Latency Issue - Mixcraft 10 (B587) [SOLVED]

[Mr.Mxyzptlk]

My current project has suddenly developed a serious latency issue. When I start Mixcraft, everything plays fine, I load up a VST and everything plays fine. But when I load my current project, there's a very noticeable latency delay...almost half a second.

I know it's not me because I'd successfully recorded a track using Action Strikes yesterday and all was fine. The only other thing I have done is move my existing tracks into SubMix folders and colour-coded them. I can't see how that can create any issues but that is the only definitive point after which I can say with confidence that the issue arose.

It's not a Mixcraft issue because I can close the project and the latency disappears. I can open a new project and the latency is fine. I hope this can get resolved as I have now come to a standstill in my current project. I've not made any changes to settings.

I'm pretty certain that I moved to Build 587 before starting the project but I can't remember for sure...unless there's some way of checking?

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

It's only on this one project? Do the submix tracks in question have effects on them? If you bypass those effects, does the problem go away?

What do you mean by latency? How is the latency manifesting itself?

Greg

[Mr.Mxyzptlk]

Hi,

It's only on this one project? Do the submix tracks in question have effects on them? If you bypass those effects, does the problem go away?

What do you mean by latency? How is the latency manifesting itself?

Greg

Hi Greg,

1. Yes it's only in this one project.
2. The SubMix tracks do not have any effects on them. The last job of the night yesterday was just adding the SubMix tracks and moving the existing tracks into them, then I saved the project and signed off for the night.
3. I re-opened the project today and there's a very noticeable delay between hitting the keyboard and the DAW sounding. I turn the volume up on my keyboard to hear the difference and it is very dramatic, almost like an echo effect. It's even the same when using the MTK.

Additional Note:

There were some effects added on the Master Track and they appear to be the problem. I'd put BB Tubes, Sonible SmartComp2, L3 Ultramaximiser and ADPTR Streamliner on the Master Track. The latency seemed to reduce each time I removed one. Only BB Tubes is left as it's hardly noticeable now?

Why is it behaving like this?

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

If you put the plugin on a new track, does it have the same latency? Is there an attack setting in the plugin?

Greg

[Mr.Mxyzptlk]

Hi,

If you put the plugin on a new track, does it have the same latency? Is there an attack setting in the plugin?

Greg

I removed all the plugins from the Master Track and the latency issue disappeared. I added them to a SubMix track and the issue came back. The latency delay becomes longer with each VST added. Only SmartComp2 has an attack setting but the issue still exists even without that plugin.

[JonInc]

There were some effects added on the Master Track and they appear to be the problem. I'd put BB Tubes, Sonible SmartComp2, L3 Ultramaximiser and ADPTR Streamliner on the Master Track. The latency seemed to reduce each time I removed one. Only BB Tubes is left as it's hardly noticeable now?

Why is it behaving like this?

Some "mastering effects" use linear phase technology. Linear phase adds latency.

At least one of your effects listed, L3 Ultramaximizer, uses linear phase crossovers.

Something to be aware of, and the reason why many old-school mixers/producers were taught to track/mix and master in different phases, so that the higher latency of mastering-type effects aren't a problem (since you're not tracking).

[Mark Bliss]

Some "mastering effects" use linear phase technology. Linear phase adds latency.

At least one of your effects listed, L3 Ultramaximizer, uses linear phase crossovers.

Something to be aware of, and the reason why many old-school mixers/producers were taught to track/mix and master in different phases, so that the higher latency of mastering-type effects aren't a problem (since you're not tracking).

+1
Give Jon a cigar.

[Frantiac]

That's exactly right - there's no way to avoid latency if you're using those plugins. A solution is to use zero latency plugins while you're tracking, e.g. the included ToneBoosters ones, and if you're using L3 as output protection then something like the excellent Venn Utility is a safe bet https://www.vennaudio.com/utility/ but the bottom line, as Jon says, is to keep the tracking stage of the project separate from the mixing stage. Use a temporary set of plugins for tracking and then bring on the big guns for mixing.

[hpharley90]

JonInc thanks a lot for very good piece of information about linear phase technology.

[Mr.Mxyzptlk]

You guys rock!! L3 Ultramaximiser was indeed the biggest offender. I've never noticed it before because I only usually add the Master Track VSTs when I'm happy with the track so would not have noticed any latency issue before. On this occasion, I just wanted to trial the finished sound.

Thanks for the info, guys. I've learned another new useful bit of information today.

The VST actually comes in the L3-LL Ultramaximiser version, which is a Low Latency version, which indeed significantly reduces the latency delay.