# Is a sound card necessary for minimal latency when using controllers for VI?



## filtrans (Nov 14, 2017)

Hi to all

I have a new Ryzen PC setup and I was wondering if I need some sort of sound card (which I've been reading about in various forums such as this that are suggested for those with latency issues) to be able to use hardware controllers (Keyboards/drumpads/etc) to control virtual instruments (NI, Eastwest, etc) with minimal latency?

In my mind, sound cards are those you put internally like in the past, 10-15 years ago. Are those really the sound cards that they are talking about? Or are they talking about Audio Interfaces?

If they are talking about Audio Interfaces, I am confused on how Audio Interfaces help with latency when the controllers are usually connected to the computer using USB and the audio interface is also connected to the computer using a USB. Does the Audio Interface somehow boost something inside the PC? (In my ignorant mind, they just allow instruments to be plugged to the PC for recording)

I'm thinking of getting the Mixpre 6 as my audio interface, but I don't know if this will actually affect the latency of controllers since it isn't really a Midi audio interface. (I know the MixPre 6 isn't really known as an audio interface, but in my mind it is, and I chose it for vocal and instrument recording, not virtual instrument control) Do I need a different audio interface than the MixPre6 to get low latencies when controlling virtual instruments?

So...I'm confused and in dire need of enlightenment.

Thank you very much


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## EvilDragon (Nov 14, 2017)

Audio interface = sound card. Both can be internal and external. You don't need a preamp box, which is what Mixpre 6 is. You need something like a Focusrite Scarlett, Steinberg UR, RME Babyface, etc... which have decent ASIO drivers for low latency audio I/O.


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## Mornats (Nov 14, 2017)

I use an Focusrite Forte as my recording and VI audio interface and the latency is good but if I use my "standard" soundcard in my PC - an excellent sounding Asus Xonar Essence STX then the latency is far to high to record from my midi keyboard. Theb drivers just aren't built for recording. So I'd always recommend a dedicated audio interface such as those that ED recommended above.


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## resound (Nov 14, 2017)

Anyone have thoughts on the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 regarding latency? I have been using this interface for a while because I got it free with a pair of JBL LSR's that I bought from Sweetwater. When I have my template loaded, I'm getting over 20ms of latency in Logic so I am wondering if a better audio interface would help reduce latency. But I don't want to spend a ton of money on a new interface if it isn't going to make a difference.


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## nik (Nov 14, 2017)

Jumping on this i would like to know what latency exactly a soundcard is crucial for. When i play samples opn my midi with low buffersize in cubase i hear cracking sometimes and the piano sound doesnt come instantly when hitting a note. Is this kind of latency getting better with better Audio interfaces? Or is it just the latency when i want to record something like mics and use headphones to monitor my recording?( cause i hear some latency here)


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## Mornats (Nov 14, 2017)

It's both latency when recording guitars and vocals etc. through a mic and the latency between hitting a key on your midi keyboard and hearing (and your DAW recording) a note.

Pops and crackles come from having latency that's too low for your CPU to keep up with. So if you're getting pops and crackles and you're still getting latency then a dedicated audio interface is in order.


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## nik (Nov 14, 2017)

Mornats said:


> It's both latency when recording guitars and vocals etc. through a mic and the latency between hitting a key on your midi keyboard and hearing (and your DAW recording) a note.
> 
> Pops and crackles come from having latency that's too low for your CPU to keep up with. So if you're getting pops and crackles and you're still getting latency then a dedicated audio interface is in order.


Thanks man,got it now!


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## J-M (Nov 14, 2017)

kurtvanzo said:


> Focusrite has a good article on latency here:
> https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207546885-Latency-Issues-with-Interfaces
> It also goes over the free Scarlett Mixcontrol software you should have gotten with the interface. The software can reconfigure your interface (and is a full monitor/mixer in itself), including a zero latency mode, but you can read up on that in the article above. Definitely worth it to download the software and learn it if you haven't already.



Scarlett 2i2 and 2i4 don't support Mix control.


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## kitekrazy (Nov 14, 2017)

It seems like a new generation spends a lot on PC parts but neglect spending on audio interfaces.


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## resound (Nov 14, 2017)

kurtvanzo said:


> Focusrite has a good article on latency here:
> https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207546885-Latency-Issues-with-Interfaces
> It also goes over the free Scarlett Mixcontrol software you should have gotten with the interface. The software can reconfigure your interface (and is a full monitor/mixer in itself), including a zero latency mode, but you can read up on that in the article above. Definitely worth it to download the software and learn it if you haven't already.


Thanks, I know how latency works and I know how to adjust the buffer settings. What I am asking is if the 2i2 is even a decent interface or if I could get much lower latency with a better interface.


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## markleake (Nov 14, 2017)

nik said:


> Jumping on this i would like to know what latency exactly a soundcard is crucial for. When i play samples opn my midi with low buffersize in cubase i hear cracking sometimes and the piano sound doesnt come instantly when hitting a note. Is this kind of latency getting better with better Audio interfaces? Or is it just the latency when i want to record something like mics and use headphones to monitor my recording?( cause i hear some latency here)


The latency is the internal processing on the CPU interacting with the audio driver of the audio device, and how the OS supports audio processing. This works both ways, in that the hardware device and its audio driver are involved with processing the sound both for audio recording and for audio playback.

Just to clarify on the midi front. An audio interface _can_ usually route midi through it, but probably a lot of people have keyboards that don't need to and you probably don't _want_ to. For example, I use some Korg midi keyboard/controllers that are only USB, and work fine with Cubase using their own USB software/drivers, with no perceptible input delay. Most midi keyboards these days use midi over USB, and don't need to be routed via the audio interface using the older style midi connectors (even though most audio interfaces still have somewhere to plug in the old midi cables).

It's more helpful to think of midi input devices and the audio input/output as separate things that aren't related.


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## filtrans (Nov 14, 2017)

Thanks for everyone's replies. I'm getting a little bit more enlightened but I still can't see the whole picture.



EvilDragon said:


> Audio interface = sound card. Both can be internal and external. You don't need a preamp box, which is what Mixpre 6 is. You need something like a Focusrite Scarlett, Steinberg UR, RME Babyface, etc... which have decent ASIO drivers for low latency audio I/O.


But the MixPre 6 is also advertised as a USB Audio Interface and it also has ASIO drivers. So I really have to get a one of those you suggested? I really want to make sure to avoid any redundant spending if it so happens that the MixPre 6 will provide the similar latency benenfits as a Focusrite or other interfaces.

Thank you very much.


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## EvilDragon (Nov 14, 2017)

I never heard of that thing until you mentioned it, so I cannot tell how good or not its ASIO drivers are. IMHO it's better stick to the usual suspects in this area - companies that are doing this audio interface thing for years, and know how to write great ASIO drivers (in this area, RME is definitely the king). For the price of that MixPre 6, you should totally get a RME Babyface Pro, and get battle-tested ASIO drivers along with it.


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## filtrans (Nov 16, 2017)

EvilDragon said:


> I never heard of that thing until you mentioned it, so I cannot tell how good or not its ASIO drivers are. IMHO it's better stick to the usual suspects in this area - companies that are doing this audio interface thing for years, and know how to write great ASIO drivers (in this area, RME is definitely the king). For the price of that MixPre 6, you should totally get a RME Babyface Pro, and get battle-tested ASIO drivers along with it.


Oh alright. That makes more sense. I appreciate all the suggestions from you and everyone. Thanks


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