Voice latency on Linux

[lmv]

I don't have a microphone. All I have is a handheld Tascam recorder. I plug its monitor output to the Mic input on the computer and use it as a microphone. So far so good. I am happy with the quality.

The problem is latency. I like to listen to my own voice while singing, but this way of monitoring has terrible delay and of course it's very disconcerting and throws me off completely.

Is there any solution to this? Would a RT (real time) kernel fix it?

[uOpt]

What audio demon are you using there?

What application?

[lmv]

I have JACK2 on Alsa, recording in Audacity or Tracktion Waveform.

I also have Ocenaudio but I don't see any live monitoring option in it.

[uOpt]

How do you invoke jackd? What commandline parameters?

[lmv]

I don't know. It is started automatically at boot, then controlled by Cadence (KXStudio).

What specific settings are you interested in? I may be able to check it in Cadence.

Wait. I have this in the output of 'ps aux':

Code: Select all

/usr/bin/jackdbus auto
alsa_in -d cloop 44100 -p 2048 -j alsa2jack -q 1 -c 2
alsa_out -d ploop 44100 -p 2048 -j jack2alsa -q 1 -c 2

[BertKoor]

Your screenprint states a buffer size of 2048 samples. You know how long that is at 44.1kHz sampling rate? Clue: use the calculator in my signature. Is that the latency time you experience?

[uOpt]

You don't want the buffer size at 2048. Tr to bring is down to 64 or 128. As low as you can.

[j_e_g]

Your tascam unit doesn't have the ability to monitor what you're recording (direct input)?

[BertKoor]

Your tascam unit doesn't have the ability to monitor what you're recording (direct input)?

Good point, but requires more hardware (splitter cable & mixer)

[lmv]

Correct. I can monitor it by plugging my headphones to the Tascam unit, but then I can't send the signal to the computer because I don't have the additional gear for it.

But hey. I brought it down to 64 and now it feels like no latency at all. I tried 32, but then the server wouldn't restart. I hope I won't have problems with 64. I'm pretty sure I've tried a small buffer size before and had some problem. I don't remember what it was.

Thanks!