Topic: Multiface II + ADI-8: Latency not fully compensated
Assume the following scenario: I route an audio channel in Cubase or Pro Tools to a hardware output of my MF II or ADI-8. This output is directly connected with a patch cable to another hardware input. While playing back, I re-record the signal to another track in Cubase or Pro Tools. I would think that if delay compensation works correctly the audio on both tracks should be exactly time-aligned. Do you agree?
Anyway, I noticed that if I re-record the audio through the MF II, the re-recorded signal is delayed by exactly 15 samples or 0.34ms. If I do the same with the ADI-8, the time delay is 32 samples or 0.73ms. Why is this?
This time delay becomes very relevant when using hardware inserts like analog compressors. These devices do not have latency, so theoretically, I should be able to use a hardware compressor as insert effect in Cubase or Pro Tools and not worry about latency. Even a delay of just a few samples is unacceptable when doing parallel compression. So what I need to do is manually set a latency value of 0.34ms for hardware inserts using MF in-/outputs and 0.73ms for inserts that use ADI-8.
A friend of mine uses a Digi003 interface with PT9. He says he can leave the latency values for hardware inserts at 0.0ms and his tracks are still perfectly phase-aligned. So why do I need to set a hardware latency for my RME converters?