Native Instruments B4 II - Manual (Page 24)

24 – B4 II B4 II
Tips On Minimizing Latency
• Set latency to the highest comfortable value. 256 samples/buffer is
very responsive yet gives your computer some “breathing room.” 512
samples may also be acceptable; anything more will create too much
delay. If you can’t get reliable audio with 512 samples, it’s time for a
better computer!
• If your ASIO Control Panel shows latency in milliseconds, you’ll find
that anything over 10 ms or so gives an audible delay. 5 ms is a good
compromise between speed and minimum stress to your computer.
• Download your sound card’s latest drivers from the manufacturer’s web
site. This can make a huge difference in performance.
• If you are recording in a host application and using software synthesizers,
use your program’s “freeze” function (if available) to disconnect some
synths from the CPU. Or, render a soft synth’s output as a hard disk
audio track (then remove the soft synth), as audio tracks are less taxing
on the computer.
Hint: If you retain the MIDI track driving the soft synth,
which places virtually no stress on your CPU, you can always edit the
part later by re-inserting the soft synth.
• Sometimes there are two latency adjustments: A Control Panel for the
sound card sets a minimum amount of latency, and the host can increase
from this value if needed. Or, the host may “lock” to the control panel
setting.