Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 3rd Gen or a good alternative?

[RockMaster]

So I just placed an order for Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 3rd gen and then realized something. Shit. The new gen Line/Inst switches are now software only, right? That means no support for linux, right?

Now I have the good old 2i2 2nd gen, but it's causing hiss in my studio monitors and I've narrowed down the cause to USB bus power. So I need an interface with independent power supply to eliminate the god damn hissing.

Any suggestions? I like the Scarlett line, but the absence of hardware switches on their higher end models is disappointing.

EDIT: So I just dug around a bit and apparently 8i6 can detect if a mic or instrument is plugged in.
Anybody has this model and if so how reliable that detection is?

EDIT2: So according to another source 3rd gen is not yet supported? Only from kernel 5.14? If that's the case then I'm (temporarily) screwed, because the Nvidia driver only supports kernels up to 5.11

[bluebell]

So I just placed an order for Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 3rd gen and then realized something. Shit. The new gen Line/Inst switches are now software only, right? That means no support for linux, right?

Now I have the good old 2i2 2nd gen, but it's causing hiss in my studio monitors and I've narrowed down the cause to USB bus power. So I need an interface with independent power supply to eliminate the god damn hissing.

I have a 2i2 first gen and a 2i4 2nd gen. None of them is hissing.

I guess you have a problem with unbalanced/unsymmetric connections. I experience similar problems with a Solo 2nd gen that's connected to a headphone amp (grounded) that could be partly solved with a ground lift transformer.

But in general: always use balanced/symmetric connections.

[RockMaster]

So I just placed an order for Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 3rd gen and then realized something. Shit. The new gen Line/Inst switches are now software only, right? That means no support for linux, right?

Now I have the good old 2i2 2nd gen, but it's causing hiss in my studio monitors and I've narrowed down the cause to USB bus power. So I need an interface with independent power supply to eliminate the god damn hissing.

I have a 2i2 first gen and a 2i4 2nd gen. None of them is hissing.

I guess you have a problem with unbalanced/unsymmetric connections. I experience similar problems with a Solo 2nd gen that's connected to a headphone amp (grounded) that could be partly solved with a ground lift transformer.

But in general: always use balanced/symmetric connections.

What is "balanced/symmetric connection"?

I plugged the 2i2 into my laptop and there was no hissing (laptop power brick was plugged in too), so this is definitely my PCs motherboard causing this. Also turning master volume all the way down doesn't change anything. This has to be the USB bus power issue that I found many people complain about. So my solution is to buy the first model that has independent power supply and that is the 8i6.

Also if I plug my monitors into PC's onboard audio the hissing is even louder, I think it's even picking up GPU fans or something like that. So much for the top of the line motherboard...

[Michael Willis]

That means no support for linux, right?

There is recent development on a Linux driver for 3rd-gen Focusrite devices. Read more here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=23272

So according to another source 3rd gen is not yet supported? Only from kernel 5.14? If that's the case then I'm (temporarily) screwed, because the Nvidia driver only supports kernels up to 5.11

Yes, the new driver will only be in relatively new kernels.

You might be better off picking the interface that you like, and replacing your video hardware with something more Linux friendly. Either that or wait until the nvidia driver will work with the newer kernel.

[bluebell]

So I just placed an order for Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 3rd gen and then realized something. Shit. The new gen Line/Inst switches are now software only, right? That means no support for linux, right?

Now I have the good old 2i2 2nd gen, but it's causing hiss in my studio monitors and I've narrowed down the cause to USB bus power. So I need an interface with independent power supply to eliminate the god damn hissing.

I have a 2i2 first gen and a 2i4 2nd gen. None of them is hissing.

I guess you have a problem with unbalanced/unsymmetric connections. I experience similar problems with a Solo 2nd gen that's connected to a headphone amp (grounded) that could be partly solved with a ground lift transformer.

But in general: always use balanced/symmetric connections.

What is "balanced/symmetric connection"?

I plugged the 2i2 into my laptop and there was no hissing (laptop power brick was plugged in too), so this is definitely my PCs motherboard causing this. Also turning master volume all the way down doesn't change anything. This has to be the USB bus power issue that I found many people complain about. So my solution is to buy the first model that has independent power supply and that is the 8i6.

Also if I plug my monitors into PC's onboard audio the hissing is even louder, I think it's even picking up GPU fans or something like that. So much for the top of the line motherboard...

Balanced means that the shield of the cable doesn't transport the signal. So you need three cores and three pins (XLR) or Tip/Ring/Sleeve jacks.

Cinch cables are always unbalanced. Avoid them.

If the noise is there even if you just use headphones connected to the Scarlett and have no other stuff connected (active monitors, amp, headphone amp) then a powered USB hub may be the solution.

