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What are some typical ASIO settings for a Scarlett interface that other users find the best for BIAB i.e. Always ON or OFF, buffer length and sample rate. I have a new I7 laptop running Win 10. Do any of these settings make a difference.

2) Has anyone tried connecting a keyboard stereo outs to the two 2i2 front inputs? When I do this from my Yamaha CP4 (using TS cables) and monitor through the 2i2 or powered speakers the stereo piano sound is terrible. I know from previous experience that the poor sound is due to the L and R channels being combined to mono. If you keep the channels separate you get the true rich piano sound. Is this just the way the 2i2 is designed or is there a way round the problem.

Regardless of the above, how well does it work to plug a guitar into one of the inputs for a live performance.

I have no plans to do any recording and am using the 2i2 as an external sound card.




Yep... getting a good interface generally solves lots of issues.

1. If the default settings work, leave them alone. Set your software programs up to use ASIO with the 2i2 by default. Only adjust the buffers and latency settings if you need to..... don't try to fix what isn't broke.

2. The front inputs should be different channels. They do not combine to mono. You have 2 mono channels.. one is left, one is right, together, they make stereo. Any mono combining would have to be done in software somewhere. I know the Focusrite interfaces have a software control panel, it might be possible to combine them to mono, but it's generally done in a DAW. However, it's not a default setting. The default is stereo....a unique right and left channel.
If the piano is connected that way and sounds terrible, something else is causing it. First thing I would look at is the level your piano is putting into the inputs. Those inputs have preamps on them and if the piano is putting out a strong signal, the pre's will overload it. I discovered this with my rig when I tried to use a mixer I had in the studio with a mic. Super distorted.... so I plugged the mic straight in and it was crystal.

Experiment.... load a DAW stereo track. Play something with the stereo piano plugged in. Unplug one channel.... does the DAW still record to both stereo channels in the track? If not.... it's not combining to mono anywhere.

Something else to try..... just connect one side of the channel.... just the left. Is it clean? Do you have a mono out? Try that.

The 2i2 doesn't seem to have midi inputs on it.... so... that would explain you using the audio inputs. Does the keyboard have a USB connection on it? If so, use that to connect the keyboard and employ a softsynth. There will be no issues with the sound quality that way. My Focusrite has midi in/out/thru, so I use the midi route 100% of the time. I have never connected my keyboard through the audio inputs.

Plugging in a guitar.... with mono instruments, you will want to plug in to ONE input. AND.... in the DAW, you will want to select THAT MONO INPUT and not the default stereo input. You can use either a software sim or mic, or any sort of guitar processor. Adjust the input level as needed.

The 2i2 is a super recording interface. Using it for playback will give you excellent synced up playback, but you're missing half of what this interface is capable of.

That's my 2 cents for now....hope it helps point you in the right direction.

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