I did not know! This might be exactly the issue I've been facing. I've been running my channels into busses when recording to keep my sessions organized. I noticed the latency was around 2000 samples (likely 2048)

I'll look around on the forum now that I know what I'm looking for, thank you!

[glasswing]

In the Transport there's a Count off option (it's orange) to the right top. Turn it off and life suddenly gets easier. I'd read advice about turning off Count Off and I did it everywhere but there. A half hour or so lost to the great mystery of that button's existence - and how it got turned on in the first place.

[Darryl Ramm]

Count off has no relevance to what is being discussed in this thread.