The m50x works good with it though, if i crank it any higher i will go deaf by next year

 

Because it's a low impedance headphone.
High quality audio headphones usually have higher impedance because it's one of the factors that guarantee the continuity of response.

 

Weren't you talking about low output levels? I know people were complaining it wasn't loud enough, i thought that's what were you getting to. Are you saying low impedance headphones work better with the scarlett products?

 

Yes I was talking a bout low output level. Yes low impedance headphone (like yours) will "work better" if by that you mean louder, but low impedance headphone dont have the frequency response continuity of high impedance headphones.

So with 18i20 if you want to mix with a good headroom, say around -13db the output of the interface is not loud enough if you use a half open headphone with high impedance. like the DT880 pro 250 ohms impedance.
And , believe me, I dont like very high level. When mixing with speakers I barely pass from 40 w rms.

The headphone you mentioned: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x is only 38 ohms of impedance, and it's closed, so you should have more power than you ever need with it even with the Focusrite 18i20, but it's not as reliable as the Dt880 pro.

 

My experience so far:

I bought a 18i8 some weeks ago. Run it Win7/64 <----- no problems so far!

Infact I find the driver/control application extremly well working and very easy to work with.

 

That's interesting because I was always interested in buying the exact model you're talking about. Thanks for the insight! Yeah when i said "work better" i meant compatibility wise. Currently I'm using the 6i6 but I will definitely be looking into a new interface when I choose to buy new headphones!

 

Reporting back :

I have received a follow up from focusrite (5 days after, just for the record). The guy sent me a "private build" of the driver which is v4.42. The included driver version with the latest release of the software is 4.36.

I had high hopes but unfortunately, the bugs remained the same. Control app 2.1.9 still crash on exit and version 2.3.3 still display NO HARDWARE CONNECTED.

@Matt777
I have tried installing on an other PC, completely different specs with another flavor of Windows 7 and the bugs are exactly the same so it is not a pc/config related issue.

My workaround is that I reverted back to version 2.1.9 with 4.36 driver and never close the application. By doing this, it also solve the annoyance of having to resize/re-position the application window every time (because this basic functionality is not even implemented in this lame program).

 

Last edited: Mar 10, 2018

It's happening to me too. WHenever you got that "No hardware found" message, just wait 10 seconds the time the app detects your hardware and the menu will appear. Hope this helped; cheers.

 

Just updated to v2.3.3 myself... I wasn´t awared about what version i runned when I added my first comment - sorry!

Exactly the same: NO HARDWARE CONNECTED!!

I´ll go back to v2.2.0 right away!

 

how about the higher end ones? feel the same..? like the Sapphire 56 ? Red 4 ? Red 8 ? never hear anyone rave about
any of their products really... tho I did consider an 18i8 for all the inputs to sit by my drumkit...

 

If you dont need high headphones output, nor great input preamps it's OK , but not as great as they advertise them. There are (only) 2 phantom 48v alim. inputs.
It's cheap for the real inputs/outputs it offer and it's a rack, not a little thing form where there is a medusa going out. Personally I like cables to be organized LOL. And there is a useful 8graph screen to see your levels.

About the Saphire serie, it has a good reputation for their mic pres, but I cant tell as never worked with them.
For this price I would go RME, as this really is the next step in this audio interface range. The RME Fireface UFX II compete with advantage against 18i20. (But I bought the 18i20 the USB Fireface didn't existed yet).

 

yes that looks more robust... indeed.. how about compared to an apollo quad? or if anyone can comment please do

edited: off topic bla bla redacted

 

Last edited by a moderator: Mar 13, 2018

First, I would like to thank @safran5020, @phloopy, @Olymoon.. and all others giving us precious info, that help us save hundreds of $/€. Now, I'd just like to hear from somebody that is using Scarlett range with Windows 10 if there is the same problem. Not that I think, you should change your entire system just because at Focusrite seem to be incapable of sorting their SW out!

I'll wait till April, when iD44 ships.. not because of that one, but because of iD22 - the price could drop. Audient is def one of the players to consider. The drivers/SW for iD44 are supposedly being updated for iD14, iD22 too. I've read many will update 22 to 44, so if you buy 2nd hand that could be interesting. BTW, do you think these cards going up "only" to 96 kHz is a deal breaker?

Then I'll decide if I take a 200$ interface or go for 800$ one (like Babyface pro).. anything more for a mobile setup is just too much for me..

Seems, at the end we all end up with a RME lol..

 

Hey man, former Focusrite tech here... I used to be something of a Scarlett Whisperer.

Open up device manager. Can you tell me what happens when you plug in the Scarlett? Does Windows register it at all? Does the device manager see any hardware, even unrecognized hardware pop up? You should hear a chime, and then in the Focusrite Audio folder, you should see it listed.
Can you also let me know who manufactures your USB ports?

If you don't see it at all, you're fucked and have a hardware problem.

If you do see it, chances are, I can help you.

 

Last edited: Mar 11, 2018

Hi @galacticus

as mentionned in a previous comment, even if the applications says NO HARDWARE CONNECTED Windows itself recognize the card...

The driver is definitively not the issue here. The software is and Focusrite just won't admit it !

My USB manufacturer is Intel

 

Sorry to hear it man, I think Win 7 might be the issue, win 10 has other issues that dont even involve software. Clearly something is conflicting with your software and it might be difficult for Focusrite to even replicate this issue to fix it. Hopefully you can get a hold of a different computer and run some tests there!

 

I have done this already, please read up!

I am not the only one with the problem. Focusrite knows and even MixControl is buggy (for gen 1 users). I will not blame Win 7 as it always served me good with all other soft I ever used. I have been in charge of an IT department for over 20 years and I have seen a couple MS OS version go by and Win 7 is pretty stable, not as good as our former good ol XP but it many cases is far superior than its predecessors. Anyways the discussion isn't about which OS is the best. It is about a company having a very hard time developing stable software for their hardware,

Focusrite should "Focus" on their software a little more. I think they are more focusing on mac. But this is just an assumption based on the users experiences and comments with their products. Besides, they have an iOS version of the software but not Android...

 

Last edited: Mar 11, 2018

Yes but Win 7 wont always be good with every software update you throw at it. I'm not even going in that direction of which OS is the best but you seem to have taken it there haha. There is NO better. It's all about compatibility and what works best for you as an individual. I have to agree with you on the mac part, it's sad but perhaps their team is more trained on the mac side of things

 

I have the same problem with version 2.3.3 2.3.2 and strangely even with 2.3.1

 

I also have exactly the same problem.

Brand new Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen running on Windows 7 64-bit.

Windows can see my 18i20, Sonar can see the device too. The only thing that can't see it is Focusrite's own software ... which is nuts. The Focusrite Control utility just sits there saying No Hardware Connected. This is the case with both versions 2.3.3 and 2.3.1.

I have noticed that if I switch the 18i20 off and then on again 3 times the Focusrite Control utility comes to life and sees the hardware. As soon as I close the utility though, all bets are off and when I run it again, I get the dreaded No Hardware Connected message.

I've been in contact with Focusrite support but they've gone quiet. They must know that the software is fatally flawed and don't have an answer.