Automatic Delay Compensation ..... questions????

[edhamilton]

Hello to the DUC braintrust.
I am trying to wrap my head around how various apps handle Automatic plug in delay compensation.

PT, Logic, DP.
My question is do they ADVANCE the audio on the tracks that have plugs that cause a delay.

Or do they DELAY everything else to match the most delay ridden track.??

It seems that logic does the latter - which makes no freekin sense to me. And it's gotta cause problems when adding real overdubs to a session that has plugs all over the place.

So how does each app handle it and which apps are you happy with in this regard?

Thanks for the help.

[filmixer]

Pro Tools adds delays to tracks by the amount needed to match the longest delay, then advances everything by that amount, maintaining perfect sync with the timeline. Make sense?

[Muzoid]

Thanks for that bit of reality - the manual is pretty thin on the subject. I am liking what I'm hearing while using it, especially when mixing a live drum kit recorded with 14 Mics, but I have 2 concerns...

1 - it doesn't seem to be following all my routing and making the necessary adjustments (I do a lot of subgrouping and then output to 16 channels and analog-sum).

2 - it uses up a lot of dsp and I'm running out pretty quickly. (HD2 Accel)

Maybe I should just do this manually where needed? or for that matter put it on while mixing things like live drums (where you would definitely hear the phasing) and then once happy with the drum mix, turn it off and manually shift the tracks to where they need to be, effectively recovering a ton of dsp.

[minister]

1 - it doesn't seem to be following all my routing and making the necessary adjustments (I do a lot of subgrouping and then output to 16 channels and analog-sum).

2 - it uses up a lot of dsp and I'm running out pretty quickly. (HD2 Accel)

Maybe I should just do this manually where needed? or for that matter put it on while mixing things like live drums (where you would definitely hear the phasing) and then once happy with the drum mix, turn it off and manually shift the tracks to where they need to be, effectively recovering a ton of dsp.

ADC compensates for the longest amount of delay, the pulls all tracks back to be in sync with the original timeline.

if you are using external devices, use them as a hardware insert, then ADC will be engaged. if there is additional latency then what is automatically provided, then run some beeps through the system and calculate the delay and add it to that track. ADC should account for all your subgrouping.

it DOES take a lot of DSP, so it can't be used all the time. if you can't afford it, then yes, you can manually pull the tracks back. but, might i suggest that you create a new playlist before you slide your tracks. that way, you can go back if things mess up.

[Steve MacMillan]

I have a really big system and spend most of my time mixing or editing, so I leave delay compensation on. I can see how DSP overhead would be a problem on a smaller systems, and when you're tracking you don't want to use it. This makes a strong case for a freeze track feature. If you could quickly freeze (with all of their processing) all audio track inserts, then not only would most everything be in time without ADC, but unless you had a latent plug-in on the stereo buss your ADC delay would most likely be short anyway.

Freeze, please.

STeve

[PhattBastard]

Yes ... Freeze.

It would probably only be possible with RTAS. Which is cool with me.

[Steve MacMillan]

Yes ... Freeze.

It would probably only be possible with RTAS. Which is cool with me.

I could see putting all TDM tracks in freeze and watching the session play down from top to bottom in real time freezing the entire session in one pass. That would still be way easier than bussing and bouncing an entire song's worth of tracks.

STeve

[proxy]

I haven't experienced any problems with it not compensating (although there certainly may be situations lurking). I only had some problems setting up outboard as out/in as opposed to via inserts.

I'm running HD3 (non-accel) and so far as I can tell Digi really nailed this feature. It makes working digitally so much easier than in the past! Phase coherancy for upward compression, mixing multi-miked instruments, re-recording tracks, even video, you just think it and do it, and it's very seamless.

Highly recommended if you're contemplating it.

- proxy

[O.G. Killa]

Also something to note... Its up to the plugin developer to report how much delay their plugin creates within the system. Protools doesn't automatically figure that out. Therefore, you may find a plugin or two that still isn't in sync with ADC on. I've noticed this with the Eventide Omnipressor. But for the most part, all of the plugins seem to report their dsp delays effectively.

[proxy]

Yes, I experienced that with my PSP Vintage Warmer.

- Proxy