Hello. Here with very beginner question I believe. Recently I got second hand cd player, panasonic sl something. It’s from 90’s. Sound quality very pleasing but I also have a Scarlet focusrite laying around and thought to connect two of them, because why not? Anyway I used my cd player’s line output to connect with my audio interface with it’s inst port. But sound is very washed out now for some reason. Is there anyone who can experienced this before. I also have headphone amp. Which one would give me a better listening experience? Thanks!
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AnalogSteph
Major Contributor
If you have only used one input on the Scarlett, that's your answer right there. Hint: Stereo output to mono input doesn't work terribly well. What kind of Scarlett is this, a Solo?
- Thread Starter
- #3
It’s solo 2i2 gen 2 there is only one output and it says “inst” in order to get sound I press direct monitor button. Very unfamiliar with the product. But sound was very bad
audio_tony
Addicted to Fun and Learning
I have the same interface. Don't use the "Inst" mode it does increase distortion.
Use the "Line" mode instead. Additionally, the headphone amp in the 2i2 gen 2 is not very good anyway.
EDIT: If the sound is 'tinny' and lacking bass (and if you are hearing an echo in the sound) you may also have messed up the phase of your connections.
Ideally you should use an adaptor to convert the input to unbalanced which will also common the ground which is what the CD player headphone output will expect.
- Thread Starter
- #5
Thanks for fast reply. Yeah I read some of those comments about 2i2’s amp but My headphones aren’t need much power to drive (samsons sr850) so here to try enhance sound whatever I have.
Also don’t know how to activate line mode actually
audio_tony
Addicted to Fun and Learning
You just switch it to "Line" mode on the front panel? Also; go back and read my other reply - I added some more notes to it.
You should also be using both inputs on the front panel (Left and Right) you will need an adaptor for best results.
You need two of these which will convert the blanced connection to single RCA.
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- Thread Starter
- #7
Yeah but my focusrite doesn’t have those. But I managed to switch via focusrite control app. Your edit is the exact problem I am expe right now actually. Must be something about my connector. I will replace it tomorrow and will try again. Lastly, do you believe connecting scarlet to cd player will make a difference? Or it’s pointless?
AnalogSteph
Major Contributor
So is it a Solo or a 2i2 now?
The Scarlett Solo 2nd gen only has one microphone input (XLR) and one instrument or line level input. You would need to use both and make up for the likely difference in level with the gain knobs. When running a stereo signal into the line in, all you would be hearing is the (L-R) signal, which does sound very washed-out.
Also note that live monitoring on this model mixes together both inputs and center-pans them, so you would never get a stereo signal like that. You would have to use a recording application that supports software playthrough if you want to get a live stereo signal out. Probably not worth it by that point.
Pretty pointless.
Now if you had a headphone amplifier floating around, that I could potentially see being useful. '90s Discmen tend to be neither the loudest nor the most hiss-free devices.
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audio_tony
Addicted to Fun and Learning
So apparently you have the Solo gen 2 and not the 2i2 gen 2 - now we have that cleared up...
You can't use the adaptor I suggested - and I think that the microphone input will be too sensitive for use for connection to your CD player.
The Solo only has the single line input which is not suited to your intended purpose.
Edited to add - it looks as though your CD player would easily overload the Mic input. I really don't think this is suited to your intended use.
You can't use the adaptor I suggested - and I think that the microphone input will be too sensitive for use for connection to your CD player.
The Solo only has the single line input which is not suited to your intended purpose.
Edited to add - it looks as though your CD player would easily overload the Mic input. I really don't think this is suited to your intended use.
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- Thread Starter
- #10
But strangely enough -with another cable- the method you have suggested is working right now. I connected line output from discman to Inst port (in graph you have send it shows electronic guitar symbol)
It working but sound is very dry and unpleasant to my ears. Weird.
audio_tony
Addicted to Fun and Learning
I guess you are converting the signal to mono, or possibly getting some phase cancellation (or the connection is out of phase) which would result in a 'weird' sound.
Once again, I edited my previous post probably while you were writing your reply.
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- Thread Starter
- #12
Yeah I think that’s the case. However I believe my ears fond/used of the characteristics of the discman so i find it better without headphone amp/interface.
But once again I will try with better cable tomorrow for science purposes
Thank you very much for your interesting and reply’s!
Robin L
Master Contributor
Sounds like you need to avoid using the Focusrite interface. Is the CD player being connected to the input of a stereo amp of some sort? A direct connection would work better. If you have a headphone amp, that will work better. My headphone amp has a variable line out (Topping L30), I'm using that with my AVR into a pair of Tower speakers (Infinity Primus 250). That works just fine. I've got sources that output the stereo signal via a 1/8" jack, have those DAPs connected to my AVR with an adaptor that has 1 stereo 1/8" plug on one end, 2 RCA plugs on the other end of a meter's worth of skinny cable. In any case, taking the stereo output of the CD player and inserting it into any mono input can have an out of phase output or only a single channel being sent to the Focusrite. Like I said, skip the Focusrite altogether if possible, it's not intended for this purpose.
BTW - doesn't sound like "better" cable will address the issue. Sounds like you're experiencing phase cancellation and/or signal overload. Cable is cable and doesn't affect the sound unless it's defective.
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