Please help - cant adjust buffer size in Ableton when using A Scarlett 2i4

Tekhed66

New member
Hi

I'm hoping someone out there can help me with an unexpected problem using Ableton Live 9 and a new Scarlett 2i4.

I just bought a Scarlett 2i4 to replace my previous M-audio interface. The Scarlett drivers were installed from the Focusrite website and installation went without a hitch.

I went to the Live preferences to setup the new audio device and I've found that I can't adjust the buffer size... I also can't adjust the input latency and output latency. The Live preference menu doesn't give me a value box that I can edit and the buffer is set to 512 samples, the input latency is set to 24.2ms and the output latency set to 34.9ms. This gives me a whopping 59.1ms of overall latency!!! :mad:

The only variables that I can adjust are the in/out sample rate (Ive set it to 48,000) but this has no effect on the overall latency time.

I can adjust the driver Error Compensation and if I set it to -50.0ms, the overall latency drops to 9.08ms.

I've tried setting up the driver as per the ASIO Hardware Setup tutorial that comes with Live but the tutorial goes on about adjusting the Input/Output Latency and adjusting Buffer sizes while monitoring the test tone and I'm not presented with an option to adjust these values.

If I click on the hardware setup button, I get a bare-bones Focusrite menu that has a slider to adjust Buffer Length (from 0 to 10ms) and a drop down menu to adjust the sample rate. It also gives me a non-editable readout of the Live input and Output buffer size (which is 24.2ms and 34.9ms, respectively).

So - my question(s): does anyone else have this problem? Have you worked out how to fix it (reduce the buffer size) or at least reduce the huge latency? Is there another/better driver out there??

I'm using Live 9.2.3 (32bit), Win 7, Scarlett 2i4 (latest drivers from website).

Thanks very much for any help or suggestions.
 
Some of the interfaces don't interact with Ableton. I have that problem with my Presonus, M-Audio and Tascam (It use to work in 8). I just have a quick link on my task bar for the interface and set it from there. Ableton will adjust once it has been changed in the source interface GUI. Make sure you stop play before you adjust, it upsets everything if you don't.
 
Some of the interfaces don't interact with Ableton. I have that problem with my Presonus, M-Audio and Tascam (It use to work in 8). I just have a quick link on my task bar for the interface and set it from there. Ableton will adjust once it has been changed in the source interface GUI. Make sure you stop play before you adjust, it upsets everything if you don't.

Hi DM60

Thanks very much for your suggestion.

I've tried doing that but there's still no way of adjusting the buffer size in Ableton... it's stuck at 512 samples and the latency is so big, you could drive a bus through it.... I recorded some guitar last night and it sounded like I had slapback delay on it. The Scarlett 2i4 software interface is pathetic and of no help at all.

I'm using a 6i6 with my band and that unit has a lot more flexibility so I've decided to swap the two units over... the band's unit is mostly used for live performance anyway so the 2i4 should be able to handle that.... hopefully the 6i6 will be a bit more usable.

It's just really frustrating that two supposedly "pro" (???) pieces of gear can't talk to each other... doesn't gear get tested before it get's sold anymore?

gripe, gripe, gripe.....
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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With the scarlett 18i6 you adjust the buffers in the Scarletts software (Mix Control) not in Ableton. Not sure if this is the same with the 2i4, does it come with any kind of control software?

If not ask focusrite...they have some of the best customer service Ive came across...Ive never waited more than a day or two for an answer
 
I think that the entry-level Scarlett interfaces use a very simplified ASIO control panel. Like the OP described, it's pretty much only a slider that shows the buffer size in terms of ms of latency incurred.

I'd say shut down Ableton, then set that ASIO buffer slider as close to 0 as possible. Then start up Ableton again and see if it takes those settings, or if it's overridden by its own settings.
 
Just an interesting update...

I have plugged the 2i4 into a Mac running OS 10 Yosemite ... I've discovered that with the Mac, I can access every parameter on the Scarlett including adjusting the buffer size and reducing latency to zilch.

My PC (Win7 64bit) wont allow me to change and parameter.

If I use the Scarlett software (not Mix Control ... this isnt applicable to low-end interfaces), I can reduce the latency to "0" (I think this is just a number... it's not actually a measurement of latency) and this then reduces the buffer in Live.

Very strange.... Mac OS allows full control and Win 7 doesnt.
 
I know this is an old thread but I've had the same issue with Win8.1 / Scarlett 2i2 / Ableton Live 9
I am wondering if this can be avoided by using another ASIO driver? I used a driver called;
ASIO4ALL (or some version of that) and had no problems before installing the Focusrite (Scarlett) drivers
 
I know this is an old thread but I've had the same issue with Win8.1 / Scarlett 2i2 / Ableton Live 9
I am wondering if this can be avoided by using another ASIO driver? I used a driver called;
ASIO4ALL (or some version of that) and had no problems before installing the Focusrite (Scarlett) drivers

If you adjust the buffer size in the driver, it is adjusted. Ableton just provides information.
 
If you adjust the buffer size in the driver, it is adjusted. Ableton just provides information.


AHA!!! But that is for YOU on YOUR system now! I had the same problem as the one
I responded to;
The driver can be adjusted (in milliseconds, NOT buffer size??!?!?!) and ALWAYS
defaults to 10ms with HUGE latency. THIS IS A GEN1 (first generation driver) and
I and I suspect you had also... You CAN change it, each and every
session, playback AND record, and that's highly annoying...

YOU CAN NOT change the driver from within Live 9... well you can, but it won't
CHANGE the buffers, it will just look like it did.
On a restart of the DAW? You can... but
Get much below a 5ms buffers setting and you get dropouts and even total lockup
of playback AND play/record sessions! and the latency reported is still disgusting!
This happened on 2 different DAW's... NOT an Ableton issue.

WHAT TO DO?

FORTUNATELY... Jeffery at Focusrite tech support pointed to a GEN2
(second generation) driver they've Frankensteined into working GEN1...
THIS WAS MY ANSWER!

I was able to use a 128k buffer (no more ms settings that don't work)
with a record=6ms & playback=7ms total=13ms! reported by Ableton,
zero dropouts / lockups, and this ASIO driver CAN BE ADJUSTED FROM
WITHIN LIVE 9, AND STAYS AT THE SETTING I PUT IT AT... indefinitely!

WOW what a difference! No more struggles.
You do have to list a Focusrite product to get support and D/L drivers,
so if you have one log on and search for drivers for second GEN.

Thanks for your help and I posted this mostly for those that will follow....
 
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