Audacity: 2.0.5
OS: Windows 7
Computer: ASUS H87-Plus motherboard with Realtek ALC887 8-channel high definition audio codec.
I have been having trouble recording to playback using Audacity and my recently acquired Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB microphone interface.
When I select “Line Out (Scarlett 2i2 USB)” as the Output Device in Audacity I cannot record a new track to playback. I get the following error message:
“Error while opening sound device. Pleased check the input device settings and project sample rate.”
The project rate in Audacity is set to 44100Hz and the imported music track is an MP3 file at 44100Hz.
I tried restarting Audacity, restarting the computer and reinstalling Audacity; none of these helped.
I cannot find anywhere to change settings on the Scarlett 2i2. I tried to update the driver but I apparently have the latest driver. I tried to uninstall the Scarlett 2i2 and that cause the computer to crash; twice.
If I select “Speakers (Realtek High Definition)” as the Output Device I can record to playback, but I have to plug my headphones into the headphone jack on the computer rather than on the Scarlett 2i2. Not a horrible workaround, but I’d like to know if the problem I am experiencing with Audacity and the Scarlett 2i2 is common and if there is a solution.
I am also a little annoyed that I can’t uninstall the Scarlett 2i2 without crashing my computer! Should I have gotten a different microphone interface?
I think this one comes down to Audacity always assuming a device will do 32-bit floating binary format. Some won’t. I’ve never actually had this happen, so it’s a mystery.
I don’t know that we ever had a poster complain about the sound quality of a 2i2, so once you get it working, it should make you happy.
I think it’s this one that’s not a mixer. Once you plug something into Channel 1 over on the left, it’s going to appear as Left in your stereo show and I don’t think you can stop it.
Reinstalling Audacity does not reset its settings unless you enable “Reset Preferences” halfway through the installer.
Have you disconnected the 2i2 before you uninstalled its drivers? I think you should disconnect 2i2 before installation or uninstallation of drivers.
Have you tried right-click over the speaker icon by the system clock, then choose “Recording Devices”? Right-click over the Scarlett then choose “Properties”. Then click the “Advanced” tab and enable both “Exclusive Mode” boxes.
OK then click the “Playback” tab, right-click over Scarlett, choose “Properties”, click “Advanced” and enable both “Exclusive Mode” boxes. OK and OK.
Restart Audacity. Choose “Windows DirectSound” host in Device Toolbar . Set the output box to Scarlett and Audacity project rate to one of 44100, 48000, 88200 or 96000 Hz. According to the 2i2 manual, those are its supported rates.
I uninstalled the Scarlett 2i2 driver using the driver uninstall application in C:/Program Files/Focusrite/USB 2.0 Audio Driver then downloaded and reinstalled the driver again. That seems to have solved the problem.
I guess the computer was not happy trying to unistall the driver from the device properties dialogue box accessed through Control Panel/Hardware and Sound.