Achieving low latency audio is paramount to hosting productive sessions remotely. Unfortunately, it also comes with several challenges that need addressing to curate that “in-studio” experience: 

• Latency can be inconsistent from one environment to another. Latency is affected by factors like network type and speed, so it isn’t always consistent between multiple workspaces. Distance between sites can also significantly affect latency– you’ll have lower latency collaborating with a crew member across town than someone across the country. Understanding the limitations of your setups will give you a better understanding of what’s possible for your studio with latency. 

• It’s challenging to find an all-in-one solution. Since so many components can introduce latency, such as software, hardware, internet speeds, and plugins, finding a quick fix for a nuanced issue like high latency can be tricky. 

• You cannot eliminate latency completely. “Zero latency” doesn’t exist since electrical signals aren’t converted instantaneously into data, transmitted, and then converted back into electrical signals. There are tools to help minimize latency but beware of any brand that claims to eliminate latency entirely. 

We understand these pain points all too well. Fortunately, there are several tools you can use to create robust audio streaming across multiple workstations. This article covers the best technology available that offers low latency audio.

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How does latency work?

Audio latency is the delay between when you initiate an audio signal and when the responding party receives it. For instance, when playing music from a Bluetooth speaker, you may notice the song starts briefly after sending it on your phone. 

In other words, audio latency is the gap or lag created when transmitting an electrical (or, in this case, audio) signal. Latency can range from minutes at a time to milliseconds. While there is no such thing as zero latency, it's best to seek out the lowest latency possible when working with audio. 

Without reliably low latency, it’s challenging to stream HQ audio over video, remotely direct a shoot or ADR session, or even achieve polished multitracks when hosting a studio session in person. 

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What’s considered low latency audio?

If zero latency isn’t possible, what latency level should serious audio professionals be shooting for? We can more or less break down latency into any of the following categories:

• Typical latency: This is longer latency used for non-time sensitive streaming. Typical latency could be anywhere between 18 and 30 seconds. 

• Broadcast latency: As the name suggests, broadcast latency refers to the latency standard used for live-streaming news, sporting events, and other broadcasts. It’s usually between 5 and 18 seconds. 

• Low latency: There isn’t an official definition, but low latency generally refers to anything less than a second. 

• Ultra-low latency: Ultra-low latency is generally any lag of 300 milliseconds or less. It’s the gold standard for any devices used for live streaming, conferencing, recording, or anything requiring direct interaction between the transmitted signal and its recipients. 

It’s best to opt for ultra-low latency first and then low latency in pro audio. Beyond that, creating live recordings without becoming distracted by the lag becomes too challenging. 

Note that consistency is also a crucial differentiator. Whatever level of latency you have, you want it to be fairly stable so you can accommodate accordingly without having to adjust your approach mid-session. 

Best tools for achieving low latency audio

Here are the top tools designed to offer low latency audio while streaming, recording, and collaborating with your creative team.

Evercast

Evercast boasts 150ms average latency, regardless of geographical location. But finding a way to cast ultra-low latency audio is one thing; having it be consistent is another. Evercast is an all-in-one creative solution designed to recreate the studio experience by facilitating consistent, dependable audio streams. 

"What you want with latency is for it to be predictable. It's okay that it exists, but it needs to be predictable. So, in Evercast, once we establish what it is and we offset the picture so the picture and the sound are in sync. At that point, that makes it useful; it makes it judgeable." 

— Jonathan Wales, re-recording mixer at Warner Bros. 

Evercast doesn’t require proprietary software and helps you move seamlessly from one recording stage to the next, whether you use it to make an album or work through a remote ADR session. Seamlessly stream audio and HD video and utilize Evercast’s built-in collaboration tools to bring the studio experience on the road. 

Average Latency: Less than 150 milliseconds 

Top features:

• 7.1 surround sound with ultra-low latency streaming (less than 150 milliseconds) for audio recording, collaboration sessions, or using screen-sharing software
• Real-time collaboration with on-screen drawing, session recording, and time-stamped notes
• No additional hardware required for most use cases; any participant can join a stream instantly with one click.
  
  

Who is it best suited for?

Recreating that “in-studio” environment can be challenging in the digital age. Evercast is an all-in-one suite that supports high-quality ultra-low latency streaming and can also host screencasting and a whole suite of real-time collaboration tools for optimum workflow.

"We needed to figure out how to recreate that vibe of everybody being in the same place and sharing creativity together. I settled on Evercast as being the most successful and also the one that gave me the most control so that we could modify the workflow to be what we needed. It's only running [about 150] milliseconds behind live; it's so quick that it really does feel like you're in the same room."

