# Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 1st Gen No Sound



## stun (Sunday at 6:19 PM)

Hello all,

I am a total FreeBSD newbie so please be understanding. I discovered this post https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/focusrite-scarlett-solo-no-sound.73174/ which shows other folks got sound working on their FreeBSD systems for similar *Focusrite Scarlett Solo* USB audio interface.

I am assuming my *Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 1st Gen* cannot be _that different_ from *other similar* Focusrite Scarlett USB audio interfaces.
I cannot tell --

if my *Scarlett 6i6 1st Gen* USB audio interface is not compatible with the FreeBSD USB Audio driver
(or) because I may be missing to install some other `pkg` packages to make it work.
*Questions*

Does anyone else have a *Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 1st Gen* (or similar USB audio interface model) working with FreeBSD 13.1? If so, how? Can you please kindly tell me how you configured it?
If you are using any other Focusrite Scarlett USB audio interface model that is known/proven to be compatible with FreeBSD, please let me know so I can go buy and replace mine if I cannot get this Scarlett 6i6 1st Gen to work.

*Details*

I am using vanilla FreeBSD 13.1 with Generic kernel and my CPU.
CPU is Intel Core i7 3770K (Ivy Bridge)
with ASUS P8Z77-V Deluxe motherboard.



```
# uname -v
FreeBSD 13.1-RELEASE releng/13.1-n250148-fc952ac2212 GENERIC
```

This is my `/etc/rc.conf`.

```
# cat /etc/rc.conf
hostname="mycomputername"
keymap="us.kbd"
ifconfig_em0="DHCP"
sshd_enable="YES"
ntpdate_enable="YES"
powerd_enable="YES"
# Set dumpdev to "AUTO" to enable crash dumps, "NO" to disable
dumpdev="AUTO"
zfs_enable="YES"
dbus_enable="YES"
gdm_enable="YES"
gnome_enable="YES"
kld_list="nvidia-modeset"
```

This is my `/boot/loader.conf`.

```
kern.geom.label.disk_ident.enable="0"
kern.geom.label.gptid.enable="0"
cryptodev_load="YES"
zfs_load="YES"
kern.vty=vt
```

Yes, I have read and referenced the FreeBSD Handbook Section 8.2 Setting Up the Sound Card section. After researching more in the forums, I am aware that the *Sound* module/driver is already included in the Generic Kernel. That is why I do not have `snd_driver`.
This shows the `snd_uaudio` driver has been automatically loaded by the Generic kernel for my *Scarlett 6i6 1st Gen*.

```
# kldstat
Id Refs Address                Size Name 1   74 0xffffffff80200000  1f30590 kernel
2    1 0xffffffff82131000   5b93a0 zfs.ko
3    1 0xffffffff826ec000     a158 cryptodev.ko
4    1 0xffffffff82e10000    fd310 nvidia-modeset.ko
5    1 0xffffffff83000000  2354ab8 nvidia.ko
6    2 0xffffffff82f0e000    38070 linux.ko
7    3 0xffffffff82f47000    10ab0 linux_common.ko
8    1 0xffffffff82f58000     3378 acpi_wmi.ko
9    1 0xffffffff82f5c000     3250 ichsmb.ko
10    1 0xffffffff82f60000     2180 smbus.ko
11    1 0xffffffff82f63000     2340 uhid.ko
12    1 0xffffffff82f66000     4350 ums.ko
13    1 0xffffffff82f6b000     3380 usbhid.ko
14    1 0xffffffff82f6f000     31f8 hidbus.ko
15    1 0xffffffff82f73000     3320 wmt.ko
16    1 0xffffffff82f77000     e538 snd_uaudio.ko
17    1 0xffffffff82f86000     94e0 if_ure.ko
18    1 0xffffffff82f90000     3178 uether.ko
```

`cat /dev/sndstat` output shows I have already executed `sysctl hw.snd.default_unit=4` to make it the default audio device.

```
# cat /dev/sndstat
Installed devices:
pcm0: <NVIDIA (0x009a) (HDMI/DP 8ch)> (play)
pcm1: <NVIDIA (0x009a) (HDMI/DP 8ch)> (play)
pcm2: <NVIDIA (0x009a) (HDMI/DP 8ch)> (play)
pcm3: <NVIDIA (0x009a) (HDMI/DP 8ch)> (play)
pcm4: <USB audio> (play/rec) default
No devices installed from userspace.
```

