Matt: I had the same problem with a Scarlett 2i4 back in 2015. The sound was distorted and I had to unplug from the USB port each time to clear the problem.

After working with their tech support they told me the problem was with the Fast Boot option being on in Windows 8. This still holds true with Windows 10.

The fix is to go to the power settings and turn off Fast Boot. Once I did that, the problem disappeared for good. Had some other friends who had the same problem and the fix worked for them also.

"This issue has to do with "Fast Boot" in newer versions of Windows. Fast Boot means that when the computer shuts down it doesn't actually do a full and complete shut down, but a Hibernate state, similar to a deeper Sleep Mode. This keeps certain drivers turned on in the hibernate state, like our sound drivers, and then may not reload them properly. Unplugging the unit will cause the driver to unload and reload fresh. Turning off Fast Boot should fix this issue".

BIAB2025
Windows 10 Pro
WA6NCB
No Longer on a Crappy Laptop!