"Problem detected with audio clock. Check audio clock and sample rate." Focusrite 2i4

[Terry Wetzel]

I recently purchased and installed the Focusrite 2i4 I/O. for a while it worked great, no problems. Now I'm starting to get popup indications that all is not well! "Problem detected with audio clock. Check audio clock and sample rate". I have rechecked that I installed the Software and drivers as per instructions supplied by Focusrite and that is ok. I consulted Focusrite's on line problem data base with no results! I have not changed the sample rate in Pro Tools and I don't know how to check this for the 2i4 to see if they match. Isn't the Pro Tools clock set to internal? I don't have a clue as to how to check the 2i4's clock to see if they match. Can anyone help on this? By the way. This doesn't seem to affect anything because clicking to close the popup clears it and I can resume recording but I've experienced so many previous problems with other I/O's I'm afraid that the worst is yet to come!

[crizdee]

Originally Posted by Terry Wetzel

I recently purchased and installed the Focusrite 2i4 I/O. for a while it worked great, no problems. Now I'm starting to get popup indications that all is not well! "Problem detected with audio clock. Check audio clock and sample rate". I have rechecked that I installed the Software and drivers as per instructions supplied by Focusrite and that is ok. I consulted Focusrite's on line problem data base with no results! I have not changed the sample rate in Pro Tools and I don't know how to check this for the 2i4 to see if they match. Isn't the Pro Tools clock set to internal? I don't have a clue as to how to check the 2i4's clock to see if they match. Can anyone help on this? By the way. This doesn't seem to affect anything because clicking to close the popup clears it and I can resume recording but I've experienced so many previous problems with other I/O's I'm afraid that the worst is yet to come!

Hi,

Are you sure the clock is set to internal? setup/hardware you should see a box for setting the clock source.

Have you got didital cables connected both to and from the Focusrite?


Chris

[EGS]

Originally Posted by Terry Wetzel

..."Problem detected with audio clock. Check audio clock and sample rate"... I have not changed the sample rate in Pro Tools and I don't know how to check this for the 2i4 to see if they match. Isn't the Pro Tools clock set to internal? I don't have a clue as to how to check the 2i4's clock to see if they match...

It is possible that Windows is re-setting the clock when you open other apps. From the 2i4's manual:

"Windows: Your OS should automatically switch the computer’s default audio outputs to the Scarlett 2i4. To verify this go to: Start > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Sound > Manage Audio Devices and ensure that ‘Default Playback’ and ‘Recording’ are set to ‘Scarlett 2i4’"

I would suggest you try NOT using the 2i4 as the Windows default device, and ONLY use it for PTools. To hear non-PTools audio, just use the audio out from computer, or better yet if possible use the SPDIF output of the computer.

[EGS]

Originally Posted by crizdee

...Have you got didital cables connected both to and from the Focusrite?...

Does not apply to this box. USB connection only. Also, read this:

http://us.focusrite.com/answerbase/c...k-with-the-2i4

and this:

http://d3se566zfvnmhf.cloudfront.net...user-guide.pdf

[Terry Wetzel]

Thanks crizdee. I'm not using digital cables. Just regular Tip/sleeve, phono cords. That's all that are called for. The set up instructions that came with the 2i4 were very minimal! The 2i4 only has 2 stereo outs. Outputs 1 & 2 and Outputs 3 & 4 and Left & right speaker outs. That is all that are provided for.

[Terry Wetzel]

Thanks egs for your advice. I'll follow your helpful instructions in hopes that they will eliminate the problem.

[DonaldM]

Originally Posted by Terry Wetzel

I recently purchased and installed the Focusrite 2i4 I/O. for a while it worked great, no problems. Now I'm starting to get popup indications that all is not well! "Problem detected with audio clock. Check audio clock and sample rate". I have rechecked that I installed the Software and drivers as per instructions supplied by Focusrite and that is ok. I consulted Focusrite's on line problem data base with no results! I have not changed the sample rate in Pro Tools and I don't know how to check this for the 2i4 to see if they match. Isn't the Pro Tools clock set to internal? I don't have a clue as to how to check the 2i4's clock to see if they match. Can anyone help on this? By the way. This doesn't seem to affect anything because clicking to close the popup clears it and I can resume recording but I've experienced so many previous problems with other I/O's I'm afraid that the worst is yet to come!

It sounds like you're experiencing the same issues I had (have) with my Scarlett 8i6. It all has to do with the Mix Control software. If you have the Mix Control set for, say, 44.1k sample rate, and then you open a new session that is at, say, 48k sample rate, then you will get the pop up alert you mention and PT will not run. You need to close PT, reboot the PC and then bring everything back up. That is the ONLY way to do that.

I've gone round and round with Focusrite about this, and even though several others who are using both Focusrite and PT are having the same issue, there doesn't seem to be a solution on offer. Logically you would expect that all you need to do is open the MC program, change the sample rate to match whatever the session is and off you go. But that will not work with PT. I have no idea why that is the case.

You said you haven't changed the sample rate in PT, but you may have opened a session that was in fact at a different sample rate than then the MC program was set for. I've run into this a lot.

And even if I know ahead of time that the next session I want to work on is a different sample rate than currently set, just changing the sample rate on the MC program ahead of opening PT won't do it. You still have to open the session in PT, close it all out, reboot, and then bring it all back up. Its a PITA for sure! The fact is the MC software does NOT interface well with PT...at least as far as making changes to sample rates and clock sources are concerned. I'm told that other DAWs don't have this issue. I don't really know.

The trade off is that the sound of the Focusrite is so good. I've kinda gotten used to it now, so don't think about it much. But, I'm hoping that a new upgrade to the MC program will make it so that it interfaces correctly with PT and you don't have to go through all this.

Disappointingly, the CS person at Focusrite doesn't think the issue is with their software...and AVID sure doesn't think its PT. So there you are!

[John_Toolbox]

Hi Terry,

Have you contacted Focusrite support yet? They do seem to post on this forum quite a bit, and will probably jump in on this thread, but just to make sure you get their help, I would suggest you try and contact them directly if you haven't already.

[Katherine_Focusrite]

Terry-

We appreciate your frustration and are very happy to assist you.

The 2i4 does not use our MixControl software or have a Control Panel to select it's Sample Rate. It is controlled by the program using it at that time.

Let's say you have a Pro Tools session open at 48k.

You also have Windows setup to use the 2i4. In Windows Sound Properties for the device it is set to 44.1k.

While running your session suddenly an action in the background of Windows, such as an alert sound, tries to play. Windows tries to play out of the currently selected audio device at the currently selected Sample Rate, 2i4, 44.1k.

The 2i4 does as asked by the software, it switches it's Sample Rate to 44.1k.

Pro Tools notices that this has happened and that the device it has selected it no longer at the session Sample Rate. It asks to close and reopen.

You can solve this by setting Windows Properties for the device to the same Sample Rate as your session.

It is also good to disable your "Sound Scheme" for Windows, which causes small background sounds, such as bleeps, blings, and other minor noises, to request Sample Rate changes.

System sounds can interrupt audio. Ensure that they are disabled by doing the following:
- Go to control panel and select "Sound"
- Go to the sounds tab
- Under sounds scheme, select "No sounds"
- Click "Apply" then, "OK"

Please let me know how I can assist you further. You can also call us at 310-322-5500.

Best regards.

[Terry Wetzel]

Thanks for your very clear explanation. You should be an instructor. I'll print your solution to the clock issue and apply it today. Again, thank you