My experience so far AR + Overbridge + Latency

I figure this info might be useful to someone.

Test set up was Macbook Pro, Scarlet 18i8, Analog Rytm, Beatstep Pro, Waldorf Pulse 2. BSP is synced either via Ableton direct or via AR and is triggering the notes of my Pulse 2. There are basically two ways to set this up with AR and Overbridge:

  1. Audio out of Pulse 2 (or your synth of choice) into Audio Interface with Overbridge set up to input the signal through AR via track(s) of your choosing then back out to an Ableton audio track to which you need a second audio track (set input from previously mentioned audio track) to grab the actual audio sound in your headphones or monitors.

This method incurs standard amount of audio delay of the triggered synth sound to which you have to add around 30ms of track delay compensation (on my system anyways).

  1. Audio out of Pulse 2 (or synth of choice) into AR direct. Audio is routed to AR Mains L + R which has to be enabled in Overbridge in the Output section. Set up audio track in DAW to receive Main input.

This method is synced tight with no need for track delay. My Pulse 2 triggers and sounds right on time with my AR tracks.

Either of the above two methods does mean you are loosing 2 tracks in Overbridge to accomodate the synth, though I suppose you can still have AR tracks going to Mains with your synth, it sounds kinda messy to have kit sounds on your synth track.

I think the better way to do this is with having an Analog Four or Keys in addition to an Analog Rytm and use one of the tracks of the A4/AKeys for your external synth, of course sacrificing A4/AKeys voices in the process. I’d actually wish Elektron came out with an Overbridge Box that served the same purpose of Overbridge syncing for those of use who cannot afford additional Elektron gear like the A4 or AR at the moment. At any rate my thinking is that audio bypassing your audio interface and instead going over Overbridge and USB is all synced up tight with whatever else is coming out of Overbridge into your DAW.

Let me know if I’m missing anything here.