12.25

DELAY COMPENSATION502
About this chapter
This chapter describes how delay compensation is implemented in Reason.
About Delay Compensation in Reason
Delay compensation is desired because some effect devices have inherent latencies, due to internal processing
(re-sampling, FFT, lookahead compression etc). When a signal passes through such a device, it gets delayed and
thus “out-of-sync” with other signals. This is especially noticeable if you're using Parallel Channels in the Reason
mixer, because both the original channel and the parallel channel(s) carry the same source signal. If the effects on
one of these parallel channels delay the signal, this will be heard as comb filtering, phasing, blurring, etc.
Traditionally, Reason hasn’t had any delay compensation, mainly because of the totally free routing possibilities. How-
ever, as from version 9.5 Reason features delay compensation for its native effect devices, Rack Extension effect de-
vices and VST effect plugins.
Typically, there are two ways to achieve delay compensation:
By inserting “invisible” delays on the other signal paths, so that all paths are delayed equally.
By having the tracks with latency effects in their paths play back earlier.
• The delay compensation introduced in Reason 9.5 uses the first method only, i.e. inserting delays in the other
signal paths.
Activating the Delay Compensation
The delay compensation can be activated in the Master Section fader section, on the Transport panel, and on the
Options menu.
The Delay Compensation button in the Master Section of the Main Mixer.
The Delay Compensation button on the Transport panel.
D Click the Delay Comp button to switch on/off the delay compensation.
When on, the delay compensation affects all configurations described in “Delay Compensation rules” below.
• The total signal path latency is displayed (in no. of samples) below the Delay Comp buttons.
Hovering over any of these latency figures brings up a tool tip which also displays the latency in milliseconds.