Reduced Input Levels / Which Audio Host

[Paul_Thornton]

Hi I have looked around the forum and have not found an answer for my query so here goes. I hope someone can help please. I have sever Dyslexia so apologies if i have missed a relevant post.

Audacity Version 2.0.05. I am running Windows 7 32 BIT. I have a Focusrite Saffire LE soundcard and I am recording vinyl.

I am not sure which Host I should use. I don’t really understand the Audio Device Log.

In Audacity I have a choice of Hosts - MME or WindowsDirectSound (I believe that Windows WASAPI won’t work for my needs).

Questions:

1. Looking at the Audio Device Log below, which is the lowest latency? MME or WindowsDirectSound?

For the MME Host the Low Input Latency / Low Output Latency is always the same (0.09). And High Input Latency / High Output Latency is always the same (0.18).
However for WindowsDirectSound Host the Low Input Latency is 0.12 (low output 0.0). And the High Input Latency is 0.240000 (high output 0.0). (SaffireLE Input 3/4)
Similarly for WindowsDirectSound Host the Low Output Latency is 0.12 (low input 0.0). And the High Ouput Latency is 0.240000 (high input 0.0). (SaffireLE Input 1/2)

2. What is the difference between Low Input Latency and High Input Latency?

3. Will the Host I choose affect the sound quality?

4. I was using XP and Audacity 1.2.6 but have now upgraded to W7. Is there any reason why the sound level being picked up by Audacity 2.0.5 is now a 2-3 DB quieter than it was with my old set up? I have checked the sound settings in the control panel and they are on and up to 100%

5. The only other change has been I have to use the legacy drive on W7 for the Soundcard. Doesnt appear to be any issues there. Can driver affect the input levels?

Please help. Thanks Paul

AUDIO DEVICE LOG

==============================
Default capture device number: 1
Default playback device number: 3
==============================
[color=#000000]Device ID: 0
Device name: Microsoft Sound Mapper - Input
Host name: MME
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.090000
Low Output Latency: 0.090000
High Input Latency: 0.180000
High Output Latency: 0.180000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 1
Device name: SaffireLE Input 3/4 (Focusrite 
Host name: MME
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.090000
Low Output Latency: 0.090000
High Input Latency: 0.180000
High Output Latency: 0.180000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 2
Device name: Microsoft Sound Mapper - Output
Host name: MME
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.090000
Low Output Latency: 0.090000
High Input Latency: 0.180000
High Output Latency: 0.180000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
    352800
    384000
==============================
Device ID: 3
Device name: SaffireLE Output 1/2 (Focusrite
Host name: MME
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.090000
Low Output Latency: 0.090000
High Input Latency: 0.180000
High Output Latency: 0.180000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
    352800
    384000
==============================
Device ID: 4
Device name: Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (High De
Host name: MME
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.090000
Low Output Latency: 0.090000
High Input Latency: 0.180000
High Output Latency: 0.180000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
    352800
    384000[/color]
==============================
[color=#0000FF]Device ID: 5
Device name: Primary Sound Capture Driver
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.120000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.240000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 6
Device name: SaffireLE Input 3/4 (Focusrite SaffireLE WDM)
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.120000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.240000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 7
Device name: Primary Sound Driver
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.120000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.240000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 8
Device name: SaffireLE Output 1/2 (Focusrite SaffireLE WDM)
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.120000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.240000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
==============================
Device ID: 9
Device name: Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (High Definition Audio Device)
Host name: Windows DirectSound
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.120000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.240000
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000[/color]
==============================
Device ID: 10
Device name: Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (High Definition Audio Device)
Host name: Windows WASAPI
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.003000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.010159
Supported Rates:
    44100
==============================
Device ID: 11
Device name: Digital Audio (S/PDIF) (High Definition Audio Device) (loopback)
Host name: Windows WASAPI
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.003000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.010159
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 12
Device name: SaffireLE Output 1/2 (Focusrite SaffireLE WDM)
Host name: Windows WASAPI
Input channels: 0
Output channels: 2
Low Input Latency: 0.000000
Low Output Latency: 0.003000
High Input Latency: 0.000000
High Output Latency: 0.010000
Supported Rates:
    44100
==============================
Device ID: 13
Device name: SaffireLE Output 1/2 (Focusrite SaffireLE WDM) (loopback)
Host name: Windows WASAPI
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.003000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.010000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Device ID: 14
Device name: SaffireLE Input 3/4 (Focusrite SaffireLE WDM)
Host name: Windows WASAPI
Input channels: 2
Output channels: 0
Low Input Latency: 0.003000
Low Output Latency: 0.000000
High Input Latency: 0.010000
High Output Latency: 0.000000
Supported Rates:
==============================
Selected capture device: 1 - SaffireLE Input 3/4 (Focusrite 
Selected playback device: 3 - SaffireLE Output 1/2 (Focusrite
Supported Rates:
    8000
    9600
    11025
    12000
    15000
    16000
    22050
    24000
    32000
    44100
    48000
    88200
    96000
    176400
    192000
    352800
    384000
==============================
Available mixers:
==============================
Available capture sources:
0 - Master
==============================
Available playback volumes:
0 - PCM
==============================
Capture volume is native
Playback volume is native

[Gale_Andrews]

Generally, use the Host that suits you/sounds best. There are no prescriptive answers to your questions.

On XP, Windows DirectSound should have lower latency than MME. On Vista and later, MME and DirectSound are emulated on top of WASAPI, so DirectSound no longer has a direct route to the hardware. DirectSound will probably have similar or higher latency than MME.

@Paul Thornton

Audacity Version 2.0.5. I am running Windows 7 32 BIT. I have a Focusrite Saffire LE soundcard and I am recording vinyl.

Then you don’t need to be concerned with latency. That only really matters for people who are singing over backing tracks and need to hear themselves while they record. Ignore the latency figures in Audio Device Info - we know that PortAudio does not report these correctly and generally just reports default values for each host.

@Paul Thornton

I was using XP and Audacity 1.2.6 but have now upgraded to W7. Is there any reason why the sound level being picked up by Audacity 2.0.5 is now a 2-3 DB quieter than it was with my old set up? I have checked the sound settings in the control panel and they are on and up to 100%.

It could be due to the different operating system or a different computer if you also changed computer. Firewire inputs are not created equal.

USB inputs on Vista and later tend to be hotter than on XP. You have a lesser problem. 3 dB lower should not be anything to worry about. Are you connecting the turntable to a phono amplifier, then line out of the amplifier to Saffire?

@Paul Thornton

The only other change has been I have to use the legacy drive on W7 for the Soundcard. Doesnt appear to be any issues there. Can driver affect the input levels?

Why do you have to use the legacy driver?

The drivers can affect anything and everything. They are software that talks to the hardware.


Gale