Understanding Latency

The Wikipedia definition of latency is “a time delay between the moment something is initiated, and the moment one of its effects begins or becomes detectable.” For anyone using a VST software–based DAW, this is similar to an audio delay. Trying to record through an audio delay would be really difficult and unnatural, so the sound card can be configured to compensate for latency by using a “buffer” that delays the input signal until the delayed audio plays back, thus creating a recording that is perfectly in sync.

The biggest issue with latency is monitoring a live performance, because you need to hear what you’re doing while you’re listening to what has already been recorded and is playing back. To compensate for this, Steinberg has what is called direct monitoring. Direct monitoring is the process of monitoring the signal going into the sound card’s input as well as monitoring the output signal. This is still not an exact science because you end up getting the signal that is “now” and the signal that is milliseconds from “now,” which in turn creates a slapback delay (a very short delay). The good news is that Steinberg has also created ASIO 2.0 drivers, which enable computers to play back audio with a latency as low as 32 samples.

Digital audio is created by sampling a continuous audio waveform. The process of sampling converts that waveform into samples at a rate determined by your sample rate setting. So with your audio sample rate (44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 96 kHz, and so on) and latency set (32 samples), through calculated conversions you can determine that the delay time might be as little as .333 ms (at 96 kHz) and as much as 1 ms (32 kHz). That’s a pretty darn quick delay!

To better understand delay, you have to be aware that there are delays happening all the time when you record audio. Delays are natural. The delay you hear when you clap your hands in any room is longer than 1 ms. There is a delay that occurs as your voice travels to the microphone. There is a delay that occurs between the microphone and the computer. Are you starting to get the picture? A 1 ms delay is not going to get in your way during the recording process.