Topic: Tiny latency issue/audio interface recommendation
I use Pianoteq Stage for practising classical piano. My setup is a Korg SP-170S digital piano as the controller, which is then connected via the cheapest MIDI-to-USB cable found on Amazon to my maximum configuration MacBook Pro (i7, SSD, 16GB RAM). The sounds then comes through my pair of computer speakers, which are plugged in the laptop's 3.5 mm jack. This means that I'm using the laptop's onboard audio interface.
There is no difference at all when I change the buffer size from 512 samples (15.5 ms reported latency) to 64 samples (2.3 ms reported latency). In both cases, no delay is audible and I can hardly feel latency. It only becomes noticeable when I play very high tempo pieces (say Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata 3rd movement or Chopin's Minute Waltz). The delay, though tiny, is enough to significantly impact my performance. I should also point out that this doesn't happen when I play directly on the SP-170S keyboard using its crappy onboard sample library.
From my limited understanding of audio processing hardware, I suspect the possible sources of latency are the cheap MIDI-to-USB cable, the onboard audio interface of the laptop or the Korg keyboard. Will buying an external audio interface and a better cable solve the problem? If yes, which interface should I buy if budget is not a problem? It should be noted that most high-end audio interfaces on the market come with many fancy functions (recording capabilities, multiple jacks for guitar, amps, etc.) that I never use. As an engineering student living in university hall, I only use Pianoteq as a replacement for an acoustic piano
