Log in
Log in

or
Create an account

or

Thread Unable to monitor via Headphones in scarlett 2i4 unit

  • 1 comment
  • 1 participant
  • 1,001 views
  • 1 follower
1 Unable to monitor via Headphones in scarlett 2i4 unit
I got the 2i4 at a really good price on Amamzon and when I tried it out, I just couldn't hear what I was playing in the headphones. I could hear whatever was pre-recorded (say on track 1), but I just couldn't hear what I was playing as I was playing it on track 2 (using a condenser mic). The gain into the DAW (sonar 8.5.3) was just fine, so the unit is recording just fine. I also tried a dynamic mic (SM58)

Now if I got a pre-amp out, connected the mic to it and then input that into the 2i4 using the "instrument" setting, I could monitor effectively.

I actually sent the first unit back (thinking it must be broken) and now the 2nd unit does about the same (maybe a trifle better). This may be just the way it is, but no one else has reported anything like this that I can tell. Now I have to decide if I just want to live with it as is or try again.

I tried moving the small monitor knob fully left and fully right, but it is about the same. If I crank the gain on the mic, it is better -- but then the input is too much for the DAW (clipping).

Any one seen this before?

Windows 7 USB3 (no usb 2 available) Sonar 8.5.3

Thanks in advance,

Kevin
2
... as a followup, if I crank the gain on the 2i4's mic gain, I can start to hear what I am playing in the headphones. BUT, it is too much and there is clipping in the recorded track. I guess I have to find that sweet spot. Maybe since I always used a preamp (with phantom power) with my old tascam us-224, I always could get a nice signal in and hear all the monitoring I needed in the headphones. I have to re-learn a little bit to master the 2i4.

Probably would be helpful to have a separate gain knobs for the pre-amp and the mic input, but the 2i4 has what it has.

Kevin