If statement function is executing at a delay

I have an if statement that is measuring the microphone detection and triggering an animation. The issue I am having is that the animation begins 1/2 seconds after the user has stopped blowing. This is the code I have:

@interface ViewController ()
@property (nonatomic, strong) SecondViewController *secondVC;
@end

@implementation ViewController
- (void)viewDidLoad {
[super viewDidLoad];
// Do any additional setup after loading the view, typically from a nib.
[[AVAudioSession sharedInstance]
 setCategory: AVAudioSessionCategoryRecord error:nil];

NSURL *url = [NSURL fileURLWithPath:@"/dev/null"];

NSDictionary *settings = [NSDictionary dictionaryWithObjectsAndKeys:
                          [NSNumber numberWithFloat:44100.0],
                          AVSampleRateKey,
                          [NSNumber numberWithInt: kAudioFormatAppleLossless],
                          AVFormatIDKey,
                          [NSNumber numberWithInt: 1],
                          AVNumberOfChannelsKey,
                          [NSNumber numberWithInt: AVAudioQualityMax],
                          AVEncoderAudioQualityKey, nil];

NSError *error;

recorder = [[AVAudioRecorder alloc] initWithURL:url settings:settings error:&error];

if (recorder) {
    [recorder prepareToRecord];
    recorder.meteringEnabled = YES;
    [recorder record];
    levelTimer = [NSTimer scheduledTimerWithTimeInterval:0.03 target:self selector:@selector(levelTimerCallBack:) userInfo:nil repeats:YES];
} else
    NSLog(@"%@", [error description]);
}

- (IBAction)loadsecondVC:(id)sender {
    _secondVC = [[SecondViewController alloc] init];
    _secondVC.view.backgroundColor = [UIColor purpleColor];
    [self presentViewController:_secondVC animated:YES completion:nil];
}

- (void)levelTimerCallBack:(NSTimer *)timer {
    [recorder updateMeters];

    const double ALPHA = 0.5;
    double peakPowerForChannel = pow(10, (0.5 * [recorder peakPowerForChannel:0]));
    lowPassResults = ALPHA * peakPowerForChannel + (1.0 - ALPHA) * lowPassResults;

     if (lowPassResults > 0.5){
        NSLog(@"Mic blow detected");
        NSArray *animationArray = [NSArray arrayWithObjects:
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0001.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0002.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0003.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0004.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0005.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0006.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0007.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0008.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0009.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0010.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0011.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0012.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0013.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0014.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0015.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0016.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0017.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0018.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0019.png"],
                                   [UIImage imageNamed:@"dandelion0020.png"],
                                   nil];
        UIImageView *animationView = [[UIImageView alloc]initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, 375, 667)];
        animationView.animationImages      = animationArray;
        animationView.animationRepeatCount = 1;
        [animationView startAnimating];
        [self.view addSubview:animationView];
     }

        else if (lowPassResults < 0.5) {
        UIImageView *animationView = [[UIImageView alloc]initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, 375, 667)];
        [self.view addSubview:animationView];
        [animationView stopAnimating];
    }
}

@end

So the detection registers in the NSLog and when it stops, the animation plays. Do I have something in here that is delaying the animation? Or is an if statement the wrong thing to use here if I want it to happen at the same time. I have thought about using a 'while' statement but I got error messages when I did this.

I also need the animation to pause when the user stops blowing and proceed when they blow again so if anyone could help me out with the else statement I have at the bottom that would be really helpful as I know it is wrong.

Thanks in advance!