# How can the audio buffer size affect the sending/receiving of midi data?



## Jonesy (Apr 12, 2022)

This is a problem I explained in a previous thread describing a full system set-up, including VEPro. However, I can demonstrate the problem in a much-simplified form, as follows:
There is one Kontakt instrument track in Cubase Pro 11. There is no Audio card; Asio4All is used to communicate with Realtek.

In my old I5-6500 system, I can set the Asio4All buffer size to any of the options, and *midi data* is always received by Kontakt.
(This system is way too slow for my orchestral template: I have actually been needing to use the maximum buffer size of 2048. Thus my upgrade to enable less latency.)
In my new I7-12700K, Z690 system, with the same set-up, if I set the Asio4All buffer size at any number fewer than 384, there is *no midi data received by Kontakt* as indicated by the Event Received Indicator at the top of the Kontakt window (and thus no audio output).

How can the audio buffer size affect the sending/receiving of midi data by Kontakt? Please can anybody explain this.


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## cedricm (Apr 12, 2022)

Integrated audio such as Realtek really are designed for audio output, not music software.
I highly recommend that you purchase an audio interface.


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## Jonesy (Apr 12, 2022)

cedricm said:


> ntegrated audio such as Realtek really are designed for audio output, not music software.
> I highly recommend that you purchase an audio interface.


Your full post seems to have been:
1. Have you tried Asio generic driver , which should be available with Steinberg products, instead of Asio4All?
2. Integrated audio such as Realtek really are designed for audio output, not music software.
I highly recommend that you purchase an audio interface.

My response:
The Steinberg generic driver works fine, but it has more latency than Asio4All with buffer size 384.
I'm sorry, I don't agree with your second point. It has worked fine on my old system; it's just that my old hardware was too slow for a large template.
Many people use Asio4All with small buffers and low latencies; I'm trying to find out why I can't.


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## Jonesy (Apr 12, 2022)

As a post script to my original post:

If the buffer size is less than 384, then on loading Kontakt with a Berlin Orchestra instrument, the instrument bears the message: ‘If this message does not disappear after a few seconds please check your audio connection.’ Furthermore, a Cinematic Studio instrument has a garbled GUI.

Thus, I suspect I need to find out from Native Instruments what causes this to occur.


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## cedricm (Apr 12, 2022)

You do what you want. But if you can upgrade to a 12700K computer, you can probably spend $100-200 on an USB audio interface and skip issues.


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## Jonesy (Apr 12, 2022)

cedricm said:


> You do what you want. But if you can upgrade to a 12700K computer, you can probably spend $100-200 on an USB audio interface and skip issues.


OR, I've spent more than I can afford already


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## BasariStudios (Apr 14, 2022)

Jonesy said:


> I don't agree with your second point. It has worked fine on my old system


You agreeing or not is your right but get an Audio Interface.
No, it has NOT worked fine, that is an Illusion.


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## Jonesy (Apr 14, 2022)

BasariStudios said:


> You agreeing or not is your right but get an Audio Interface.
> No, it has NOT worked fine, that is an Illusion.


I asked a simple question:
How can the audio buffer size affect the sending/receiving of midi data by Kontakt? Please can anybody explain this.

Most people who don't know the answer do not comment.

But there will always be some know-it-all that feels the need to comment, even though they are talking through their ar$e.


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## Snoobydoobydoo (Apr 15, 2022)

Identify Realtek Chipsets and compare with chipset on old system. Why am i even…


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## robo3000 (Apr 16, 2022)

Maybe there is some interrupt sharing going on.. 
Realtime devices like internal soundcards/chips really need their own interrupt.
See this link for more info: Show devices by their IRQ & how to avoid IRQ sharing in Windows

I could imagine if the USB bus and soundcard shared an interrupt it would explain weird behavior when then buffer size is lowered as this would increase interaction with the soundchip thus more interrupts.


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