Methods and apparatus for operating a secondary sense amplifier according to different timings. Embodiments of the invention generally provide a secondary sense amplifier configured to dynamically adjust its timing according to a need for data in an output buffer. In one embodiment, the secondary sense amplifier is set (causing data to be driven out) by a signal, SSA_SET, the timing of which is adjusted on the basis of a predefined delay and a need for data at the output buffer.