# Focusrite 2i4 Setup - HELP



## donotattempt (Mar 12, 2015)

Good Morning and very new to the shack,

If I am posting this in the wrong section, I apologize and request that the moderators please move thread to the pertinent location; thanks in advance.

I joined the shack as a recommendation by an acquaintance so that I will be able to tune my vehicle's system and test all the things within the cabin and tune accordingly. I am certainly up for the challenge even though I know nothing of which some of the threads speak about, so I continually read and learn as I go along. There has been quite a few "ahaa" "eureka" moments, however I am still at a loss :help:. Once I have learned enough about what I am doing, I will use that knowledge to then go to the car's setup.

I am getting a few things here and there by reading on the shack. I am under the impression that I am still missing something; what it is, I'm not sure. I tried the calibration at -12db and at -24db yielding the same results.... :dontknow:

Here goes the photos, these will tell the story much better. Can someone please tell me what I am doing incorrectly.

Setup is windows based. The screenshots below are from the desktop.

*Desktop*
- Windows (i7 unlocked - 3.xx Ghz)
- 32 GB ram (2400 Mhz) DDR3
- 3GB ram (video card)
- Focusrite 2i4
- Dayton audio emm-6 from cross-spectrum

I have a laptop setup to run REW (windows 8.1, i5 processor, 6GB ram, 2i4, emm-6).

Thanks,
Sam


























Vehicle's Setup - '13 Sonata

- Morel CAT37 tweeters (dash/stock location)
- FaitalPro 10FE200 mid woofers (front doors)
- FaitalPro 6FE200 mid woofers (rear doors/fill... you really cannot hear them, most times there are muted via dsp)
- Dayton Audio IB385-8 15" subs (2)


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

You don't say anything about how you have connected things up. For a soundcard calibration there should be a loopback connection from the output to the input on the measurement channel, since the aim is just to measure the response of the soundcard itself.

The direct monitor knob on the Focusrite should be turned all the way around to "playback".

You are using 96 kHz sample rate in the images, there's really no benefit in doing that for acoustic measurements, better using 48 kHz.


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## donotattempt (Mar 12, 2015)

JohnM said:


> You don't say anything about how you have connected things up. For a soundcard calibration there should be a loopback connection from the output to the input on the measurement channel, since the aim is just to measure the response of the soundcard itself.
> 
> The direct monitor knob on the Focusrite should be turned all the way around to "playback".
> 
> You are using 96 kHz sample rate in the images, there's really no benefit in doing that for acoustic measurements, better using 48 kHz.


Thank you for your response. The connections are as follows.

- mic to input 1
- output 1 - 1/4" TRS to speaker input (3.5mm); (I am using my PC's 2.1 as a means of getting acquainted to the software).
- output 2 (rca) to Input 2 (xlr); I bought this cable from amazon (monoprice)

I must say I have gotten further with placing the knob all the way to "playback". Now it is telling me that there is clipping. I will update this process goes along.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

donotattempt said:


> - output 2 (rca) to Input 2 (xlr); I bought this cable from amazon (monoprice)


There’s your problem. You can’t feed a line-level signal into a mic input. The signal is too hot.

Truthfully, you don’t really need to worry about a sound card calibration. USB audio interfaces over ~$100 typically have ruler flat response anyway. The calibration is only needed if you’re using a really cheap sound card. :T

Regards, 
Wayne


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## donotattempt (Mar 12, 2015)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> There’s your problem. You can’t feed a line-level signal into a mic input. The signal is too hot.
> 
> Truthfully, you don’t really need to worry about a sound card calibration. USB audio interfaces over ~$100 typically have ruler flat response anyway. The calibration is only needed if you’re using a really cheap sound card. :T
> 
> ...


Thanks for your response Wayne.

Here is my stupid question..... Where do I go from here onder::help::dontknow:


Thanks,
Sam


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## Lumen (May 17, 2014)

donotattempt said:


> Thanks for your response Wayne.
> 
> Here is my stupid question..... Where do I go from here onder::help::dontknow:
> 
> ...


No worries, you're fine!. And the only stupid question is the one that's never asked! Have you tried the guides posted here?
The REW Online Help Guide has excellent detail. The Step By Step Guide is helpful from a bird's eye view. I would start there even though it refers to a USB mic.


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> Truthfully, you don’t really need to worry about a sound card calibration. USB audio interfaces over ~$100 typically have ruler flat response anyway. The calibration is only needed if you’re using a really cheap sound card.


It is also useful to make sure monitoring is not active, much easier to spot that on a soundcard loopback than on a measurement.


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## donotattempt (Mar 12, 2015)

Ok. So once I get the 2i4 calibrated, do I still need the loop cable connected?
Even though it has been said that I do not to calibrate the soundcard....

I read the step by step article, didn't see an indication of it being removed, I most likely have to read it again.

So many questions...

Thanks for all your help guys.


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

No, you can disconnect the loopback, it is only needed for a timing reference if you were trying the check the relative timing of individual driver measurements, or compare arrival time from different speakers. For the vast majority of acoustic measurements it is not needed.


