I know this is a bit sad and probably only for those with OCD, but I've often wondered what the latency might be through my Blues Cube Artist, so I did a measurement today.
I split the signal using a Boss LS 2 pedal, sent one signal directly into my audio interface and the other signal into another channel of my audio interface via an SM57 pressed up against the cloth on my Blues Cube Artist. Then I damped the strings on my guitar and made clicking noise whilst recording the waveforms in Reaper. These was a difference of about 2ms (I could only measure to 1ms resolution). The distance of the mic from the speaker cone might account for roughly 0.5ms.
So based, on my measurement, the latency is between 1 and 2 ms.
As a reference, I repeated the measurement with my Laney VC15 valve amp and (as expected) the difference was tiny (i.e. a small fraction of 1ms) which I assume results from the distance of the mic from the speaker
A latency of about 2ms alone isn't enough to bother me, but then if I use my Helix LT (which I believe has a latency of about 1.8ms) with my Blues Cube then the cumulative latency gets up to between 3 and 4ms. Then there's the distance I stand from my amp to take into account (i.e. 1ms per foot).
I know from home recording that I start to feel something is 'a bit off' at somewhere around 8 to 9ms latency. Just something to think about. Now where did I put my 'tin foil hat'.
It's not a competition.
Comments
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I guess you would find playing on a large stage or running your signal though a chain of digital pedals to be really off-putting!
Interesting subject. Just read this, which seems to cover the main issues quite well.
http://whirlwindusa.com/support/tech-articles/opening-pandoras-box/
My understanding is most of the current modellers are 2ms or under, which in itself is essentially imperceptible. I agree once you get closer to 10ms playing tightly gets harder.
I think my round trip is 3.4ms at 32 buffer/48khz, and my Axe FX is under 2ms IIRC. So likely between 5 and 6ms total latency, which I’m ok with if I have headphones on.
At at some point a compromise generally needs to be made in a home recording situation. I think it’s pretty important to try and play into the ‘correct’ sound - much as you can reamp to your heart’s content later if you’ve taken a DI the dynamics of your performance will be influenced by the sound you monitor through.
On big stages the natural latency caused by the distance you are from the speakers is a big issue and very off putting, another good reason for using IEM's
I know that when I used to reluctantly get pulled out to the front for solos through all analogue rigs (and I wasn't in the monitors) that I could feel the latency on fairly large stages.
Still perhaps it's a good excuse for me to say I need to stick close to my amp
When you read utter technobabble like this -
“Power supply types such as B+ or C- are significant factors that deeply relate to the curve of power tube gain or saturation.”
(The Tube Logic Story - https://www.roland.com/global/promos/tube_logic/ )
- then you need to be sceptical about any other claims as to how the circuit works.
If you can easily measure the latency on a DAW screen then it’s digital.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
So I would suggest that most of us can cope with 6ms of latency without difficulty.
This is how they set up delay towers in PAs - you can stand nearer to a delay tower, but still think the sound comes from the stage
(see the Hass effect https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precedence_effect)
The second-arriving sound can be up to 15dB louder before the listener hears that as the main directional source
http://www.audiosonica.com/en/course/post/166/Live_sound-Delay_towers
Having read the page in your link, even Roland admits that some DSP is going on, even if the digital processing is trying achieve something other than just emulate pre-amp distortion.
Also from Roland
https://www.rolandcorp.com.au/blog/the-roland-blues-cube-range-explained
It matters if you're trying to find the cause of odd tone in a parallel FX loop, in case you're wondering!
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
The use of a wireless system would also add to things as well, I assume.
A very simple way to test that would be to set up your amp with a (preferably analogue!) wireless system in a large room and walk away from the amp until you can sense something isn't quite right - that should give you the exact number of ms that matters, if you measure the distance to the amp.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
https://forum.cockos.com/showpost.php?p=1946898&postcount=35
Although, perhaps in a live situation, things aren't quite so much under the microscope.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/so-what-latency-tim-shuttleworth
That might be something to do with why I hate playing through headphones... especially in a band mix. One of my former bands did try that, in order to be able to practice in a flat rather than a rehearsal room - with electronic drums and everything DI'd - but it was horrible.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein