Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 - noisey outputs ?

[MattHT]

After a recent PC crash and despite Echo's driver spec for Windows 7 saying it would work, sadly, and after almost 10 years, my Gina24 has now been de-commisioned. After much soul searching to determine my true recording needs and very many hours of reading and researching I purchased the new Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 model. I can report that it all works great and sounds very nice but I last night noticed something causing the -40dB led on my mixer to flicker. Turns out its the Scarlett outputs! After much swapping of cables and trying with another mixer it is definitely the scarlett. It does it on the headphone output too and even when everything is disconnected,
even the USB.

I contacted tech support at Focusrite first thing today but have heard nothing back as yet. If I amplify the noise it sounds like the computer CPU interference plus hiss plus what sounds like vinyl crackle !! Shouldn't be doing this surely !

Just wondered if anybody else was having a similar problem or knows of an explanation/cure.

Matt

[charlie chalk]

Yes! I was beginning to think it was just me! I'm having the same problems...but unfortunately have not found a cure as yet

[MattHT]

How high do you set the monitor volume control on the unit ?

I have it flat out. I wonder if there is an amplification stage after the converters and so having it on 10 is making it worse. Usually on digital gear I turn the vol control to max to get the most dynamics as vol controls tend to be just making the converter level quieter - maybe in the case of the Scarlett this equates to more gain than just +4dB ?

I notice they don't publish specs for the outputs - strange ?

[MattHT]

I did some experimentation with this problem last night.

The noise is due to me overcooking the output levels.

I played some music on the pc. Opened the Scarlett MixControl to check the VU meter levels.
I then plugged into a pair of mono mixer channels and set the gain knob to +4dB and the faders at 0dB.
Using the Monitor Volume knob on the scarlett device I then matched the mixers VU meter level to the Scarlett MixControl VU meter level on the PC.
This could be done more accurately with a contsant tone played back in the DAW.
The result in my setup then means a setting of 7 on the scarlett monitor volume.
Set this way any amount of amplification of the scarlett outputs results in a quiet setup !!

This solution may be useful to others - it's just getting familiar with your gear!

Matt

[charlie chalk]

I have just tried this on my setup, and it seems to have worked!

cheers boss!