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Audio Interface Troubleshooting (2026)
Fixes for common audio interface problems: no sound, one-sided audio, clipping, latency, phantom power, crackling, and a device the computer cannot see.
Most interface problems are routing or level problems, not broken hardware. Work through the fixes below in order, starting with the computer's sound settings, before assuming the interface is at fault.
No sound at all from the interface
Check the computer's sound settings first: the interface must be selected as both the input and the output device in the operating system and in the DAW, since a DAW can use a different device from the system. Check the headphone and monitor volume knobs, and that the monitors or headphones are plugged into the interface, not the computer. If the interface has a power switch, as the MOTU models do, make sure it is on, and try a different USB port and cable.
Only one side of the headphones or monitors plays
This is usually a mono track panned to one side, or a stereo input recorded as two mono tracks. In the DAW, check the track is stereo, or that two mono tracks are panned left and right. Check the interface's monitor mix or mono switch, and try a different cable and a different pair of headphones to rule out a broken cable or a faulty jack.
Recordings clip and distort on loud moments
Turn the input gain down and test again at full performance volume, not at rehearsal volume. Use Auto Gain on the Scarlett models, or Clip Safe on the 2i2 and 4i4, to set a safe level automatically. On the Volt 276, switch the 76 compressor on to tame peaks before they reach the computer. Move the microphone a little further from the source if the gain is already low and it still clips.
My voice echoes or sounds delayed in the headphones
You are hearing the computer's delayed playback on top of the direct input. Turn on direct monitoring on the interface and turn off input monitoring in the DAW, or the reverse, so you hear the signal once, not twice. If you must monitor through the computer, lower the buffer size in the DAW's audio settings until the delay shortens, and close other programs that load the processor.
A condenser microphone records nothing
Turn on 48V phantom power for that channel and wait a few seconds for the mic to charge. Check the mic is plugged into a mic input with a preamp, not a line-only input, which the extra inputs on the four-input models are. Try a different XLR cable, since a cable with a broken pin passes no phantom power at all.
Crackling, popping, or dropouts during recording
Raise the buffer size in the DAW's audio settings, since a buffer that is too small starves the processor and causes dropouts. Close the browser and other heavy programs, plug the interface into a USB port on the computer itself rather than an unpowered hub, and on Windows make sure the maker's driver is installed rather than the generic one. If the problem started after a system update, check the maker's site for a newer driver.
The computer cannot see the interface
Try a different USB port and a different USB-C cable, since not all USB-C cables carry data. On Windows, install the maker's driver from its site and check Device Manager for a device with a warning icon. On a Mac, check System Information under USB to see whether the interface appears at all; if it does not, the cable or the port is the likely fault. Restart the computer with the interface already plugged in.
Stream viewers hear my voice twice, or hear the game but not me
This is a loopback routing problem. On the Steinberg UR22C, check the loopback switch is on and that the streaming software is listening to the interface's loopback mix, not just the microphone. On other interfaces, set the streaming software's audio input to the interface and add the computer audio as a separate desktop audio source in the streaming software, rather than trying to route it through the interface. Test with a short private stream before going live.
Questions, answered
Should I record with direct monitoring or through the DAW?
Direct monitoring for tracking, through the DAW for mixing. Direct monitoring has no delay, which is what a performer needs. Monitoring through the DAW lets you hear plugins, which is what a mixer needs. Do not use both at once, or you will hear the signal twice with a short echo.
What buffer size should I use?
Small, such as 128 or 256 samples, while recording, for low latency. Large, such as 512 or 1024 samples, while mixing, for stability with many plugins. Change it in the DAW's audio settings between the two jobs.
My interface works on my laptop but not on my desktop, why?
Usually a driver or a USB port difference. Install the maker's driver on the desktop, try a rear USB port rather than a front-panel one, and check the desktop's power settings are not putting USB ports to sleep.