Round-Trip Latency
Input-to-output delay through the whole chain — the number you feel.
Round-trip latency (RTL) is the full journey: analog in → converter → buffer → DAW → buffer → converter → out. It always exceeds the buffer math because converters and drivers add overhead — which is why two interfaces at identical settings measure differently. Single-digit milliseconds at a 64-sample buffer is the modern bar; 2–6ms is excellent.
Category: Audio Interfaces