Windows 11, Focusrite Solo, Guitar Rig 6 — Noise while watching YouTube videos

georgmierau

I'm using Focusrite Solo (3rd Gen, Firmware 1605, Driver: 4.65.5) with Guitar Rig 6.2.2 on my rather ok PC (Core i7 12700, 32 Gb RAM, Windows 11) and almost every time I start playing my guitar while watching a video on YouTube (Chrome 100.0.4896.127, 64-bit) I start hearing unpleasant "scratching" noise even on "clean" presets. It sounds like if my guitar cable would be damaged. But if I close Guitar Rig the noise disappears, so it's definitely not the cable. I haven't had this problem on my older PC (Core i5 2500K, 8 Gb RAM, Windows 10). Another strange thing is: I can't record this noise. All the recordings I made with Gutar Rig internal recorder are ok.

Windows is in "performance mode".

Any ideas how I could fix that?

Stuart Park

Have you tried using the Noise Reduction or Noise Gate components in the Dynamics section? I had a similar issue but, once I'd added the component to each preset, it eliminated the problem. I believe the 'Gate' control at the top of the GR6 window does something similar. Or I guess you could add the component once to 'Global FX'.

georgmierau

I have them always on, but it doesn't change anything. All presets sound just fine with no YouTube in background.

Stuart Park

Ok. I do find that certain activities in Windows (and proximity of other electronic devices) has an adverse effect on GR6 noise but not specifically Youtube and Yoitube alone. Good luck finding a solution.

georgmierau

Guitar Rig 6.2.3 R145 — same problem. It seems to have nothing to do with the browser, since crackling continues if I'm using Firefox or Edge.

Might be my RTX 3060 with the latest driver the source of the problem?

Gandi

What sample rate did you set? Try out 44,1. If the sound is good, you have the reason.

georgmierau

I'm already using 44100. The sound is good if there is no YouTube video playing.

PK The DJ

Any ideas how I could fix that?

Watch the YouTube video on a separate device.

georgmierau

That will work for sure (great advice!), but I'd like to have my old "workflow" with YouTube and Guitar Rig running on the same device.

And no, I would rather not "resurrect" my old PC or downgrade Windows 11 to 10 for that.

Kubrak

What about to use different audio interfaces, one for Guitar Rig and other for YouTube?

Or set something in BIOS (or Intel utility) and switch off use of low performance CPU cores?

Downgrading to Win10 would not help, IMHO, as 12th gen Intel does not have apropriate support in Win10. There might be problems with new big.little CPU architecture in Win10 as it is not aware of it...

georgmierau

I would prefer to hear YouTube and Guitar Rig output at the same time (for tutorials and playalongs it is kind of important) from the same source (my headphones). Rerouting the output for a specific app would mean having YouTube on my speakers and Guitar Rig on headphones (or vice versa), right?

Looks like it's just a Guitar Rig 6.x.x problem and 6.2.3. should have added "Windows 11 compatibility" as mentioned in this thread.

Kubrak

Win11 compatibility does not neccesiraly mean full 12th gen Intel compatibility....

Also, it may or it may not work well if two applications use the same audio interface at the same time... Depending on drivers, computer HW, and programs....

You may experiment with different drivers and so on....

georgmierau

Since there is no other app having problems with my current setup I would actually prefer the problem being solved by NI and not by me testing a gazillion drivers/settings.

Btw. I'm using the standalone version of Guitar Rig.

georgmierau

I've updated the Focusrite driver to the latest version (4.102.4), disabled the "Safe Mode" in its settings and uninstalled the driver for my BOSS Katana 50. So far so good, I've heared some crackling after the first reboot, but that's it.