only hear vocal in one side of Headphones while recording question?

[Pathfinder]

I know this question is asked a lot but I cannot find an answer. I have created mono tracks. I have tried L then R the Stereo inputs (Focusrite 18i20.
I have changed the interweave or whatever . Nothing helps. 

I CAN record and playback my vocals in Stereo? But for the life of me I cannot monitor the vocal while recording in both sides of headphones Beyer 770's, good headphones. Projects play back in BOTH sides so I am totally confused-------------again, he sighs! 

[scook]

check the panning in the Focusrite mix control

[Andres Medina]

I think there are two different things when monitoring signals while recording:

1. The monitoring capabilities of CW

2. The monitoring system in your sound card.

For 1., make sure have input echo=on (see pic), and audio IN and OUT + interleave are correctly assigned.

For 2., read carefully your sound card manual, to configure your hardware buttons and knobs accordingly. Some cards has a Direct Monitoring  switch that sends your signal from your mono input (usually on L or R channel only) directly to your headphones. This signal bypasses your CW audio configuration. Therefore, even if CW is properly configured, you will still hear an additional signal from your sound card on one side of your headphones, usually when recording.

[Pathfinder]

Thanks guys. Issu is I need to learn the interface. Very new to me. With Echo Layla 3G for the last decade++ I never had these issue. Mainly I guess because it was a much simplier AI. It was 8x8 but still very straightforward.

I finally did get audio while recording vocals out of both sides of the headphones. Mainly in the interface I believe.
The 18i20 is very much overkill for me, but I tend to do that in my musical life-buy above my actual needs. ? 

I also beieve I am making a mistake using the mic (Stellar CM5) into the warm audio then into the Scarlett.  I need to remove the warm audio and see what the difference is. The wa12 (orig one) lets you use both the unbalanced (TRS) output and the xlr output at the same time. But, the guess the xlr out of Warm audio 12 to 18i20 xlr input is seeing a different signal than the trs i\o, according to focusrite support.

 

See, I am totally confused and tempoted to put my echo layla 3G back in (pci card with adalpter for PCIe (that's why I removed it.

confusing aren't I.

Thanks again

BTW Andres, I have never had to use echo on the tracks ever. Guess because I use a mixer to monitor while recording.

Outs from 18i20 or echo at the time  go into the mixer for monitoring

[John Vere]

It’s a bad idea to use input echo on  an audio track. You use your audio interface direct monitoring system not Cakewalk. Otherwise you will hear the round trip latency of your system. This will result in a  delay depending on your system set up. For me with my Motu M4 at 256 buffer the delay is 18 ms. If I lower the buffer I get audio issues. 

I think the input echo myth comes from using on board audio were you have no choice. 
 

I know Focusrite came out with a new software mixer but with the original there was a reset to default  settings that I often used when the stupid thing acted up.  I still have no clue how it works and I’m glad I don’t really need to.  
 

[Byron Dickens]

It's because you have a stereo pair selected instead of just one input. You need to select only the input that your microphone is plugged into. It doesn't have anything to do with your preamp.

[Pathfinder]

29 minutes ago, bdickens said:

It's because you have a stereo pair selected instead of just one input. You need to select only the input that your microphone is plugged into. It doesn't have anything to do with your preamp.

OK I'll give that shot. Thanks very much

[Pathfinder]

@bdickensTHANKS - OK now have both sides of the headphones when recording vocals. I honestly believe I had (probably have) severeeal things set wrong TBH,

I would be willing to PAY Focusrite for a phone conversation but I doubt they do that. Also, don't know if they have US based support of that type. Overseas would be a bit costly. 
ANYWAY, thanks to all you folks. So appreciated!

[John Vere]

I missed the bit about the pre amp. Normally you run a mike  pre amp into a line level input. Otherwise you are still using the Focusrite mike pre amp. So it defeats the reason for using a different pre amp. 
And as Mr Dickens pointed out inputs show as 

Left 1 = input 1

Right 1 = input 2 

Stereo 1 = is when you use both and will create a stereo track in cakewalk so you don’t use that unless your inputting a stereo device. 
But your interface line inputs are properly on the back. 

Edited December 4, 2021 by John Vere

[Andres Medina]

2 hours ago, Pathfinder said:

Thanks guys. Issu is I need to learn the interface. Very new to me. With Echo Layla 3G for the last decade++ I never had these issue. Mainly I guess because it was a much simplier AI. It was 8x8 but still very straightforward.

I finally did get audio while recording vocals out of both sides of the headphones. Mainly in the interface I believe.
The 18i20 is very much overkill for me, but I tend to do that in my musical life-buy above my actual needs. ? 

I also beieve I am making a mistake using the mic (Stellar CM5) into the warm audio then into the Scarlett.  I need to remove the warm audio and see what the difference is. The wa12 (orig one) lets you use both the unbalanced (TRS) output and the xlr output at the same time. But, the guess the xlr out of Warm audio 12 to 18i20 xlr input is seeing a different signal than the trs i\o, according to focusrite support.

 

See, I am totally confused and tempoted to put my echo layla 3G back in (pci card with adalpter for PCIe (that's why I removed it.

confusing aren't I.

Thanks again

BTW Andres, I have never had to use echo on the tracks ever. Guess because I use a mixer to monitor while recording.

