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lower quality sound when connecting to focusrite scarlett

Postby frenchef » 05 Dec 2015, 12:45

Hi,

I have a Nord Electro4 and I connect it to my computer via a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6, using line3+4 for stereo (2 PL cables). When I connect my headphones directly to the nord I get better sound quality than conneting the headphones to the Scarlett interface. I'm really sure how to describe it, but when connecting the headphones to the Scarlett audio interface the nord sounds thinner, maybe more metallic... it sounds harsher and with more treble.

I'd appreciate your thoughts about how to go about solving this and making the Nord sound as good from the audio interface.

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lower quality sound when connecting to focusrite scarlett


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Re: lower quality sound when connecting to focusrite scarlet

Postby orcoaffamato » 05 Dec 2015, 15:05

Buy a RME audio interface? ;)

Is it different if you connect your Elettro 4 to the 1st and 2nd input?
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Re: lower quality sound when connecting to focusrite scarlet

Postby RedLeo » 06 Dec 2015, 12:42

Do you have anything else, like a pair of speakers you could listen through to compare? It's possible that it may just be the headphones output on the Focusrite isn't very good quality. The Scarlett should certainly not change the sound, they're pretty good budget units.

I'm not sure what you mean by PL cables though. Are you using standard jack-jack (TS-TS) cables to connect?

Other possibilities are that there may be a problem with the routing, as the MixControl software is pretty complex. For example, it's possible to route the signal twice from different places, which could cause phase problems with the sound, which often makes the sound a little bit thin and harsh, as well as "phasey".
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Re: lower quality sound when connecting to focusrite scarlet

Postby frenchef » 06 Dec 2015, 18:14

thanks for the suggestions.
Using the 1st and 2nd inputs is the same. I currently don't have any speakers/monitors to use. I'll check the routing as it sounds like a good lead.

by PL I meant TS-TS, same cable used to connect guitars to amps :)
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Re: lower quality sound when connecting to focusrite scarlet

Postby frenchef » 06 Dec 2015, 19:29

ok, using the mix source definitely causes an issue, using directly the analogue inputs sounds good. I'm still not sure about using the DAW source, meaning if it sounds as good as the analogue inputs. might be an issue with the DAW itself (I'm using Reaper). Also, I think that changing the sample rate to 96 kHz (from 44) helped.
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Re: lower quality sound when connecting to focusrite scarlet

Postby RedLeo » 07 Dec 2015, 00:26

frenchef wrote:I'm still not sure about using the DAW source, meaning if it sounds as good as the analogue inputs. might be an issue with the DAW itself (I'm using Reaper). Also, I think that changing the sample rate to 96 kHz (from 44) helped.


The DAW itself shouldn't cause any sound problems, the audio quality of any DAW these days is extremely good.
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Re: lower quality sound when connecting to focusrite scarlet

Postby frenchef » 15 Dec 2015, 14:41

to complete the picture, the problem with the mix was that the left and right channels were separated. Once I linked them, the sound problem was gone. I'm not sure exactly why. maybe this is because the Nord outputs the same note to both channels and maybe when the channels are not linked there's less sync between them which causes a diff in phase?
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Re: lower quality sound when connecting to focusrite scarlet

Postby RedLeo » 15 Dec 2015, 16:08

Thanks for the update, very useful. It sounds like a plausible reason, but it's certainly a solution worth noting for other users.
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Re: lower quality sound when connecting to focusrite scarlet

Postby JustPianoGuy » 15 Dec 2015, 16:33

frenchef wrote:to complete the picture, the problem with the mix was that the left and right channels were separated. Once I linked them, the sound problem was gone. I'm not sure exactly why. maybe this is because the Nord outputs the same note to both channels and maybe when the channels are not linked there's less sync between them which causes a diff in phase?


Linking channels simply sets the same volume for both cannels and pans one to hard right and the other one to hard left. The problem probably was having the two channels in hard center which is similar to setting the Nord to mono output.
Last edited by JustPianoGuy on 15 Dec 2015, 16:36, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: lower quality sound when connecting to focusrite scarlet

Postby Ednord » 17 Dec 2015, 18:42

Hi, glad you've raised this because I have exactly the same problem with my Focusrite unit :) Could someone simplify what the solution is for me? What do you mean by linking the channels and how is this done?
Thanks! :)
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