Hardware Inserts Latency Driving Me CRAZY

@shadowamd

Mix Workflow: I mainly work in Rap, trap, RnB, Pop, rock and sometimes edm dance type..
Average mix is about 75 tracks. Starts with 30-40 audio tracks for the music, 30 aux tracks for subgroups, time based Fx, parallel fx, and mixbus and 1 to 50 Vocal tracks, more singing = more tracks. This includes doubles, background, ad libs, chants, and harmonies. I do my best to comp down where musically possible and try my best to keep things under 80 but more like 60 - 75 tracks. And now with VCA included in pt12.4 ( i'm slowly moving to ) I will have 8-10 more tracks for VCA groups.

Everything gets routed to ( VCA groups ) aux subgroups respectively. Drums, Bass, Keys, Synths, Chorus/ Hook, Music Fx, Verse 1, Verse 2 ( if different artists ) BGV ( ad Libs ) ( depending on deliverable request ) TBFx ( for dry stems, yes have had that request ) which all feeds an aux named Mixbus where either the UAD Vertigo Vsc 2/ Waves API 2500 or Stam Audio sa4000 sits. I print through my H/W inserts because I have minimal HW.. Make a new playlist, name it, print. Then move to the next thing I want to use the HW for. The print still feeds into the same subgroup aux which may or may not have H/W inserted. I usually use the Line input of the gtq2 to drive and eq to taste on the music( keys/ synths ) print and move on to drums. I may use the wa76 on bass or kick, print and move on. Printed tracks still feed aux subgroup.

I may compress the LD vox if I didn't track them with the HW wa76, otherwise UAD is cool. Slap the gtq2 on the chorus/ hook aux subgroup, find settings and print. If separate artists are on the verses, then likewise, set up the wa76, find settings, document in comments, make a new playlist, print the LD vox. If in doubt use a click track to see if you are in time on the grid, again trust your hearing, if it's out of wack you will hear it! At the end of the mix, when I have everything ready to go I print the mix or if im lazy ( or client just wants the master print ) I bounce it out stereo master/ mix. Mixes peak around -6, Masters usually DR 9- DR6 even though my last master was a DR 4 ( I know 😱🤣 )

I have the inputs muted in UAD Console app, if not you will hear the phasing from hearing the Apollo and PT input simultaneously. When using PT the Apollo imitates an Avid interface by aligning the inputs and outputs so they correspond. I am not sure why PT HW inserts are setup like this, but even using an Avid interface I'm pretty positive you have to go out say, " Line output 6 -> wa76 -> Line input 6 -> PT audio track for it compensate for the round trip... At 1024 playback buffer as well. Delay comp set to Max...
Pretty standard from what I was taught and learned over the few years.

drbill or anyone else using Avid interface, Have you tried using a H/W inserts without aligning the I/O? Ex: send vox out of avid hd output 6 and return to avid hd input 5, is the H/W insert time aligned grid wise and for playback? I know you are super busy, maybe next time you go to print a return, you could see? Thx in advance 🤠