Focusrite Audio Interfaces

The Scarlett-18i20 is an audio device that has a selection of inputs and outputs that can be effectively used to record a band. This device replaces heavy amounts of equipment that may you need in a studio in order to combine the mix and instead finds them all in a single audio interface. The device also has exceptional sound quality and comes with Mic pre-amps that are designed by focusrite and have an award winning sound to back them up. The audio interface also comes with a circuit design that is both analogue and digital and is therefore capable of recording audio at an extremely high quality. Utilization The first thing I noticed about the Scarlett-18i20 was that it had a wide selection of inputs and outputs, as well as many ways in which to tweak the volume of each of the connections. I was able to plug the audio interface directly into my computer easily and effectively thanks to the 2.0 USB connection that it had. Key features I found there to be 18 inputs and 20 outputs. There was also 8 Mic preamps on the device with the ability to switch them to phantom power. The audio Interface also came with analogue inputs that had a combination of XL and jack sockets. As well as this, there are also eight channels of digital I/O which are accessible via an ADAT light pipe. There are also several headphones outputs which allow you the ability to send the mix to several individuals at once. For instance, you could send the sound output to the individual artist, as well as the sound engineer. There is also a section for monitoring and this comes with buttons that you can use to cut the sound, as well as the ability to control the studio monitors that are running from the audio interface. I also was pleased that the audio Interface worked with software such as Abelton live, and it made the process of submitting the audio into the program easier and more fluid. Comparison The closest audio interface that you could compare with the Scarlett-18i20 is that of the focusrite Saffire pro 40. I found the design of the Scarlett-18i20 to be very similar of the Saffire pro 40 and there was a similar amount of inputs and outputs, as well as a selection of control on the gain on the Saffire pro 40 which was similar to that of the Scarlett-18i20. One of the main differences between the two audio interfaces is that the Scarlett-18i20 are continuing to be developed by focusrite, where as the Saffire models have stayed the same over the years, with the input design of a FireWire cable. This type of connection uses less CPU power than USB but is being discontinued by modern computers. This means that they risk being discontinued and may therefore be unsuitable for individuals who are running the latest computer software with which to use the device. Pros and cons This is a very well-designed audio interface with a wide variety of input and output options. I experienced very clean sound when I played guitar softly through the audio interface. However, when I began to play the guitar on a more intense level I found that clipping occurred. This can be an issue and you need to be careful that the volume on the instrument that you play into the audio Interface isn't too loud, otherwise you will get permanent clicking on your recordings and this will be undesirable in most situations. Some individuals have also complained that the Scarlett-18i20 device did not work with their Mac computer and that they had to upload the latest drivers in order to get it working. I did not have this problem but I would imagine that it is not the most difficult procedure to carry out. Summary If you are interested in producing music for a band which uses many different inputs when recording music then a device such as the Scarlett-18i20 will be perfectly suited in a studio environment. The device is also light enough to carry around and this means that you can create high-quality recordings in any location. I recommend the Scarlett-18i20 audio interface for any individuals who have a desire to record music.

The Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 is a 8 in and 6 out firewire audio interface that is perfect for a home studio musician who wants to get rid of the USB interfaces. This interface comes with MixControl which is basically a 18 x 6 DSP style mixer that will let the user make up to 6 different mixes without any latency issues. This interface has very flexible routing via the DSP mixer. You can also use the included VST/AU suite to mix with or use as a sequencer if you do not have a DAW but I never used the sequencer that came with it. There are also effects that come with the interface as well like compression, gating, reverb, and a few different EQ plug ins and you get Ableton Live Lite with all of its standard plug ins. UTILIZATION Installing all of these plug ins and included software does take some time, so getting the interface running will take a few moments for all of that software to load. Having the proper drivers installed and loaded is very important because I have had many issues in the past with Focusrite drivers and updating. I was running this interface on a Windows Vista 32 bit machine with firewire 400 ports. I had 2 GB of RAM and a fast processor and never had any issues with the Pro 14 but sometimes I have to restart my computer for the interface to read. I am not sure why but sometimes the interface just isn’t recognized by my computer and restarting it is the only way. This interface can also be used on a Mac computer as well if you are running 10.5.8 or higher. GETTING STARTED The manual was very easy to read and work through. I had to refer to the manual many times during the set up process. OVERALL OPINION I do love this interface and I was using it for months but soon found out that there are many other interfaces that are just as good and if not better for the same price range. The sound quality was good and the value of t was great for this price.

