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

[rob aylestone]

Doesn't mean Apple are not managing your audio in the phone software?

 

[scottmartin]

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). Courtslytics confirms that on the phone side, the silent recording is dead clean with 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.

The issue is almost certainly electrical noise or a ground loop from your desktop USB power, not the Scarlett or mic. Since it sounds clean on your phone, your PC’s USB is introducing 50–60 Hz hum and raised noise floor. To fix it, try using a quality powered USB hub, a USB ground isolator, or test the PC on a different outlet. This should eliminate the noise without replacing your Scarlett Solo.

 

[Old Music Guy]

Not really an apples to apples comparison. Listening to singing and speaking to your child are wildly different things.
That said, what I hear on the singing clip is background noise and the noise floor, as well as sibilance and "POPPING". Turn down your preamp gain, and put a little distance between you and the mic. No need to swallow a AT2020.