[Kott]

EDIT2: So according to another source 3rd gen is not yet supported? Only from kernel 5.14? If that's the case then I'm (temporarily) screwed, because the Nvidia driver only supports kernels up to 5.11

both Nvidia 390 and 470 supports up to 5.13

PS, at leasts it supports on my openSUSE TW

[RockMaster]

So I'm a bit more confused now. 3rd gen Scarletts are around for 2 or so years now and I've read people's reports (on this very forum even) using them, apparently all they had to do is set up the device once on Windows. So it is usable even without the kernel 5.14? What exactly does that new kernel add?

[merlyn]

Now I have the good old 2i2 2nd gen, but it's causing hiss in my studio monitors and I've narrowed down the cause to USB bus power.

How did you narrow it down?

I don't see how an independent power supply would make any difference. When you say 'hiss' do you mean white noise? Or is it more of a 'hum'? White noise comes from analogue electronics, so could be a noisy preamp. Hum could be an issue with the earth or ground. An independent power supply could get rid of hum by providing a solid earth connection, but as far as I know most power supplies don't provide a solid earth connection.

The Scarletts have balanced line outs using TRS jacks. If you have balanced inputs e.g. on your monitors you would be advised to try using balanced cables.

[RockMaster]

Now I have the good old 2i2 2nd gen, but it's causing hiss in my studio monitors and I've narrowed down the cause to USB bus power.

How did you narrow it down?

I don't see how an independent power supply would make any difference. When you say 'hiss' do you mean white noise? Or is it more of a 'hum'? White noise comes from analogue electronics, so could be a noisy preamp. Hum could be an issue with the earth or ground. An independent power supply could get rid of hum by providing a solid earth connection, but as far as I know most power supplies don't provide a solid earth connection.

The Scarletts have balanced line outs using TRS jacks. If you have balanced inputs e.g. on your monitors you would be advised to try using balanced cables.

I plugged it into my laptop which runs the same OS and there was no hissing, that's how I narrowed down that it's my PC's motherboard and it's USB bus powering the Scarlett. Rebuilding my PC would be a small nightmare right now, so I've ordered the next model that had independent power supply which is the 8i6.

[merlyn]

That could be a ground loop. Using the laptop on its battery would take ground out of the equation. Even a laptop plugged into its power pack doesn't always have a good path to ground. Macs don't for example.

A ground loop happens when there are two or more paths to ground. In your case one path to ground would be the PC which is plugged into the wall with (I'm assuming) a three pin plug. The third pin is the connection to ground.

The second path to ground would be your monitors if they're also plugged into the wall.

To test this disconnect your interface from your monitors and listen through headphones. Make sure the only path to ground is through the PC i.e. make sure nothing else is connected in the audio path that has a plug on it and is plugged into the wall.

[RockMaster]

That could be a ground loop. Using the laptop on its battery would take ground out of the equation. Even a laptop plugged into its power pack doesn't always have a good path to ground. Macs don't for example.

A ground loop happens when there are two or more paths to ground. In your case one path to ground would be the PC which is plugged into the wall with (I'm assuming) a three pin plug. The third pin is the connection to ground.

The second path to ground would be your monitors if they're also plugged into the wall.

To test this disconnect your interface from your monitors and listen through headphones. Make sure the only path to ground is through the PC i.e. make sure nothing else is connected in the audio path that has a plug on it and is plugged into the wall.

My studio monitors are JBL 308P MKII and my studio headphones are Sennheiser HD 380 Pro. There is no hissing whatsoever on the headphones, just the monitors.

These are the tests I have done without the interface, just monitors alone:

• Plugging monitors into my phone - no hissing
  Plugging monitors into my laptop's onboard audio out (laptop's power brick plugged in) - no hissing
  Plugging monitors into my PC's onboard audio out - hissing is even stronger than from the interface
  Plugging monitors into a DAC that's plugged into my PC's onboard optical audio out - no hissing

If it this ground loop you speak of, I don't know what else I can do to fix it. I read about it, all the advice seems kinda vague. I guess if there's still hissing with the new interface that would confirm that's the ground loop? Or it could also mean the motherboard is screwed up, right?

Also, does the ground loop cause humming or hissing? Because I get no humming at all, just hissing, like the FM radio kind of hissing.

[merlyn]

Yes, the evidence suggests a ground loop.

Plugging monitors into my phone - no hissing

The phone is not grounded, so there is only one path to ground -- through the monitors.

There is no hissing whatsoever on the headphones, just the monitors.

And this tells you it's not the interface or bus power.

Ground loops often result in a hum, but equally they can pick up electromagnetic interference out the air, so it could sound like FM radio static.

I looked up the JBL monitors and they have balanced line inputs. I would try using balanced cables between the Scarlett and the monitors. You could use a cable with TRS (tip, ring, sleeve also called a stereo jack) jacks at both ends like this :

[bluebell]

That could be a ground loop. Using the laptop on its battery would take ground out of the equation. Even a laptop plugged into its power pack doesn't always have a good path to ground. Macs don't for example.

A ground loop happens when there are two or more paths to ground. In your case one path to ground would be the PC which is plugged into the wall with (I'm assuming) a three pin plug. The third pin is the connection to ground.

The second path to ground would be your monitors if they're also plugged into the wall.

To test this disconnect your interface from your monitors and listen through headphones. Make sure the only path to ground is through the PC i.e. make sure nothing else is connected in the audio path that has a plug on it and is plugged into the wall.

My studio monitors are JBL 308P MKII and my studio headphones are Sennheiser HD 380 Pro. There is no hissing whatsoever on the headphones, just the monitors.

These are the tests I have done without the interface, just monitors alone:

• Plugging monitors into my phone - no hissing
  Plugging monitors into my laptop's onboard audio out (laptop's power brick plugged in) - no hissing
  Plugging monitors into my PC's onboard audio out - hissing is even stronger than from the interface
  Plugging monitors into a DAC that's plugged into my PC's onboard optical audio out - no hissing

If it this ground loop you speak of, I don't know what else I can do to fix it. I read about it, all the advice seems kinda vague. I guess if there's still hissing with the new interface that would confirm that's the ground loop? Or it could also mean the motherboard is screwed up, right?

Also, does the ground loop cause humming or hissing? Because I get no humming at all, just hissing, like the FM radio kind of hissing.

A ground loop can cause humming AND hissing, sometimes depending on if you move the mouse.

-> Plugging monitors into my PC's onboard audio out - hissing is even stronger than from the interface

There you are.

Your PC is grounded over the protective ground/earth.
So do the active speakers.
If you connect the speakers with an unbalanced cable you have a ground loop carrying the audio signal -> hum and/or hiss

Code: Select all

PC ---- audio cable's shield ---- Speakers
 |                                    |
 +--Ground----------------------------+

The Loop 

[RockMaster]

That could be a ground loop. Using the laptop on its battery would take ground out of the equation. Even a laptop plugged into its power pack doesn't always have a good path to ground. Macs don't for example.

A ground loop happens when there are two or more paths to ground. In your case one path to ground would be the PC which is plugged into the wall with (I'm assuming) a three pin plug. The third pin is the connection to ground.

The second path to ground would be your monitors if they're also plugged into the wall.

To test this disconnect your interface from your monitors and listen through headphones. Make sure the only path to ground is through the PC i.e. make sure nothing else is connected in the audio path that has a plug on it and is plugged into the wall.

My studio monitors are JBL 308P MKII and my studio headphones are Sennheiser HD 380 Pro. There is no hissing whatsoever on the headphones, just the monitors.

These are the tests I have done without the interface, just monitors alone:

• Plugging monitors into my phone - no hissing
  Plugging monitors into my laptop's onboard audio out (laptop's power brick plugged in) - no hissing
  Plugging monitors into my PC's onboard audio out - hissing is even stronger than from the interface
  Plugging monitors into a DAC that's plugged into my PC's onboard optical audio out - no hissing

If it this ground loop you speak of, I don't know what else I can do to fix it. I read about it, all the advice seems kinda vague. I guess if there's still hissing with the new interface that would confirm that's the ground loop? Or it could also mean the motherboard is screwed up, right?

Also, does the ground loop cause humming or hissing? Because I get no humming at all, just hissing, like the FM radio kind of hissing.

A ground loop can cause humming AND hissing, sometimes depending on if you move the mouse.

-> Plugging monitors into my PC's onboard audio out - hissing is even stronger than from the interface

There you are.

Your PC is grounded over the protective ground/earth.
So do the active speakers.
If you connect the speakers with an unbalanced cable you have a ground loop carrying the audio signal -> hum and/or hiss

Code: Select all

PC ---- audio cable's shield ---- Speakers
 |                                    |
 +--Ground----------------------------+

The Loop 

OK, I'm gonna get the TRS balanced cables tomorrow and see if the hissing is gone.

[bluebell]

Code: Select all

PC ---- audio cable's shield ---- Speakers
 |                                    |
 +--Ground----------------------------+

The Loop 

OK, I'm gonna get the TRS balanced cables tomorrow and see if the hissing is gone.

My crystal ball tells me:
WIth a balanced cable there will still be a ground loop. But the audio signal doesn't use the shield, so you will have no noise.

Please report if it helped.