Help with audio interface......I think!

Assuming you're playing the instructional video's audio through the Focusrite, it's possible that you simply have your buffers set too low. Open up the MixControl application and check the buffer size under settings (to the left of the big volume knob, IIRC). If it's set low, say 64, start by bumping it up to its maximum value (2048, I think) and see if that clears up the distortion. If it does, you can then gradually lower the buffer size until you find the lowest setting that doesn't have a problem.

Hi Steve, I think that your problem has to do with your driver type.  That is, the Saffire interfaces only work with ASIO driver in Windows.  It might be that your media player are not compatible with ASIO and only work with Windows driver, e.g. MME, WDM and WaveRT (or is that WASPI?).  I suggest you use your PC's internal sound card using media players and your Saffire 26 for your DAW (SONAR).
 
Hit back if you are still having this issue.
 
Kiind regards,
 
Living Room Rocker
 
 

I'm still very confused about routing. With my old setup, all audio from the PC came out of the headphone output of the soundcard into my mixer. If I wanted to play guitar along with an mp3 backing track it was simple.....I heard the backing track in the mixer headphone output along with my guitar coming in on 2 channels (from Boss GT6). No software required, the output from the soundcard and the input from the guitar (via the mixer) into the soundcard
 
If I recorded the backing track into Cakewalk HS9 I could then listen to the recording (and not re-record it by switching it away from the main mixer output) and record the 'lead guitar'  onto another track.
 
With my new setup (Saffire Pro 26 audio interface) can I....
1) Listen to say an mp3 and play guitar WITHOUT latency on the guitar? (The only way I can hear my guitar without latency is by setting my headphone mix to Analogue Inputs 1 and 2 where my guitar comes into the Saffire). I have to use the loopback feature to hear the mp3 but my guitar signal also goes into the DAW.....and I hear the latency of the guitar.
 
2) What will happen if I record the mp3 backing track into SONAR? If I then monitor this through headphones and try to record lead guitar.....will I still get latency problems? From my limited trial I do get problems even if the Input Echo is Off and the guitar track Muted in the DAW.
 
For further info, the Firewire latency in the Saffire Mix software is 'greyed' out at 2ms (I think) and I can't find any way to change it, though I realise its probably at its minimum. The buffer is set at 256. If I change the buffer...up or down, the latency becomes horrendous and unuseable.
 
Sorry if this is confusing...but it is for me too!

Thanks Bob,,,I will persevere!

Thanks for that. I must have changed something in the Saffire Mix software. I reset it to the default settings....and yes I can now hear PC sounds without the loopback.