What is buffer latency?

Buffer latency is the delay introduced by the audio buffer between your audio interface and your DAW. It is the time the computer needs to process audio. Smaller buffers mean less latency but higher CPU load.

What buffer size should I use for recording?

For tracking (recording while monitoring through the DAW), use 64 or 128 samples for low latency. For mixing, 256-1024 is fine since latency does not affect playback quality. Higher sample rates allow larger buffers at the same latency.

What is a safe latency for tracking?

Under 10ms round-trip is ideal and feels like playing acoustically. 10-20ms is noticeable but workable. Over 20ms becomes distracting for most musicians. Vocalists and drummers are most sensitive to latency.

Does higher sample rate reduce latency?

At the same buffer size, yes. 128 samples at 96kHz = 1.33ms, versus 128 samples at 48kHz = 2.67ms. However, higher sample rates use more CPU, so the net benefit depends on your system.

AudioCalcs

Buffer Latency Calculator — Audio Interface Latency

Calculate input, output and round-trip latency for your audio interface settings.

Sample Rate

Audio sample rate in Hz

Buffer Size

Size specification

Number of Plugins

Estimated plugin count

DAW

OS and DAW processing overhead

How We Calculate This

Buffer latency (ms) = (Buffer size / Sample rate) × 1000

Input latency = Buffer latency + Driver overhead

Output latency = Buffer latency + Driver overhead + DAW overhead

Round-trip = Input + Output + Plugin latency

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: March 2026

All calculations are estimates based on standard formulas. Always verify results for critical applications.