Why is direct monitor not available in cubase 15 I can’t believe that my new scarlet 18i20 is not compatible. Direct monitoring is greyed out in studio config. ???
control room has been rendered useless by focusrite control 2 monitoring features contrary to my wishes.
is there a fix ?
marc
Hi and welcome to the forum,
Are you on Windows? Is it available in older Cubase versions?
Hi Marc,
It is correct that for your scarlett the check box in the studio config is greyed out. I have the 16i16 and it is greyed out as well. This option is only available for specific audio interfaces like the Steinberg UR-C series to take over the functions of the DSPMixFX application.
In other words… it depends on your audio interface software wether it is available or not. But believe me… you will not miss anything. Direct monitoring can be done using Focusrite Control 2 and not enabeling software monitor on your cubase tracks. This will be the same for most audio interfaces that are not Steinberg. Imho this works nicer.
I don’t use Control Room so I cannot give advice on that. I also do not know what you would like to achieve. However I do not believe it will be limited somehowe because of this option.
Good day Martin,
Tanks for responding quickly,
Yes I am a windows 11 user since late in December 25, and just about every window before that.
And
A cubase user that upgraded to ver. 15 a few weeks ago along with the upgrade came a new card to replace 2 aging ‘’ M-audio delta 10-10 ‘’ The old setup running cubase 12 could use the ‘’ direct monitoring ‘’ feature although very buggy it was there.
I am deceved by the revalation that a new card from focusrite does not support this feature… ( the cheap ones do ! )
There is a workaround and I will be forced to use it that way but it seems to be more demanding then the original ‘’ direct monitoring ‘’ we will see
Thanks again
Marc
Good day Blademan,
Quick answer thank-you,
Your vision sums it up ! And your explanation is clear. I was running 2 delta 10 / 10 with cubase 12 and the computer stopped booting … eventually I realized it had to go … the new computers don’t come with PCI slots anymore so the ‘’ M-audio cards would be replaced also …
The old setup running cubase 12 could use the ‘’ direct monitoring ‘’ feature although very buggy it was there.
I am deceived by the revelation that a new card from focusrite does not support this feature… ( the cheap ones do ! Scarlett solo , Scarlett 2 )
Very glad that there is a workaround and I will use it that way, but it seems to be more demanding then the original ‘’ direct monitoring ‘’ we will see … I am thinking of over dubs and punch-ins where the incoming channel will have to be set to rec. And quickly muted …
This focus control 2 is built to provide monitoring facilities and I did not find a way to shut it down … I enjoyed working from the cubase control room, I might have to give that up to !
You confirmed to me that the 18i20 does not conform to this standard and that I should not be upset about it.
OK
I occasionally work with musicians and I try to enable a comfortable environment, latency is very hard to deal with…
Thank you very much for your time and clear explanation of this new set-up. Version 15 is behaving nicely my old version 12 was buggy, not stable and that part at least is a very encouraging.
I will let you know how things are going in a few days/weeks. It is a long process many things to check out …
Until later thanks again
Marc
Hi Marc,
Sorry for the late response… Been more busy with recording music this month. I do not know about the cheaper Scarletts but if they do support Direct Monitoring in Cubase I think that is because they do not have Focusrite Control support. Actually using the Cubase Direct Monitoring is the “workaround”. Focusrite Control 2 is a very nice monitoring application. There is no need to feel deceived.
In the past I did experiment with Cubase Control Room but since I mostly only record myself I do not realy need it. What I do know is that the fact that Focusrite Control is there should not in any way limit you in using Cubase Control Room. Ofcourse you need to set routing and input gain using your audio interface but that goes for every audio interface out there. As far as I know only the Steinberg/Yamaha interfaces will provide tighter integration with Direct Monitoring enabled in Cubase (which is no surprise). I tried the UR44c in the past and found using Direct Monitoring annoying. Using DSPMixFX (which is kind of a Focusrite Control) was far more convient. But then again… The Control Room functions should remain available.
For the punch in/out behaviour you might want to check out Edit → Preferences → VST and look for the Auto Monitoring settings. Standard it is set to Manual but perhaps you want to have that set to While Record Running or the Tapemachine Style option. I don’t know if this is what you are looking for but maybe it is helpfull.
