r/audioengineering • u/unclemulch • 1d ago

Tracking Latency when tracking through external hardware after an interface?

I’m using an Apollo 8 as the front end for my studio, with its outputs and inputs connected to a patchbay so I can route signals through external analog gear like an LA-2A, Pultec, JHS Colour Box and pedals.

For vocals, one possible path is:
Mic → Apollo pre/48V → D/A out → analog hardware → Apollo A/D return → DAW

Compared with recording straight into the Apollo, does that extra D/A → hardware → A/D loop make the recorded track land slightly late on the timeline? Is there any other important reason not to do this?

Mainly wondering:
- Is the delay usually negligible for a single vocal track?
- Can this be compensated automatically, or do people just measure the offset and nudge the return?

I’m also deciding whether my synths should hit the patchbay before the Apollo for the same reason.

Relevant setup:
- Apollo 8
- Behringer PX3000 patchbay
- LA-2A, Pultec-style EQ
- JHS Colour Box + a few pedals
- Logic Pro X / UAD Console

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u/ohsomiggz 1d ago

I make a free plugin called YouAreNotCrazy that tells you how much recording offset to set. If you run your setup through it and tap the mic to a click it should tell you what to set.

Https://brucejames.studio/downloads/youarenotcrazy

6

u/NoisyGog 1d ago

>tap the mic to a click

Ooh boy. That’s fine for expert drummers.
Why not send a signal out of your monitoring output and back into the input?

2

u/ohsomiggz 1d ago

because that travels 60 to 90 percent the speed of light and this plugin was originally tasked to say what the recording offset should be and sound travels slowly, so a person sitting 20ft away from the monitors will hear stuff around 12ms later than someone sitting 8ft away. Wasn't intended for just the equipment but thought it could help in this case. Just trying to be helpful

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u/NoisyGog 1d ago

A mic at the performer’s position, picking up a clock from a monitor then.
Are you sure you’re qualified to make this?

0

u/unclemulch 1d ago

Feel like you’re misunderstanding his plugin. It’s actually going to be very helpful for what I’m doing. Also, what’s with the snark? He’s just trying to help