• Is it true that cards like EMU O404 allow me to monitor with zero latency in Cubase SX?
• I have a multiprocessor machine. Does Cubase SX take advantage of this?
• Cubase SX is stuttering, and I'm not evem using any plugins. What's the problem?
• I've heard of Delay Compensation, but what's the Constrain Delay Compensation button used for in Cubase SX?

Is it true that cards like EMU O404 allow me to monitor with zero latency in Cubase SX?

If the EMU 0404 supports ASIO 2, you can monitor your audio directly from the outputs of the sound card, which eliminates any latency issues associated with monitoring through the digital audio software. Digital audio programs suffer from latency, which is a delay caused by the "thinking" time it takes for a signal to enter and exit the software's bus structures for signal processing and appear at the outputs as a monitored track.

Depending on your sound card's buffer settings (it's best to use 12 or fewer buffers during recording, while 50 buffers and more can be used to smooth out playback for mixing) and other hardware performance bottlenecks, the delay can range from almost unnoticeable to completely unacceptable. Most professional users have been using external mixers to bypass this problem altogether for years. If you're new to digital recording, this is a concept you need to understand clearly.

There are two ways to avoid the latency mess: external monitoring and ASIO 2. ASIO 2 is a software driver specification for sound cards, which allows them the pass the incoming signal directly to the outputs (without entering the recording software) when Cubase SX is in record mode. Sound cards must support this new specification of software architecture to take advantage of this style of monitoring. Otherwise, external monitoring is an excellent solution.

If you get an external monitor with an Alt 3-4 bus, you can use the extra bus to send signals to the computer's inputs while monitoring the output of the computer at inputs on the main bus. It's important to take note of the requirement for the Alt 3-4 bus. Inexpensive mixers (Behringer makes mixers with Alt 3-4 busses for less than $150) can provide fine results, but you must make sure the mixer has the extra bus. Without the Alt 3-4 bus, you couldn't separate the signal you're sending to the computer from the signal coming back from the computer.

Many sound cards from EMU, including the 0404, deliver an extra punch for the money: built-in DSP effects. This means the card comes with an array of effects (reverb, compressors, EQ) built right into the card, which are available for use as insert effects on your tracks. These effects take no processing power from you computer because the CPU on the card itself handles the task.

Other popular DSP cards are Universal Audio UAD-1 and TC Electronics Powercore. These are fairly expensive, but they offer spectacular emulations of vintage outboard effects and much more.

I have a multiprocessor machine. Does Cubase SX take advantage of this?

Cubase SX 3 spreads processor duties across dual CPU setups, and the dual CPU software support is accessed via Device Setup. Select the Multiprocessor option in Device Setup to enter the mode. You can also choose to run your machine in single processor mode by deselecting this option in the panel.

SX for Mac automatically sniffs for dual processors and doesn't require configuration. Dual core optimization was initially supported on Macs, but PCs are now enjoying the increased performance. The support gets better with each update. SX3 delivers a host of newly optimized processing instructions, and updates promise more.

Altivec, the four-way parallel processing technology for Macintosh, has sister technology on the PC, and processors running this technology will make all concerns about CPU intensive tasks for audio a thing of the past in the very near future. Four-way parallel processing will turn into eight-way, 16-way, 32-way, etc., until teraflops become common to all desktop workstations.

For now, activate the multiprocessor mode if you have a dual CPU system, and get excited about what's to come. However, it should be noted that today's single CPU systems running SX3 are still quite powerful, and professional results can be achieved on these systems if you know what you're doing. Imagine how George Martin would compare the slowest desktop workstation of today to what he used to produce Sgt. Pepper. We're living in an amazing era of technology for musicians and producers.

Cubase SX is stuttering, and I'm not evem using any plugins. What's the problem?

Stuttering playback can be caused by a variety of factors. Viewing the CPU and disk performance meter window in your sequencing software will give you a good idea where to start looking for solutions. If the disk meter is pegging, it's probably because unnecessary tracks in the session's arrangement window haven't been disabled.

It's important to remember that even muted files are being read from the disk at all times. This means every file on every track in your session's arrangement is playing back until you physically disable the track, which is accomplished by right-clicking on the track (Option + click for Macintosh) and selecting "disable track." This will greatly increase the performance of your workstation, especially if you're not running a dedicated disk for audio files.

If your CPU meter is pegging, it usually means there are too many plugins or virtual instruments running. If you're not running any plugins or virtual instruments, you should be able to play 40-50 tracks without a problem on a one-disk system.

Additionally, make sure all plugins and virtual instruments are removed from the disabled tracks. If you're still having problems, try saving everything and restarting the computer. PC hardware sometimes requires a cold start to fully reset, so completely shut the computer down for good measure before restarting.

Test audio playback across the system by playing a compact disc or MP3 file in another software program. If the problem occurs with all audio on the machine, you might try resetting your soundcard's software to its default settings if such an option exists.

If not, you'll probably need to download and install the latest versions of your soundcard's drivers. If the problem continues and disk utilities don't help, you might want to backup whatever you can get from the disk before you proceed to reinstalling audio software, etc.

I've heard of Delay Compensation, but what's the Constrain Delay Compensation button used for in Cubase SX?

Cubase SX comes complete with a complex chain of mathematics to compensate for delays caused by plugins across the entire audio path. All VST plugins that create delays are automatically compensated for during playback, and this keeps all tracks in sync (in a perfect world, right?).

This begins to become problematic when you attempt to record the output of a VSTi (virtual instrument) while monitoring in Cubase SX; this is because the delay compensation can contribute to added latency. To compensate for the latency caused by the delay compensation (try saying that five times fast), there is an orange button at the top right hand corner of the tool bar (showing an icon of a clock) which, when engaged, attempts to close the latency gap while trying to keep the sound of the mix together as much as possible.

If you go to the VST Page in Preferences, you'll find a Delay Compensation Threshold setting. This is where you can tell Cubase SX to keep plugins with a certain delay threshold to be affected by the Constrain Delay Compensation function, which means they'll probably be disabled while you are recording with the virtual instrument.

In a nutshell, by engaging Constrain Delay Compensation when trying to record a VSTi, you're telling Cubase SX to take it easy compensating for delays caused by plugins, and to tighten up the timing as best it can until you've finished recording your part. Then after you've completed your recording, you disable Constrain Delay Compensation to return to normal mode.