MOTU 828 User Manual page 59

details, see "Mix tabs" on page 47. The mixer in
the 828 even provides zero latency effects
processing (EQ, compression and reverb), which
can be applied to the signal.
Direct hardware playthrough / Direct ASIO
monitoring
When managing your live monitor mix through
the 828 mixer, remember to disable your DAW's
live monitoring features, so that you won't hear
record-enabled tracks in your DAW. Also note that
the 828 does not support Direct Hardware
Playthrough in Digital Performer, or the Direct
ASIO Monitoring feature (or similar) offered and
other DAWs, which lets you control no-latency
hardware monitoring from within the host
application. Instead, you can use the CueMix 5
app mixer ("Mix tabs" on page 47) to set up these
monitor mixes manually.
If you don't require any effects processing on the
input signal (no reverb or compression, for
example), all this takes is one click on a fader to
route the input being recorded to the output you
are using for monitoring.
If you are recording a mono input that you'd like to
monitor in stereo, or if you need to apply effects to
the monitored signal, you can use the 828 mixer
for that, too. Use the mix tabs and reverb mix
(page 47) to apply effects as desired, and perhaps
include other channels to the mix.
Monitoring through your host audio software
If you do need to process a live input with host
software plug-ins, or if you are playing virtual
instruments live through your MOTU audio
hardware, you can significantly reduce latency by
adjusting the audio buffer setting in your host
audio software, as explained in the next section.
It is important to note that monitoring delay
has no effect on the recording, or playback, of
audio data from disk. The actual recording and
W O R K I N G W I T H H O S T A U D I O S O F T W A R E
playback is extremely precise, it is only the
monitoring of your live input signal which may be
delayed.
Adjusting your host software audio buffer
Buffers are small bundles of audio data. The 828
"speaks" to your computer in buffers, rather than
one sample at a time. The size of these buffers
determine how much delay you hear when
monitoring live inputs through your audio
software: larger buffers produce more delay;
smaller buffers produce less.
Adjusting buffer size on macOS
Under macOS, audio I/O buffer size is handled by
the host audio application (not by the 828 Core
Audio driver). Most audio software applications
provide an adjustable audio buffer setting that lets
you control the amount of delay you'll hear when
monitoring live inputs or processing them with
software plug-ins. Here are a few examples.
Figure 7-2: In Digital Performer and Performer Lite, choose Setup
menu> Configure Audio System> Configure Hardware Driver to open
the dialog shown above and access the Buffer Size setting.
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