1 Topic by BeatBrenning (edited by BeatBrenning 2012-07-11 10:51:06)

  • Registered: 2010-10-25
  • Posts: 6

Topic: Fireface UC / UCX Low Latency operation

Hello everybody,

I use a Fireface UC @48KHz and 48 Samples to get 4.3 ms latency.
I use it for live playing. But my projects get more and more complicated (more plugins) and now it begins to crackle  in these settings.
Can't increase the samples cause I don't feel well playing then.

I think with the improved AD and DA of the UCX I can get about 3.3 ms latency in same settings. Is that correct??

Will it crackle like the UC or is the Dsp also faster and can take more CPU Usage.
Or is the best thing for reducing the latency to get a PCI Card? Or will it take much effect to buy a desktop PC with better CPU.

I am really hanging, can you recommend anything? I use a laptop with an Intel Core i5 M540.

Thank you very much,

  • vinark
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • Registered: 2009-06-05
  • Posts: 2,779

Re: Fireface UC / UCX Low Latency operation

You can do some reading here, http://forum.dawbench.com/forum.php . There is a low latency performance test section.
As a rule PCI(e) allows for higher performance/lower latency. Of course low latency converters help too.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632

3 Reply by BeatBrenning (edited by BeatBrenning 2012-07-11 11:40:38)

  • Registered: 2010-10-25
  • Posts: 6

Re: Fireface UC / UCX Low Latency operation

Thanks Vincent,

I did a lot of reading there and looked up in the Low Latency Performance Rating.
This says that a RME HDSPe AIO has nearly 4,3 RTL (4,3 ms). I mean I don't get it, it's the same I have now.
Another person said that this card " ESI Juli" gives him like 3 ms.
Are the Dsps on the HDSPEe AIO also better than in the Fireface UC so it won't take so much CPU Usage.

Thanks for your help

4 Reply by vinark (edited by vinark 2012-07-11 11:57:39)

  • vinark
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Re: Fireface UC / UCX Low Latency operation

The AIO latency is partly because of the converters. On paper the raydat without converters will be lower and you then have a choice for which converters you will use.
But I woudn´t obsess about converter latency. Gains will be in the 1ms range. From my experience the gains from going PCI(e)  (opposed to usb/firewire) are in the 30% or more plugins you can run at the lowest latency´s. Plus a desktop cpu is much more powerful so more plugins because of that too.
A guy says isn´t very reliable info....(Julia)
And AFIAK the DSP has no influence on the low latency performance at all. It is used for totalmix in the older cards and totalmixfx in the newer that have that. It places no load on the computer either way.

If I would have to make an educated guess, I would say that going to a powerful desktop and keeping your current fireface uc will give you the most gain. (you now have a dual core at 2.5ghz, you could get a 6 core at over 3ghz, which would more then triple your processing power)
If this would proof not to be enough, you could then add a pci(e) solution.

Vincent, Amsterdam
https://soundcloud.com/thesecretworld
BFpro fs, 2X HDSP9652 ADI-8AE, 2X HDSP9632
  • isaac
  • isaac
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  • From: Auckland New Zealand
  • Registered: 2007-05-01
  • Posts: 339

Re: Fireface UC / UCX Low Latency operation

BeatBrenning wrote:

Hello everybody,

I use a Fireface UC @48KHz and 48 Samples to get 4.3 ms latency.
I use it for live playing. But my projects get more and more complicated (more plugins) and now it begins to crackle  in these settings.
Can't increase the samples cause I don't feel well playing then.

I think with the improved AD and DA of the UCX I can get about 3.3 ms latency in same settings. Is that correct??

Will it crackle like the UC or is the Dsp also faster and can take more CPU Usage.
Or is the best thing for reducing the latency to get a PCI Card? Or will it take much effect to buy a desktop PC with better CPU.

I am really hanging, can you recommend anything? I use a laptop with an Intel Core i5 M540.

Thank you very much,

Until you have completely optimised your current setup I wouldn't worry about changing converters etc. If the UC is crackling at your current CPU usage, then it's a good chance another interface will as well. Use DPC latency checker to figure out what is making your crackles etc. Also what is the CPU load when you get these crackles?

Also some combinations of motherboard etc are better than others. If you list the specs of your system we should be able to help more.

Isaac P

  • Registered: 2010-10-25
  • Posts: 6

Re: Fireface UC / UCX Low Latency operation

Thank You Vincet and Isaac for your advices,

I just tested with DPC Latency Checker 1.3 and it gave me in average sth between 100 and 130 us, the highest peak was 270  us.
Ableton says 50-70 % CPU Load but in Task-Manager just 30 % or sth like that. There I can hear some little crackles. Which is very bad for live playing.

I am looking for a low latency solution for live and studio. Do you have any ideas?

Thank you very much!