I use a Saffire 6 interface to record into my Windows computer. I monitor with headphones connected to the Saffire interface. When i record acoustic guitar with a mic, the sound through my headphones the sound through the Saffire sounds pretty good. The sound monitored through the DAW, which most of the time is Sonar, does not sound as good. Ive used other DAWS and i get the same results. The sound through the interface sounds decent, monitoring the DAW does not. Any help with this is appreciated.
Sound Quality
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rob aylestone
Moderator
This is very unusual, I never listen through the interface, only the DAW, so when you say not as good, how so? Is it distorted or hissy, or thin?
markmann
Active member
I've experienced this before when my gain staging is not optimal or if I have a plugin that affects the sound in a negative way. You might also want to check your cables and connections as well as the port (USB or whatever). I like to monitor the DAW because I believe that's the sound that is being recorded.
Well, the interface is also my computers sound card, so with my headphones in the interface im listening to the playback through the interface. So when im monitoring the daw, my headphones are still in the interface and it is playing back through that.
it sounds canny for a lack of a better word. i eq it but its boomy here tinny there, cant get it to match just the sound through the interface
rob aylestone
Moderator
COmputer sound card and good quality audio is a very rare thing - my other computer in the studio has reasonable audio output through the motherboard £5 audio components , but records rather averagely - it's just about OK for playback.
but the interface is my sound card
rob aylestone
Moderator
Sorry, have I misunderstood? Are we talking about an internal sound card, or an external interface that has ins, outs, MIDI and XLR with phantom, mix controls, that kind of thing - or 3 3.5mm sockets on a slot card?
Folkcafe
Active member
Like many interfaces, the Saffire 6 has a mixer knob that allows you to select or blend between monitoring the input or the DAW. Typically, you would audition between both modes to set up levels, even if you end up monitoring input only or a blend to avoid latency (Monitor hard left or center position).
Only thing I don't get from your post is if what you are hearing is both via the headphones or playback via actual monitor speakers. If what you are hearing is both by headphones, try arming your track and selecting between input and playback in the DAW and compare.
Only thing I don't get from your post is if what you are hearing is both via the headphones or playback via actual monitor speakers. If what you are hearing is both by headphones, try arming your track and selecting between input and playback in the DAW and compare.
gecko zzed
Grumpy Mod
I think there has been some talking at cross purposes in this thread.
OP said:
What I understand from this is that when OP monitors the input through the interface directly, it sounds fine, but software monitoring from the DAW (but also through the interface) does not sound as good. I'm not sure why that should be the case, but two possible reasons are (1) when monitoring the DAW there is also some direct monitoring going on, so there is a delayed effect ahppening, or (2) maybe there is an effect on in the DAW which is affecting the monitored sound in some way.
OP said:
What I understand from this is that when OP monitors the input through the interface directly, it sounds fine, but software monitoring from the DAW (but also through the interface) does not sound as good. I'm not sure why that should be the case, but two possible reasons are (1) when monitoring the DAW there is also some direct monitoring going on, so there is a delayed effect ahppening, or (2) maybe there is an effect on in the DAW which is affecting the monitored sound in some way.
Chris Drums
Member
I think the issue is that when OP is hearing the guitar acoustically and through the phones at the same time, it sounds "better".
rob aylestone
Moderator
My fault. I saw ‘soundcard’ and missed Saffire.
TalismanRich
Well-known member
I wondered the same thing. Could there be a bit of phase cancellation between the slightly delayed DAW signal and the live sound bleed into the headphones?
The easiest way to check this would be to have someone else play, and do a monitor comparison between the direct and DAW signal in an isolated area.