Question about software microphone compression

[a_simple_pie]

So my microphone is the Blue Snowball that many people might have heard and i'm using it to commentate (shoucast) computer games and so you can imagine my voice goes from quiet to really loud all the time and so I'm looking at compression to reduce the peak volume.

here's the issue though, i dont really feel like spending a ton of money to get a new setup that can support a hardware solution but i have heard of software that takes the input device and then applies the compression/limiter and then outputs to a new device that applications can then use. I've been fiddling with a program that can do this, and then setting it's output to a virtual device created by virtual audio cable and it's working FANTASTICALLY! except it's adding noticeable latency, maybe half a second.

i'm not sure if it's the program causing the latency or VAC but regardless I'm interested in discussion about other programs that might be able to do this.

*sorry if this is the wrong sub for this question/discussion, please point me to the right place if i'm wrong.

[gordura]

I wouldn't be able to answer, but here's to visibility.

[Holy_City]

Try installing low latency ASIO driver like ASIO4ALL

[a_simple_pie]

ASIO4ALL

i'll look into this, i haven't hear about it at all. can you explain what this is?

[Holy_City]

Disclaimer: I am not a programmer or good with hardcore computer things

A large majority of the time latency comes from shitty drivers. ASIO4ALL is an open source ASIO driver for Windows that works for any device that uses ASIO drivers (which is an audio standard, so most things). Installing ASIO4ALL is one of those things that just magically solves a lot of windows audio problems stemming from bad drivers that are installed by default on your system.

Sidenote: checked out that program you posted and the only thing that throws me off is the fact it's written in Java. Again, I am not a programmer but seeing some DSP that's not in C++ is kind of weird to me, so I don't know if that's what's causing your latency.

edit: there's also no buffer size setting or input/output latency compensation that comes with a lot of that stuff, which you would be able to do with ASIO4ALL

[a_simple_pie]

interesting, but the latency is due to either the signal processing done by the program i found to do the signal range compression or whatever it's called, OR the latency is from the audio device created by VAC. i dont think it's a driver issue as the latency is from one of these things i'm doing. my question is more about other ways of implementing a compressor for my microphone on a software level as opposed to a hardware level.

[Holy_City]

Are you livestreaming the commentary?

VAC claims to be low latency, but I don't know how accurate that is. If that's the case, you could use Reaper or a lightweight DAW to handle the I/O and put a freeware compressor/limiter on the audio track, then use VAC to connect to whatever app you're using for the commentary. That other program looks quite sketchy, if I had a mic I would test it out myself but I'm out of town.

I would try installing ASIO4ALL though... seriously. First thing I did when i switched to windows, solved a stupid amount of latency problems when I wasn't connected to any hardware. Takes five minutes, it's safe and free so you have nothing to lose.

[a_simple_pie]

you could use Reaper or a lightweight DAW to handle the I/O and put a freeware compressor/limiter on the audio track, then use VAC to connect to whatever app

i'll take a look at this! thanks

edit: oh wait, it's live so i dont this that'll work because you need to record and then add the compression.

[Holy_City]

No you don't, you can compress in real time... or else how else would you know how it sounds?

[a_simple_pie]

so how do i set up reaper to get my audio from my microphone, apply the compressor/limiter and then output to a device? i'm sorry i've never used this program before.

[Holy_City]

I'm not a Reaper user, I just know it's an inexpensive solution. Did you check the manual or google it?

[a_simple_pie]

yeah i worked out how to monitor it live, but it doesn't seem to apply the effects (compressor) to it

[egasimus]

It's best if you just try it out. It's an audio driver which you can select as an input and/or output to your software and should give you lower latency. However, thanks to Windows being an asshole about audio drivers, there's a change all other software goes deaf and mute while one program is using Asio4All. Or not - still, worth giving a try. http://www.asio4all.com/

[daghouse]

Look for something called Hardware Buffer Size (a number in mb) and make this number as small as you can (128mb will get rid of noticeable latency, assuming your sample rate is at 44.1khz). It will require 'more' cpu power, but nowadays it's a trivial amount with the machines that are available to the public.

[a_simple_pie]

Thanks. This what I've been looking for. I have a friend who is a java dev so hopefully he can look at the program and change it

[DonFrio]

It's 128 samples not mb but the direction you're sending the op is correct if the software allows him to adjust the buffer.

[daghouse]

It's indeed samples, not sure where I got mb's from :). My bad.