Query about reported buffer size

[Improviser]

Hi

I'm a long-term user of MuLab (since pre-Luna days !) - but my use has been almost exlcusively for midi-sequencing.

I'm now experimenting with recording audio (to add vocals to some older midi projects). It's going well, but has raised some minor queries regarding:

(a) reported buffer size
(b) monitoring (green/red speaker icons)
(c) recorded audio goes onto a sub-track

These may have been answered in the past, but searching here didn't get me the answers.

I am currently using MuLab 8.5.4-win32, on desktop PC, Windows 10 (64-bit).

(a) reoprted buffer size:
My microphone goes (via a pre-amp on a hardware mixer unit) into the input of my soundcard, M-Audio Delta (Audiophile 192).
For Asio, I have Asio4All installed.

I am wanting to set the buffer size low enough to avoid latency, during recording.

BEFORE opening MuLab, if I bring up the soundcard 'control panel' it displays "44,100 Hz, with an Asio buffer size of 256 samples".
But, after opening Mulab, I see a different setting for buffer size (in MULAB -> Audio Settings):
MULAB -> Audio Setup -> ASIO / ASIO4ALL v2 / Inputs= Soundcard / Outputs = Soundcard / Control Panel = M-Audio Delta Ap 192.
Everything's fine, but the ASIO Buffer Size 'slider' is set at 512 samples, and not 256.
Altering one doesn't seem to affect the other. Am I correct to ignore the Soundcard's Control Panel software, and take the MuLab /Audio Settings buffer size figure as the correct one ?

(b) Monitoring:
I am selecting the red icon (monitor during recording), and that works fine. Could I ask, in what situation would the green icon ('monitor always') be used ?

(c) Sub-track:
I was expecting the recorded audio to show on the new audio track that I'd just drawn (and named 'Vocal'), but instead it jumps to a sub-track, which I notice is routed to the same rack, so that's ok. I just wonder why it doesn't appear on the main track, as with midi sequence recording. Presumably I could cut 'n' paste it on to the parent track if desired ?

Thanks in advance for any help that's available.

Les Johnson

[pljones]

Why are you using ASIO4ALL? Don't M-Audio provide an optimised ASIO driver for their hardware?

(My ancient AudioFire4 is no longer supported - it's got a dedicated ASIO driver that works in some software but not MuLab, so I have to work with ASIO4ALL there.)

First off, when you install ASIO4ALL, make sure you install the "Off-line Settings" option. I've got buffer size of 128 selected, only the specific inputs and outputs I want used, zero latency compensation, WaveRT off, zero Buffer Offset, Resample off, 16 bit off. However, when I launch MuLab, it's told ASIO4ALL to use all inputs and outputs. I can't go below 128 samples.

I can't get a good signal at all with it. I just think it's not possible with ASIO4ALL.

(The dedicated ASIO driver I have works fine when used in other software and the AudioFire4 is fine in general use.)

[MuTools]

I am currently using MuLab 8.5.4-win32

Please update to the latest release verion M8.6.26.
See https://www.mutools.com/mulab-downloads.html

(a) reoprted buffer size:
...

MuLab simply uses the preferred buffer size as indicated by the ASIO driver.
So in your case you'll have to check things on Asio4All side.

(b) Monitoring:
I am selecting the red icon (monitor during recording), and that works fine. Could I ask, in what situation would the green icon ('monitor always') be used ?

For example when you want the audio input to be monitored even when the track recorder is not armed.

(c) Sub-track:
I was expecting the recorded audio to show on the new audio track that I'd just drawn (and named 'Vocal'), but instead it jumps to a sub-track, which I notice is routed to the same rack, so that's ok. I just wonder why it doesn't appear on the main track, as with midi sequence recording. Presumably I could cut 'n' paste it on to the parent track if desired ?

When the new recorded part cannot be put on the focused audio track because there already is a part there, then a sub track will be used.

[Improviser]

Thank you pljones.

My soundcard is ancient too (Audiophile 192), and support for it ended after Windows 7. The last driver that M-Audio released for it was dated March 2012. For general use (playing audio and video files, etc), it continued to be trouble free, so I retained it for the time being, in my latest rebuild. But it seems to be not fully functional in a DAW situation. For example, it's control panel shows the sample rate fixed at 44,100 Hz (and the normal higher/lower arrows don't respond). Also, the buffer size reverts to 256 on closing the panel.

Hence I opted for Asio4All, until I get a more up to date soundcard.
At the moment, the lowest 'stutter-free' buffer size I can use is 320 (at 44,100 Hz) - so the latency is a bit high for headphone monitoring during vocal recording.

I can't remember whether I selected an "Off-line Settings" option during the Asio4All installation, so I might download and install the latest version, and look out for that.

Thanks for your comments.
Do you have any thoughts on the other two points I mentioned, regarding the 'green monitor icon', and recorded audio going onto a sub-track ?

[Improviser]

Thanks Jo. All clear and understood now !
I'll update to M8.6.26

[ pljones - the other two points I mentioned (green icon / sub-track) are now clarified, by Jo ]