Title: MetaSound Delay (Time) behavior changed in UE 5.7?

Development Audio
,
1

Hi everyone,

Before upgrading to UE 5.7, I was using the MetaSound Delay (Time) node to emulate real-world sound propagation: as the sound source moves away from the listener, I increase the delay time. This naturally creates both distance latency and a Doppler-like pitch shift, since the waveform is effectively stretched.

Since moving to UE 5.7, the behavior seems different. Instead of smoothly stretching the waveform (which produced a continuous pitch shift), it now sounds like the node is jumping between samples to avoid pitch changes. The result feels stepped and noticeably less smooth.

I took a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUL2S-VSK8c

So I’m wondering:

  • Has the internal algorithm of the Delay (Time) node changed in 5.7?

  • Is there another recommended way to achieve physically plausible distance-based delay with continuous pitch variation?

  • Are there any plans to expose different delay algorithms in the future (for example, offering a choice between interpolation modes, similar to how some DAWs like Ableton’s native delay let you choose behavior)?

Thanks in advance for your insights :folded_hands:

2

true, new algo, I have a similar “issue” . I tried with delay audio and delay time. time to start to write my own nodes? Variable Pitch Delay?

3

Another broken thing in 5.7 saddly. It’s not only metasound, it’s something with realt-time parameter variations.
I tried multiple things in metasounds, but as soon as you have time delay variation, it doesn’t work at all and the result is only in a glitchy sound (not even pitch shifting glitchy, just glitchy).
I also tried using Chain effects, which DO WORK in 5.5/5.6, with a Delay chain effect, you get a Doppler effect on your sounds, but in 5.7, it results in the same glitchy sound.

I sent a bug report two months ago. I hope this get fixed (And I really hope they stop braking things with no replacement nor workarounds), it gets so frustrating at times to work on something, have a problem, spend more or less time on it, only to realise its not something you’re doing wrong, it just no longer works for some reason.