Multiple Issues: Scarlett Solo and Sonar Artist

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superheroine

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ISSUE #1
After installing the Scarlett Solo USB interface, I went to my OS sound settings and listed under recording are the following devices:
Line In (Scarlett Solo)
Microphone (High Definition Audio Device) - this is the laptop's built-in microphone​

There is no device listed called Microphone (Scarlett Solo). Should there be? If so, why's it not there?

When in SONAR, the only available input devices are the Line In from the Scarlett and the laptop's microphone. Again, no option for the Scarlett microphone.

I was getting a lot of hum and noise while recording vocals and I think that's because it was using the laptop's microphone. As a test, I disabled the built-in microphone. That got rid of the hum, but it also got rid of my ability to record, unless I was using Line In. Line In works fine... I've recorded piano and guitar without any problems or excess noise.

I have a Shure 58 connected by XLR to the usb interface. If I connect headphones to the direct monitor option of the interface, I can hear the microphone clearly and without any noise or hum. I'm not sure why it's not showing up as an option on my computer.

ISSUE #2
Sometimes while recording and even during playback, things will be sounding fine and then all of a sudden everything sounds garbled and slow. Is that what they mean by "latency" or is that something completely different. I had a recording with piano and voice playing back through the computer speakers and recorded it with my phone. The audio file is here:
https://app.box.com/s/m8l796txztmox989kvqz75pibe4l237h
Please listen to it and tell me what you think the problem is, because I'm at a loss.

Just some computer specs in case they're useful/important:
HP Laptop
Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-3120M CUP @ 2.5GHz 2.5GHz
Installed memory (RAM): 6.00 GB (5.89 GB usable)
Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit
 
Issue 1: Interfaces specify things in different ways, and it may be that 'line in' is just Scarlett's way of doing things. If it works fine, then go for it.

Issue 2: Sounding slow and garbled is not latency (which is more like the delay between what yoiu record and what you hear). Instead it sounds like something is hogging your CPU. It could be a plug in that you are using, or it could be application running in the background (such as a virus checker).
 
Question: do you have the Scarlet connected to your computer with the USB cable? (I assume so, or it wouldn't be powered).
Question 2: Do you also have an audio output cable from the Scarlett to your computer's line-in jack? You shouldn't.

I don't know Sonar, but you should have the Scarlett(USB) selected as your audio input device. Once you have that selected, then you would select the Scarlett's Line in or mic input as the source for each track you are recording.
 
mjbphotos said:
Question: do you have the Scarlet connected to your computer with the USB cable? (I assume so, or it wouldn't be powered).
Question 2: Do you also have an audio output cable from the Scarlett to your computer's line-in jack? You shouldn't.
Click to expand...

#1 - yes, scarlett connected to pc with usb cable.
#2 - no. No output from scarlett to pc line in.

If I can't figure out why the computer won't acknowledge that the microphone is connected, I'll have to get an XLR to 1/4 adapter.. Don't know what else to do.
 
superheroine said:
If I can't figure out why the computer won't acknowledge that the microphone is connected, I'll have to get an XLR to 1/4 adapter.. Don't know what else to do.
Click to expand...

You don't want to plug the mic into the line-in input - it won't have the mic preamp to get a good signal from the mic.

Try reinstalling the Scarlett drivers. If you plug headphones into the Scarlett, can you hear the mic plugged into the mic input? Maybe its the Scarlett that is at fault.
 
If I plug headlines into the scarlett, yes. I hear the mic loud and clear. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers too. Maybe I'll give that another shot. If that doesn't work, I have an old preamp around somewhere... What are your thoughts on this:

mic --> preamp --> scarlett line in

I'm just super annoyed at having to add another preamp when the whole point of the scarlett is the included preamp.
 
Issue 1: Try going into the track input settings in your DAW and see if there is an option to select between channel 1 and channel 2 of your Scarlett. Make sure the track is set to record the channel corresponding to the mic input. I'll bet you're going to find that it is currently set to record the instrument channel.
 
Don't know Sonar, but in Reaper, you have to select the range of inputs in the general Preferences/Options menu, otherwise the choices don't appear in the track input selection areas.
 
If the Solo uses ASIO drivers then the sound settings in the computer will not matter, indeed you could disable the On Board Soundcard and the Solo would still work.

In fact a way ago the received wisdom when a bod got a decent soundcard or interface WAS to first disable OBS (and Windows bloops and bleeps). Thus the ONLY sound system you had to worry about was the one YOU fitted/plugged in!

I suggest you try this. Clear out all the Focusrite software (Restore to before the event is best) then go to Device Manager and disable OBS .
Reboot then install the Solo's drivers following the makers instructions TO THE LETTER!

Dave.
 
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