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## donotattempt (Mar 12, 2015)

Hey guys,

First of all, thank you for your guidance to the threads, discussions and documentation. I have downloaded and printed the step by step guide. Some parts I got and other I am just lost. 

the setup is :boxer: my butt, making me feel like a sore loser I tell you. 

I have done everything the "manuals" stated with and without the loopback and yield the very same results posted in the photos above.

I figured, hmm, maybe if I go to the car I will have enough db levels give me better readings, was I wrong. It looked and looks the very same.

I did however record the noise level and found that the native level of the car with the engine running is +/- 48db in the 10 Hz - 30 Hz bracket, everything after that looks like A BIG FAT LIE on a lie detector test.

Guys I really am not sure what to do, should I call in to focusrite, maybe I have a defective unit?? I don't know; as it seems that I almost need to have the soundcard calibrated in order to move in the right direction.

I got the calibration file from Dayton audio hoping to have found the sensitivity at line one.. I saw *1000 -40 and this I am unsure how it will or would affect the calibration from cross-spectrum.

I thank you for reading and for your response. I'm not afraid to say I am in way over my head in this and your guidance is most appreciated.

Sam


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

Let's take a step back and make sure the basics are OK.

- Can you play signals through the Focusrite OK? Use the REW signal generator to try playing sine wave tones
- Is the 48V phantom power turned on for the mic?
- If you speak in to the mic or tap it do you see a reaction on the REW "In" level meter?


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## donotattempt (Mar 12, 2015)

JohnM said:


> Let's take a step back and make sure the basics are OK.
> 
> - Can you play signals through the Focusrite OK? Use the REW signal generator to try playing sine wave tones
> - Is the 48V phantom power turned on for the mic?
> - If you speak in to the mic or tap it do you see a reaction on the REW "In" level meter?


I can play signals through the 2i4. I have used the REW to play a sine wave at 1000Hz and also playing noise though the focusrite 2i4 and it plays.... it also registers through the microphone.

With the phantom power on, I pick up any noise happening; meaning if I talk lound enough it registers and I will see it on in the IN column of the software as well as the little halo on the knob of the 2i4.

Thanks,
Sam


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

Sounds promising then. Make a measurement and attach the .mdat file for the measurement here.


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## donotattempt (Mar 12, 2015)

Hi John,

I have taken a few measurements. I haven't started tuning as yet, just working on understanding the setup and giving some base measurements.

I have realized that the readings are +/- 10 db over what the db reading were on the SPL meter (galaxy audio CM-130).

See attached. Again, I have no idea where I'm heading.


Thanks,
Sam.


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

Thanks. The only measurement in that set is the "Soundcard - Failed Calibration", the rest are captures from the RTA. The soundcard measurement is actually a measurement of the system through the mic, not a measurement of the soundcard (it is not a measurement of a loopback, which is what a soundcard calibration should be). It doesn't really matter though, don't bother trying to make a loopback measurement.

You should calibrate the REW SPL meter against your Galaxy meter. To do that, open the SPL meter and click the Calibrate button - the instructions are here. Enter the reading from your Galaxy meter when prompted. You will then be able to make measurements that show at the correct level.

To make measurements use the "Measure" button at the top left of the REW main window rather than using the RTA. That way you will get a proper impulse response rather than just a frequency response.


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## donotattempt (Mar 12, 2015)

Thanks guys for all your help. Fortunately or unfortunately, I only have limited times on the weekend to attack the tuning of my car.

Yesterday, I made great progress. It is still by along shot, not there, but.............it does sound a lot better.

Attached is the file of where I left off yesterday, I am studying the graph, to see where I need to cut and where I need to add, so that this weekend (coming) I will be able to get some more time in.

Thank you, thank you a million times over for your guidance.
Sam.


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## donotattempt (Mar 12, 2015)

Hey guys. I was promoted to update my REW installation. After updating the software, I would get anywhere without a popup stating my SPL meter is not calibrated. I proceeded to calibrate the SPL, it tells me there is no connection with the SPL meter.

What do I do here?

Another thing..... How do I raise the "curve" from 70db up to 100db or higher....... Pretty much anything more than the 70db / 80db preset.


Thanks for reading and for your response.
Sam


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## JohnM (Apr 11, 2006)

Try V5.12 to fix the SPL meter problem (released today). 

As far as raising the curve goes, do you mean measuring at a higher SPL? For that just turn it up. You might have to reduce your mic gain to avoid clipping, if you do that you will need to repeat the SPL meter calibration as the input path gain would have changed.

If you just want to shift the plot on the graph you can use the Offset controls in the SPL or All SPL graphs.


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## donotattempt (Mar 12, 2015)

Hi guys, resurrection of an old thread. An overdue update needed too long ago. After I was able to accomplish getting the car tuned, it worked out beautiful. Listening to music in it is quite please and has every detail intact. Attached below is a video I took a few weeks back, before it got cold.

Here goes my stupid question... Is there a possible way of introducing a "house" curve in the REW software. I have seen this curve in the helix dsp RTA section; since I'm not using the helix unit, kinda makes it moot.

Thanks again for all of your guidance and support. It is greatly appreciated.


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