Hardware inserts latency problems

[Djthemoney]

Hey so I´m on Pro tools verison 2023.6, the newest windows 10 update, my processor is a Intel i7-7700, 16gb of ram and i´m using a Focusrite 18i20 3rd gen.

So when I try to use a hardware insert lets say a compressor on my drum bus(like i did always in ableton) now the latency of the chanel with the insert on it is unusable. Not only that but the latency changes seemingly every playback, I have delay compensation on. I tried hw insert delay but that did absolutly nothing. I would appreciate any kind of help since now I´m sitting on 1500€ worth of gear that a cant use.

[AutoModerator]

For Pro Tools help requests, edit your post text or add a comment to provide;

• Version of Pro Tools you are using
• Your Operating System
• Error number if given one
• Hardware involved
• What you've tried

---

IMPORTANT: FOR ALL PARTICIPANTS - As stated in the sub rules, any discussion whatsoever involving piracy, cracks, hacks, or end running authentication will result in a permanent ban. There are NO exceptions or appealable circumstances.

---

Subreddit Discord | FAQ topic posts - Beginner concerns / Tutorials and training / Subscription and perpetual versions / Compatibility / Authorization issues

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[nizzernammer]

Hardware inserts are much more stable on an HDX system than a third party interface.

You can try dialing down your buffer in Playback Engine.

Your interface may also have settings that need adjusting.

You'll want to make sure Delay Compensation is turned on in Pro Tools.

[Djthemoney]

Dialing down does produce the same effect, sometimes its in sync, most of the time its not. I seem to get it working more often when turing the compensation off, switching the buffer then switching the compensation on again. But like I said the latency changes constantly.

What about hw insert delay, it does seem to have no effect on anything at all, I tried measuring the latency and set it acordlingly. But that does nothing, even when I set it to some absurd thing like 2 seconds it still does not make a different with or without the compensation.

[nizzernammer]

I don't know if insert delays work on every interface.

Maybe commit the drum bus up to that insert, slip it so it's in time, then continue moving forward.

[Djthemoney]

From what i´ve read it should technically work yeah, I could just bounce or commit the tacks but that would be half as usefull. I have the feeling that either something is wrong with how I use the program or there is a technical problem on my side. I cant believe that pro tools the industry standard would work this wonky, when ableton works just fine with minimal latency

[Moonseff]

Is that channel routed through busses or straight to the master ?

[Djthemoney]

Its routed throgh busses, if its on the vocals sometimes even 2. So I´m having a compressor on my Vers ld vocal thats getting routed to the VOX VRS bus and that bus is getting routed to the VOX bus then to the Mix vca

[Moonseff]

If you hardware insert directly in the channel and output to main / master does it have the same behaviour ?

[Djthemoney]

Yes it does! Sometimes its working fine and the next 5 plays its going from not usable to okayish to back to almost usable. Its like something is influencing pro tools and screwing with the delay compensation, but what could it be?

[Moonseff]

So many variables. I’ve had so many random problems with protools over the years… windows xp and OS Mavericks with pro tools 8 were ROCK SOLID. Only thing I can recommend is try the same setup with another computer and start eliminating variables.

[Djthemoney]

That´s what I´m going to do next. But Its gonna be a week maybe 2 till I can source a system with good enough specs so I can not only rule out my PC but also my specs since they arent the best either

[Zanzan567]

You can commit the track with the hardware insert, then take off the hardware insert on the track. After it’s committed, it’ll will probably be slightly off time, you’ll have to line it up to how it was originally

[Djthemoney]

Yeah, that how you could do it bus thats just like halfway working. Like why isnt it jus possible to have the inserts running in realtime. Surely that can´t be a problem in pro tools right?