Focusrite Scarlett troubleshooting: output stops?

[Snags]

Has anyone here had an issue with their Scarlett where out of nowhere it either corrupts the audio output to the monitors/speakers, or just goes silent?

My 18i8 is now around 18 months old, and has started doing this a few weeks ago. And it's very annoying.

Environment is Windows 10 Pro, 22H2. Reaper for a DAW but it does it with all audio - YouTube, system sounds, audio playback via dedicated players etc. No warning, no pattern, it just either suddenly goes all bzzzzzzzzzzt, or more often simply stops sending signal to the speakers. When it FUBARs it also affects the headphone outs.

I've checked firmware and Focusrite Control versions, run diagnostics on the laptop, had the i/f connected both direct to the laptop and via the dock it's normally on, and everything checks out, but the Scarlett does the same trick in all configurations.

Sometimes switching audio output to the internal speakers and then switching back cures it (temporarily). More often, though, it's power cycle the i/f.

Dropped a note on them this morning, but figured the hive mind might come up with something a bit more quickly, as Google-fu has thrown up similar issues across many years, but no solution; or at least, not one that has worked for me.

 

[DrewJD82]

You know what’s funny? This just started happening to my 10+ year old Scarlett Solo last week. It just drops output considerably and I have to unplug the USB and plug it back in.

If I remember right, this is a syncing issue between the computer and the interface. I used to have the same thing happen on my Macbook with different devices when I’d overload my computer’s memory via the DAW. I’d try playing something back, it might work for a minute but then it’d start the Matrix sounds before cutting output entirely.

 

[Snags]

What's super annoying is I thought about the syncing issue, but because it's USB, the Scarlett is using its own internal clock. I'm also getting it when the computer isn't stressed in any way at all.

 

[DrewJD82]

What's super annoying is I thought about the syncing issue, but because it's USB, the Scarlett is using its own internal clock. I'm also getting it when the computer isn't stressed in any way at all.

I’m assuming my Scarlett is just starting to shit the bed, but with your unit being much newer that doesn’t seem as likely. Obvious question is obvious, all your drivers up to date?

 

[Sleezy E]

I had issues from windows auto updates occasionally where I would have to reinstall the focusrite drivers when thing got wonky

 

[Snags]

To the best of my knowledge I'm up to date. I blagged the latest Focusrite Control, and I've also been through an uninstall/reinstall cycle, which has had no impact. What I'm not totally sure about is whether the uninstaller is comprehensive, or whether I need to chain through a bunch of tedious manual processes and/or find an additional "No I mean it, really do uninstall everything" tool. Although so far I haven't located one.

 

[PLX]

I have a 2nd gen 2i2, and there seems to be an issue with the physical USB connection on the back of the unit.

If I move it at all it will make a loud audible "pop" thru the monitors and lose connection with my PC.

 

[Deadpan]

My guess something is hogging resources.

For me there was an entry in Windows Task Manager. You can open and view what is running when it happens. Was tricky to identify nut once I did all is well.

 

[Snags]

My guess something is hogging resources.

For me there was an entry in Windows Task Manager. You can open and view what is running when it happens. Was tricky to identify nut once I did all is well.

I don't think there's anything like that going on here, as it can happen under very minimal load, as well as in busier times. Certainly nothing has changed in my usage patterns, although obviously all manner of things could have changed under the hood via assorted updates and system processes. Although if something is hogging resources Task Manager won't launch until that process stops blocking, and I CBA to have Task Manager or Performance Monitor running all day taking up real estate. I'd generally expecting a resource hog to just have everything queue and come back again once it released resources (unless it's a runaway driver issues with the Focusrite, so it doesn't release until you kill it). But ... stranger things ...

Guess it's time to start logging date & time of when it happens, and trawl through Event Viewer looking for correlations. Feel my joy.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I had this issue with mine and it turned out to be a driver conflict with an audio driver that windows 10 installed during an update. Because I never used the on board audio once I got rid of that driver it was fine.

 

[Snags]

@SillyOctpuss <strokes beard>Interesting, interesting.

I've just had a very comprehensive response from Focusrite, some of which betrayed the classic "Yeah, we haven't read what you wrote, here's our stock response" syndrome, but a lot of which contained little nuggets I hadn't thought of or looked at. I'm currently working my way through that lot one thing at a time (ish), but if/when that doesn't work it will be no hardship to disable the internal soundcard and vape the drivers, they're a piece of piddle to put back if I ever need them (which I do when away from the studio cum office cum shit heap).

 

[laxu]

Focusrite has their server service (I believe their control panel uses a client-server pattern) working all the time afaik so you could check if that crashes and takes the audio device with it.

My Focusrite 6i6 2nd gen has been solid for many years now.

Swapping the USB cable for another one and trying it in a different port would be the first thing I'd do.

 

[Snags]

Service isn't crashing, and restarting it doesn't make any odds. Ports swapped and makes no odds. I'm currently running through a massive list of stuff that Focusrite sent through in response to a support ticket, although to date it's not cured. Cable swap is next on the list.

 

[Wolfarelli]

@Snags I'm having the same issues with my Scarlett 4i4 3rd gen (random bzzzzt and then no sound, and also temporal solution by changing audio output to internal and back) and was wondering if you solved your issue. Please, is it possible you could share the troubleshooting list Focusrite sent you?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Snags]

Not solved yet, but slightly reduced. I'm away at the moment but will try to summarise the extensive list when I get back.

