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Best way to use Scarlett 2i2, Scarlett 18i20 1st gen, and Clarett 8pre all at once?

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Topic Best way to use Scarlett 2i2, Scarlett 18i20 1st gen, and Clarett 8pre all at once?
My goal was to use the Clarett and Scarlett for 16 input tracking, and to use the 2i2 as a volume knob and audio out for my big studio monitors.

I had all these interfaces setup for a session to live track a band. I had the Clarett connected via Thunderbolt to a Mac with Logic Pro X, and the 18i20 set in standalone and connected ADAT in & out to Clarett ADAT in & out (all worked and sync locked). Then on the Mac I created an aggregate audio device with the Clarett/Scarlett combo and added the 2i2. Set Clarett as clock source for aggregate in Audio MIDI setup. We had clicking, crackling or pooping noises that made it into the recordings. We tried to mess with the bit rates, sample rates, changing the clock source and other stuff, but still had the noises end up in the recordings.

I didn't have time to troubleshoot it fully while everything was there and hooked up, but I'm wondering if maybe I could have hooked it up differently.

I'm guessing I should not have created the aggregate setup on the Mac, and just used the Clarett/Scarlett combo to the Mac. Then I could have used the two Clarett TRS outputs 1 & 2, patched them to inputs 1 & 2 on the 2i2, then used it to control the volume to the monitors. Does that sound correct to anyone?
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2
Bit late but.... :)

1st : I guess the combo is correct when connecting 16 inputs. I found out that combining multiple interfaces or interfaces with vitual ones is asking for problems.. At least in the way you did it.

2nd : if the interface like the Scarlett or clarinet have a main out which can be controlled with a volume knob why bothering feeding that signal to a 2i2?

If you have multiple outputs for playback / recording then I understand you like to have a stereo mix somewhere in the line.... But without an external mixing board you always loose a few output ports ( 2) connecting a 3th interface will not solve your problem...
Because it is basically the same.

Can you tell why you like to do that? I know you want to control your speaker system but like I mentioned earlier the main interface can do that too.:)

-Angelie

It's not about what you got to use ....    but how you use what you got...

3
To answer #2:
The location where the Clarett and Scarlett 18i20 are is beside the desk and there are many wires running to and from these units. I was hoping to use the 2i2 for control room volume because it is small, has a bigger knob, and it can be placed right between the screen and keyboard. So the problem is not available outputs (I have plenty of those). The problem is that if I use the volume knob on the Clarett then I have to roll the chair to the edge of the desk and bend down, in the dark, and find the volume knob.
4
After setting up the Scarlett 18i20 and Clarett the same but at home and testing,... there are still clicks and pops coming from the Scarlett input sources. I need to troubleshoot different sample frequencies and clock sources to see if I can get the clicking and popping to stop.

Has anyone else experienced this with two or more interfaces connected via ADAT?
5
I guess your aggregate audio device is the bad product here...

As you mentioned the 2 devices can lock in and thus work together..

What happens if you set the extention as master and the main device as slave?
I bet it will work also....

But then the 2i2 have to lock in too...
Perhaps the problem is that they are not linked if you use the aggregate audio device

- Angelie

It's not about what you got to use ....    but how you use what you got...

6
Follow up:

I have solved the crackling & popping issue I was having.
So, just as Angelie and others have recommended, I set the standalone Scarlett 18i20 to internal sync making it the master. I then set the Clarett 8pre to sync to ADAT.

As mentioned by me in my first post, next time in the studio for multitracking, I will connect analog outputs 1 & 2 of the Clarett to the two analog inputs of the Scarlett 2i2 to use as a volume knob for my monitors. This will keep it from interfering from the digital connection to all other stuff.

Note:
I had a problem with trying to set the Clarett to a sample frequency other than 44.1 from the Focusrite Mix Control app on the Mac. It kept flipping back to 44.1 even though I did't have any other software open (Logic was quit) or devices connected to it (via ADAT or SDiF). When I first started trying to change it, the only frequencies available were 44.1 and 48. After unplugging if from the Mac, turning it off and back on, reconnecting it to the Mac,... then more frequencies were available (44.1, 48, 96, and another). This was strange, so I wanted to share it.

[ Post last edited on 02/05/2019 at 17:57:00 ]

7
Thank you for the feedback. You will help a lot of people... :)

- Angelie

It's not about what you got to use ....    but how you use what you got...