However, the good news is, there are plenty of audio interfaces on the market that process the audio very efficiently and quickly, thus minimizing latency and creating a better recording environment. If you’re relying on a sub-par audio interface, latency is likely to be a real issue. The signal must travel through many different components, be converted multiple times, and then be returned to the audio interface for playback. When the process of recording is broken down into its parts, it’s easy to see why latency could easily occur.
USB VS FIREWIRE AUDIO INTERFACE LATENCY FREE
If you are new to recording feel free to check out my beginner’s guide to using an audio interface. Finally, the analog audio waveform is played back through the monitors or headphones. Then, the digital signal is sent back to the audio interface, where the DAC converts it back to analog. It is then processed and recorded into your chosen DAW, where it can be subjected to plugins and effects.
The digital signal then travels to the computer or laptop, via USB or FireWire connection. Then, the DAC within the audio interface converts the signal from analog to digital. An analog signal is created, which is sent through the XLR cable into the audio interface. When vocals are recorded, the singer projects their voice into the microphone capsule. An example of this is when you record vocals using a condenser microphone and an audio interface. This is caused due to the digital audio being processed. One of these is the inevitability of latency.
This has many benefits regarding convenience and affordability, and it has made the act of recording accessible to everyone who owns a laptop and an audio interface.ĭespite the undeniable benefits that digital recording has created, there are some downsides. Modern music production predominantly relies on digital technology. In some cases, if latency is very bad, it can make recording almost impossible.It makes playing in time very difficult because you have to anticipate the lag between pressing the keys and hearing the sound. If you’ve experienced latency when producing music, you’ll know how frustrating it can be. Put simply, audio latency is the period between audio being played, and the audio being heard.įor example, if you were to play a chord on a MIDI keyboard, the latency would be the time gap between the keys being struck, and the sound being played back through your monitors or headphones. We’ll get into the ways that audio interfaces can reduce latency shortly, but first, let’s take a look at what audio latency is, and why it occurs in the first place. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll explain how an audio interface can reduce latency. Thankfully, there are many good quality audio interfaces out there that can lessen latency, or remove the issue altogether. The most common cause is a sub-par output device, which can’t process the audio quickly enough, causing lag. Latency is an issue that can be caused by several factors. High-end audio interfaces have the ability to massively reduce latency, while lesser quality ones still reduce it significantly. Audio interfaces are generally more efficient than a computer or laptop’s inbuilt sound driver. In the majority of cases, an audio interface will reduce latency. They provide numerous benefits, allowing you to record microphones and instruments, and also controlling monitoring. Audio interfaces are an essential component of a digital recording setup.