I'm considering expanding beyond my Linux laptop which runs my DAW, but I'm trying to figure out which method would have the lowest latency in getting to my DAW on my laptop. I'm considering the following:
1. connecting a couple of computers together through audio and midi interfaces
2. connecting couple of computers together through NIC cards, a switch, and tools like Audiogridder or Blue Cat Audio's Patchwork and connector
3. Using actual hardware synths, samplers, and tools
The way I see it, in theory, two computers (one sending/one receiving) with 5ms latency through audio interface each would give approximately 10ms latency one way. Hardware designed for low latency usage may be just a bit lower, because most synths/samplers are designed to use less latency than computers. Using a network is an area that I'm not sure about. Ideally, the lower the better, but I figure I can live with 10ms or under. What is your knowledge/experience?
Which has the lower latency?
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- KVRAF
- 7417 posts since 19 Apr, 2002 from Utah
Vendor‑Dependent Copy Protection: Customers lose. Pirates win.
(Also: I'm Accused of lying about Linux—it boots, runs my pro audio workflow, stays stable, updates--though yearly dismissed as “niche”. Yet I'm the deluded one.)
(Also: I'm Accused of lying about Linux—it boots, runs my pro audio workflow, stays stable, updates--though yearly dismissed as “niche”. Yet I'm the deluded one.)
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- KVRAF
- 7414 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from London, UK
You'll get either buffering or packet loss over a network (e.g. JACK net adds JACKs buffer to the hardware buffer) - that could be higher (twice) your audio hardware latency. Even if it's "raw" audio buffer to "raw" TCP/IP packet, then there will still be latency (i.e. the TCP/IP packet is, essentially, a buffer).
If you need more raw CPU and memory, I'd say just buy more raw CPU and memory.
If you need more raw CPU and memory, I'd say just buy more raw CPU and memory.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 7417 posts since 19 Apr, 2002 from Utah
Raw CPU and RAM are indeed the ideal. I think the route I’ll probably go is with two computers though, because I have two computers and audio interfaces available. I may use one of my hardware synths as well. It seems that the network route may not be as good a use case for my needs.pljones wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2025 1:24 pm You'll get either buffering or packet loss over a network (e.g. JACK net adds JACKs buffer to the hardware buffer) - that could be higher (twice) your audio hardware latency. Even if it's "raw" audio buffer to "raw" TCP/IP packet, then there will still be latency (i.e. the TCP/IP packet is, essentially, a buffer).
If you need more raw CPU and memory, I'd say just buy more raw CPU and memory.
Vendor‑Dependent Copy Protection: Customers lose. Pirates win.
(Also: I'm Accused of lying about Linux—it boots, runs my pro audio workflow, stays stable, updates--though yearly dismissed as “niche”. Yet I'm the deluded one.)
(Also: I'm Accused of lying about Linux—it boots, runs my pro audio workflow, stays stable, updates--though yearly dismissed as “niche”. Yet I'm the deluded one.)
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- KVRAF
- 7120 posts since 22 Jan, 2005 from Sweden
25 years ago I ran a Fostex hdd portastudio and started getting a laptop involved through midi MTC sync.
- worked quite ok to get some drums and other midi stuff
- still had portastudio as base and starting playback daw in laptop synced in and did its thing
Expanded to computer as center and more VST instruments and stuff.
But 10 years ago I started going all external midi gear with desktop computer as base, and have no regrets.
- with a patch bay it takes a few seconds to change over inputs to other gear you have
- usually one midi unit at a time and when done with that I record that audio into daw
- load on computer is minimal as well, since only audio tracks and midi tracks to external gear
And maybe what I appreciate with external gear the most is that you can get true analog gear, not only emulating stuff too.
But if you want to expand through network to another computer playing back stuff solutions like Vienna Ensemble Pro can take the heat and use laptop as pure sequencer.
- but if there are such solutions for Linux, I am not sure
- worked quite ok to get some drums and other midi stuff
- still had portastudio as base and starting playback daw in laptop synced in and did its thing
Expanded to computer as center and more VST instruments and stuff.
But 10 years ago I started going all external midi gear with desktop computer as base, and have no regrets.
- with a patch bay it takes a few seconds to change over inputs to other gear you have
- usually one midi unit at a time and when done with that I record that audio into daw
- load on computer is minimal as well, since only audio tracks and midi tracks to external gear
And maybe what I appreciate with external gear the most is that you can get true analog gear, not only emulating stuff too.
But if you want to expand through network to another computer playing back stuff solutions like Vienna Ensemble Pro can take the heat and use laptop as pure sequencer.
- but if there are such solutions for Linux, I am not sure