Trouble getting Focusrite USB 6 to playback

(Not sure why all my words are crammed together like this-- not having much luck with computers tonight) I just received my Focusrite USB 6 in the mail but I haven't made any progress yet. I installed all the drivers and I am now trying to follow the tutorial on setting up my preferences and playing back the demo project. When I try to playback the demo I get a pop up error message: Unable to open audio playback device. Device may not support the current project's format or may be in use. In my preferences I have it set up as: ASIO Playback Devise: Focusrite USB ASIO Driver Output 1 Recording Device: Focusrite USB ASIO Driver Input 1 any ideas?

Which drivers did you install?
Do you have ASIO4All installed on your computer?
If you have ASIO4All, delete, remove, obliterate it from the computer. Then go to the Focusrite web site and download the latest drivers for your operating system. The ones that came with the disk (if any) may already be outdated.
If you didn't have ASIO4All, still go to the Focusrite web site and get the latest drivers.
If you already went to the Focusrite site and got the latest drivers, then, uh... well... let me think about it awhile.

carriage returns don't work in this forum if you're using Firefox after version 5.

if you've got sound coming out of only the left headphone...

do you have speakers connected to the main outs?  if so, does sound come from both of them or only left?

what are you trying to play?  an mp3 you imported or have you recorded something and you're only hearing it in the left channel?  if you've recorded somehting you're trying to play back and only hear it in the left channel then you've probably recorded a MONO source on a STEREO track.  all MONO sources should be selected as MONO inputs in the project NOT the stereo input.

if you've not tried to import an MP3 into a new project and see if you can hear both channels that way, then I suggest you try that.

Well, I downloaded the Focusrite user guide so I can stop complaining about that now.

Thanks, I will try that. 
 
Question:  In addition to downloading the most recent drivers, I am going to try some XP tuning tips I found on the focusrite website.  http://www.focusrite.com/answerbase/en/article.php?id=264 
 
There is a Firewire hotfix mentioned.  Is this something I can disregard since I think I'm not using a firewire?

Thanks for all the info on this topic! I was just looking for info on this a few days ago & voila - an article appears! I'll check out the focusrite site and take some of the same steps & we'll see what happens (glad there's a user guide)! I wasn't able to get any sound from my headphones (plugged into the saffire 6) after trying to follow the MC5 instructions and it was working before, so I don't know what I did...

mcgannahan - for sure! I can tell you one thing about this forum because I've posted a question here every now & then: if you're using MC5 (or other versions of MC), there is some great advice from some folks who know what they're talking about. I came here with a problem a while ago which led to my Saffire 6 USB purchase and it's a good thing I did because the dorks at SamAsh would have had me on a wild goose chase!

On the track you're recording the guitar, click the In and select Left, or Right (whichever input the guitar is plugged into) but not stereo.
 

Hmm. I wish I knew more about the headphone outs from my Saffire. I monitor from my external mixer. I don't think I've ever even plugged headphones into the interface, but I know (with the Saffire) you can send custom mixes to either of the 2 HP outs.

Guitarhacker


I never monitor from the saffire/focusrite. 

I monitor always from the outputs to the monitor speakers either by listening to the monitors for midi and playback or if I'm tracking something with a mic, my outputs also power a stereo amp with headphones connected..... but all of those signals come from the outputs on the saffire.

I'm only using the headphones when I record a track.  For playback I listen to the monitors.  
 
Question:  How does one EQ an acoustic guitar for recording when playing into a condenser mic? My sound is way too bottomy and muddy. 

Question: How does one EQ an acoustic guitar for recording when playing into a condenser mic? My sound is way too bottomy and muddy.

 
If the USB 6 is anything like my Saffire, it came with an effects suite, including EQ and some standard presets for acoustic or electric guitar, voacls, bass and more. These are hardware effects in the box with the Saffire.
Some folks will say to record the tracks dry then adjust the EQ and add other effects afterward since what's recorded can't be changed, but I think it works pretty well. They are also adjustable and you can save a favorite preset of your own.
MC 6 comes with EQ, maybe Sonitus which is pretty good and adjustable, so you can add that to your tracks and makes changes until it sounds good to you.

mcgannahan


(Not sure why all my words are crammed together like this-- not having much luck with computers tonight) I just received my Focusrite USB 6 in the mail but I haven't made any progress yet. I installed all the drivers and I am now trying to follow the tutorial on setting up my preferences and playing back the demo project. When I try to playback the demo I get a pop up error message: Unable to open audio playback device. Device may not support the current project's format or may be in use. In my preferences I have it set up as: ASIO Playback Devise: Focusrite USB ASIO Driver Output 1 Recording Device: Focusrite USB ASIO Driver Input 1 any ideas?

Ok, my issue seems to be a little different. I'm using the Focusrite Saffire 6 merely as a soundcard for midi as I run my keyboard straight into my computer. In Options/Audio/General, I have the Driver Mode set to ASIO, and Playback and Recording Device both set to Focusrite USB ASIO Driver Output 1. On the Track view in MC5, I've already recorded a midi track and have "None" checked in the Input drop-down, and "2-Saffire 6USB" in the Output drop-down. CH-1, Bank - , Patch whatever. However, when I arm a 2nd midi track to record, MC5 gives me the same error as above no matter where I set the output to. Is the only solution to this to switch to WDM? Even then, I'm getting nothing through the phones...

Ahhhh...that makes sense! Yep, works now! Cheers