Latency: How to Optimize Your Device for Best Performance

Latency is the delay from input into a system to the desired outcome.
 

Tips for best performance:

Here are a few precautions you can take to minimize the amount of time it takes for your device to process the MIDI information & in turn reduce latency:

MOBILE DEVICES: 

- DO NOT USE BLUETOOTH HEADPHONES OR SPEAKERS (doing so will increase latency)

- Close any apps that are running in the background

- Some 3rd party apps such as SampleTank will include a "Low Latency" mode that will minimize latency, if available make sure that it is enabled

DESKTOP / LAPTOP COMPUTERS:

- Ensure that your drivers are up to date. 

• For macOS, make sure you are on the latest software version and that all other audio devices are unplugged.
• For Windows, make sure there are no driver updates in windows update (and optional driver updates in windows update) and make sure you have your latest audio driver from either your audio device manufacturer website or from your motherboard's support page or laptop's support page depending on what type of computer you are using. 

- Close applications running in the background, especially memory/processor intensive tasks

- Some DAWs will include a "low latency" mode, if available make sure that it is enabled

- Adjust the buffer size to optimal settings - In most cases, the buffer size option will determine the overall latency. For live performance/recording with the Jamstik you want to have the buffer size as how as possible without causing audio glitches. If you are noticing playback issues, glitchy sounds, or instability, either close other programs or plugins to reduce cpu load or increase your buffer size (this will increase latency). It is also safe and recommended to keep sample rate at 48000Hz in most cases if your output device allows for it.

Settings for Buffer size in Jamstik Creator are in Audio/MIDI Preferences in standalone mode:

If you are using ASIO4ALL or other audio driver software, make sure that the buffer size there is also as low as it can go without issues often by reducing "ASIO Buffer Size", Latency Compensation or other controls.

- If you are using a Windows device and are experiencing high levels of latency we recommend changing the audio driver to ASIO or WASAPI as those tend to have better audio performance than most default drivers.
 

Windows Audio Guide (if the above did not work):

Either use the Run dialog (keys: Win + R) type mmsys.cpl and click ok. or without using run:
For Windows 11:

1. Right-click the Speaker icon in the system tray (near the clock).
2. Select Sound settings.
3. Scroll down to the "Advanced" section and click More sound settings.

For Windows 10:

1. Right-click the Speaker icon in the system tray.
2. Select Sounds.
3. This opens the panel on the "Sounds" tab; simply click the Playback or Recording tab at the top.

Then, on the Default Device or the one you are using for your Jamstik audio output, highlight it and click properties. Try to get your settings like this to make sure that these aren't causing the issue:

• Default Format - 2 Channel, 16 Bit, 48000 Hz
   

• Exclusive Mode - both settings turned OFF (Exclusive mode is not required for Jamstik Creator and turning this off ensures that another program is not controlling the audio device with exclusive mode).
   

• Signal Enhancements - OFF (This may instead be on a separate "Enhancements" tab as shown in a screenshot below -- make sure disable all enhancements is selected if the tab appears).
   

• Spatial sound - OFF - Any sort of DTS, Dolby, Windows Sonic, or other options that appear here are known to add latency as the sound goes through processing before it hits your speakers.

• Allow Hardware Acceleration of audio with this device - OFF

If setting these settings eliminates the latency, try turning settings back on to isolate the issue and avoid the latency in the future.

Notes on ASIO:

If you are experiencing audio issues it may sometimes help to try going back and forth between WASAPI and ASIO while diagnosing the issue. Particularly for output audio devices that have their own ASIO drivers, ASIO can provide lower latency and more reliability for audio than WASAPI. For devices that do not have their own ASIO drivers, ASIO4ALL is the industry standard.

By clicking ASIO Config... in Jamstik Creator, you can open the ASIO4ALL panel. For help with these settings and support for ASIO4ALL, visit their website https://asio4all.org/help/instruction-manual/ 

Make sure that the buffer size there is also as low as it can go without issues often by reducing "ASIO Buffer Size", Latency Compensation or other controls. For Jamstik Creator and other music software, you must lower the buffer size in that music software and individually for the device you are using inside the ASIO4ALL control panel.