Audio Interface Troubleshooting

drofluf · August 2023

Can anyone help with troubleshooting please?

Set up is Scarlett Solo with a Rode NT1A

I'm not getting any output from the mic.

I "think" the interface is OK as it works if I plug an electric guitar in but I get nothing on the mic input. The gain ring lights up when I plug a cable into the Scarlett or microphone but I get no sound. If I clap in front of the micro[hone I can sometimes get a brief flash on the gain ring.

I don't have a spare cable to check with

Any thoughts?

drofluf · August 2023

P.S. I've just check the cable and get continuity from the "pin" to "socket" for each pin

blobb · August 2023

Phantom power?

drofluf · August 2023

Yes I had it on but good to ask.

mrkb · August 2023

Does the Solo the direct monitor option to send mic input straight to the headphone socket to check signal there?

Danny1969 · August 2023

Is it a proper mic cable with XRL's both ends ? or a female one end and jack plug the other ?

drofluf · August 2023

@mrkb the Scarlet does that but there’s nothing to the headphones.

@Danny1969 the cable has a female one end and a male the other

mrkb · August 2023

drofluf said:

Yes I had it on but good to ask.

Did you check there’s 48v to the XLR pins? NT1 needs phantom power, so if it’s not there it won’t have any signal.

and when you say no output, is that via a DAW or from speaker plugged into the solo?

Danny1969 · August 2023

drofluf said:

@mrkb the Scarlet does that but there’s nothing to the headphones.

@Danny1969 the cable has a female one end and a male the other

Well if you have checked the cable and know the mic is good then it could be an issue with the interface. I brought a similar one from here cheap with the same issue and repaired it so my step son could have a decent interface for recording. Basically there was an analog switch I.C which turns the inputs on a off and also the phantom power.
If you have no luck and are sure it's the interface then that's where I would look. But make sure you have selected the correct input in software and ruled out the mic and cable first .. sometimes we miss the little things.

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drofluf · August 2023

mrkb said:

drofluf said:

Yes I had it on but good to ask.

Did you check there’s 48v to the XLR pins? NT1 needs phantom power, so if it’s not there it won’t have any signal.

and when you say no output, is that via a DAW or from speaker plugged into the solo?

That’s the next thing to check. I’m getting no output to speakers, headphones or the computer. Also the gain Ring round the gain control doesn’t light up when I speak/play into the microphone.

@Danny1969 I haven’t ruled out the mic yet.

drofluf · August 2023

Ok I’m getting 48v between pins 1&2 and 1&3 at the mic end.

So that means either the mic or the interface? As I also get continuity on the cable for all pins.

Danny1969 · August 2023

drofluf said:

Ok I’m getting 48v between pins 1&2 and 1&3 at the mic end.

So that means either the mic or the interface? As I also get continuity on the cable for all pins.

Sorry I hit lol instead of quote

I know you got continuity but did you check pins 2 and 3 aren't shorted ... because if they are then you will get no signal as it;s a differential input

drofluf · August 2023

Danny1969 said:

drofluf said:

Ok I’m getting 48v between pins 1&2 and 1&3 at the mic end.

So that means either the mic or the interface? As I also get continuity on the cable for all pins.

Sorry I hit lol instead of quote

I know you got continuity but did you check pins 2 and 3 aren't shorted ... because if they are then you will get no signal as it;s a differential input

I disconnected both ends of the cable and didn’t get continuity between 2 and 3. Is that the right way to go about it?

I also noticed that pin 1 on the microphone is taller than the other 2 pins. Is that normal/an issue? Plugs all fit snugly

Keefy · August 2023

Do you have Focusrite Control software installed? Might be worth checking the settings.

Danny1969 · August 2023

Yes that's right way to check it ...
You can check the mic input with your guitar.

Turn off phantom power, then put 2 paper clips or similar into pins 2 and 3 of the mic input on the interface ...the left and bottom ones in a face format. Then touch those to the tip and sleeve of the guitar cable after giving it a big strum

drofluf · August 2023

Keefy said:

Do you have Focusrite Control software installed? Might be worth checking the settings.

Thanks, tried a factory reset but it didn’t help.

drofluf · August 2023

Danny1969 said:

Yes that's right way to check it ...
You can check the mic input with your guitar.

Turn off phantom power, then put 2 paper clips or similar into pins 2 and 3 of the mic input on the interface ...the left and bottom ones in a face format. Then touch those to the tip and sleeve of the guitar cable after giving it a big strum

Thanks, I could hear my guitar when I did that. Also when I tried it at the mic end of the cable.

So the microphone looks to be the culprit.

thanks everyone for your help

drofluf · August 2023

drofluf said:

Danny1969 said:

Yes that's right way to check it ...
You can check the mic input with your guitar.

Turn off phantom power, then put 2 paper clips or similar into pins 2 and 3 of the mic input on the interface ...the left and bottom ones in a face format. Then touch those to the tip and sleeve of the guitar cable after giving it a big strum

Thanks, I could hear my guitar when I did that. Also when I tried it at the mic end of the cable.

So the microphone looks to be the culprit.

thanks everyone for your help

Was definitely the microphone as the replacement AGK P170 is working fine.

Could I have killed the old one or was I just unlucky? It's lived in the stand in my office., hadn't been knocked or anything. Is there a risk in plugging or unplugging with phantom power on?

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