Scarlett 6i6 & Linux/Ardour
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2018 8:01 pm
Hello all,
Former Windows/Cubase user here, looking to make the move to Linux. It's been many years since I've been "active" with music, but I'm finally at the age & stage where kids have moved out, I've downsized, and I've finally got the $$$ and time to pick up my music hobbies again! And I've been using Linux desktop for years (Lubuntu), but just now getting around to setting up a Linux-based rig for home recording.
My former Windows setup included Windows XP (not connected to the internet, but still...YIKES!), Cubase LE, and a Lexicon Omega interface. Worked wonderfully, and I REALLY dig the Omega. Plus, research indicated it is Linux friendly!
So I setup a dedicated desktop with Lubuntu 16.04, added the KXStudio repos and installed KX Studio (can't remember if it was minimal, or full-blown). Mainly interested in most up-to-date Ardour, and whatever tools come with that. Learned how to use Cadence to switch over to the Omega as sound device, and was able to achieve 5.8ms latency with 44100 sample rate, 256 samples, and 2 periods/buffer. Better than it ever was in Windows! Recorded some test tracks and was quite pleased with the latency results!
Unfortunately, the Omega has an annoying electrical hum/crackle that I cannot resolve by swapping out cables or changing electrical outlets. It's IN the device itself. Took it apart, blew out dust (not much), and no change. This device is over 10 years old and I guess it's just failing. And apparently they don't make them anymore. So after a ton of research for Linux-compatible class-compliant USB devices, I'm quite impressed with the Focusrite Scarlett 6i6. Rave reviews for sound and durability, and plug-n-play compatible with Linux....sign me up! Ordered the device and anxiously awaited its arrival.
Once it showed up, still impressed...quite the little tank! Then the problems began...
Not sure if I have a "bad device", or I'm doing something wrong...but I've spent COUNTLESS hours troubleshooting on forums ever since, as other folks indicate theirs worked just fine out-of-the-box. Here's what I've done, to date:
- disconnected working Omega and hooked up Scarlett to USB2 (reports indicate NOT USB3 compatible). lsbusb command indicates Scarlett device as: Bus 002 Device 002: ID 1235:8203 Focusrite-Novation and it shows in Cadence as hw: USB,0 [USB audio]
- chose USB,0 as input and output sources, (same as I did in Omega), leaving all other settings the same
- attempts to "start jack" fail; "switch master" is greyed out; the only action I can take is to "force restart", which appears to succeed, but still can't "start jack"
- Cadence appears to "hang" until I switch back to the onboard sound card
I have since learned that the "internal mapping" of the Scarlett 6i6 may need to be changed to "Direct Routing", which can only be done with Focusrite Control Software, which is only for Windows. Bought a cheap laptop for the SOLE PURPOSE of installing/using Focusrite Control software. Selected "Direct Routing", but no sound from headphones nor monitor. I tinkered with different FC settings and I believe it was "2-channel analogue" that finally provided sounds to both headphone (front) and monitor (rear) jacks. Sound was a drum machine input to the left-most TRS jack on front panel. With everything seeming fine in FC, disconnected the Scarlett from the Windows machine and re-connected to the Lubuntu/KXStudio machine, but with same results as above.
At this time, I KNOW others have successfully configured their Scarlett 6i6 to work in Linux/KXStudio. I also know that I have/had a working configuration with a Lexicon Omega, so I believe my baseline settings and KXStudio is working correctly. I can only conclude that I don't have something configured correctly, or the Scarlett is a faulty device (but since it sounds fine within the FC software, I believe this is unlikely). So I'm now looking squarely at myself...what have I missed?
Anyone have any thoughts as to what I'm doing wrong, or what I've mis-configured? My brain is jello from everything I've googled and tried, so I'm just fried now. If anyone can help me troubleshoot to figure this out, I'd be most appreciative. Thanks in advance for any assistance that can be provided...I just wanna record some music again!
Former Windows/Cubase user here, looking to make the move to Linux. It's been many years since I've been "active" with music, but I'm finally at the age & stage where kids have moved out, I've downsized, and I've finally got the $$$ and time to pick up my music hobbies again! And I've been using Linux desktop for years (Lubuntu), but just now getting around to setting up a Linux-based rig for home recording.
My former Windows setup included Windows XP (not connected to the internet, but still...YIKES!), Cubase LE, and a Lexicon Omega interface. Worked wonderfully, and I REALLY dig the Omega. Plus, research indicated it is Linux friendly!
So I setup a dedicated desktop with Lubuntu 16.04, added the KXStudio repos and installed KX Studio (can't remember if it was minimal, or full-blown). Mainly interested in most up-to-date Ardour, and whatever tools come with that. Learned how to use Cadence to switch over to the Omega as sound device, and was able to achieve 5.8ms latency with 44100 sample rate, 256 samples, and 2 periods/buffer. Better than it ever was in Windows! Recorded some test tracks and was quite pleased with the latency results!
Unfortunately, the Omega has an annoying electrical hum/crackle that I cannot resolve by swapping out cables or changing electrical outlets. It's IN the device itself. Took it apart, blew out dust (not much), and no change. This device is over 10 years old and I guess it's just failing. And apparently they don't make them anymore. So after a ton of research for Linux-compatible class-compliant USB devices, I'm quite impressed with the Focusrite Scarlett 6i6. Rave reviews for sound and durability, and plug-n-play compatible with Linux....sign me up! Ordered the device and anxiously awaited its arrival.
Once it showed up, still impressed...quite the little tank! Then the problems began...
Not sure if I have a "bad device", or I'm doing something wrong...but I've spent COUNTLESS hours troubleshooting on forums ever since, as other folks indicate theirs worked just fine out-of-the-box. Here's what I've done, to date:
- disconnected working Omega and hooked up Scarlett to USB2 (reports indicate NOT USB3 compatible). lsbusb command indicates Scarlett device as: Bus 002 Device 002: ID 1235:8203 Focusrite-Novation and it shows in Cadence as hw: USB,0 [USB audio]
- chose USB,0 as input and output sources, (same as I did in Omega), leaving all other settings the same
- attempts to "start jack" fail; "switch master" is greyed out; the only action I can take is to "force restart", which appears to succeed, but still can't "start jack"
- Cadence appears to "hang" until I switch back to the onboard sound card
I have since learned that the "internal mapping" of the Scarlett 6i6 may need to be changed to "Direct Routing", which can only be done with Focusrite Control Software, which is only for Windows. Bought a cheap laptop for the SOLE PURPOSE of installing/using Focusrite Control software. Selected "Direct Routing", but no sound from headphones nor monitor. I tinkered with different FC settings and I believe it was "2-channel analogue" that finally provided sounds to both headphone (front) and monitor (rear) jacks. Sound was a drum machine input to the left-most TRS jack on front panel. With everything seeming fine in FC, disconnected the Scarlett from the Windows machine and re-connected to the Lubuntu/KXStudio machine, but with same results as above.
At this time, I KNOW others have successfully configured their Scarlett 6i6 to work in Linux/KXStudio. I also know that I have/had a working configuration with a Lexicon Omega, so I believe my baseline settings and KXStudio is working correctly. I can only conclude that I don't have something configured correctly, or the Scarlett is a faulty device (but since it sounds fine within the FC software, I believe this is unlikely). So I'm now looking squarely at myself...what have I missed?
Anyone have any thoughts as to what I'm doing wrong, or what I've mis-configured? My brain is jello from everything I've googled and tried, so I'm just fried now. If anyone can help me troubleshoot to figure this out, I'd be most appreciative. Thanks in advance for any assistance that can be provided...I just wanna record some music again!