Problem with Scarlett 2i4

[Virgil]

I recently purchased Focusrite's Scarlett 2i4 audio interface. Since installing the drivers and using the product, I haven't noticed any difference in the sound quality between it and my old soundcard, the Realtek High Definition audio. I have a MIDI keyboard attached via USB to the computer (which is using a piece of sample software), then the audio interface attached via another USB, with a pair of headphones attached to the interface. I've experimented with and without the interface, and can't hear a difference in the quality produced from the sample. None of the notes sound particularly "clear", and this is most prominent when playing big chords together. I've messed around with the sample rate, disabled the Realtek High Definition audio soundcard (to ensure the only output is coming from the audio interface) but to no success. I don't think it's a problem with the headphones, because I can listen to someone playing the same sample on a YouTube video and the quality sounds a lot better, through the same headphones, on the video than it does using the sample myself.

Anyone have any thoughts on what this problem could be? I have a Windows 7 64-bit computer, with a AMD Athlon(m) II X3 415e Processor with 2.50 GHz speed.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Hi,
I doubt you'll notice any difference between realtek built in and an audio interface purely for sample/synth playback.
The real improvement from buying an interface like that is on the analog input side.
The balanced outputs are of benefit if you suffered with interference, but that's not relevant here.

If your synths and samples sound bad there has to be a reason, but I'm thinking it's in the box...
Could you post an example mp3 and something to compare it to?

 

[Virgil]

This is how the sample sounds in Realtek:

View attachment Arabesque - Realtek.mp3

This is how the same MIDI data from the above sample, sounds when the audio is created using the Scarlett interface and its drivers:

View attachment Arabesque - Scarlett.mp3

If you go to Google and search "the giant native instruments", the first results should be the homepage for the Giant sample (I can't include URLs in my posts yet). Then if you look under "Featured Media", "Demo Tracks Standard" should be listed. These will be a lot louder, by the way. If you go to the second track in the preview, "Last Year", you'll hear that there's a sharpness and realistic sound in the track that isn't present in the attachments above that isn't just to do with the volume.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Virgil,
I don't understand why your two mp3s don't null, because the interface in use shouldn't have any effect on bounced audio.
Maybe your sample rates were different?
Either way, I don't hear a real difference between the two.

I agree that your clips sound softer, or not as bright, as the demo tracks, but I think you just need to choose a different type of piano in your modeller (if there's an option), or use an eq to get the sound you want.

The type of reverb in use will make a big difference too.

In short, I don't think there's anything 'wrong'. I think you just need to do some tweaking.

 

[Virgil]

I'll look at it more tomorrow. Do you think I should get a refund on the Scarlett, then? I bought it just with the intention of making the quality of the audio on the computer better, and for the sample to sound more lifelike, but that's not what it seems to be doing.

Also... it warns in the instruction manual not to attached the interface to the computer until after the drivers are installed, but unfortunately I only read this after I'd attached it. Could that have affected the performance of this interface?

 

[Steenamaroo]

I'll look at it more tomorrow. Do you think I should get a refund on the Scarlett, then? I bought it just with the intention of making the quality of the audio on the computer better, and for the sample to sound more lifelike, but that's not what it seems to be doing.

Your interface will impact on the quality of audio going in and audio going out, but not audio that's created in the computer.
Improving your monitoring chain will improve how you hear your audio, but it won't change the actual data coming out of a synth.
Make sense?

Also... it warns in the instruction manual not to attached the interface to the computer until after the drivers are installed, but unfortunately I only read this after I'd attached it. Could that have affected the performance of this interface?

Nope.