Running a bass guitar amp and PC into an audio interface

[Discharge]

Unless I set the buffer very high, I would get pops, clicks, and dropouts. That caused too much latency for tracking guitar and bass with plugins while monitoring. I treid everything and could not make it work. Then I switched to Focusrite and then MOTU and had no problems with low buffer sizes and low latency.

It's interesting you say that because that's pretty much what my friend who owns his a pro recording studio said, he recommended Focusrite with a headphone amp, so I was thinking:

[Bass Guitar]
│
└── 1/4" TS instrument cable
│
▼
[Laney DBF200H front INPUT]

[Laney DBF200H rear FX SEND / LINE OUT]
│
└── 1/4" TS cable
│
▼
[Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen Input 1 or 2]
Set input to LINE

[PC]
│
└── USB-C to USB-A cable
│
▼
[Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen USB port]

[Scarlett 2i2 Outputs 1 and 2]
│
└── Dual 6.35 mm TRS to 4.4 mm Pentaconn balanced cable
│
▼
[iFi ZEN CAN 4.4 mm balanced input]

[DT 770 Pro 250 ohm]
│
└── 6.35 mm headphone plug
│
▼
[iFi ZEN CAN headphone output]

 

[goat76]

When I used a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4, I found the instrument input to be on the hot side. At least that model has a “pad”, which preventing the signal from clipping. I have had better results using my external DI box, a Rupert Neve RNDI, but that one is quite expensive.

The Audient may have a better headroom than the Focusrite. Maybe you should look this up before you go buy anything.

 

[Multicore]

It's interesting you say that because that's pretty much what my friend who owns his a pro recording studio said, he recommended Focusrite with a headphone amp, so I was thinking:

[Bass Guitar]
│
└── 1/4" TS instrument cable
│
▼
[Laney DBF200H front INPUT]

[Laney DBF200H rear FX SEND / LINE OUT]
│
└── 1/4" TS cable
│
▼
[Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen Input 1 or 2]
Set input to LINE

[PC]
│
└── USB-C to USB-A cable
│
▼
[Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen USB port]

[Scarlett 2i2 Outputs 1 and 2]
│
└── Dual 6.35 mm TRS to 4.4 mm Pentaconn balanced cable
│
▼
[iFi ZEN CAN 4.4 mm balanced input]

[DT 770 Pro 250 ohm]
│
└── 6.35 mm headphone plug
│
▼
[iFi ZEN CAN headphone output]

I think you should do this but with Audient you've already got instead of the Focusrite you don't. If it works then you're in business and can stop worrying about equipment and get on with the music. If it doesn't work then you can tell us exactly what's wrong.

 

[Discharge]

Okay im getting quite frustrated, I have it all setup with the balanced 4.4mm cable but it's clipping like crazy.

I've tried balancing the PC/2i2 Output/Ifi Gain & volume but the end result is something which is actually quieter than the headphone amp on the 2i2.

Am I overlooking something stupid here?

(This is just listening to music on YT)

EDIT: I dont have the Audient, it was what I was originally going to buy

EDIT2: It's not clipping when I listen to Twitch or play a game?

 

[Discharge]

The problem seems to be with the BAL headphone out, I dont have any clipping issues with the bigger/regular jack?



Google AI just came back with this as a note: The DT 770 Pro 250-ohm is inherently an "unbalanced" headphone (it has a single entry cable). To use it on a balanced output, you must be using an aftermarket, modified balanced cable.

Is that a thing??

"So if you use a plain adapter to plug the stock DT 770 Pro into a true balanced headphone output (such as many 4-pin XLR or 4.4 mm outputs), the likely problem is wiring mismatch: the shared return on the headphone can effectively short the negative legs together. On some amps that means protection kicks in, the sound cuts out, or you get distortion/clicking; on others it can stress the output stage."

 

[LTig]

AI is correct, you cannot use a balanced headphone output with a non balanced headphone. Usually it's s not possible since the connectors are different. Using an adapter is a bad idea.

 

[Discharge]

Was there any benefit to the dual 6.35 mm TRS to 4.4 mm Pentaconn balanced cable?

I can still return the Beyerdynamics 770 Pros and get a balanced set, Sennheiser HD 490 Pro looks good

 

[staticV3]

Was there any benefit to the dual 6.35 mm TRS to 4.4 mm Pentaconn balanced cable?

2x 6.35mm TRS outputs are Line out ports, which are designed to drive active circuitry downstream, like Amplifiers or Studio monitors which have high impedance (10+ kΩ) buffered inputs.

Plugging your headphones directly into these ports is not recommended.

 

[Multicore]

2x 6.35mm TRS outputs are Line out ports, which are designed to drive active circuitry downstream, like Amplifiers or Studio monitors which have high impedance (10+ kΩ) buffered inputs.

Plugging your headphones directly into these ports is not recommended.

Like @staticV3 says.

Plug headphones in here using unbalanced stereo 1/4" TRS connector

 

[Ropeburn]

Hi Static!

Thanks for confirming, it was very confusing and I wasnt sure if I was missunderstanding something!

It was confusing because the AI understood even less than you do.

The lesson: it's less than useless for this sort of thing.

Either you know enough to ask just the right questions, and to determine whether the answer makes sense and is correct - then you don't need it.

Or you don't know, then you can neither ask specifically nor determine what it tells you is correct. Then it's useless and only confuses you further.

You did the right thing and asked humans.