MOTU Audio Express User's Guide download pdf (Page 29)

MOTU AUDIO CONSOLE

S/PDIF

The S/PDIF clock source setting refers to the

S/PDIF coaxial input jack on the Audio Express.

This setting allows the Audio Express to slave to

another

S/PDIF device.

Use this setting whenever you are recording input

from a DAT deck or other S/PDIF device into the

Audio Express. It is not necessary in the opposite

direction (when you are transferring from the

Audio Express to the DAT machine).

For further details about this setting, see “Connect

and sync S/PDIF devices” on page 22.

SMPTE

Choose this setting to resolve the Audio Express

directly to SMPTE time code (LTC) being received

via one of the Audio Express’s audio inputs. For

details, see “Syncing to SMPTE time code” on

page 78and chapter 11, “MOTU SMPTE Console”

(page 75).

Samples Per Buffer

The Samples Per Buffer setting lets you reduce the

delay you hear when patching live audio through

your audio software. For example, you might have

a live microphone input that you would like to run

through a reverb plug-in that you are running in

your host audio software. When doing so, you may

hear or feel some “sponginess” (delay) between the

source and the processed signal. If so, don’t worry.

This effect only affects what you hear: it is not

present in what is actually recorded.

Yo u c a n u s e Samples Per Buffer setting to reduce

this monitoring delay—and even make it

completely inaudible.

☛ If you don’t need to process an incoming live

signal with software plug-ins, you can monitor the

signal with no delay at all using CueMix FX, which

routes the signal directly to your speakers via

hardware. For details, see chapter 10, “CueMix FX”

(page 51).

Adjusting the Samples Per Buffer setting impacts

the following things:

■ The strain on your computer’s CPU

■ The delay you hear when routing a live signal

through your host audio software plug-ins

■ How responsive the transport controls are in

your software

This setting presents you with a trade-off between

the processing power of your computer and the

delay of live audio as it is being processed by

plug-ins. If you reduce the Samples Per Buffer, you

reduce patch thru latency, but signiﬁcantly increase

the overall processing load on your computer,

leaving less CPU bandwidth for things like real-

time effects processing. On the other hand, if you

increase the Samples Per Buffer, you reduce the load

on your computer, freeing up bandwidth for

effects, mixing and other real-time operations. But

don’t set the Samples Per Buffer too low, or it may

cause distortion in your audio.

If you don’t process live inputs with software

plug-ins, leave this setting at its default value of

1024 samples. If you do, try settings of 256 samples

or less, if your computer seems to be able to handle

them. If your host audio software has a processor

meter, check it. If it starts getting maxed out, or if

the computer seems sluggish, raise the Samples Per

Buffer until performance returns to normal.

If you are at a point in your recording project where

you are not currently working with live, patched-

thru material (e.g. you’re not recording vocals), or

if you have a way of externally monitoring input,

choose a higher Samples Per Buffer setting.

Depending on your computer’s CPU speed, you

might ﬁnd that settings in the middle work best.

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MOTU Audio Express User's Guide Page 29

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