— Jonathan Wales, re-recording mixer at Warner Bros.

This software is a one-stop shop for any recording engineer or studio that needs a way to build a sense of active, creative collaboration from anywhere. 

Pricing: 

Standard studio plans start at $849/month, with flexible pricing upon request. Specialized pricing packages are available for larger teams and studios. 

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Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen

Focusrite’s Scarlett series, including the 2i2 interface, is one of the most well-regarded brands in the music industry. These reliable, affordable interfaces supply phantom power to condenser microphones and allow you to connect XLR and instruments directly to your computer. 

Average Latency: As fast as 200 milliseconds of latency 

Top features:

• Reliable audio interface at an affordable price
• Built-in phantom power
• Ultra-low latency for live monitoring 

Who is it best suited for?

An interface is usually more reliable than a USB microphone and provides more recording flexibility. It’s great for anyone who wants to record using gear that requires phantom power or for monitoring live sound and latency. 

Pricing: 

The 2i2 starts at $189.99, but you can get interfaces with more audio input and output options at an additional cost. 

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Audiomovers 

Are you just looking for a way to stream HQ audio? Audiomovers is a standalone plugin subscription service that allows you to cast HD audio from any DAW with a few clicks. Designed to provide ultra-low latency, Audiomovers streams up to 32bit PCM with 0.1 seconds of latency. 

Average Latency: 100 milliseconds of latency

Top features:

• Stream HD audio from any DAW
• No hardware or software required for guests
• Collaborate remotely from anywhere with an internet connection

Who is it best suited for?

Audiomovers is a good choice for any audio engineer or musician who only wants to stream audio. The transmitter plugin rests on a master channel, sending audio to an online stream easily accessed with a click. 

Pricing:

Audiomovers has a subscription-based model, with plans starting at $8.33/month and increasing to $16.67/month. 

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Waves SoundGrid 

Any audio professional understands the amount of strain plugins can put on your computer’s CPU or processing power. This extra weight can lead to additional latency, which is highly noticeable in more live settings.

Fortunately, you can use live plugin processing with the help of Waves SoundGrid. This rackmount unit handles plugin processing at latency as low as 0.8 ms. 

Average Latency: As low as 0.8 milliseconds of latency 

Top features:

• Processed sample rates up to 96 kHz
• Works seamlessly with Waves plugins
• Designed for use with 16-channel live sound consoles

Who is it best suited for?

Anyone who needs plugins to work in live settings like venues, churches, or conferences could benefit from having a server to offload the processing power and reduce unnecessary latency. However, note that this live mixing console is built specifically for use with Waves plugins. 

Pricing: 

$849.00

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RME HDSPe AIO Pro PCIe Audio Interface Card

About:

The RME HDSPe AIO Pro PCIe audio interface card is an internal PCIe (peripheral component interconnect express) tool that provides ultra-low latency, a clear stereo analog I/O, and high-performance converters to tackle any job in the business. 

Average Latency: Around 100 milliseconds of latency 

Top features:

• Flexible inputs and outputs, taking up just one PCIe slot
• Compatible with Mac and Windows desktop computers
• Built-in powered headphone output 

Who is it best suited for?

People super invested in audio may benefit from purchasing a custom audio card to upgrade their computers’ capacity and stability when transmitting audio. 

This process isn’t for the faint of heart and isn’t compatible with all computers, so only audio professionals who know exactly what they’re getting into should do this. For those who fit the bill, a reliable audio interface card can completely transform your audio engineering or recording experience. 

Pricing: 

$949 

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Shure MV7

Generally speaking, avoiding USB microphones and opting for an XLR input-to-audio interface setup is the best way to reduce latency during recording. However, if you need the convenience of a USB microphone, the Shure MV7 can still provide that flexibility without compromising too much on signal delay. 

Average Latency: Not publicly listed, but the microphone has a great latency reputation when compared against other USB microphones and has an active headphone monitoring system built into the hardware

Top features:

• Both XLR and USB audio output options for direct computer to capture
• Use for musical recording, live streaming, podcasting, or virtual meetings
• Manual mode allows you to EQ your sound to your liking before it hits your digital audio workstation.

Who is it best suited for?

The Shure MV7 is a solid entry-level mic for anyone who works in audio and wants the flexibility of a USB microphone. This microphone provides impressive sound while cutting down on an impressive amount of lag created by other USB mics. 

Pricing: 

 $249.00 (microphone stand not included) 

Prioritizing low latency hardware and software is crucial to your success as an audio engineer, recordist, musician, or creative professional. Use these tools to top out your performance and seamlessly work through your process, whether you work with someone in the same state or another country. 

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