Latency is always harder to deal with. Only buffer size and to some extend sample rate will be helpfull. Personally I use the Buffer Size of 96 with Safe Mode disabled. This gives me 8.3ms latency. A Buffer Size of 64 will give 6.9ms latency. If you are just recording plain audio then 64 will be a sweet spot. If you are using VST instruments or plugins like Amplitube you might want to try 96. Personally I found a Buffer Size of 128 with 13.6ms unusable. But…. when recording vocals you realy want to use the direct monitoring of your Scarlett and disable the monitoring on your Cubase track.
I hope this is helpfull.
Rinie
Out of interest - is 13.6ms round trip latency?
Hi Johny. Yes… that is indeed the round trip latency at 48kHz and the safety option disabled. This latency is too much for monitoring electric guitar but might be OK for keyboard.
Thanks for your reply.
I knew that different drivers of different audio interfaces yield different latencies but I had not realized until now how huge the difference can be.
I use an RME audio interface. On 48kHz I can use 256 samples buffer and get a RTL of 12.2ms.
128 samples give me 6.7ms RTL.
Of course I don’t know if RME puts more stress on the computer in order to achieve lower latencies.
I have used the RME and can confirm your findings. They have very good drivers. The Scarlett does have a higher latency at 128 but more acceptable at 96 and 64. For me anything below 10 ms is OK. The RME comes with a higher pricetag that I cannot afford and justify for my use. So there it is… 
Used RME audiointerfaces are way more affordable and still supported for decades to come. That’s on option, too.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t always have to be an RME.
Hi Reco29,
In theory your statement might be true but in the real world second hand RME units go for over 500 euro for the latest model Babyface Pro in my country. Unless you buy an much older model. Also I had some bad experiences with buying used equipment and prefer something with warranty. So… from my personal perspective I am very happy with the Focusrite 16i16 for 289 euro (was a temporary price drop at Thomann). Drivers are very stable and the unit gives a good bang for bucks. Also I am happy with around 6ms of usable latency and the very good audio quality of the Scarlett gen 4.
All good, I was just trying to bring another option to the table. Actually, I was indeed suggesting to buy an older RME and not the latest model - they are much cheaper and will most probably last for many years (decades) to come while still being supported with driver updates.
Anyways, as you said - you are perfectly fine with your audiointerface so no need to switch! As I said, it doesn’t always have to be RME 
Hi Rec29,
Yes I understand… Thanks a lot.
What’s this crazy talk?!
Good day Blademan
Your feedback is tremendously helpful,
It could be resumed in one phrase ‘’ short sighted when mad ‘’
The ‘’ direct monitoring ‘’ issue came as a surprise to me, until December 25, I had been using 2 M-audio cards that could enable ‘’ direct monitoring ‘’ and not perfect but usable I had gotten into the habit of using this feature.
Had to replace the computer, and modern machines don’t have pci connectors so … had to replace the cards as well.
Enters the Scarlett with the new CPU and the hope that the bugs will be a thing of the past …
But wait ! NO DIRECT MONITORING !
I had seen the input faders on the mixer busses and with other cards had made use of them before, but I was expecting to control them from the CUE fader in Cubase as I was doing before and cubase would also do the switching for me automatically.
The direct monitoring should also enable control of the monitor volume pot of the Focusrite control 2 from the control room volume knob in Cubase as well as the speaker swapping feature etc.
I could not find where to activate ‘’ direct monitoring ‘’
You are right stating that Focus control 2 is a nice monitoring application, once I accepted to look beyond …
Same for ‘’ control room ‘’ Focus suggests using ports that use the volume pot and swapping possibilities … so I did, until I saw other ports available that don’t go thru that monitoring feature and in the process it enables Cubase ‘’ control room ‘’ to become fully functional.
I guess I have to accept that these things take time to get acquainted with…
Musicians are in on Tuesday, I will let you know how it will have gone.
Thanks for your help until later
marc
Just to chime in, reporting the use of a Delta 1010 still, and I’ve always used the Control Room. It is really great to send cues to different artists, to choose who gets click, etc,. Never used direct monitoring, and I do record a lot of vocals through reverbs, guitars through plugins, etc. I get the need for DM in an USB interface, if the drivers aren’t top notch and latency is a bummer. Otherwise don’t see the point on another layer of software to create monitor mixes.
It’s there a way to tell before buying a new interface whether the Cubase Pro “Direct Monitoring” box will be grayed out?
I have my eye on an Audient ID44 MK II.
PS: To the poster a few posts up who said they don’t really need control room because they usually work by themselves:
Even if working solo, the CR would be indispensable in my opinion because it offers the amazing and powerful “Listen” function.
Control Room is also great for room correction plugins (both for speakers and headphones).