Outs from 18i20 or echo at the time  go into the mixer for monitoring

So funny, I used the Layla Echo for many years and was forced to replace it for the same reasons you did ...

I guess you can configure your system the best you can to serve your needs, not only from a technical point of view, but also musical, especially when recording, as you really need a nice experience, inspiring, to record music. There is no fixed or absolute way to work with your tools. Some singers really need to hear their voices wet, others dry! May be you love the eq of your mixing desk, etc.

i.e, if your system allows it, input echo on your audio tracks can be very easy and convenient, as long as your driver settings allows  a buffer size of 128 or even 64 samples. I do record all the time this way. I prefer not to have endless rows of external hardware, lots of cables, etc. , and keep things as simple as I can. I worked like that many years, but had trouble, as each step added in the chain is potential trouble. Latency is becoming less and less of a problem  lately.

But, again, what works for you may not work for me. 

In my case my mic goes to the audio interface, allow input echo, and voila, I have control over the input signal all within CW. (reverb, EQ, pan, compressors, you name it).

[Andres Medina]

Regarding the inputs, make sure that you are selecting the corresponding L or R input , or stereo, depending on your needs. see pic.

[Pathfinder]

14 hours ago, John Vere said:

I missed the bit about the pre amp. Normally you run a mike  pre amp into a line level input. Otherwise you are still using the Focusrite mike pre amp. So it defeats the reason for using a different pre amp. 
And as Mr Dickens pointed out inputs show as 

Left 1 = input 1

Right 1 = input 2 

Stereo 1 = is when you use both and will create a stereo track in cakewalk so you don’t use that unless your inputting a stereo device. 
But your interface line inputs are properly on the back. 

I have tech question into Focusrite. I want to use the warm audio WA12 but since it only has "balanced" outputs 1 xlr and 1 balanced trs (which can be used simultaneously btw) I don't see how I can change what the focusrite preamps see. With my guitar, FRactal Audio gear still (since 2009) now FM9. I use analog outs and Focusrite told me that the 18i20 sees that as line level. Haven't gotten an answer about using the WA12 yet.

 

So what are they seeing from the Warm Audio preamp? I s no way to change it in the 18i20 interface.

Edited December 4, 2021 by Pathfinder

[Byron Dickens]

23 minutes ago, Pathfinder said:

I have tech question into Focusrite. I want to use the warm audio WA12 but since it only has "balanced" outputs 1 xlr and 1 balanced trs (which can be used simultaneously btw) I don't see how I can change what the focusrite preamps see. With my guitar, FRactal Audio gear still (since 2009) now FM9. I use analog outs and Focusrite told me that the 18i20 sees that as line level. Haven't gotten an answer about using the WA12 yet.

 

So what are they seeing from the Warm Audio preamp? I s no way to change it in the 18i20 interface.

The interface has combo inputs. Whether line or mic level depends on whether you plug a 1/4" or XLR into it.

All this is covered in Focusrite's documentation.

[Jack Cat]

Go to the Focusrite support page they have excellent tutorials on most of their hardware. 

[Jack Cat]

My 6i6 is different but I think we share the same Mix Control software. 

In my screenshot you see the toggles where you choose line level. Not exactly sure but I think you would use TRS balanced cables but possibly no difference using XLR connections. I'm only thinking that there might be some sort of automatic bypass of the pre amps if you use TRS or TS 1/4" jacks. XLR might always use the Pre amps. That's a question for Focusrite which probably is in the manual or tutorials. 

You would then set the input to Line and then you may still need the Pad engaged if the signal is still too hot. 

[Pathfinder]

36 minutes ago, Jack Cat said:

My 6i6 is different but I think we share the same Mix Control software. 

In my screenshot you see the toggles where you choose line level. Not exactly sure but I think you would use TRS balanced cables but possibly no difference using XLR connections. I'm only thinking that there might be some sort of automatic bypass of the pre amps if you use TRS or TS 1/4" jacks. XLR might always use the Pre amps. That's a question for Focusrite which probably is in the manual or tutorials. 

You would then set the input to Line and then you may still need the Pad engaged if the signal is still too hot. 

I do NOT have that option. Input 1& 2 have it but no others. You can see the monitor setting is set to 1& 2. But changing it to ANYTHING, even all has no bearing- the screenshot is still the same as far as input control. Focusrite said it's not an issue as long as I keep on gain staging. 

Edited December 4, 2021 by Pathfinder

[Pathfinder]

2 hours ago, bdickens said:

The interface has combo inputs. Whether line or mic level depends on whether you plug a 1/4" or XLR into it.

All this is covered in Focusrite's documentation.

The Warm Audio Wa12 has 2 outputs, as mentioned. XLR and TRS-both are balanced. I am using the TRS out of WA12 into 18i20. 
I think things are OK. Vocals sound fine monitored and recorded. except I would like a better mic, but that's another story. I also am using the -20db pad on the warm audio. I have not tried using the pad on the focusrite yet (think it is -10db.) 

So I think I am OK for now. Apreciate all the responses and I am reading and searching to understand why Inputs 1&2 have line\inst option and the otrhers don't? I do NOT have anything connected to 1&2. They also are selected by default as the monitor channels when starting up. I am trying to watch vids and read as much as I can, trust me.

Edited December 4, 2021 by Pathfinder