Cubase SX3 - Recording Audio - Delay Problem!

[perx]

Hi all, im fresh to this board and its too bad my first thread is a "I have a problem" thread..
I posted this on another board, but since I still have the problem I thought I would try here aswell.

The problem:

I have the DAW sending out midi through 2 Esi m8u´s ( http://www.esi-pro.com/viewProduct.php?pid=20&page=1 )to the hardware synths & drum machines. the machines are connected to a mixer that is feeding the MOTUS with the AUDIO from the synths to the DAW where I record it all.

sometime ago, I suddenly noticed that there is a "delay" in the recorded audio file.

The easiest way to explain this is by taking a drum machine playing a kick EXACTLY at the beats 1-2-3-4.

Previously when I triggered the drum machine (or synths) and recorded the audio, the kicks where recorded exactly on the beats 1-2-3-4 (or in the way they were intended to play). No delays or sync problems. Now when I do this, I get a slight delay in the recorded file.

If this was just related to recording kicks, I might have been able to live with it, but since I record alot of complicated rythms and synths at the same time, I need them to be recorded IN TIME!

The computer is not overloaded (vst performerance says minimal use) - and with the same setup I did not have any problems a short while back.. This problem just came up recently.

Here is a link to a page with the SCREENCAPS so you can see what I mean:

Click Here For ScreenCaps

Picture 1 shows what I am doing. Its simple:
just setting up the audio channel and hitting RECORD.
You can even see the slight delay in that picture.
Instead of the first kick (and the following), being recorded as they are played, they are a little bit off beat.


Picture 2 shows you the actual closeup of the recorded audio.
Here you can clearly see the gap at the beginning of the file.


And finally, picture 3 is what is really should look like, a kick without any gaps.

I haves tested diffirent audio interfaces, aswell as diffirent midi solutions, like using other usb devices, etc.. Even tried the new TURBO MIDI device from Elektron. And the problem still exists.

so it doesnt seem like its a midi problem, and I tested diffirent audio interfaces, with the same results - this doesnt seem to be a problem of the interfaces..

I "optimized" the XP by following the advice from a recent Sound on Sound article, and I have tried changing the samples buffer, vst timestamp, delay compensation etc, etc.. Nothing worked.

Most of whom I talked to seem to think that this is related to cubase. I am Still waiting for their support to get back to me.

Any help on getting this fixed is HIGHLY APPRECIATED! I´ll even pay 200$ (PAYPAL ONLY) to the one that manages to give me the tip/solution that ends up helping me fix the problem.

This is really getting on my nerves and stressing me out.. so if anyone know what this problem is about and helps me fix it.. I would be forever thankful!! :-)