Huge latency

[enuenu]

After not using Reaper or my iMac for music for quite a while, I'm back into it (v4.78). I'm using an Apogee Jam 96k interface into USB on my iMac. I play guitar and bass into Reaper via the Jam and use virtual drum VSTs.

However I now find I have a huge latency problem. It is by my estimate at least 500ms. The system has been become completely unusable. I also notice the same problem when I try and use GarageBand.

I have noticed that the computer is running a little slowly generally lately, lots of spinning beachballs. Maybe the computer is clogged up? How would I know? I've found every computer I've ever owned (this is my first iMac) does this after a few years of use. I usually end up reformatting the HD and reinstalling the OS for a clean start. However I really want to avoid doing this to my iMac, it's such a hassle.

Here's a link to a screenshot of buffer settings. Block size is 512.

iMac specs are;
macOS Sierra 10.12.4
iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2013)
2.9 GHz Intel Core i5
8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 1024 MB

[uncleswede]

Hi. OK - some questions:

If you create a fresh project and add just one track, set to record and monitor and play your guitar through it. Make sure you have no Reaper FX on the track or the master track or any Monitoring FX set up. Do you still get the latency?

Also are you using the very latest ASIO driver for the Apogee unit?

What is your ASIO configuration (Reaper, Preferences. Audio, ASIO)?

[enuenu]

Originally Posted by uncleswede

Hi. OK - some questions:

If you create a fresh project and add just one track, set to record and monitor and play your guitar through it. Make sure you have no Reaper FX on the track or the master track or any Monitoring FX set up. Do you still get the latency?

Yep, still the same. Measured with stopwatch on iPhone at 0.4 seconds.

Originally Posted by uncleswede

Also are you using the very latest ASIO driver for the Apogee unit?

Apogee automated email response to request for driver;
"The Apogee JAM 96k does not require any Apogee software or drivers. Simply connect the Apogee JAM 96k and the operating system will automatically recognize it."

Originally Posted by uncleswede

What is your ASIO configuration (Reaper, Preferences. Audio, ASIO)?

The "ASIO" option doesn't seem to exist. Under Reaper > Preferences > Audio, the only possible selections under Audio are Device, MIDI devices, Buffering, Playback, Seeking, Recording, Loop Recording and Rendering.

I also just spent a 90 minute chat with Apple support to check if I had major system problems. None were revealed.

[cyrano]

You need to update to 10.12.5 for USB and BT problems that have been fixed.

Also for security, although that won't screw with your sound

There are firmware updates for a LOT of older machines. These are meant to plug a big and ugly hole in the EFI that allows persistent malware. "Persistent" meaning it doesn't go away after a complete format and reinstall cycle.

[enuenu]

Thanks for the responses.

Originally Posted by cyrano

You need to update to 10.12.5 for USB and BT problems that have been fixed.

Will update to 10.12.5. It just appeared as an update in App Store in the last 3 minutes. Prior to that the App Store didn't show it as an update for my system.

Originally Posted by cyrano

There are firmware updates for a LOT of older machines. These are meant to plug a big and ugly hole in the EFI that allows persistent malware. "Persistent" meaning it doesn't go away after a complete format and reinstall cycle.

Thanks, just found the download. Why is this not done via OS updates? If not for you I would never have known about it.

[enuenu]

When I was running 10.12.4 and I tried to update EFI after downloading the file from Apple, the system told me "You must be running 10.12.5 to install". So I updated to 10.12.5 and tried the installation again. Then it said "You must be running 10.9.5 to install". Confused.

Latency still massive and Reaper unusable.

[cyrano]

Originally Posted by enuenu

Thanks for the responses.
Will update to 10.12.5. It just appeared as an update in App Store in the last 3 minutes. Prior to that the App Store didn't show it as an update for my system.


Thanks, just found the download. Why is this not done via OS updates? If not for you I would never have known about it.

Apple is doin' something new, apparently. It seems corporate caching update servers are bypassed for some. Nobody's got a clue as to what or why...

[cyrano]

Originally Posted by enuenu

Thanks for the responses.
Will update to 10.12.5. It just appeared as an update in App Store in the last 3 minutes. Prior to that the App Store didn't show it as an update for my system.

Thanks, just found the download. Why is this not done via OS updates? If not for you I would never have known about it.

I'm afraid I have missed this, or misread it.

You downloaded a separate firmware installer from Apple?

This might need 10.9.5.

I was talking about EFI/firmware updates via the appstore. If you didn't get one there, you probably shouldn't install it.

But if this one didn't tell you your firmware was already up-to-date, something is wrong.

If you always upgraded from Mavericks to Yosemite and so on, it could be time to do a clean install.

[uncleswede]

Originally Posted by enuenu

Yep, still the same. Measured with stopwatch on iPhone at 0.4 seconds.

Apogee automated email response to request for driver;
"The Apogee JAM 96k does not require any Apogee software or drivers. Simply connect the Apogee JAM 96k and the operating system will automatically recognize it."

The "ASIO" option doesn't seem to exist. Under Reaper > Preferences > Audio, the only possible selections under Audio are Device, MIDI devices, Buffering, Playback, Seeking, Recording, Loop Recording and Rendering.

I also just spent a 90 minute chat with Apple support to check if I had major system problems. None were revealed.

OK :-( I'm not an OSX man, I'm afraid, so I'll have to back out gracefully and hope you get this resolved soon. Good luck.