Automatic Plug-In Delay Compensation; Manual Audio Track Delay - PRESONUS AudioBox Stereo Quick Start Manual

9.5

Automatic Plug-In Delay Compensation

Some plug-in effects inherently have some delay, or latency. It takes a certain amount of time
for these plug-ins to process the audio routed to them, which means the resulting output
audio is slightly delayed. This especially applies to dynamics-processor plug-ins that feature a
look-ahead function, such as the included Compressor.
In Studio One, this inherent delay is managed with plug-in delay compensation through the
entire audio path. There are no settings to manage, as this feature is completely automatic.
The sync and timing of every audio channel in your Song are automatically maintained, no
matter what processing is being used.
The current total plug-in delay time is displayed in the left-side Transport, below the current
sample rate.
If you desire, you can turn off plug-in delay compensation by selecting Ignore Plug-in Delay in
the Options file menu. When this mode is selected, the sync of all audio channels will need to
be handled manually by adjusting Event positions or Track Delay times in the Track Inspector.
9.6

Manual Audio Track Delay

It is sometimes necessary to manually delay the playback of audio to keep it in sync with other
audio. A classic example is in the case of recording a live performance, where tracks are
recorded directly from the mixing console, while ambient microphones capture the audience
sound from a position well away from the stage. The direct sound from the console arrives at
the recorder almost instantaneously; it takes longer for the sound to reach the ambient mics
from the stage. When the signals are mixed, the time difference results in audible delay and
phase problems. To properly align the recorded audio from the ambient mics with the rest of
the recorded mix, you can apply a negative amount of manual delay to the ambient recording.
Open the Inspector view by clicking on the Inspector button or pressing [F4] on the keyboard.
Enter a positive or negative Delay value, in milliseconds, to apply a delay to the Track.
To calculate the value to apply to ambient mics in the example, do the following:
Measure the distance from the stage to the ambient mics.
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Divide the distance in feet by 1,129, which is roughly the speed of sound (at sea level,
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at 1 atmosphere of pressure) in feet per second. (Divide the distance in meters by 343
for meters per second.) The resulting value is the amount of seconds it took for sound
to reach your ambient mics. For example, if the distance was 100 feet, the resulting
amount of time is 0.0885 seconds (100/1,129=0.0885), or 88.5 milliseconds.
For the stereo ambient mic Track, or for each mono Track, you will enter a Delay value
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of -88.5, which removes the recorded delay and puts the Tracks in sync with the rest of
the recording.
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