No sound with Cubase 14 and Focusrite 2i2

Cubase
1

UPDATE - fixed, but doesn’t make sense to me. See comments below

I’ve read a bunch of forum posts and watched videos from all over the internet and tried everything they suggested, but no joy with hearing sound through Cubase when I play my synth. Here’s what I’ve got.

Equipment

  • Windows 11
  • Cubase 14
  • using headphone out of laptop to amp
  • Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen
    • Driver installed Focusrite Control (v3.20.0 Includes Driver) - Windows 10 + 11

In Cubase

  • Create empty project
  • Studio > Studio Setup
    • Originally came up as Steingburge. Switched to Focusrite USB ASIO
    • Studio > Audio Connections > Inputs tab - bus Audio Device set to Focusrite USB ASIO
    • Studio > Audio Connections > Outputs tab - bus Audio Device set to Focusrite USB ASIO

When I play the synth

  • Lights around input volume controls on Focusrite light up
  • Stereo In on Cubase MixConsole tab shows sound in meters
  • Stereo Out in Cubase shows no sound in meters

Add Track
In Cubase > Add Track

  • Select Audio
  • Set Audio Inputs to Connect to Bus > Stereo In
  • Set Output to Stereo Out
  • Set track to sound on and was armed for recording

When I play synth

  • Both Stereo In and Audio 01 have sound in the meters
  • Stereo Out has sound in the meters
  • The track has sound in its meters
    But no audio from laptop

Windows Sound Setup
In System Sound Output I have choices for:

  • Headphones - Realtek
  • Speakers - Focusrite USB Audio - set it to this
  • Speakers - Realtek

In System Sound Input I have choices for:

  • Micorophone - Realtek
  • Microphone Array - Realtek
  • Analogue 1 + 2 - Focusrite USB Audio - set it to this

Meters in Cubase show sound, but still no audio out.

I tried every combo of the above, no joy.

USB Ports
My laptop has 3 USB ports and 2 of them are USB 3. I could not find a diagram of which one was what, so put the Focusrite connector into each one. Got the same outcome - sound in the meters but no sound output.

Focusrite Control
In the control software, it says that output routing is not supported. I don’t know if that has anything to do with it or not.

What Does Work
Using the Steinberg ASIO, all works well and I can hear my VSTs when I play them or in a recording.

With one of those recordings loaded, when I play my synth, I can see sound in meters of every track, but no audio out of laptop.

Help Appreciated
I have screenshots of everything, but this being my first post, it won’t let me include them.

I’ve tried everything I can find to do and would appreciate any and all suggestions.

I just ask that you read the post above carefully to see if I have already tried that.

Thank you!!!

2

Hi and welcome to the forum!

First of all, thanks for the very precise description of your setup :+1:

That should be the culprit.
The ASIO driver that comes with your audio interface is definetly the one you want to use because of latency (and stability). Using this one, all sounds from Cubase will be directed through your Focusrite - that means, you need to feed your amp through the outputs of your audiointerface and not through the laptop headphone output. If you want to use both simultaneously, you have to use another driver like ASIO4All which I don’t recommend unless this is absolutly necessary.

3

Thank you for your quick response.

I’m using the headphone out of laptop to my amp successfully when using the Steinberg ASIO. There is an output choice for using the headphone out. (I’d love to include a screenshot, but I’m limited to only 1 per reply as a new poster here. I put the Steinberg output settings image in the next reply)

But, when I use the Focusrite ASIO, these are the output settings for it

fr-usb-asio-ports
fr-usb-asio-ports871×604 64.3 KB

As you can see, there is no option for selecting a different output. I clicked on them and it just brings up the driver info, no port assignments. Same when I click Control Panel.

I don’t have a separate output from my laptop for audio, so don’t know what you’re referring to.

4

Seeing if it will let me share an image of the Steinberg output settings, which work fine

stein-asio-driver-ports
stein-asio-driver-ports861×614 76.5 KB

5

I got it to work, but I don’t totally understand how this routing makes it work.

Here are the settings I’m using:

Windows System Sound

  • Output - set to Speakers Realtek Audio
  • Input - set to Analogue 1+2 Focusrite USB Audio

Cubase Settings

  • Audio System - use Steinberg built-in ASIO Driver
  • Click Control Panel to open the port settings
  • Set In ports to Analogue 1 + 2 (Focusrite US 1) and the Analogue 1 + 2 (Focusrite US 2)
  • Set Out ports to Headphones (Realtek Audio 1) and Headphones (Realtek Audio 2)

Add Track

  • Set to Audio track
  • Set Audio Inputs to Analogue 1 + 2 (Focusrite)
  • Configuration - Mono
  • Audio Outputs - Stereo Out
6

It is not clear to me why you would want to use your Laptop’s headphones out when the Focusrite has a perfectly fine (and probably better) headphone output?
The correct way would be to use the Focusrite ASIO drivers, as you initially did, and then use the outputs on the Focusrite. Everything else most likely gives you a worse performance.
Also, do I assume correctly that with “play the synth” you actually mean a hardware synthesizer, not a VST plugin? In that case, it would be much better to use “Direct Monitoring” on your interface, which will route the inputs of the 2i2 directly to the outputs (ie headphone), thus preventing a round trip through the computer and Cubase (which would add several milliseconds of latency). The manual for the 2i2 has a section about that.

1 Like
7

I’m using my laptop’s headphones output to my amp so that I can hear everything coming from my DAW, not just the one instrument hooked up to the Focusrite interface. I use both VST plugins and the hardware synth on songs.

That’s also why using the Focusrite ASIO drivers for the output does not work for this setup.

8

You should also hear everything coming from your DAW with the Focusrite. That is basic functionality. The 2i2 has two line outputs that you can connect to your amp/speakers.
I think you might need to get accustomed more with your audio interface and maybe read the manual. You can of course chose to continue with your setup, but in my opinion it is not an optimal choice, you’ll have higher than necessary latency and possibly also sync issues between the Focusrite and Realtek.

9

I can only agree with @fese . You should definetly have a look at the manual of your Focusrite and think about your setup in general. You can have all this very easily just using your audio interface’s outputs. Without the downsides of your current setup that comes with high latency issues and potential trouble lurking around the next corner…

10

OMG! Thank you!!! I was totally misunderstanding what you were trying to tell me with using the FR headphone output!!

The hardware synth was a later addition to my setup, and I didn’t realize that I could hear my DAW with VSTs and such back through the FR interface too.

I set it for the Focusrite ASIO to be both the input and output and can hear everything through its headphone monitor.

I’m delighted to discover that I have a 1/4" to RCA pair cable to come out of the back of the FR to my amp!!! Hearing everything now.

FYI, you were totally right about the latency with the other setup. And it was flaky as well - lost either input or output connections no matter how I set the output (for Realtek speaker or laptop headphone).

Thank you so much for your help everyone!!!

1 Like