INTERFACE PROBLEM.

[rayc]

I hope Focusrite gets back to you. I heard their customer service is garbo.

They responded with some questions and a request I download the BETA driver as well as do the W10 optimizations...I'd done the latter and di the former and it changed nothing. I sent them the results and THEN they went into the OUT OF WARRANTY bit as expected.
I've countered with Australian Consumer protection laws that make it clear a warranty is just a promise from a manufacturer/retailer and that an item should be in good working order for its life.
I suspect the response will be VERY slow and a bunch of deflections.
in the mean time I'll set up my XP computer and ancient/wonderful/better than 2i2 but won't run on W7+ Scarlett 8i6 for tracking and just MIX in the W10 box.

[rayc]

I've thrown in the towel on Focusrite. I've ordered an SSL2. I watch tad's vid and didn't mind the MOTU but it's quite expensive downunder and the fancy screenn just strikes cycnical me as something else to died prematurely.
I did look at the SSL2+ but I don't need the extra headphone out or the extra monitor outs.
That said the 4K button's a bit of a "so what?" for me at this point - based on vids of course.
Hopefully it'll arrive early next week and I can get back to noise without extraneous noise.

[Greg_L]

I've thrown in the towel on Focusrite. I've ordered an SSL2. I watch tad's vid and didn't mind the MOTU but it's quite expensive downunder and the fancy screenn just strikes cycnical me as something else to died prematurely.
I did look at the SSL2+ but I don't need the extra headphone out or the extra monitor outs.
That said the 4K button's a bit of a "so what?" for me at this point - based on vids of course.
Hopefully it'll arrive early next week and I can get back to noise without extraneous noise.

Man that's too bad. Very weird problem you're having.

[rayc]

I've thrown in the towel on Focusrite. I've ordered an SSL2. I watch tad's vid and didn't mind the MOTU but it's quite expensive downunder and the fancy screenn just strikes cycnical me as something else to died prematurely.
I did look at the SSL2+ but I don't need the extra headphone out or the extra monitor outs.
That said the 4K button's a bit of a "so what?" for me at this point - based on vids of course.
Hopefully it'll arrive early next week and I can get back to noise without extraneous noise.

Man that's too bad. Very weird problem you're having.

Yeah, bit of a bummer. I'll find some way to use the 2i2 as it's a problem on the way in not out. Perhaps I can set it up with a laptop and stuff as a digital stereo.
Thanks.

[CrowsofFritz]

The 4K button is bullshit. Someone took apart the whole interface and found it to be a tiny op amp and resistor bridge to introduce some distortion.

[JD01]

Thats weird, Ray. I've always found Focusrite stuff pretty good. I did have a weird problem with Tascam a while back that I just couldn't get to the bottom of. It seems that these things just happen sometimes.

[rayc]

The 4K button is bullshit. Someone took apart the whole interface and found it to be a tiny op amp and resistor bridge to introduce some distortion.

I wouldn't expect much more...it's supposed to be some air and warmth as per an SSL channel strip...that equates to some resistor EQ and Opamp distortion. What else was expected?

[rayc]

Thats weird, Ray. I've always found Focusrite stuff pretty good. I did have a weird problem with Tascam a while back that I just couldn't get to the bottom of. It seems that these things just happen sometimes.

Previously my only issue with the company was that my lovely 8i6 could not run on W7 and beyond. It's still in excellent working order. According to a tech I spoke to the 2i2 1st gen is a reasonably easy fix, (though the fee starts at AUS200 so he recommended replacing it at the almost the same cost), but the Gen 3 is another story...more stuff to go wrong I suppose.
Poo happens, I agree.

[CeeBee]

I've just dumped my 8i6 as it would take about 15 minutes to recognise the usb and then had a load of noise on the inputs although there was nothing connected. I still think it is the driver, I had issues with it before. The first version worked fine but they kept upgrading it and I lost the original so I couldn't revert to the original version, and now I'm on windows 10, so it wouldn't work anyway. I opted for the Behringer UMC204HD which has all I need. I looked at the SSL but I need an interface with all the inputs and controls on the front, so that was out. Then I got pissed off looking at all the options available and thought for €79 wtf. It does what I want so I'm happy.

[CrowsofFritz]

The 4K button is bullshit. Someone took apart the whole interface and found it to be a tiny op amp and resistor bridge to introduce some distortion.

I wouldn't expect much more...it's supposed to be some air and warmth as per an SSL channel strip...that equates to some resistor EQ and Opamp distortion. What else was expected?

I don’t think it’s a gimmick in that it’s a “trick,” as it certainly does something to the sound. I just think what it does, and what you can do to the sound after recording it cleanly, makes for an odd choice to add an emulation button on the interface. The 4000 console was intended to be as transparent as possible. Of course that doesn’t mean it was, but the channel strips don’t have the same thing.

The circuitry on those channels had many op amps and resistor values designed to be least noisy, and then this button is doing precisely the opposite. I just don’t get who would want that.

[Armistice]

Sounds like it just went on the fritz... it happens sometimes. Very annoying.

As I googled your new interface to see what it was, I now have interfaces popping up everywhere in online advertising! I wonder how long that will last?

But of a flaw in the advertising model - just because someone googles something doesn't mean they want to buy it. They could be advertising stuff I'm actually interested in, but, for now anyway, I'll be hammered with interface ads from StoreDJ in Sydney.

Good luck with the newbie ray.

