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Playit Issue with Scarlett 2i2 mic line in

Hi. I’m new to Playit (downloaded it yesterday). I am having fun working some things out and have added all my music. It’s an impressive tool. I’ve going to be using it to broadcast a live show onto an internet radio station. I’ve downloaded the Broadcast plugin and the Microphone Mix plugin in and they are running. I have an XLR mic connected to a Scarlett 2i2 which is connected to my PC via USB. The issue I’m having is that the Mic plugin offers me the Scarlett as both Mic input and playback but when I select it, no meter appears above the Push To Talk button and no sound leaves the Scarlett and reaches Playit (the mic is working as the Scarlett light shows me that). If I use a USB headset with microphone and plug it straight into the PC, there is no issue with the Plugin and everything works as it should. But I’d like to use my XLR mic through the Scarlett for broadcasting my show. Any idea what the issue may be given the Mic plugin is “seeing” the Scarlett and any suggestions as how to resolve it? Could it have something to do with my PC sound card? Any help appreciated. Many thanks, Michael

Hello Michael,


A very nice audio interface. Not something I've got myself or had any experience of but I've had a few Windows 10 and soundcard issues.


Just guessing, I wonder if it is a sample rate problem.


Is there some sort of driver for the Focusrite and can it be given different settings ? I would try 44,1kHz 16bit personally.


Also, and perhaps not what you want to hear, the Focusrite wouldn't be my first choice for this application.


The Focusrite is excellent for recording into a digital audio workstation but I would recommend looking at the Yamaha AG03 for a very simple PlayIt Live setup. It isn't perfect for the application but it is quite close.

Having had a bit of a look, there seems to be an ASIO driver for your Focusrite. I assume you have installed that.


There is a link explaining the driver situation at:


https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/articles/115002520325


The sign of a quality product, it may not work but there is at least some support !



Mark,

 

Thanks for both replies... I'll certainly have a look at the sample rate and make sure the Focusrite Drivers are up t odate. 

 

I have a couple of options going forward... I do have a Yamaha AG03 that I was going to try next - it just requires a bit more work on my part than staying with the Focusrite... But I do have a question with regard to the Yamaha. Will it be possible to control the mic via the Yamaha's fader using the Push To Talk plug in - or will that still need to be controlled via a Keyboard shortcut? And any other tips/advantages with regards to using the Yamaha with Playit Live? 

 

My other option is to ditch the XLR mic and use a USB one and assume some quality control over it using the Audio Processor plugin or Voicemeeter... Do you have any experience using Voicemeeter with Playit Live? 

 

Thanks again for your help so far... 

 

Mp

Hello Michael,


With the Yamaha AG03 you loop the audio through the device.


Set the 3 position switch "To PC" to the "Loopback" position.


The computer audio comes up on the computer level knob. There is a little tick at 3 O'Clock which seems to be the intended "line up level" for computer audio so start wit hit there.


The microphone then comes up on the slider fader.


The other potential trap is the "monitor mute". It doesn't do what I would expect and assuming you want tho hear yourself on the microphone don't press it.


The mic line up seems to be where the darker line is but I found both the computer and computer lineup levels a bit low.


You need to install the AG03 driver (as against the setup helper software).


Then on Playit Live set all the audios (except the "cue") to play into  the AG03 and the streaming source in PlayIt Live to be the return from the AG03.


I haven't got an AG03 conveniently set up at the moment but could do some screen grabs some time this week if really needed.


I found I needed to set the level on the sound card into the computer at maximum to get a decent level into my recording software.


I do like the AG03's mic processing although I need to experiment further with it and my preferred microphone (probably a Rode M3). I'm less of a fan of the echo although it would no doubt help with singing (mercifully I don't sing often).


With this setup you don't need the microphone plug in on PlayIt Live at all. 


With well level controlled source files (and possibly the PlayIt Live processing plug in), from what was a fairly quick play, it all seems to work well.



Thanks...I'll give it a try this week and holler back at ya if I run into a problem...Mp

Mark.. Hi so all drivers are installed, AG03 plugged in, Playit Live Mic plugin turned off and the relevant AG03 switch switched to "Loopback."...