FreeBSD also knows that it is Scarlett 6i6 USB from this `dmesg` output.
My Scarlett 6i6 is connected to a USB Hub on my monitor, which is connected to my computer USB 3.0 port.

```
# dmesg | grep -e uaudio
uaudio0 on uhub1
uaudio0: <Scarlett 6i6 USB> on usbus0
uaudio0: Play[0]: 96000 Hz, 12 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Play[0]: 88200 Hz, 12 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Play[0]: 48000 Hz, 12 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Play[0]: 44100 Hz, 12 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Record[0]: 96000 Hz, 6 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Record[0]: 88200 Hz, 6 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Record[0]: 48000 Hz, 6 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Record[0]: 44100 Hz, 6 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: MIDI sequencer.
pcm4: <USB audio> on uaudio0
uaudio0: No HID volume keys found.
uaudio0: at uhub1, port 2, addr 3 (disconnected)
uaudio0: detached
uaudio0 on uhub7
uaudio0: <Scarlett 6i6 USB> on usbus0
uaudio0: Play[0]: 96000 Hz, 12 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Play[0]: 88200 Hz, 12 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Play[0]: 48000 Hz, 12 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Play[0]: 44100 Hz, 12 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Record[0]: 96000 Hz, 6 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Record[0]: 88200 Hz, 6 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Record[0]: 48000 Hz, 6 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: Record[0]: 44100 Hz, 6 ch, 32-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x8ms buffer.
uaudio0: MIDI sequencer.
pcm4: <USB audio> on uaudio0
uaudio0: No HID volume keys found.
```

However, *Gnome Sound settings* doesn't list my Scarlett 6i6 1st Gen USB Audio Interface. It is only showing my Nvidia card's HDMI stuff.






Is there anything else I can do to diagnose and troubleshoot this?
Thank you for your time!

~stun


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## Alain De Vos (Sunday at 8:07 PM)

I have also a focuswrite which  doesn't work. Too bad.
I think software needs reverse engineering. As the hardware don't follow "standards".
The "mixer" is "confused".

PS: With Linux/alsa it works.

So my best guess is try Linux or Windows.

Or develop a driver for FreeBSD 

The simple very cheap focuswrite with "few-channels" might work.


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## cracauer@ (Sunday at 9:04 PM)

I am surprised that it even recognized all the channels. My MixPre 10T is stuck with 2 channels in and out each under FreeBSD and Linux although it has 10.

I have a 2i2 that I didn't try under FreeBSD yet. Will do so shortly (this week or so).

I know that Scarlett publishes "drivers" which are additional control software on top of the actual drivers it doesn't need (due to USB audio compliance). I would guess that some routing internal to the device is controlled by it and that without that control you don't get some required things connected. In the case of the 2i2 I can ignore that additional software under macOS and Linux, though.

If you want a more though test in the meantime, please try to run audio/jack's jackd on your interface. Who knows what GNOME's mixer is trying to do there. jackd prints useful stuff.


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## Alain De Vos (Sunday at 9:16 PM)

If i remember a 2i2 might work due to the low number of channels.


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## cracauer@ (Sunday at 9:24 PM)

Alain De Vos said:


> If i remember a 2i2 might work due to the low number of channels.



I just tested it under 14-current, it works fine, input and output.

The number of channels itself should not do any damage to FreeBSD's ability to drive the big one. As I said, I suspect that some Scarlett software sends special commands when you install their "driver" package, for example for routing. But that doesn't explain why GNOME doesn't show it although it clearly establishes an audio device in the system.

The jackd test is the next thing to try for stun


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## stun (Sunday at 9:38 PM)

Thank you both. I will try these and come back to comment whether it works.

First, I will try playing around with jackd.
Afterwards, I will try using FreeBSD 14 to see if it works.
If neither works, I will go buy a Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen model and see if it works.


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## Alain De Vos (Sunday at 9:43 PM)

I read somwhere an a forum that Scarlett uses propriaritery commands which don't follow the Standards.
When the number of channels is eg 2 , they get correctly detected by the software.


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## stun (Monday at 11:48 PM)

I tried running *QjackCtl* with *oss* driver for *audio/jackd*. I didn't try ALSA driver as I didn't want to waste too much time figuring out how it works as I couldn't find a good clear and concise documentation for FreeBSD.
 I wiped and installed FreeBSD 14-CURRENT and it couldn't detect my Scarlett 6i6 1st Gen either.
 I finally went and bought a *Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen* and went back to *FreeBSD 13.1-RELEASE* with *Gnome*. It works immediately  and shows up in Gnome Sound Settings UI after `sysctl hw.snd.default_unit=5` setting change as Alain De Vos said earlier that fewer number of channels will most likely work.
Thank you both for your help


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## cracauer@ (Tuesday at 7:02 PM)

You are welcome. Sorry it wasn't a better outcome. I wish for the 6-channel unit to work, too.


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