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  #1  
Old 02-07-2021, 12:09 PM
Songster Songster is offline
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Default I/O with Scarlett 18i20 & 8ch ADAT mic pre

I recently upgraded my hardware to a Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 3rd gen. I have an 8channel mic pre hooked up thru the opt in. I am having problems getting signal to show up. I believe it has to do with the Focusrite Control and the I/O settings.

I am using Windows 10. I can get output to the monitors, and inputs into the analog ins, but not the digital ins from the mic pre. This set up worked fine with the old 003 I was using and was told it would be pretty much the same with the 18i20. Any help is appreciated.
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Old 02-07-2021, 02:03 PM
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albee1952 albee1952 is offline
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Default Re: I/O with Scarlett 18i20 & 8ch ADAT mic pre

When adding a digital source like this, clocking will make or break the function. There are several ways to clock this setup, so here are some:
#1-with only lightpipe from ADAT pre OUT to Scarlett IN, Set the Scarlett(Pro Tools) to use ADAT(Optical) as the clock source. If the Scarlett has a light on the front to show external clock, make sure its lit solid.

#2-feed a BNC cable from Scarlett Wordclock OUT to the ADATpre Wordclock IN and set the ADAT pre to use external clock(and make sure that light shows a good lock)

There are other options, but these are the easiest and #2 would be my first choice. TO use #1, you probably would need to set that in the Focusrite software(a good reason to use #2)
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Old 02-07-2021, 03:11 PM
Darryl Ramm Darryl Ramm is online now
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Default Re: I/O with Scarlett 18i20 & 8ch ADAT mic pre

^^ I always suggest trying #1 first It excludes a faulty BNC clock cable etc.

Not sure what sample rate you are working at, but with a shiny new interface make sure that if you are running at > 48 kHz and expect to see all eight ADAT channels that you are using SMUX with two TOSLINK cables connected from the preamp. The Scarlet supports that, not sure what preamp you are using.

If you can't get other things to work try a single cable at <= 48kHz and swap that with other cables, even if a a cable seems to work elsewhere.

Different TOSLINK cables, sometimes rarely just don't sit all the way in properly. And there was another thread recently with a faulty cable recently causing problem with a new Carbon interface. It happens. My favorite TOSLINK debugging issue was finding an optical cable end-cap jammed inside the sockets of supposedly faulty devices. I wish manufactures would never put those things on cables.
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Old 02-07-2021, 06:24 PM
Songster Songster is offline
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Default Re: I/O with Scarlett 18i20 & 8ch ADAT mic pre

I've tried different combinations ... the two units are locking. The 8 channel pre is a Behringer which worked fine in the same situation with my Digi003 console before I upgraded to the 18i20 and 2020.12. The weird thing is that the Focusrite control is showing the sound is getting to the 18i20 on the ADAT channel, but when I pull up the I/O in PT, there is only 20 analog inputs, and no ADAT inputs. The S/PIF out is working as is the analog mics, so there has to be something in the routing in PT I believe. I'm usually pretty good at troubleshooting but this has me stumped.
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Old 02-07-2021, 07:18 PM
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JCBigler JCBigler is offline
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Default Re: I/O with Scarlett 18i20 & 8ch ADAT mic pre

The Scarlett 18i20 series only has 18 inputs, that's the 18 in the name.

By default, the first 8 are the analog mic/line inputs. The second two are probably the S/PDIF inputs, and 11 through 18 are the optical inputs.

In Protools, they may just show up at inputs 11 through 18.

The routing in the Focusrite control will determine exactly where they show up. When I had my Scarlett 18i20 (which was a first gen unit) I rerouted the inputs so that the optical inputs wee 8 through 16, and the S/PDIF were 17 and 18. There should be a routing menu in the Focusrite Control software that allows you to specify which inputs are going where.

Protools won't usually show the ADAT inputs. It will likely just show the input number or line inputs from the Scarlett, since it doesn't know which inputs are what types, like it does with your Digi 003.

Also, I prefer to clock through Wordclock with the appropriate word clock cable. I've had instances of clicking and popping and dropped samples by clocking through ADAT.
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Last edited by JCBigler; 02-07-2021 at 07:30 PM.
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Old 02-07-2021, 08:25 PM
Songster Songster is offline
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Default Re: I/O with Scarlett 18i20 & 8ch ADAT mic pre

My mistake ... 18 inputs is right ... 20 outs. That said I didn't have a BNC cable here so I ordered a few and I'll try that when I get them. I'm also going to try different opt cables too, although if the sound is showing up in the Focusrite Control software, which it is, and the sync lock is on both machines, which it is, I find it hard to understand why it's not getting into PT. The outputs are working ... the no latency monitoring is working (I can hear the mics plugged into the ADAT in the headphones) ... PT is getting the signal and I can route the outputs ok - so inputs are getting to the 18i20 & outputs are playing from PT thru the 18i20 so that seems like the word clock and the opt cables are ok?? I don't know. I'm thinking I'm missing a setting somewhere. The Focusrite Control is new and a little confusing to me. I thought maybe it was something I was doing wrong in there ... thanks for the help - I'll take any suggestions I can get at this point.
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Old 02-07-2021, 10:26 PM
Songster Songster is offline
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Default Re: I/O with Scarlett 18i20 & 8ch ADAT mic pre

Ok ... went back and reset everything in Focusrite Control, and went thru all the inputs, outputs, and busses after studying the flowchart for the 18i20 and the Foc Control, and whala!! Got it all working - thanks for the suggestions. They helped me focus. Now the only thing I have to figure out is why a few of my channels will not let me choose an input other than the S/PDIF l/r?? When I click the input tab on the channel, under interface that is the only option. I've got lots of channels on this session but that only happens on a few. Wierd ... I know ...
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Old 02-07-2021, 11:09 PM
Songster Songster is offline
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Default Re: I/O with Scarlett 18i20 & 8ch ADAT mic pre

Ok ... figured that out too ... It was a stereo channel I imported and converted from Reason along time ago, so once I split it into mono, there they were ... that's what happens when you upgrade everything at once after not spending any time in the studio for months ... the mind is a terrible thing to waste ...
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Old 02-08-2021, 08:56 AM
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albee1952 albee1952 is offline
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Default Re: I/O with Scarlett 18i20 & 8ch ADAT mic pre

Quote:
Originally Posted by Songster View Post
Ok ... figured that out too ... It was a stereo channel I imported and converted from Reason along time ago, so once I split it into mono, there they were ... that's what happens when you upgrade everything at once after not spending any time in the studio for months ... the mind is a terrible thing to waste ...
In my case, a mind is a terrible thing................ Now would be a good time to open your IO setup and start naming things to fit your needs(as opposed the the generic default names)
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Old 02-12-2021, 09:25 PM
Songster Songster is offline
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Default Re: I/O with Scarlett 18i20 & 8ch ADAT mic pre

I agree ... I had that done using the 003. Working on getting that done. Long process.
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