FL Studio Latency vs Studio One Latency (MIDI)

[mumblebees]

I've been noticing that Studio One's midi recording latency seems to be significantly higher than FL Studio, so I've tried to do a 1:1 comparison as best as I was able to see if anyone else is experiencing these issues.

Settings:

• Mac M1 Max Sonoma (32GB RAM)
• FL Studio v21.0.2
• Studio One 7.0.0.103351
• Standard CoreAudio + wired headphones
• 44.1 kHz, 24-bit project files
• Pianoteq VST3 (NOT using the AU to keep things simple)
• iRig 37-key midi keyboard over USB

We're going to create the simplest possible FL Studio project - one pianoteq plugin.




Already we can see that our total latency is basically nothing - buffer of 12ms with additional 4ms end to end with this project file. Arm and recording works perfectly, can play on beat, zero issues.

Now let's make the equivalent in Studio One:



Now let's look at the Audio Setup:







Input 11.6ms + Output Latency of 15.2ms and a total instrument latency of 65 bloody ms on the most minimalistic project!?!?! Already *WAY* more Input/Output latency compared to what we saw in FL Studio. It's noticeable even when just arming/monitoring the track when I strike a key on my midi keyboard.

Furthermore, setting up any kind of Dropout protection + Low Latency (the green Z icon) introduces a super distracting POP sound whenever I switch and arm another instrument. So I basically can't use Dropout protection at all. Demo video:

https://vimeo.com/1044149564

Note: The second plugin is only there to demonstrate the arm popping issue, the rest of the tests were performed on a Studio One project with only the single Pianoteq plugin. FYI, I don't think this is a bug - I think the audible delay is just a natural byproduct of the dropout protection feature.

Even killing Dropoff Protection entirely still shows a instrument latency of 40ms.

Now I'll reduce Device Block Size from 512 samples to 256 samples. (Even though as shown earlier, FL Studio performs just fine with 512 samples). This gets us down to 35ms in the Instrument monitoring latency which is borderline acceptable.

Of course whenever I try to record in realtime - I'm almost always early. I mean it sounds like I'm nailing the 4/4 beat, but when the notes are placed they are super super early. To even get close to the accuracy of FL Studio I had to set the Record Offset to 30ms (approximating the latency I noticed in the Monitoring Instrument Latency).

Again this is on the same machine, Mac M1, CoreAudio, same sample rate / resolution (44.1 kHz, resolution 24-bit), same audio interface (CoreAudio), sample plugin (Pianoteq VST3) etc. I don't understand why Studio One seems to be comparatively worse and why I have to go through so many hoops (playing with Low Latency, reducing block size to further than FL Studio, setting up a midi record offset value, etc).

 

[Jemusic]

I have got an old Emagic Unitor AMT8 midi interface connected. (Apple have created a new driver for this for the Mac Studio which was very very very nice of them!) So I am using midi over 5 pin din only. My midi latency is 2ms late. I have got my record offset set to -2mS for perfect midi timing. I have also got an MAudio Oxygen Pro 61 controller connected via USB and the midi latency is also 2 mS. Something odd must be happening in your setup. Why is your block size so high? What happens when you set it to say 64 samples instead. I can run my system at 32 samples without any issues.

When playing any virtual instrument you need to set the block size as small as you can. (for the fastest response) And if you have a powerful computer then that is not an issue. Your Mac M1 should be able to cope with ease with a very low block size setting.

 

[mumblebees]

@Jemusic - yeah that's true. I mean I can always lower the crap out of the block/sample size - I was just shocked that "all things being equal" why there was so much more end-to-end latency using the same 512 buffer size in Studio One vs FL Studio.

I'm shocked you can run as low as 32 samples, you don't have any popping/crackling when you've got half a dozen samplers/VSTs running with it that low?

Alternatively, I could always switch to a dedicated audio interface (I have an old MOTU lying around), but when traveling its nice to be able to rely on CoreAudio which is what I've always used with FL Studio.

Is your Mac Studio an M1? OOC Would you mind posting your input + output + instrument monitoring latency values at 512 block size with CoreAudio?

Reposting mine

Sample Rate	44.1 kHz 24 Bit
Block Size	512 samples
Input Latency	11.6 ms
Output Latency	15.2 ms
Audio Roundtrip	50 ms
Instrument	65 ms

 

[Trucky]

I've been noticing that Studio One's midi recording latency seems to be significantly higher than FL Studio, so I've tried to do a 1:1 comparison as best as I was able to see if anyone else is experiencing these issues.

Settings:

• Mac M1 Max Sonoma (32GB RAM)
• FL Studio v21.0.2
• Studio One 7.0.0.103351
• Standard CoreAudio + wired headphones
• 44.1 kHz, 24-bit project files
• Pianoteq VST3 (NOT using the AU to keep things simple)
• iRig 37-key midi keyboard over USB

Please update your signature (see link in mine) with your system specs as that helps members when responding to questions.

Any reason why you're not running the latest Studio One release?

 

[Jemusic]

I don't have Core Audio as an option. Only Mac Studio Speakers. But at 512 block size I am seeing 11 mS for both input and output latency. (Set on Mac Studio Speakers) On 32 samples though and on my Focusrite thunderbolt interface it is 1.4 ms for both input and output latency. I never use Core Audio anyway only an interface. I have the Mac Studio M2 Max. I can use 32 samples even with a bunch of heavy software synths running with no issues. But that is because of the power of the M2 Max. The thunderbolt port gives the low latency.

 

[mumblebees]

@Jemusic Thanks~ I guess in the meantime, I'll just pull my block size way down until it becomes a problem (if at all later). My M1 is docked and connected to several external high refresh rate 4K monitors so unfortunately it's hard to free up an entire USB Type-C port and I've heard nothing but sketchy things about trying to use an audio interface connected to a USB hub. I miss the IBM Thinkpad days of 6+ USB ports on a laptop.

James Zhan's profiling comparisons around DAW performance on Apple Silicon had me worried as Studio One tended to score lower than others (like Reaper and Cubase), so that's why I wanted to "canvas" the field to see if other Studio One M1 users were seeing these numbers particularly the monitoring instrument latency of ~50 ms.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hccy19Hm6M8

@Trucky That was a typo on my part - I am running 7.0.2.103351. Updated my signature with my specs.

 

[Jemusic]

The M2 Max has 12 cores but only 8 of them can be used and yes Cubase and Reaper take advantage of the other 4. But even on 8 cores I am finding the computer has tons of power anyway. Have you used all your thunderbolt ports? Putting a thunderbolt interface on one of them will give you the best latency for sure. USB C would also give you pretty low latency also

 

[Dave71]

I don't think I have ever achieved playable latency in any DAW with a buffer of 512. No idea how FL Studio does that but in ProTools, Sonar, Reaper, Mixbus and Studio One it's all basically the same in my experience

 

[mumblebees]

@Jemusic Mine's a Mac M1 Max laptop from 2021 - so I only have the three thunderbolt4/type-C USB ports. I use two of them to drive high refresh 4K monitors, and the third one is connected to a USB hub - so I'm rather SOL. I might look around to see if there are any decent docking stations that could drive both monitors to free up a dedicated audio interface port though.