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Audio Playback Device - Problem


brandon

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My Windows 10 (64 bit) PC has the inbuilt Realtek sound card and I have a Focusrite Scarlett audio interface (AI).  Its a new PC and I havent really plugged the AI in much at all. 

Drivers are installed for the Realtek and the AI although I have been doing much of my editing using the Realtek. Tonight I plugged the AI in to do some audio recording and although CbB recognised the AI i still had to manually change the driver type to Asio. After this I could record and playback with ease.

Anyhow - for reasons which are personal to me after I finished recording I unhooked the AI so that I could listen through the Realtek as  I watched Youtube tutorials and other web stuff.  I closed down the PC and when I opened it I went in to CbB to listen to some stuff. I knew I would have to change the driver back to Wasapi (I have done this in the past) but for some reasons my projects opened with the message that I have copied below. I have checked the playback and recording settings and the drivers and they are all as they should be. (see below). And I wondered if anyone can spot anything I may have missed or advise me what i can do to sort this out?

My apologies for the pics as they take up so much room but they do paint a 1000 words. Thank you

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Hi Brandon, I'm not sure why you would prefer to listen through the Realtek i/o rather than the Scarlett. I would imagine the Scarlett would have better fidelity especially if you are watching music related videos. In any case you should be using the ASIO driver for CbB, and you don't have to disconnect the USB cable if you want to listen through the Realtek. Go to Windows Settings - System - Sounds - you can set the audio device here, this is what windows will use when you are surfing. If you want to use the Realtek choose that. However I would guess that 99.99% of the people here don't do that.  IMO the preferred way is to set the best audio interface, in your case the Scarlett, as the audio device in Windows Settings. Then you can listen to quality audio on headphones or monitors (not sure what you have) and if by some chance you still want to listen through the Realtek just don't turn the Scarlett on and Windows will use the Realtek instead. Plug your interface in, launch CbB, choose the ASIO driver, select Scarlett for your audio devices and you should be good to go. Also, if you haven't already, download and install the latest drivers for the Scarlett.  Good luck!

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On 7/16/2020 at 2:25 AM, tonemangler said:

Hi Brandon, I'm not sure why you would prefer to listen through the Realtek i/o rather than the Scarlett. I would imagine the Scarlett would have better fidelity especially if you are watching music related videos. In any case you should be using the ASIO driver for CbB, and you don't have to disconnect the USB cable if you want to listen through the Realtek. Go to Windows Settings - System - Sounds - you can set the audio device here, this is what windows will use when you are surfing. If you want to use the Realtek choose that. However I would guess that 99.99% of the people here don't do that.  IMO the preferred way is to set the best audio interface, in your case the Scarlett, as the audio device in Windows Settings. Then you can listen to quality audio on headphones or monitors (not sure what you have) and if by some chance you still want to listen through the Realtek just don't turn the Scarlett on and Windows will use the Realtek instead. Plug your interface in, launch CbB, choose the ASIO driver, select Scarlett for your audio devices and you should be good to go. Also, if you haven't already, download and install the latest drivers for the Scarlett.  Good luck!

Thanks for the tip on the settings-system-sounds I will give it a go.  I found the Asio driver doesnt work with the Realtek. The projects just hang and wont open.

The main reason I prefer the in-built audio when using the PC casually is that the Scarlett 2i4 does not have an on/off switch and I hate leaving things turned on just for the sake of it and this means my powered speakers would also need to be turned on all the time. I only use these  things when recording/mixing so dont see the need for them to be available all the time.  And I also like to hear the music I create through PC speakers (which in my case they are Dell and sound pretty damn good) or headphones as this is what 99% of anyone listening to it will be using so I get an idea of what they are hearing. 

Thanks

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2 hours ago, brandon said:

The Focusrite works fine I downloaded the drivers before using it. 

But your not using the Focusrite drivers if your using WASAPI and not ASIO ?

The drivers that came with the scarlett 212 are ASIO and very reliable. The "No hardware detected" is a tell tale sign of your interface not being detected (either not plugged in or power off). 

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1 hour ago, chuckebaby said:

But your not using the Focusrite drivers if your using WASAPI and not ASIO ?