When I push up the fader, I hear the mic (which I have plugged into the AG03), and when I press play on a track in Playit Live I hear the track (both the mic and song are coming in through headphones connected to the AG03)...however...


I have no idea if I'm "broadcasting" or what signal is going out... and there are no level meters to look at / adjust...


I'm also slightly confused by your sentence: "Then on Playit Live set all the audios (except the "cue") to play into the AG03 and the streaming source in PlayIt Live to be the return from the AG03."


My confusion is partly because when I go to File > Settings > Live Assist Mode > Player Audio Device Assigments...I'm offered both "Line (2 - AG06/AG3)" and "Yamaha Steinberg USB ASIO (AG06/AG03)" as options...so which is the correct one to choose?


And also I'm not sure what the "streaming source in Playit Live" is - and what you then mean by "the return from the AG03"


I am so sorry if these seems like newbie questions...but it's hard for me to know if it's all "working" as I'm trying to get it set up before I attempt any live broadcast...


Any help / direction you can offer - at any time (no rush) - would be gratefully received...


Thanks again for spending time on this...


Mp

Hello Michael,


Happy to help.


With the Yamaha AG03 the headphones (and monitor speakers) are "the output" with the exception that if you press the "monitor mute" you only hear the computer.


The block diagram at:


http://www.audiologic.uk/product_extra_files/ag03_en_ts_a0.pdf


may help.


The simple answer is "if you can hear it, it's live".


The ASIO driver is the better one to use but either will work. Make sure every "player" you want to use (except the cue) is selected to the same one.


Level adjustment is on the mic and PC audio faders. 


The AG03 metering is rudimentary with a "presence" green light (which should flash regularly) and a peak red light (that should only very occasionally flash). I found both computer and mic needed to be well up to get the red light on.


The "streaming source in Playit Live" is selected in the "Plugin" by "Audio Source To Broadcast". The black bar indicates level. 


If you want a streaming client that gives more level indication B.U.T.T. is worth a look. To experiment you could also use, say, Audacity set to record.


"Go" and "Return" are terms used in sound desks with outboard effects.


I was using the term from the perspective of the P.C. running PlayIt Live so the "go" would be the PC output into the AG03 mixer and the "return" is the mix of PC music and microphone into the PC for streaming (or recording).


These are all good questions and I might well write up the AG03 and PlayIt Live as I did with the  "Poor Man's radio setup".

 

http://support.playitsoftware.com/support/discussions/topics/5000061271

Bingo! I think I now have an initial set up working - certainly a start from which I can work on some tweaks... Many, MANY thanks... Mp


Mark...SORRY - one more thing I forgot to mention... With all the above working correctly, when I play a track, in the player at the top of the screen, when that track is playing, it says "BUFFERING" and I notice the time display skips to catch up (and count down)... Any thoughts on why it is saying "BUFFERING," anything I can do to resolve the issue, and if the buffering would be heard on the output? SO SORRY to ask another question...let me know if you'd prefer I asked this in a new post as a seperate discussion topic.


Mp

Well Michael, I've never seen that message.


I've used some fairly low spec hardware with PlayIt Live and not had that problem.


Occasionally if you stress the PC I've heard audio break up but not seen a buffering message.


I would try using the non-ASIO driver for all outputs just in case it is ASIO related but that has me stumped.

For completeness, I've written up the Yamaha AG-03 and PlayIt Live


http://support.playitsoftware.com/support/discussions/topics/5000089090


Even when the audio glitches (at a guess because Windows 10 fancied an update) I don't see "BUFFERING".


I wonder if it is a slow USB stick or busy disc.


I've recorded into Audacity and there doesn't appear to be any consequential buffering despite the player displaying the message it is BUFFERING...I will try to adjust a couple of settings as a result of reading your helpful guide and will report back if I can get the message to stop showing. It didn't at one point last week so not sure what I did that caused it to start...It will be a while before I get to this though as traveling all next week... Thanks again for taking the time to post and help... Mp