• Registered: 2024-03-04
  • Posts: 1

Topic: FIREFACE + ABLETON + M1 = Latency

Hi all, I dont know if you have been having latency problems, but I'm getting huge latency with my FIREFACE UCX, I have the most powerful MacBook M1 from year 2023, and the latency is at 11.8 ms, with a 256 buffer,and  zero plugins in my session not even ableton plugin, 48 khz sample rate, its crazy and impossible to use like this... what is wrong with RME? I have been an RME client 12 years, and I have had lots of problems since I changed from my old babyface and old mac book to a new FIREFACE with a super powerful computer... can someone please help me to solve this issue?

2 Reply by waedi (edited by waedi 2024-03-04 03:10:01)

  • waedi
  • DAW Mastermind
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  • From: Swiss Zürich
  • Registered: 2020-12-08
  • Posts: 4,542

Re: FIREFACE + ABLETON + M1 = Latency

You could sort out Ableton with a simple test with another DAW, try Reaper for a test, it's for free.
And without interface connected only internal loudspeakers of the Macbook, how is Ableton performing then ?
And did you try with other buffer size ? Try 64 and 32.

M1-Sequoia, Madiface Pro, Digiface USB, Babyface silver and blue

3 Reply by maggie33 (edited by maggie33 2024-03-04 04:02:38)

  • From: Germany, Tuvalu, Poland, Chile
  • Registered: 2021-07-27
  • Posts: 473

Re: FIREFACE + ABLETON + M1 = Latency

Drivers installed?

Here with a 802 with AL and a M1:
6.3 ms I/O @48kHz @256 Samples
3.5 ms I/O @48kHz @128 Samples
2.8 ms I/O @48kHz @64 Samples
1.9 ms I/O @48kHz @32 Samples

what is wrong with RME?

whats wrong with you (or your setup)?

Edit:

I have the most powerful MacBook M1 from year 2023

BTW: Not possible. In 2023 the lowest Macbooks were equipped with a M2...

“Do It For Her”
My Gear: Bontempi Magic light Keyboard

4 Reply by oli77sch (edited by oli77sch 2024-03-04 10:08:02)

  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: FIREFACE + ABLETON + M1 = Latency

enriquecbarcena wrote:

… new FIREFACE with a super powerful computer... can someone please help me to solve this issue?

Can you please share
- macOS version
- RME driver and UCX firmware versions

EDIT: I just checked the numbers on my system:

- Mac mini M1 2020, 16GB RAM, macOS 14.3.1, Logic pro 10.8.1
- RME Babyface pro, DK driver v4.10, firmware v206

At 48kHz it shows me
@32 = 3.1ms
@64 = 4.4ms
@128 = 7.1ms
@256 = 12.4ms
!!!

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2
  • babul
  • babul
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  • Registered: 2023-03-21
  • Posts: 24

Re: FIREFACE + ABLETON + M1 = Latency

Are you using your UCX through a Mac Aggregate device, or connecting directly?

Mac Studio M1 Max, Sonoma, RME UFX III, 12Mic, Pulse 16 MX, Softube Console 1, Studio One 6/7

babul's Website

  • From: Germany, Tuvalu, Poland, Chile
  • Registered: 2021-07-27
  • Posts: 473

Re: FIREFACE + ABLETON + M1 = Latency

anyhow... the latency presented in DAWs (and calculated by coreaudio) is more roundabout than a real value, you can proof.

There are so much factors, which affect this...

And the latency-thing has already been discussed in many threads... If you want to get a real latency - you have to use the RTL Utility.
MC explained it in other threads with details.

“Do It For Her”
My Gear: Bontempi Magic light Keyboard
  • Registered: 2016-06-14
  • Posts: 1,142

Re: FIREFACE + ABLETON + M1 = Latency

maggie33 wrote:

anyhow... the latency presented in DAWs (and calculated by coreaudio) is more roundabout than a real value, you can proof.

There are so much factors, which affect this...

And the latency-thing has already been discussed in many threads... If you want to get a real latency - you have to use the RTL Utility.
MC explained it in other threads with details.

Not meant to disagree, but I once measured the values on my system from above (post nr.4): they were very (!) close to the values I could read in the Logic audio settings window, in most cases exactly the same!

UCX - FF 400 - Babyface pro - Digiface USB - ADI-2 (original)
Mac mini M1 - Macbook pro - iPad Air2

8 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2024-03-05 08:19:58)

  • ramses
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  • Registered: 2012-10-14
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Re: FIREFACE + ABLETON + M1 = Latency

Maybe to add: the latencies in the driver match only with analog I/O ports on an interface.
Only there the vendor knows the latency values for the converters.

The driver tells the input and output latency to the DAW.

If this is coded properly into the driver, then these are the same values
that you can measure with RTL utility in a loopback test.

In the past years, I heard rumors about, that not every vendor does is so exact like RME.

For the RME recording interfaces that I owned, it always matched (UFX+, UFX III). Before, I didn't measure it.

This is for Windows with ASIO = direct access to the HW.
With Apple, it might be slightly different because there you have to go through the Apple driver additionally.
I am not sure whether it is fully predictable how much latency this causes (depending on the CPU),
thinking here about the additional safety buffer that I noticed in the chapter latency.

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub14