Question on Windows Sound

Hi, I was testing my setup in case I got a spot at some future OM event. I have mic, guitar, backing track all going into a mixer. I’ve connected the mixer output to a Focusrite Scarlet via audio leads. The Scarlet is plugged into the USB port of my laptop, where I’d eventually be running Zoom from. I can’t seem to “hear” the Scarlet output on my laptop - it’s definitely getting there, if I look at the Sound Settings pane on the laptop, I can see the level monitor wobbling in the “recording” window :

image

However I can’t hear the output on my laptop speakers. “playback” is set to speakers/headphones.

I thought I’d try to sort this out before trying it with Zoom

Any ideas gratefully received
cheers

Phil

There are so many ways to use an audio interface.

If you’re getting the bars move, then input is getting in there. If you want to use windows sounds to hear it, go into the properties of that input (what you’ve highlighted in your screenshot, right click → properties) and select “listen to this device” on the listen tab.

You should then hear it, and also discover that by default the 2i2 puts Channel 1 as left channel and Channel 2 is right, when used as a microphone in Windows audio. At least it will confirm it’s working.

There will be lag. Once you’ve made those settings changes, change them back, as it’s not the “right” way to use an ASIO audio interface.

For the OM, you can use it direct to Zoom (which I haven’t tested yet), or you can use it via your DAW or OBS.

For make each playback and recording device, makes sure the “Exclusive use option” is not checked. Double click on each device listed, then select the Advanced tab. Its possible one of you existing playback devices has this set and “locking” the sound card. Worth a check. :sunglasses:

Thanks JK - “listen” does indeed play the sound.

Thanks Toby - yep, the exclusive flag is checked on most of my devices - I’ll sort this out!

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It should be unchecked, not sure if I made that clear :sunglasses:

Hi Phil, what you’re referring to here is called “monitoring”; by default your input is not piped through to your speakers as it’s a recipe for feedback for most people.

You should be able to use software such as Audacity (free) to record the input and play it back.

If you have DAW software then this should provide a monitoring option, enabling this varies by software though.

@iainism Thanks - makes sense. I was just wanting to do it to test the signal was actually getting to my laptop, which it is.
cheers

Phil

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