Latency Problems

[mark francombe <mark@markfrancombe.com>]

The Subject says it all.

Can someone please tell me how I can reduce this as best as possible. There are 2 issues for me.

1) I cant get a good synch between my hardware gear (modular synth and hardware loopers)

2)I cant play "with feeling" having this slight delay all the time.

So... is it just about having a really great sound-card.... get the power externally? Because I admit that I have a very BAD sound-card. The M-Audio Ozone Mini keyboard.

But its very convenient for me. I need a little keyboard to play some of my patches, and it provides a few knobs (8) AND is my sound card. IT Also has something it called "direct sound" (do all sound card have this?) Which is really jusrt a straight thru signal. So if Im just looping on the laptop and nothing else, its GREAT!!! I use the laptop just like a Aux send, things that go in there get looped... BUt now I have delved a bit further into tha world of lappy, I find a few things that I would like to use on the whole mix, Stuter Edit for example, but then I must mute "direct sound" and feed a clean/dry signal thru the computer (so that its not ONLY loops that I hear) and the is when I notice the latency.

Ive tried reducing it in Audio Mulch, to what its calls 256 (512 is clean but too delayed, its says 11 ms.. not sure if thats right cos it feels a lot more) but at 256, (where I can still percieve a delay) its beginning to get a bit clicky sounding.


So.. THE QUESTION: 
Is it all the soundcard? 
The Computer system (I have 4gb ram and 2.33 Ghz Intel Core 2 Due Processor)
The Host? I use Audio Mulch but could switch to Bidule

Help me with this... the hardware rack is licking my ears, whispering dirty thoughts ...




-- 
mark francombe
www.markfrancombe.com
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