|
07-23-2018, 09:02 AM | #1 |
Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 973
|
ALSA vs JACK latency experiences
My understanding is audio apps run with lower latencies with JACK than with ALSA. What has been everyone's experiences with this? My initial testing seemed to confirm this, but I wanted to know what everyone else was experiencing.
Thanks! |
07-23-2018, 09:57 AM | #2 |
Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 610
|
I don't think this is the case as JACK runs on top of ALSA. I have not tested myself.
__________________
----------> Debian Linux Distribution = Computing Joy & Freedom <---------- |
07-23-2018, 11:19 AM | #3 | |
Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 973
|
Quote:
So, what is everyone's experiences when running in ALSA vs JACK? How low can you get your latency before XRuns when using each technology? |
|
07-23-2018, 11:37 AM | #4 |
Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 973
|
Continuing with my research on this topic, I found the following conversation from the Mixxx Community Forums to be interesting:
https://www.mixxx.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=460 This seems to indicate that there is NO added latency, which would indicate that JACK itself is at least equal to ALSA latency-wise. I suppose it is still possible for badly behaving apps in the JACK chain to cause latency. And it is also possible, I suppose, that when an app is tuned better for a particular technology (ie ALSA vs JACK) than another, then things could run better on one vs the other. That clears up a lot! So, it comes down to this: Does "REAPER" run with lower latency and less Xruns when using straight ALSA, or through JACK when tested on the same REAPER project? |
07-23-2018, 11:57 AM | #5 |
Human being with feelings
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Luxembourg/Spain
Posts: 1,922
|
I think that would need testing and might even differ between systems.
FWIW, I suspect that ALSA might have the edge, as reaper then has exclusive access to device, with JACK there might be other clients and there is some code overhead.
__________________
Reaper for Linux Documentation (WIP). Software: Archlinux/KDE, Fabfilter FX, Komplete 8, Nebula, Schwa/Stillwell, T-racks Max/Amplitube/SVX, etc. Gear: i7-2600k/4700HQ/16GB, RME Multiface/Babyface, Behringer X32, Genelec 8040, etc. :) |
07-23-2018, 01:41 PM | #6 |
Human being with feelings
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 973
|
It is definitely confirmed that ALSA has the edge with CPU cycles. The developers themselves have confirmed that JACK uses more CPU cycles than ALSA alone. But they strongly affirm that JACK itself causes no latency. So ALSA definitely has the edge in that area. :-)
|
08-23-2022, 09:21 PM | #7 |
Human being with feelings
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Philippines
Posts: 54
|
Xruns or sound interruption
if i am using jack , i have xruns coming from time to time by groups of 10 or 20 , uif i use Alsa , it will be a sound interruption while playing a project.i had the best result with alsa 48000 , 512 ,3 , MB internal HD snd device , no-RT.Some time i can play the whole project without anything happening.What is giving me sometime these troubles , any idea?
|
08-25-2022, 10:39 AM | #8 |
Human being with feelings
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 861
|
Hi, I would look at the list of apps and services that 'auto-start' and remove all that are verified as not system critical, and just start them if needed when not recording. Before starting a session, I would unplug any ethernet cable, and turn off any bluetooth apps/hardware, then unmount and unplug any extra external drives.
I have an i7 4-core 8-thread cpu, @ 3.40 ghz and use 44100/128/2 settings, with 3 to 6 ms latency. There are some software effects and instruments that make noises seemingly unrelated to available resources, and need special attention when used. Core and thread coding among daws and plugins also vary quite a bit. Reaper leaning towards the excellent end of the spectrum. https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php...0+3.40GHz&id=1 If this behavior is new to your system, and was better in the past, then some updates, upgrades and new versions might include troublemakers. Your package manager might have a log to inspect. If you can install an extra avlinux/ubuntu-studio distro on an external drive, they have a config well tuned at the outset, for an easy comparison. Cheers
__________________
Songs I've made with linux and Reaper, a qwerty forehead danger zone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtlO...RvGI8-_TqqZ7ij https://franklincheney.bandcamp.com/ Last edited by 4duhwinnn; 08-25-2022 at 12:06 PM. Reason: useful link |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|