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Old 08-11-2022, 02:17 PM   #1
hankg
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Default Please sanity check my laptop choice. Does audio chip matter if using USB interface?)

I've been reading up and this looks like a good fit, but I don't know what I don't know - and I really hope to be able to finally have a computer with low enough latency to play guitar while monitoring with effects plugins.

Any obvious issues with hardware compatibility or specs? Specifically the audio chip? An external USB audio interface will effectively replace the built-in, correct?

This is for hobby level reaper use.

I'm looking at a Lenovo legion 5 from last year's generation with following specs:

AMD Ryzen 7 5800H (8C/16T, 3.2/4.4GHz, 4MB L2/16MB L3)

Audio Chip:
High Definition (HD) Audio, Realtek ALC3306 codec

NVIDIA GeForce RTXTM 3050Ti

16GB RAM (and can't upgrade above 16, per spec sheet)

512GB SSD, with second M.2 slot for another up to 1TB.

No Thunderbolt, but a number of USB 3.2 and USB C ports.

It has good thermal management, per reviews.

I do need a laptop instead of a desktop.

[full specs here:
https://psref.lenovo.com/Detail/Legi...6?M=82JW00BDUS
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BDGD2TZ ]
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Old 08-12-2022, 05:24 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hankg View Post
Specifically the audio chip? An external USB audio interface will effectively replace the built-in, correct?
Correct.

As for the rest I don't know.
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Old 08-15-2022, 02:38 AM   #3
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we've had a couple of Ryzen laptops in our household and they've all been great DAW platforms as they all seem to have very low DPC latency.

Your USB interface will give you your low latency ASIO drivers but if youu want to do some work mixing/editing without carrying an interface then install ASIO4all and you'll be able to use the on board sound , so you'll then have the best of both worlds.

M

p.s. I'll add that the new generation of USB-c interfaces are very good and will give you reliable service with simple installs. I've run a Steinberg UR22-C reliably and also an Antelope Zen -Q if you're looking for a recommendation.
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Old 08-15-2022, 10:15 AM   #4
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Any audio interface built into a computer logic board still operates like a standard audio interface. You select the available connected interface you please (or aggregate of multiple).

The most ram use you'll ever see with audio is usually 2 or 3GB. Unless you use a sampler plugin that loads samples into ram. A computer with those specs should be able to support anything from low latency live sound work to studio projects with 100's of tracks.
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Old 08-15-2022, 12:20 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by norbury brook View Post
Your USB interface will give you your low latency ASIO drivers but if youu want to do some work mixing/editing without carrying an interface then install ASIO4all and you'll be able to use the on board sound , so you'll then have the best of both worlds.
I don't recommend using ASIO4ALL, unless you are using Win <= XP. For later OS WASAPI is better (Exclusive mode).
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Old 08-16-2022, 03:18 AM   #6
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I don't recommend using ASIO4ALL, unless you are using Win <= XP. For later OS WASAPI is better (Exclusive mode).
It's funny , I've had this conversation recently on a different thread as someone else said they didn't recommend ASIO4all.

I've been using it since it first started and it's worked great for me on 4 different laptops over the last 12 years.

I've recently installed it on my new intel 12900k, windows 11 machine.

it works so much better than ANY other option available including WASAPI. there's NO way WASAPI can run a reasonable size project or live virtual instruments @64 sample buffer. Whereas ASOP4all will allow me to do this when traveling.


believe me, I'd love WASAPI to work as well as ASIO4all,but I've never had that in all my years of windows laptop use.

M


p.s. I've just tried WASAPI again in exclusive mode and it constantly throws an error.

Could you share how you get WASAPI working on your machine better than ASIO4all as I just cannot get it to work.
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Old 08-16-2022, 08:52 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by norbury brook View Post

p.s. I've just tried WASAPI again in exclusive mode and it constantly throws an error.

Could you share how you get WASAPI working on your machine better than ASIO4all as I just cannot get it to work.
I won't say it works for me better, because I haven't compared it for a long time. Anyway I've set it 64 samples (for some reason my sound card can play only 128 samples, so it is minimum) and 48000 kHz. With 48000 - 128 I got ~10 ms (5 in + 5 out) latency. It plays pretty good.
You should set it and then restart Reaper. Usually works for me.
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Old 08-16-2022, 10:10 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by vitalker View Post
I won't say it works for me better, because I haven't compared it for a long time. Anyway I've set it 64 samples (for some reason my sound card can play only 128 samples, so it is minimum) and 48000 kHz. With 48000 - 128 I got ~10 ms (5 in + 5 out) latency. It plays pretty good.
You should set it and then restart Reaper. Usually works for me.
just had another go... it ONLY works @48000 and 16 bit.... that's useless really , it needs to change sample rate depending on project like an ASIO driver.


I'm sorry but AsIO4all works so much better.

Interestingly i fired up Reaper today on my wifes Xubuntu machine and it ran perfectly @64 sample buffer running on the on board sound using ALSA so linux has got it together with native , on board sound cards

M
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Old 08-16-2022, 10:39 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by norbury brook View Post
Interestingly i fired up Reaper today on my wifes Xubuntu machine and it ran perfectly @64 sample buffer running on the on board sound using ALSA so linux has got it together with native , on board sound cards
My 4GB Raspberry Pi4, Studio B using ALSA runs 24/48 @ 64 samples all day long, but I did upgrade the audio with a UMC204HD to use with it.

It's running Debian Bullseye on a shirt pocket sized computer, yet I can play guitar or bass through Guitarix virtual amps in REAPER with it.
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Old 08-16-2022, 11:16 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by norbury brook View Post
just had another go... it ONLY works @48000 and 16 bit.... that's useless really , it needs to change sample rate depending on project like an ASIO driver.


I'm sorry but AsIO4all works so much better.

Interestingly i fired up Reaper today on my wifes Xubuntu machine and it ran perfectly @64 sample buffer running on the on board sound using ALSA so linux has got it together with native , on board sound cards

M
That's (probably) because you set so in your OS, didn't you?

Why are you sorry? If it works for you, than why do you need to use anything else?

Yep, it's about audio system, not about computer specifics.
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Old 08-16-2022, 12:46 PM   #11
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There is one USB chip that doesn't work for audio, but I forgot make and model.

You'll only find it in very, very cheap Windows tablets afaik. It came up on the RME forum a couple of years ago when some forum members were testing these tablets.
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Old 08-18-2022, 10:50 AM   #12
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Thanks for the input. My notifications were off

I got the laptop and a motu M2, and it's working great so far. I haven't really tested it, but after first light pass at fixing power settings I seem to be fine at 48000 32 with a useful stack of plugins on guitar.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Glennbo View Post
My 4GB Raspberry Pi4, Studio B using ALSA runs 24/48 @ 64 samples all day long, but I did upgrade the audio with a UMC204HD to use with it.

It's running Debian Bullseye on a shirt pocket sized computer, yet I can play guitar or bass through Guitarix virtual amps in REAPER with it.
Huh - I got the laptop in part because I wanted to monitor live with effects and my old athlon 5350 from 2014 just couldn't come close - seeing around 90msec at best running Linux. I assumed an interface could only help so much.

Here's the RP and my old athlon
compared:
https://cpu-benchmark.org/compare/ra...d-athlon-5350/

They're very close, athlon a bit faster on a few things.

I'll put the motu on it and see. Luckily I needed a laptop anyhow, otherwise I might be kicking myself for not just buying the interface first, like a rational person.
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