beginner here , having an issue with focusrite solo , working great in phone but bad on desktop pc

[eihab]

Hey everyone,this is gonna be long, but please help me ,I'm having this issue with my Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen + Audio-Technica AT2020 setup. I've tried everything I can think of (and Focusrite support couldn't help either), so I'm hoping someone here has seen this exact problem.The Core ProblemRecordings on my PC (FL Studio) sound noisy, distorted-ish, distant/muffled, with poor dynamics. The voice feels "off" and not present/forward. Waveforms look flat-ish with a raised noise floor drowning details.

But when I plug the exact same Scarlett Solo + AT2020 into my phone (using BandLab or similar app), everything is crystal clear: super present voice, no extra noise, perfect clarity, no distortion, and proper dynamics—like night and day.

I even bought a second Scarlett Solo thinking the first one was faulty. Same issue on PC. Swapped USB cables, XLR cables, disabled all Windows sound enhancements, tried multiple USB ports—nothing helps on

PC.Hardware & Setup Details

Mic: Audio-Technica AT2020 (condenser, needs decent gain)

Interface: Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen (bus-powered via USB)

PC: Desktop with ASUS Prime B450M-K II motherboard + Ryzen 3 4300G CPU

DAW: FL Studio

Windows 10

Specific Symptoms on PC

Need to crank the gain knob to around 2 o'clock (or higher) to get decent levels in FL Studio peaks around -18 to -12 dBFS

Even at low gain, the recording has excessive hiss/noise that isn't audible in the room—it's electrical.

Sound is "distorty ish" (gritty/buzzy/harsh, not hard digital clipping).

Waveforms look off: raised noise floor in quiet parts (thick/fuzzy baseline), dynamics feel compressed/flat because noise masks subtle details.

Key smoking gun: When I arm a track, turn on input monitoring or record silence (mic on, no speaking, no movement, room dead quiet), my EQ analyzer in FL shows a clear bump/peak in the low frequencies around 50-60 Hz (and possibly harmonics) nothing on the phone side (silent recording is dead clean, no low-end bump at all).

What I've Already Tried (Ruled Out)

Matched sample rates everywhere (Windows, Focusrite driver, FL Studio—e.g., all 44.1kHz or 48kHz).

Using Focusrite USB ASIO driver in FL.

Disabled Windows audio enhancements, exclusive mode issues, spatial sound, etc.

Reinstalled Focusrite drivers multiple times (clean uninstall via Device Manager).

Increased buffer size in FL (512–1024 samples).

Disabled other audio devices in Windows.

Different rear USB ports on motherboard.

Disabled USB selective suspend in Power Options.

Tested in other software e.g., Audacity/Reaper

—any help or similar stories would be huge. I'm at the point where I'm considering ditching the Scarlett ! Thanks in advance.

 

[DM60]

If running as a Windows device, you will need to make sure you have that selected and turn up the Windows volume to ~75%. Then use the volume knob on the device to control final sound.

 

[eihab]

If running as a Windows device, you will need to make sure you have that selected and turn up the Windows volume to ~75%. Then use the volume knob on the device to control final sound.

i turned it to 80 percent still same problem theres also an electrical like noise

 

[ecc83]

First off, the AT2020 should not "need decent gain" It might be a cheapish Chinese mic but the specification of -37dB ref 1V/Pa means it is about 20dB more sensitive than an SM57 and I would expect a Gen 3 Focusrite AI, even the boggiest standard one, to be usable with the Shure dynamic.

Next, Windows gain controls should have NO effect on the mic level in your DAW IF you have installed and are using Frites ASIO drivers properly. And lastly, when you use the laptop, how are you hearing things?

Dave.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Is the phantom power enabled for the mic?
What about the pre-amp knob? I would set it a bit back from clipping. You'll get a strong signal out of it.
USB cable is neither here nor there.