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AdrianW

Joined: 05/08/08
Posts: 19
Loc: New Jersey, USA

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gain Question new

#980257 - 04/04/12 10:53 PM

I got this bus powered USB interface to use with a laptop for portable recording and it seems to work quite well with Windows 7 and Reaper. Regarding the gain knobs, there is some signal input even with the knobs all the way down. It may not matter but I've never come across this before. Anything to be concerned about? Thanks.

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mick.n

Joined: 01/09/04
Posts: 344

Re: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gain Question new

[Re: AdrianW]
#980351 - 05/04/12 11:15 AM

My Emu 0404USB does that too.

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Hairy Ears
member

Joined: 06/09/03
Posts: 495
Loc: UK

Re: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gain Question [Re: AdrianW]
#980371 - 05/04/12 12:19 PM

Perfectly normal. I've not encountered any gain controls (as opposed to faders) that go down to minus infinity (as a fader would), so some signal will always be coming through.

What the the lowest gain available is varies between different models.

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Hugh Robjohns
SOS Technical Editor

Joined: 25/07/03
Posts: 18390
Loc: Worcestershire

Re: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gain Question new

[Re: AdrianW]
#980387 - 05/04/12 01:06 PM

Quote AdrianW:

Regarding the gain knobs, there is some signal input even with the knobs all the way down. It may not matter but I've never come across this before. Anything to be concerned about? Thanks.

Nothing to be concerned about -- it's quite normal. The gain knobs are exactly that -- they adjust the gain of the preamp over a specified range, which the handbook says is +10 to +55dB for mic inputs, and -10 to +35dB for line inputs.

So there is always at least 10dB of gain provided for mic inputs -- it will never turn of completely. This is quite normal.

hugh

--------------------
Technical Editor, Sound On Sound

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ef37a

Joined: 29/05/06
Posts: 5628
Loc: northampton uk

Re: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gain Question new

[Re: AdrianW]
#980402 - 05/04/12 02:03 PM

In the less than stringent guitar amplifier industry you will encounter controls labeled "gain" when in fact they are nothing of the sort but are "interstage volume controls" and these controls will fade to zero.

Some amp makers even "cheat" a little and arrange for the control not to take the signal quite to zero but this is a trick! It is not a proper gain control (which uses negative feedback to alter the amplification factor of the stage) but a "pot" with a setup resistor in its lower extremity.

There is a lot of smoke and mirrors in this audio lark mate. Keep asking!

Dave.

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AdrianW

Joined: 05/08/08
Posts: 19
Loc: New Jersey, USA

Re: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gain Question new

[Re: AdrianW]
#980497 - 05/04/12 09:10 PM

Thank you all so much for the explanations.

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Martin Walker
Watcher Of The Skies

Joined: 28/02/01
Posts: 16390
Loc: Cornwall, UK

Re: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gain Question new

[Re: ef37a]
#980522 - 05/04/12 10:41 PM

Quote ef37a:

There is a lot of smoke and mirrors in this audio lark mate.

It's a shame they don't show up in the circuit diagrams eh Dave?

Martin

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YewTreeMagic

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ef37a

Joined: 29/05/06
Posts: 5628
Loc: northampton uk

Re: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gain Question new

[Re: Martin Walker]
#980538 - 05/04/12 11:23 PM

Quote Martin Walker:

Quote ef37a:

There is a lot of smoke and mirrors in this audio lark mate.

It's a shame they don't show up in the circuit diagrams eh Dave?

Martin

Ah! You gotta know how to read 'em!

Dave.

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