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Post by Ethan Winer on Aug 3, 2019 19:31:44 GMT
I have a Focusrite Scarlett 8i6 and it's been fabulous for six or seven years. I use it every day as my main computer sound card as well as for recording and mixing. I've never heard of anyone having a problem with a Scarlett! So I'm sure you'll be safe buying that brand.
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sylva
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Post by sylva on Aug 5, 2019 13:33:19 GMT
Thank you, Ethan.
My real problem is that I am exclusively mixing with orchestral sample libraries, so initial recording does not depend on me. Everything is fine till violin groups come into play. I have 3 libraries and all sound brittle beginning with the second octave. I filter out offending harmonics (Sonitus EQ), but then tone color changes if I want those harmonics gone. For ex. Vienna high strings sound gargled and East West thin and thready. I don't seem to be able to get past this issue, no matter what I do. Surely, I layer libraries, etc., but the results end up either like muted violins or muddled (though cut below about 140Hz), and I separate everything in the stereo field. I wander if harshness, brittle sound would come from equipment imperfection. I mix on headphones, such as the Beyer 880, Sennheiser 580 and 600. This is because I live in a very small 1 bedroom apartment. Too, my pecuniary resources are limited so I only have cheap monitors, such as the JBL305s and a Celestion subwoofer (very good though because every note can be distinguished). I don't want you to think that I am looking for systematic hand holding. I am an old hand at mixing and my musical hearing is exceptionally good (perfect active pitch).
Thank you for your input, John.
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Post by Ethan Winer on Aug 5, 2019 16:19:48 GMT
If you buy any of the Scarlett sound cards, I promise they will not add harshness. Any harshness you hear is in the samples or caused by something else.
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sylva
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Post by sylva on Aug 5, 2019 17:50:59 GMT
Thank you very much. John.
The 8i6 is way beyond my budget. Have you ever used the 6i6?
Thanks, J.
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Post by Hexspa on Aug 6, 2019 3:53:28 GMT
According to Focusrite, they're intended to sound the same throughout the range despite minor technical differences. Scarlett sounds Scarlett, Clarett sounds Clarett. I'll qualify that by saying that you may or not be able to hear a difference between those two ranges.
You're probably aware but there is currently a second generation of Scarletts - has been for some time. Just making sure so you don't pick up one of the old ones.
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sylva
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Post by sylva on Aug 6, 2019 12:19:46 GMT
Thanks again, John.
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sylva
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Post by sylva on Aug 7, 2019 21:19:07 GMT
Sorry to persist, but something else came to fore, headphone output impedance. My cans have 250-300 Ohms. But the Scarletts seem to have only 62. Many people are not thrilled by this, since you have to optimally have ~480 Ohms (more exactly 416) output impedance to drive the cans efficiently. A somewhat less optimal match would still supply enough voltage to the cans, but it may produce distortion and/or noise. However, since I am exclusively mixing on cans this mismatch, that is 250-300/62, is too low a ratio to have optimal voltage levels for the cans. Any opinion? Thanks again.
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Post by Ethan Winer on Aug 7, 2019 21:28:07 GMT
No, you misunderstand. The ideal output impedance of any audio device is zero ohms. A match to the headphones is not needed or desirable. My Scarlett 8i6 manual doesn't list output impedance. Where did you find 62 ohms?
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sylva
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Post by sylva on Aug 8, 2019 13:20:31 GMT
Day before yesterday, I was on the computer doing research for 6 hours. The 62 Ohms I might have seen somewhere but it's a mistake. And I know, sure, the ideal would be 0 Ohms. A friend of mine loaned me the X-Can V3 which has a very low output Z and drives all of my cans brilliantly. I have 2 years of electrical engineering, but never practiced and am rusty to say the least. When I said "ideal" I might've rather thought about the ratio between device output Z to headphone Z, which they say it would be 1/8 (that is, cans should have at least 8 times their Z higher than that of the device they're connected to.) I don't know whether this is true, but from experiencing the X-Can, the ratio is very high and the cans sound incredibly clean. The brittle sound appears to be coming from the sample libraries. Too, it's a very grueling task to mix a large orchestra from samples in a small stereo space and make instruments distinct. Somethings always have to give. However, at least, I don't want to have to deal with equipment generated sound quality problems, and that is why I am inquiring about it before I make the investment.
Thanks for your input. Best, J.
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Post by Ethan Winer on Aug 8, 2019 17:14:03 GMT
I promise you the quality of a modern sound card will never be the limiting factor of your productions.
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sylva
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Post by sylva on Aug 8, 2019 17:37:26 GMT
Thank you, Ethan, much obliged, best, John.
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Post by Hexspa on Aug 9, 2019 1:10:30 GMT
I promise you the quality of a modern sound card will never be the limiting factor of your productions. Oh, how I've wished to blame the gear.
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Post by Ethan Winer on Aug 9, 2019 15:03:31 GMT
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sylva
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Post by sylva on Aug 12, 2019 22:56:12 GMT
Hi again! In reference to Scarlett's headphone amps' output impedance, I found this article: support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/207546205-What-is-impedance-and-how-does-it-affect-the-volume-of-my-headphones-It states that all of the Scarletts have an output impedance of 12 Ohms. This is plenty low, but they also mention that the max headphone impedance should be 250 Ohms. So, if I use a Sennheiser HD600, its sound would be weaker than, say, that of the HD580 or the Beyer HD880. Probably not by much, though. Btw, what's your opinion of Audient's iD14? I am looking for maximum headphone output quality for the money I can spend. Thanks, john.
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Post by Ethan Winer on Aug 13, 2019 18:23:24 GMT
I have no experience with any Audient products.
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