 

[Snags]

@Wolfarelli There's been quite a lot of back and forth with Focusrite on this, so apologies if I miss anything they've suggested.

As mentioned above, I'm still doing diagnostics and testing and in conversation with them, around the chaos of life (so it's not progressing hugely quickly right now). My problem is reduced but far from absent, and appears to definitely be some kind of driver conflict. The issue is tracking down which one.

I'm working bottom-up through the email trail, so these should come through in the order they came to me. Hope it helps someone. It also mirrors some of the advice/suggestions already given in this thread.

• Change buffer size and sample rate (their suggestion later in the conversation was 512 buffer and 48k rate, set in Scarlett Device Settings and obviously matched in the DAW if your DAW overrides things)
• Connect directly to computer, not via dock
• Try different USB ports, ideally not ones that are paired on the motherboard
• Swap the USB cable for a different one, ideally <2m in length
• Complete all of the steps in their FAQ on optimising for audio
• Disable power-saving for USB devices
  • in Windows
    • get into Device Manager
    • expand the USB Controllers section
    • right click each Root Hub
    • Properties > Power Management
    • De-select "alow the computer to turn off this device"
  • in OSX
    • fuctifino
• Set any power plan to "High Performance" or whatever the nuclear meltdown option is
• Change power plan settings (again, Windows-based info):
  • Turn off hard disk: never
  • Sleep: Never
  • USB selective suspend: Disabled
  • Turn off display: Never
  • Processor power management > Minimum state: 100%
  • Processor power management > Maximum state: 100%
• Check for and apply all Windows updates
• Check for an apply any manufacturer/firmware updates (particularly BIOS and firmware/drivers for audio and mobo in general)
• Configure antivirus to exclude on-access scanning of the Focusrite application folder
  
  
• Use Focusrite Control to "Restore factory defaults"
• In Device Manager
  • View > Show Hidden Devices
  • Expand all of the following and delete any ghost devices
    • Sound, video and game controllers
    • Focusrite Audio
    • Universal Serial Bus Controllers
      
• After deleting all ghost devices, completely uninstall all the Focusrite software, reboot, and reinstall the latest versions
  • To uninstall:
    • Disconnect the Scarlett from the PC
    • Device Manager
      • View > Show Hidden devices
      • Expand the same three sections as above
      • Right-click any "Focusrite" items and do a properties > Uninstall
    • Then standard Add/Remove Programmes to uninstall any Focusrite content (should be "Focusrite Audio Drivers" and "Focusrite Control"
    • Reboot
      
      
    • I wasn't told to, but after that I checked %programfiles% and it still had a Focusrite folder, so I murdered it, then I murdered \ProgramData\Focusrite, then did the reinstall. In retrospect I should probably have used CCleaner to purge the registry too, just in case
      

As this reduced but didn't cure it, we then went proper second/third line support (although with the same contact) and into things that you probably need to do interactively with them:

• Installed Latency Mon
• Run Latency Mon for at least 15 minutes, and also leave it running until it has definitely been active during a Focusrite failure issue
• I took it upon myself to implement some of the recommendations from Latency Mon early on
• Eventually we got to the point where the regular cause was issues with Wdf01000.sys hogging resources. Unfortunately this is basically a wrapper for a shed load of other processes, and I haven't had time to continue digging owing to "personal circumstances"

I'll continue to feedback here with any progress.

I have to say although they haven't actually solved the problem, after an initial delay in responding Focusrite have been very on the ball. It would just be nice if it worked :)

My long-term solution will probably be to build a dedicated audio machine and get all this stuff off my work machine, but that's a time and money problem.

 

[Wolfarelli]

@Snags Thank you for sharing this information, it's gonna be very helpful for many users. I'll start working on them and post here any relevant discoveries.

Thank you again.

 

[laxu]

Eventually we got to the point where the regular cause was issues with Wdf01000.sys hogging resources. Unfortunately this is basically a wrapper for a shed load of other processes, and I haven't had time to continue digging owing to "personal circumstances"

Sounds like your issue is some bad driver causing problems. I had some very weird issues on my desktop machine where just having the integrated Intel GPU on my system enabled caused latency to skyrocket. On a laptop disabling this is of course not feasible.

I'd start with installing the most recent drivers for everything. Note that Windows might suggest optional updates for drivers in the Windows Update -> Advanced -> Optional updates menu. Try installing anything from there.

 

[Snags]

Sounds like your issue is some bad driver causing problems. I had some very weird issues on my desktop machine where just having the integrated Intel GPU on my system enabled caused latency to skyrocket. On a laptop disabling this is of course not feasible.

I'd start with installing the most recent drivers for everything. Note that Windows might suggest optional updates for drivers in the Windows Update -> Advanced -> Optional updates menu. Try installing anything from there.

Installing the optional updates isn't always wise, as they can clash with manufacturer-supplied ones that are more recent, and then it all gets a bit interesting and tricksy. That said all my kit is up to date (and was before I started the process: the day job is IT support/consultancy, so whilst I'm not infallible, I've normally gone around the idiot loop a couple of times myself before screaming for help).

As it happens, my laptop had a dedicated GPU so doesn't need the on-chip stuff ...

All that said, it clearly is a driver issue somewhere, and something is conflicting/locking processes/being a little bitch. The trick is hunting down which one. It's improved somewhat since installing the Intel Driver & Support Assistant which had some additional updates for Bluetooth and WiFi adapters (neither in use, but present in the system).

Currently playing the waiting game to see if it glitches out on me again. If it does the next step from Focusrite is to install some beta drivers.