Having latency problems with DM 4800 firewire interface and Cubase

Steve Erinle

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Tascam DM 4800
Hallo, I'm having problems with high latency using the DM 4800 firewire interface with Cubase. I'm basically using VST instruments and while playing i have the buffer settings low to reduce the latency, which works very well, but as soon as i have a couple of tracks, i have to increase the buffer size higher because it begins to stutter and make terrible digital glitches, so by increasing the buffer size to a tolerable size where i can use lots of tracks and vsts, the latency for playing live is not so optimal. I was hoping to be able to use the firewire interface with a latency of at least 12ms ,better would be 6ms, but it's just not happening without stuttering and digital glitches. It got so bad i went back to using my motu 2408 mk3 which gives me the standard 12ms with no problems. I'm hoping i can at least get the DM 4800 to run with 12ms without issues. Or must i have to go with a UAD Apollo interface to solve the problem once and for all.
I'm running a windows 7 64bit ultimate pro OS system on a i7 six core Intel processor with 64gb internal memory and Cubase 8.5
Would be very grateful for any useful information and help on this matter, cos i was thinking that with the DM 4800 interface i won't be having any problems with latency since it is built in the mixer.
Best Regards
Steve Erinle
Fat Vibes Music Studios
Frankfurt
 
Maybe you should give more details about how you are using the desk. You say 'Live', so you're playing VSTs in Cubase together with audio coming in to Cubase and back out again through the DM?
 
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I have a 5 year old DAW workstation (see specs below) and am able to do what I think you are trying to do with Cubase. When I'm not mic'ing my guitar cabinets, I go direct to the DM and monitor the Cubase input while using VST "stomp boxes". Your CPU is more powerful than mine so my guess is the problem has to do with your FireWire setup. If you are on a Windows based platform please refer to the setup steps in the sticky "Windows 10 Compatibility" and follow the FireWire steps exactly as stated. You absolutely have to use the Legacy OHCI IEEE 1394 driver with the lastest IF-FW/DMmkii beta driver for Windows 7 and 10. Confirm that you are and if you are still having problems then it's something else. Make sure only Your DM is connected to your FireWire card and isn't sharing with another device. As Arjan indicated, the more info the better especially about your environment and what DM related drivers you are using.

Also what version of Cubase are you using and is ASIO Guard enabled? If so is it set to medium or high? I set mine to high when using Windows 7 and 10 to ensure 100% glitch free performance.
 
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I have an even less powerful PC than Charley and I don't get less than 12ms. I also will admit that I have Korg KRONOS keyboard which has essentially every plugin sound you could ever need and I record that audio direct through the DM into Cubase "6!"

I have Komplete Ultimate 11 for people who like that suite of software and I have no problems with latency. Are you recording midi first? Audio only? More details will help us help you.
 
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Wow, thanks for the response guys, funny though i just received the email from the forum... Hmmmmm. Anyway to my setup I am basically using vst instruments coming directly from the computer via the firewire interface into the DM, before i use to have it run through the Motu 2408 mk3, but i though since having the DM 4800 with the extra firewire card, it makes more sense to use that hoping the latency problems are problems of the past.
I like to play my vst instruments regardless if it NI Komplett 11 Ultimate or Steinberg Halion 5 or whatever vst instrument i use and jam with a certain groove from NI Maschine then record the midi of the vst instrument on Cubase 8.5.
I'm using windows 7, i downloaded the latest drivers when i first bought the first DM 4800 2 years ago, I'm not sure if that's outdated now, I'll have to check out the version of drivers I'm using as soon as i hit the studio again tomorrow, I'm on the road at the moment.
I can recall seeing a Screenshot of a tascam setup guide that shows a setting of the firewire interface to 3 milliseconds and i was like huuuuh, what am i doing wrong,or was that just a trick.... Hmmmmm.
Using hardware Synthies and samplers like Roland jv2080, JD 800, kurzweil K2500, Emu 4k or whatever hardware i use with steinberg midex 8 are very very tight running through the DM 4800, absolutely no problems. These latency issues only occur when using the VST Instruments.
 
I have a 5 year old DAW workstation (see specs below) and am able to do what I think you are trying to do with Cubase. When I'm not mic'ing my guitar cabinets, I go direct to the DM and monitor the Cubase input while using VST "stomp boxes". Your CPU is more powerful than mine so my guess is the problem has to do with your FireWire setup. If you are on a Windows based platform please refer to the setup steps in the sticky "Windows 10 Compatibility" and follow the FireWire steps exactly as stated. You absolutely have to use the Legacy OHCI IEEE 1394 driver with the lastest IF-FW/DMmkii beta driver for Windows 7 and 10. Confirm that you are and if you are still having problems then it's something else. Make sure only Your DM is connected to your FireWire card and isn't sharing with another device. As Arjan indicated, the more info the better especially about your environment and what DM related drivers you are using.

Also what version of Cubase are you using and is ASIO Guard enabled? If so is it set to medium or high? I set mine to high when using Windows 7 and 10 to ensure 100% glitch free performance.
 
Ok, well, I guess I don't get why you just don't go straight into Cubase with Maschine - just a workflow thing I guess. I hope you solve your issues.
 
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I didn't read anything confirming my questions regarding the FireWire instructions I had outlined including the ever so important legacy OHCI driver. Until you've checked those there's not much else to suggest.
 

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