12 · Audio Settings

Audio Settings is where you connect AnalogDAW to your hardware and tune the balance between latency and stability. Open it from ☰ ▸ Audio Settings….

These are app/hardware settings (which device, how big the buffer). The recording quality (sample rate / bit depth) of each project is set separately in Session Settings.

Core Audio (engine on/off)

The Core Audio toggle turns the audio engine on or off. It's normally on (green, "Enabled"). On macOS, enabling it confirms microphone permission so inputs are accessible. Turn it off only if you want to release the audio device.

Devices

macOS

Output Device — where playback goes (interface, speakers, headphones).
Input Device — where recording comes from. AnalogDAW uses one active input device at a time (Logic-style). To combine several interfaces, create an Aggregate Device in macOS Audio MIDI Setup and select it here.

Use Refresh Devices if you plug in hardware and it doesn't appear, then Apply.

iPhone / iPad

The current system input and output (e.g. Built-in Microphone / Built-in Speaker, or a connected interface/headset) are shown for reference; iOS manages routing through the system.

I/O Buffer Size

The buffer size is the core trade-off in any DAW. AnalogDAW offers the sizes your selected interface reports as usable from this set: 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, or 2048 samples.

Smaller buffer → lower latency (live input feels immediate) but more CPU load and a higher risk of audio glitches.
Larger buffer → rock-solid playback with little CPU strain, but more delay when monitoring live input.

Rule of thumb: use a small buffer (64–256) while recording so performers feel in time, and a larger buffer (512–1024) while mixing so you can run lots of plug-ins without dropouts.

Resulting Latency

A live readout of the round-trip latency (and the output portion) for your current buffer and device, in milliseconds. The transport's tracking safety pill shows a related monitoring-latency estimate — roughly the buffer time, plus a small allowance when the master limiter is engaged — rated with a green/orange/red light. Lower is better for recording.

Recording Delay

A fine compensation control (±2048 samples) that nudges recorded audio earlier or later to line up perfectly with the rest of the session. Most setups need 0, but some interfaces report their latency slightly off; if your recordings land a hair early or late against the grid, adjust this and re-test. Use the reset button to return to 0.

Sample Rate (current)

Shows the sample rate the hardware is currently running at. AnalogDAW drives your interface to the project sample rate, which you set in Session Settings.

If the interface can't run the project rate, this row turns amber with a warning triangle: the engine falls back to a rate the device supports, and recording is disabled until you bring the two into agreement (open Session Settings and pick a supported rate — the warning offers a one-click switch).