Difficulty with compensating audio interface latency

Help, Support & Bugs
1

I recently got hold of a Tascam US 4x4 for recording audio. It’s an ASIO compliant device with USB 2.0.

I’m getting latency issues when trying to synchronise an external x0xb0x synth via MIDI note on/off values, even after tweaking latency values through Renoise in the MIDI panel, ASIO Control Panel buffer settings and lowering the buffer values in theTascam control software.

I have Renoise configured with an ASIO Sound Blaster Audigy 5/rx. To test MIDI issues I have confirmed it is in time with the x0xb0x (listened to headphone out on the interface). I used headphones through the interface, along with speakers (routing the audio via USB) to try and compensate for the latency, but as I increased the value from ‘0’ it simply drifted further away from the source.

Shifting note values backwards in the tracker timeline, and dropping latency on track by -100ms roughly matches the sounds up, but it’s frustrating to have to record like this. The main bottleneck seems to be the audio routed back to the interface, which I understand, yet I thought the latency would be lower for ASIO devices.

I would love to record synchronized external synths through the interface, but I have no idea how to achieve this now. I don’t have a huge amount of knowledge in this area, and I’ve tried Renoise’s MIDI sections to no avail.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

2

in the midi instrument options:

  • If you use external gear and record it outside renoise, along with renoise output, switch to “ext. MIDI”

  • If you want to record it within Renoise using the line-in device, switch to “linein-return”

  • In the line.in device, switch to “midi return mode”

3

I saw these steps earlier, but now I think about it, would it be better if I had audio routed from the Tascam line-out to the line-in on my soundcard? Presumably that would be more sensible since it gets rid of the Windows overhead?