Help with tight hybrid hardware/software sync setup

[jovius]

Hi everyone,
I’m trying to get a tight hybrid hardware/software sync setup working in Bitwig Studio 6 and I’m struggling with timing between external gear and Bitwig’s internal sounds/samples.
My setup:
RME Digiface USB
Ferrofish A16 over ADAT
Expert Sleepers ES-3 + ES-5 for MIDI/clock
TR-626
x0xb0x
Mac Pro M1
Monitoring everything through Bitwig (NOT using direct monitoring)
Current routing:
Bitwig → ADAT → ES-3/ES-5 → MIDI to hardware → audio back through Ferrofish A16 → ADAT → Bitwig
Important detail:
I’m not using Bitwig’s Hardware Instrument device because my MIDI is coming from the ES-5 breakout rather than a standard MIDI interface/CoreMIDI port.
What I’ve already done:
Updated Bitwig 6
Calibrated record latency using a physical output-to-input loopback
Using low buffer sizes
Hardware devices sound in sync with each other
But Bitwig internal sounds/samples feel out of sync against the hardware
So the issue seems to be:
external hardware timing vs Bitwig internal audio timing
possibly converter latency / compensation / plugin delay compensation / ES-5 timing interaction
Questions:
What’s the best way to compensate external hardware latency when using ES-5 MIDI instead of standard MIDI ports?
Should I:
delay internal Bitwig tracks,
use negative track delay on hardware returns,
or compensate another way?
Does anyone have recommended settings for:
audio driver timestamps,
plugin delay compensation,
monitoring modes,
or clocking
in a hybrid ADAT + ES-3/ES-5 setup?
Is there a preferred workflow for keeping:
live monitoring,
playback,
and recorded audio
all sample-tight together?
Are there known timing issues with:
ES-5 generated MIDI,
ADAT roundtrip latency,
or Bitwig 6 compensation on Apple Silicon Macs?
My goal is:
hardware and Bitwig internal sounds feeling locked while monitoring,
and recorded audio landing accurately on the grid without manual nudging.
Any advice from people running similar hybrid / modular / Expert Sleepers setups would be hugely appreciated.