The drivers that came with the scarlett 212 are ASIO and very reliable. The "No hardware detected" is a tell tale sign of your interface not being detected (either not plugged in or power off). 

Hi - there may be some confusion  - I use the Asio drivers for the Focusrite and it works fine.  When  I use the Realtec it relies on the Wasapi driver but for some reason nothing is being detected since I unplugged the Focusrite, changed the driver (to wasapi) and attempted to listen to audio through the Realtec.  

 

I have since changed the driver from wasapi exclusive to wasapi shared and the Realtec now works but it is likely to be higher latency then when in the 'exclusive' mode (which it has been in previously for some time).

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2 hours ago, brandon said:

Thanks for the tip on the settings-system-sounds I will give it a go.  I found the Asio driver doesnt work with the Realtek. The projects just hang and wont open.

The main reason I prefer the in-built audio when using the PC casually is that the Scarlett 2i4 does not have an on/off switch and I hate leaving things turned on just for the sake of it and this means my powered speakers would also need to be turned on all the time. I only use these  things when recording/mixing so dont see the need for them to be available all the time.  And I also like to hear the music I create through PC speakers (which in my case they are Dell and sound pretty damn good) or headphones as this is what 99% of anyone listening to it will be using so I get an idea of what they are hearing. 

Thanks

If your Interface doesn't have an on/off switch simply connect it to a small power bar and use that to turn it on and off. I have my interface( Clarett 4Pre), my monitors and monitor controller plugged into the same power bar so when I'm working on music I can turn them all on at once. If you want to use your computer speakers while surfing don't turn on the power bar. However, if you want to check your mixes within your CbB project using your computer speakers or perhaps mix through them then that's something I have never tried. I imagine in Preferences you would choose the Realtek with the WASAPI drivers, and when you want to go back to the Scarlett switch back to the ASIO drivers. Personally I check my mixes on computer speakers by bouncing the project and playing it through the Windows Player. Alternatively you can connect a grot box to your Scarlett or monitor controller, if you have one, and check your mixes without having to leave your CbB project. Anyways good luck, I hope you find a way that works for you.

Cheers

Paul

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8 minutes ago, brandon said:

Hi - there may be some confusion  - I use the Asio drivers for the Focusrite and it works fine.  When  I use the Realtec it relies on the Wasapi driver but for some reason nothing is being detected since I unplugged the Focusrite, changed the driver (to wasapi) and attempted to listen to audio through the Realtec.  

 

I have since changed the driver from wasapi exclusive to wasapi shared and the Realtec now works but it is likely to be higher latency then when in the 'exclusive' mode (which it has been in previously for some time).

You wrote this as I was writing mine so much of what I said you already know ?

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2 hours ago, tonemangler said:

If your Interface doesn't have an on/off switch simply connect it to a small power bar and use that to turn it on and off. I have my interface( Clarett 4Pre), my monitors and monitor controller plugged into the same power bar so when I'm working on music I can turn them all on at once. If you want to use your computer speakers while surfing don't turn on the power bar. However, if you want to check your mixes within your CbB project using your computer speakers or perhaps mix through them then that's something I have never tried. I imagine in Preferences you would choose the Realtek with the WASAPI drivers, and when you want to go back to the Scarlett switch back to the ASIO drivers. Personally I check my mixes on computer speakers by bouncing the project and playing it through the Windows Player. Alternatively you can connect a grot box to your Scarlett or monitor controller, if you have one, and check your mixes without having to leave your CbB project. Anyways good luck, I hope you find a way that works for you.

Cheers

Paul

Cheers Paul - the Focusrite 2i4 works on USB power hence the reason i cant turn it on or off. Its not the best design in the world and i do wish it did have an on/off switch but it is effective and suits my needs.

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59 minutes ago, brandon said:

the Focusrite 2i4 works on USB power hence the reason i cant turn it on or off. Its not the best design in the world and i do wish it did have an on/off switch but it is effective and suits my needs.

I've gone through this scenario myself. My Focusrite does plug in so i use a switching system built in to a power surge outlet. This lets me power up the focusrite, Speakers, Mackie control and Mackie monitor selection device (Big knob).

With USB i used have a switch. It was a USB cord that allowed one USB input.

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