Experiencing audio input monitoring delay with Samson Q9U and Audacity

Audacity Help Forum macOS
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I’m trying to record a spoken voice track in Audacity using the Q9U (which has zero-latency headphone monitoring), but I’m experiencing a half-second delay when using Audible Input Monitoring, and it’s driving me crazy.

My setup is pretty basic: Samson Q9U connected via USB to MacBook Air M2 (Sonoma 14.5), running Audacity 3.6.1 (haven’t touched any settings save for the audio input monitoring option), and Audio-Technica M50X headphones connected directly to the Q9U.

My headphones/setup seems to be working just fine, otherwise. When Audacity is open but not recording there is, of course, no delay and I can hear myself through my headphones just fine. I also don’t have any trouble listening back to what I’ve recorded in Audacity through my headphones. I don’t experience any live monitoring delay when recording in other programs including Apple’s Voice Memos and GarageBand. The half-second monitoring delay only occurs during recording in Audacity.

Is there a setting I need to change in Audacity or in the Audio MIDI Setup settings for the Q9U on the Mac itself? I’m pulling my hair out over this and would really appreciate your help!

Thanks!!

2

Transport (menu) > Transport Options > Enable audible input monitoring (uncheck)

Use the Samson’s zero-latency monitoring to hear yourself.

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Thanks! Unfortunately that action just mutes the headphones’ output altogether when recording.

4

I came across this old thread and it sounds very much like the problem I’m having. It doesn’t seem like the problem has been addressed, unless someone has new information to share?

I don’t think downgrading to 3.1.3 would be the right solution for me because the downgrade is for Intel Macs and I have an Apple Silicon Mac.

5

So, you’re speaking into the mic and you can hear yourself when Audacity is open but not recording. As soon as you start recording you can no longer hear yourself (with Audible input monitoring OFF).

In Audacity, try setting the output device to something other than the Samson.

Edit:
I see you’ve found the Github thread about this issue. It seems to validate my guess that pass-through monitoring (Audible input monitoring) somehow disables hardware (zero-latency) monitoring on the Samson mic.

Audacity 3.1.3 runs on my M1 Macbook Air. You might need to install Rosetta (or perhaps the M2 does not support Rosetta?).

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Rosetta does actually work on M2 and I have it already installed.

I downloaded 3.1.3 just now, and while the delay improved a lot, it’s still just a bit off–enough that I’m still stumbling over my words.

I’m at a loss. Thanks so much for your replies, though!

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So with 3.1.3, you have no audio in your headphones while recording when Transport > Transport Options > Software Playthough is unchecked?

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Are you overdubbing, or just recording a voice track? If the latter, can you work without the headphones?

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I’m recording a voice track. Specifically, narrating an audiobook. While the setup works without the headphones, I really prefer using them because then I can hear how my stylistic choices are coming through on the fly rather than having to stop and listen back.

10

I’m not familiar with Garage Band, but … you should be able to record in Garage Band then export to AIF to import into Audacity for editing. A bit of a pain using two programs but at the moment seems the only way to get non-delayed audio into your headphones.

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I think you’re right. I was already starting to accept needing to move over to GarageBand, but I hadn’t thought about importing into Audacity for editing. Definitely food for thought!

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