(Originally written by Merlinpinpin/translated from Audiofanzine FR) Which technical specifications motivated your choice? Monitoring with DSP effects and reverb, two preamps, two headphone outputs, secondhand price considering the features. Eight analog outputs. What do you use it for? To record vocals with my laptop outside the studio. UTILIZATION - Did you have any problems during installation? Yes with several PCs. I tested several Firewire PCMCIA cards and the solution was to have THE ADEQUATE POWER SUPPLY WITH THE ADEQUATE AMPERE VALUE!! The device requires 12 volts and 1.5 A instead of 1 A as labeled on the housing (1.5 A on the Focusrite website). My 1 A PSU wasn't enough with the laptop. I'm happy I solved the problem because I thought I would have to sell the card just after having bought it (secondhand and without PSU). I found the right PSU on the web. I pass this information on to you because I spent a very long time looking for patches and other solutions. The problem was the incorrect specs on the device... Other than that I had no installation problems. - Did you have any incompatibility problems? No (except for the mentioned PSU problem! :-) What's your setup (motherboard, CPU, RAM, hard drive,...)? My laptop is an old Toshiba Satellite 1410 (1.8 Celeron, 512 MB Ram) I use only for outdoor recordings as a 4-track recorder. I own several stage mics and a tube mic, a JoeMeek MQ3 preamp and a VC1Qcs. My main computer is a Core 2 Duo 3 GHz with a Scope sound card. I had no installation problems with the Saffire. - How complicated is the overall configuration? The software mixer is not very user-friendly nor intuitive but you'll get used to it. I noticed some bugs while setting the compressor (the application closes when you quit the compressor). You can save your settings and forget about them. The reverb effect sounds good but not amazing. It's better than using a VST or directX reverb plug-in because of the latency, and it has enough quality for monitoring applications. Both headphone outputs are convenient to record someone while you control the recording. - Is the user's manual clear and comprehensive? The user's manual is maybe too comprehensive and it could be easier to read because the internal routing is quite complex. It doesn't provide enough pictures and application examples. It has a muddled layout and the font is not easy to read (I would prefer a simple font like Arial, Times, etc.). I give it a 7 because of the PSU problem (nevertheless the solution is now available on Focusrite's website...). GETTING STARTED Are the drivers stable? So they seem. - Are they up-to-date? I guess... V2.5 is the current version. - Which software do you use? Cubase. - What's the latency of your system? It depends on your computer, but it's irrelevant thanks to the direct monitoring function. I'd say 6 ms with both computers (I haven't tried lower latency times). It wasn't necessary to have a Firewire card with a Texas Instrument chipset on my laptop, while my Iogear GUF202 also works pretty well (Firewire/USB2 combo). An ABIX 3 TI works fine too (both are OCHI compatible, which is required by the Saffire). - How many tracks can you record/playback simultaneously ? It depends on the HDD speed and the computer. The Saffire provides four analog inputs plus an SPDIF input, all usable simultaneously. With the laptop I only record one or two tracks at once using both Saffire preamps. In the future I might connect a Firewire HDD to the PCMCIA card or to the Saffire (which has two Firewire ports, one for the computer and another one for an HDD or some other device). The eight jack outputs are very convenient. OVERALL OPINION - How long have you been using it? I've been using it for almost one week. I did some test recordings with a Heil Pro 40 mic. The preamps sound very good, better than the preamps of an MQ3 (small but good preamp). The digital connection is also an advantage . I can't wait to make more recordings with these preamps and some good mics, and I'm sure it will be a great solution: less gear, less cables... The two preamps allow you use stereo recording techniques or to use different mics, etc. - Which feature do you like the most / the least? Pros: Preamps, monitoring with DSP effects and reverb, headphone outputs. Cons: some bugs in the software, no auto-save function (but you can save presets). The volume of the headphones is a bit too low. You won't become deaf... Very good sound on the headphones. - Did you try any other models before buying it? I bought a Behringer FCA202 for my MQ3. It's a good sound card for line signals (4/5 ms latency) but it's too delicate, headphones sound awful, and it only has two inputs and outputs... I also own a Sonicore Scope, which has an excellent sound but it's installed on my desktop PC. That's the reason I went looking for a good mobile solution. And I'm not disappointed: my recordings sound very good (much better than before). - How would you rate its value for money? Excellent... I bought it secondhand, but considering all its features it isn't that expensive if you buy it new... It's an excellent choice for my budget. - Based on your experience, would you buy this product again? Yes, I wouldn't hesitate.