[CrowsofFritz]

I should apologize. I don’t mean to shit on your new interface. It’s still an SSL and very nicely made. Hope you get good use out of it!

[rayc]

I wouldn't expect much more...it's supposed to be some air and warmth as per an SSL channel strip...that equates to some resistor EQ and Opamp distortion. What else was expected?

I don’t think it’s a gimmick in that it’s a “trick,” as it certainly does something to the sound. I just think what it does, and what you can do to the sound after recording it cleanly, makes for an odd choice to add an emulation button on the interface. The 4000 console was intended to be as transparent as possible. Of course that doesn’t mean it was, but the channel strips don’t have the same thing.

The circuitry on those channels had many op amps and resistor values designed to be least noisy, and then this button is doing precisely the opposite. I just don’t get who would want that.

Yes and yes.
PLUS it's just another thing to go wrong.

[rayc]

I should apologize. I don’t mean to shit on your new interface. It’s still an SSL and very nicely made. Hope you get good use out of it!

As mentioned, the 4K is, in my estimation, the downside of the unit. The rest seems to be pretty good...not as much gain as a MOTU but I don't expect to need THAT much.
Bells n whistles for the sales edge.
The Focusrite 2i2 was almost perfect for me in its simplicity and reasonable quality.
C'est la guerre, c'est la guerre.

[rayc]

Sounds like it just went on the fritz... it happens sometimes. Very annoying.

As I googled your new interface to see what it was, I now have interfaces popping up everywhere in online advertising! I wonder how long that will last?

But of a flaw in the advertising model - just because someone googles something doesn't mean they want to buy it. They could be advertising stuff I'm actually interested in, but, for now anyway, I'll be hammered with interface ads from StoreDJ in Sydney.

Good luck with the newbie ray.

Store DJ...yes, I had a huge number of hits from them...I also looked into their prices...EXPENSIVE. I went with Manny's who had their price at about $20 above the rest of the pack BUT that was including "free" postage whereas the others required passage through checkout to get a final price that was a little more than Manny's.
Yep, it wasn't dirty power, or the USB cable, or the power cable, or the ground loop, or the balanced versus unbalanced cable or my hand on it... just on the way out. Bummer.

[Tadpui]

Man, I'm sorry to hear that the Focusrite was giving you fits Ray! That said, I think that the SSL will do a great job. I was even thinking after you started this thread that I should send you my 2+, but once I looked at shipping, it would exceed the cost of the unit itself!

I wouldn't call the 4K button "bullshit", but it's definitely something that could be accomplished with an EQ plugin and a saturation plugin. I really liked what it did for a bass direct in, and an SM57 on vocals. It's a one trick pony of a button, but give it a try on a few things and you might find some sources that it helps out.

I thought that it was a solid interface. The "plugs on the back, controls on top" was a first for me, and I actually kind of liked it. I hope it works out for you!

[rayc]

I've just dumped my 8i6 as it would take about 15 minutes to recognise the usb and then had a load of noise on the inputs although there was nothing connected. I still think it is the driver, I had issues with it before. The first version worked fine but they kept upgrading it and I lost the original so I couldn't revert to the original version, and now I'm on windows 10, so it wouldn't work anyway. I opted for the Behringer UMC204HD which has all I need. I looked at the SSL but I need an interface with all the inputs and controls on the front, so that was out. Then I got pissed off looking at all the options available and thought for €79 wtf. It does what I want so I'm happy.

Chris,
that's what things were like with my older 8i6 - loved it but it redundant.
With the 2i2 I even tried the Beta drivers but it ade no diff...it does strike me as a sus driver as well as there's almost no reason for the unit to be "broken". I looked at that Behri but all I need is two in max...that's a double mic'd amp or stereo from an FXunit.
I don't mind rear connections as I have ample desk space.

[rayc]

Man, I'm sorry to hear that the Focusrite was giving you fits Ray! That said, I think that the SSL will do a great job. I was even thinking after you started this thread that I should send you my 2+, but once I looked at shipping, it would exceed the cost of the unit itself!

I wouldn't call the 4K button "bullshit", but it's definitely something that could be accomplished with an EQ plugin and a saturation plugin. I really liked what it did for a bass direct in, and an SM57 on vocals. It's a one trick pony of a button, but give it a try on a few things and you might find some sources that it helps out.

I thought that it was a solid interface. The "plugs on the back, controls on top" was a first for me, and I actually kind of liked it. I hope it works out for you!

Thanks for thinking of me Tad. yes, shipping of anything to Oz is silly price wise.
The 4K on bass...cool. I'll remember that.
I haven't used a dynamic on vocals for yonks. I'll try that also. Your assessment that the SSL2's preamp gain max level has factored in the 4K seems a common understanding. That MOTU is quite expensive downunder and, as you eluded to in your vid, not readily available - another reason I opted for the other.

[rayc]

Well, new interface is in & hooked up. Reaper has frozen about seven times since setting this one up and using my Zoom R16 seems to be caused problems by it too.
PLUS, after spending AUS$360 on the SSL2 - the 20kHz peak is still there.
@Tadpui , is it likely something within the computer?

[CrowsofFritz]

Well, new interface is in & hooked up. Reaper has frozen about seven times since setting this one up and using my Zoom R16 seems to be caused problems by it too.
PLUS, after spending AUS$360 on the SSL2 - the 20kHz peak is still there.
@Tadpui , is it likely something within the computer?

I wonder if any computer parts are causing the noise. Do you have a GPU in it?