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.