Help! Software play through not working to avoid hearing echo in VO 3.3

I have searched high and low for solution to not being able to hear myself without delay ! I had an old version of Audacity that worked fine with regard to not hearing an echo during my voice recording. WHen i changed from USB mic to XLR mic with audio interface Audacity kept crashing so I installed 3.3 and the software play through does not work therefore I continue to hear an echo during my VO recording. When I tested my mic/Scarlett solo on garage band I did not get the echo so I know its Audacity. I am using a 2017 MacBook on Ventura AT2350 mic and Scarlett Solo gen 3 audio interface. Please help! Is there another setting im missing?

Turn OFF Software Playthrough (now called Audible Input Monitoring) and set your Scarlett to “Direct Monitoring”.

And of course, plug your headphones into the interface.

There is always SOME latency (delay) through the computer so IMO, an interface with direct hardware monitoring is the best solution. (Some USB mics also have a headphone jack and direct monitoring.)

Thank you for your response. However, the delay is still occurring. In the version im using 3.3 it’s still called software play through. I did not have any latency issues when I was on an old version and when I was using a USB mic with a headphone jack. It was only when I downloaded a newer version 3.3 that I started having these issues. I do have my headphones plugged into the Scarlett and I do have direct monitoring on and it’s still occurring to the point I cannot record a voice over because it is way too distracting hearing my voice twice. I cannot believe there is not a solution to this when it wasn’t an issue with an earlier version. So frustrating!

I’m a Windows guy so there may be a Mac setting that I don’t know about.

Do you hear the echo when Audacity isn’t running? (Windows has a setting to hear input with no applicaiton running.)

…Playthrough (or Input Monitoring) are the only way I know of to hear the input through Audacity when recording.

No I don’t hear the echo without audacity running. In fact I don’t hear it in garage band either so I know it’s Audacity that is the problem. And according to a YouTube video I found many others are experiencing the same thing. Again, it did not happen with an old version of Audacity I just didn’t want to change softwares and learn a whole new program but it sounds like that’s my only choice at this point.

Thanks for your help.