Scarlett 2i2 USB for driverless, bus-powered ease. True, but it sounds... meh?

Started by mooncaine, January 01, 2016, 11:24:18 AM

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mooncaine

Got a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB recently because I wanted the convenience of bus powered audio interface. It was a plus that it's driverless -- on Mac OSX. That appealed to me. It's true, too. No drivers needed or offered for Mac.

Seems to work well enough in initial tests, playing back Ableton Live with just a guitar plugged in and a few tracks playing, but I used a Squier Telecaster and it is a very, very noisy signal. I'm on my sofa surrounded by potential sources of hum, so not surprised about that.

I am a bit befuddled by the input level knob, though, not knowing yet quite where it ought to be. I definitely have the input switch on "Inst" and not "Line." Seems I can dial in way too little or way too much input gain, but I didn't find a sweet spot by ear in my first session with it. I had assumed that I would. I had plugged my Squier into it, and used the Scarlett 2i2USB as USB audio interface to a 2012 MBP running OS X Yosemite 10.10.5, using the USB 2 cable that comes with it. Headphones plugged into Scarlett are Sony MDR-V6.

I tried it with a few amp models and guitar-oriented effect racks among Ableton Live's presets. I also tried the freebie Amplitube 3 and a Guitar Rig pro demo download. Meh. Something still sounds or feels wrong and it doesn't feel like playing guitar. Sounds brittle and solid-statey, if you can imagine what I mean, compared to same headphones and guitar on my Korg Pandora, which sounds great, or my VG-99, which sounds awesome. This doesn't sound like a guitar into modeled amps & such. It sounds like I've done something wrong.

I'm hoping it's a levels prob. My guitar sounds boomy, brittle. More like my first guitar, plugged into the phono amp of my dad's old stereo circa 1980, and not much a guitar into an instrument amp.

Chumly

Sounds like maybe you do not have speaker emulation on, and conventional single-coil pickups will always be at prone to RF etc.
I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong. - Richard P. Feynman

Elantric

Recording dry guitar with single coil pickups is a daunting prospect

I get best results when all gear (including computer) is running on batteries, and I use a trick of wind a few turns of solder around my forearm and connect to the sleeve of the 1/4" guitar cable to ground myself to audio ground and rotate 90 degrees until U hear the least hum.

I prefer the Scarlet 2i4 as that includes a switchable -20db pad. And 5pin MIDI I/O



Mauri60

hi Mooncaine!
i also use scarlett 2i2 for my audio recordings and i'm very satisfied by this unit.
it was a long walk and i do lots of attempts for reach good results.
i use same effect chain and connections as for live rig except amp.
for impedance match at last place just before scarlett input i insert a di box a behringer ultra di 100.
this allow level rising, convert an unbalanced input to a balance one,  raise level, and with ground lift i have possibility to reduce ground loop and noises.
sound become very crisp and clear, and rescue lots of lost frequencies.
my band mate is a sound engineer and suggest me to try this.
my guitar is a peavey T60 modded adding a central single coil PU to complete his tonal range.
i record guitar in reaper only with my normal effects, as live use at a good level and with my natural sound. if i need some reamping i may add some vst after in post production.
finally i may said this about scarlett... preamps are quite good, but inputs are surely improvable.
for my opinion, impedance match ( line/mic ) is unnoticeable.
hope this help.
mauri 
Nothing is impossible,if someone else will do for you.

mooncaine

Thanks, folks. You gave me a few things to try. Mauri, I am sure that your T60 is an awesome guitar. I played a couple and I really liked each of them.

Mauri60

Quote from: mooncaine on January 03, 2016, 09:17:38 PM
Thanks, folks. You gave me a few things to try. Mauri, I am sure that your T60 is an awesome guitar. I played a couple and I really liked each of them.
Nothing at all  ;) about my guitar i totally agree w you.
many, many years ago i saw she in a local little store, near Modena at a  very reasonable price, and i buy immediately. no doubts.
i don't have long fingers and neck is very thin ( similar to telecaster ) for me is perfect.
previous owner ( i knew him very well ) told me of some tonal problems, guitar seem to have poor timbral.
He don't know PU specs and put all pots at maximum :) this practically cut half each humbuckers, so someone modify circuits ( wrongly !!! ) and guitar sound like a dumb!
in a couple of minutes, my trusted luthier restore original circuitry and i enjoy my gem until today.
recently i add a single coil central for strengthen splitted humbucker sound.
she has also a switch for reverse polarity. a wide choices of timbral.
only one big problem... heavy weight! this is a great problem for me, my spine pain get worst after a concert, or in practice sessions. so i buy a double shoulder strap to divide charge over each one, but often, during rigs or simply at home or in practice with band, i suffer a lot... 30 years of volley and other sports (amateur level ) have many contraindications sadly...
OK... stop O.T. :) let me know if you have some good result! happy tests!
Nothing is impossible,if someone else will do for you.

Elantric

the Peavey T-60 was ahead of its time (much prefer it to a EB/MM GameChanger)

Quoteprevious owner ( i knew him very well ) told me of some tonal problems, guitar seem to have poor timbral.
He don't know PU specs and put all pots at maximum :) this practically cut half each humbuckers, so someone modify circuits ( wrongly !!! ) and guitar sound like a dumb!


the stock Peavey T-60  Humbucking PU's  will have maximum output when the Tone pots are on "7"

this Peavey T-40 control sheet covers the same controls as T-60
   

Mauri60

Right! in fact i restore original circuits and i enjoy my instrument any time from buying day in 1987 for rest of my life i think..
sorry 4 my friend, but good for me. :) 
Elantric, totally agree again, this was a genially intuition from creators, here ther are some resources about T60 http://www.t60mafia.com/ only bad thing sitename... mafia... i'm sad every time when someone use this word... especially when involved off topic from treated argument...
ok stop OT from me promise.
back in topic, one word about scarlett preamps. a good pair of... really satisfied of them.
low noise, good frequency response also.
I recently record some shots for a quick demo, my voice and an acoustic guitar with a rode NT-1 ( good aussie mike ) totally dry direct to reaper without vst effects and corrections, my room is untreated.
i was impressed by results. my bad for buy 2i2 instead of a 2i4 but never say never :)
bye! Mauri
Nothing is impossible,if someone else will do for you.