After getting the VPC1 I've just begun playing a bit with software instruments. Presently trying Kontakt 4 with the Vienna Grand. The computer is a MacBook Pro 2.4 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo running with 4GB RAM. Kontakt tells me that in the best setting I'll have around 6.1 ms latency, but of course I have no means of measuring it exactly. However, compared to my VPC1/Nord Electro setup (see an earlier thread) latency is clearly larger and makes playing rather awkward, to the point of being unpleasant.

Is there anything beyond the obvious I might check to improve latency?

Another issue I'm having is that the audio output of my notebook from Kontakt is less than convincing, quite a bit of digital background noise when things get heavier in the player

Why is your 2.4 GHz processor running at 1 GHz?

Sorry, that was a typo (the RAM is running at 1067 Mhz). I corrected my post.

I have some latency issues as well so I have a
few "work arounds":

First, if I want to play a VST "live", usually it will be
a pad or something with a slow attack so the delay isn't
much of an issue.

For "fast" playing, I will record a MIDI file first and
then run that thru the VST so the delay is a non-issue.

The best way to avoid all of those "issues" is to get good quality (and fast) equipment. When I started using software piano sounds, my first step was to call Dell and get a very fast PC. That pretty much eliminated the headache of trying to figure out how to improve latency.

After that is solved, then you can begin down the road of improving the sound. That, of course, will be solved the same way. Get good quality (expensive) equipment.

As they say ... It takes money to buy whiskey !

Hello
I also use extensively software instrument with my iMac, and even from my macbook air (1,4 GHz)
And I have no latency issues or noises...since I use external good quality sound card.
Taking a good sound card is the first step for solving your issues, as I think your laptop is powerfull enough
Second step would be to use Flash drive (I have seen that playing using my macbook air, is more pleasant than from my iMac)

Have you also tried Pianateq (demo version is available) ? as it offers really good performance

Cheers

Back in 2008, when I was wanting to set up a VST system, I was still bedeviled by latency problems. I tried my brothers Mac (don't know the spec but it was a MacBook Air), and using its own sound card, but otherwise the same peripherals, there were no latency problems at all! I was very impressed.

However, now with ASIO well installed and fast CPU running 64bit o/s, Windows is fine.

What would be better/better value: a Mac with reasonable specifications, or a really fast, high spec desk top? (the sort still sold for gamers, mostly, I imagine)

I believe that in the battle against latency your best ally is a great soundcard.

Naturally those with the highest price will be those with best latency performance, especially any of your RME's. MOTU, Lynx, M-audio, and Focusrite aren't too far behind.

It sounds like you have something set up wrong. You shouldn't be having this problem on your Mac without an external sound card.

First, what is the Kontakt audio buffer setting? 192 Samples? What happens when you set it lower?

Second, what is the Kontakt Engine Multiprocessor support set at? 2 cores or off? Whatever it is try changing it.

Third, do you have the Kontakt Memory Server option turned on? Turn it off.

Fourth, are you using the Mac digital audio output or analog audio output. If analog, try the digital audio output into a hi-fi receiver. Does that change the latency?

Fifth, do you have something else using lots of CPU running in the background? What does the Mac activity monitor tell you about CPU usage (check with All Process set)?

Report back.

Also what do you mean by "digital background noise when things get heavier in the player"? What kind of digital noise? Ticks, pops, interruptions in audio, or hiss, hum, other?

A 2.4GHz Core2 is fast -- it doesn't have an IMC, but audio is not a high bandwidth application. It can crank about 75,000 integer instructions per stereo audio sample (@48KHz). Latency issues are generally to do with the particular audio hardware/driver.

Hi Macy - thanks for your tips. Much appreciated. I'll check and try when I find the time. I checked CPU load right away, that's not the problem.

Hi Macy, I still owe you a report back. In the meantime I have fiddled around with Kontakt's settings and indeed an improvement was possible. The # of samples was initially set to 512 and reducing it to 256-320 helped to improve latency significantly.

Moreover, switching off multiprocessor support helped a little - BUT: there is a trade-off with hiss/ticks and at times even audio interruptions when hitting a lot of keys fast and with pedal down, here the CPU reaches its limits. Switching multiprocessor support on for the 2 cores reduced that strongly.

Reducing the # of samples further will reduce latency even more but then again processing reaches its limits, reintroducing digital hiss/interruptions when making a lot of piano noise (not just à la free jazz, but even in a fast Bach piece).

After all I realize that I can hear latency very acutely and I may be quite challenging in that respect. A difference between 4ms and 6ms (shown in Kontakt as overall latency) makes a perceptible difference to me in listening/playing.

Sort of "on topic". Where d`ya get a low latency driver? I tried ASIO4ALL but got a load of junk which was hard to get rid of . . .probably because it was free . . .so at the moment, I don`t have an ASIO system!