Digitakt and VCV lag

Elektron Gear Digitakt
#1

I just started trying to integrate my Digitakt into VCV. I am having no problems using the midi to sequence vco’s and control knobs within VCV, but I am running into problems when trying to route audio from the Digi into the VCV audio 8 module. I’m having one audio 8 module running the sound from the Digitakt into a 8 channel mixer. I then am sending both the synth voices within VCV and the Digi audio from the mixer out to the main audio 8 module that is sending the signal to my monitors. The issue is that the synths seem to be perfectly in time, but the samples from the Digitakt have this weird one second delay before they actually make sound. If I plug the Digi audio directly into the master audio 8 module the delay basically goes away but then I can’t have the synth voices playing at the same time. Is there anything I’m missing or is this just the limitations of the vcv rack mixer? Sorry if I did a poor job describing the situation

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#2

quick update: The lag is actually about the same when plugged directly into the master out. I’m finding that if I set the micro timing on each sample all the way to -23 then it seems to be pretty much on point. Would love to avoid doing this though as it is a major pain.

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#3

What buffer size have you set for your audio interface in the audio 8 module?
Try 256 or 128 (or lower if possible).

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#4

Audio signals need more processing power and time than MIDI.
This is expected behaviour.

  • Check sample rate in the Engine tab in VCV
    Higher rate = lower latency = higher CPU hit

  • Check your audio drivers if you are using your CPU’s output

  • There’s also a plugin buffer size in Overbridge Control Panel’s settings. Not sure if useful in this case tho - I don’t use it.

I have always experienced this kind of latency when trying to process audio from an elektron, thru a DAW, back to it’s own output. (round trip around 18ms)
For for the sake of sanity and to keep it all simple I would advise to use Overbridge as an FX send rather than trying to process the signal fully wet

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#5

Sample rate is how much data is captured.
Bit depth is the number of bits captured in each sample.
Buffer size is the time the processing takes. Short buffer settings - low latency - high cpu usage
Higher buffer settings - more latency - less cpu usage.

#6

what drivers are you using? mac or windows?

if windows:
asio for all work well in vcv rack. Also wasapi with digitak.

#7

I changed the buffer size to 128 which seems to help but also definitely adds some clipping and other symptoms of over cpu usage on a fairly average patch. I’m using a 2014 macbook pro so this is to be expected. I’m going to experiment with running rack into ableton as an audio device using bridge and just run the sample portions through ableton as an overbridge plug in and see if that’s any better. If anyone has any other recommendations they would be greatly appreciated.

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