I'm trying to get a multipurpose audio setup going on my PC which could include but isn't limited to audio recording and VOIP (gaming, streaming, skype, etc.).
I have a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 pre-amp/mixer with an Audio Technica AT2035 plugged into it. I'm trying to find a good balance between microphone gain, mixer output, and PC settings to get proper audio levels with good sound which would include reducing background noise and electronic noise from the PC.
Since games and other devices don't support ASIO for their audio input I had the idea to take the signal from a physical line out on the 6i6 and plug it into the line in on my PC.
This lead me to get the capabilities I was looking for and now I'm trying to get the audio levels just right and don't know what equipment or software I need.
What I've done is turn down the line In level in Windows to reduce electronic noise and turn down the microphone gain to reduce background noise. This results in a nice but quiet signal. I found that plugging in my headphone amp between the pre-amp and the line in input on the PC helped significantly but there still isn't quite enough power.
Should I get a full blown amp? A more powerful headphone amp? Am I going about this completely the wrong way and there is a software based solution that can solve my problem?
Details on how the Scarlett Works (from what I can tell)
The Scarlett does indeed appear as a standard line in device on the PC. This can act as an audio input for all sorts of applications.
The downfall of using this approach is that since I'm only inputting the audio of a single microphone the audio comes through only on the left channel - enter some of the nicer features of the Scarlett.
The Scarlett includes mixing software for all its various inputs which then lets you route any combination of the inputs to any combination of outputs. This allows me to route the input from my single microphone into both left and right channels.
These outputs can be leveraged digitally through USB as ASIO devices (from what I can tell) and software such as FL Studio can detect and use them, but various other softwares seem to not be able to leverage these as they aren't identified as "recording devices" in Windows which is what the other softwares seem to be looking at.
Enter my fix - routing the mix to a physical output allows me to physically connect the line out on the Scarlett to the line in on my PC getting me the mixed audio I am looking for.