Focusrite Scarlett 18i6

Online saw price $299.99 ! Includes Power Supply, and has a on/off power switch. Can Not Wait!

Focusrite has Two winning Audio Interfaces with their new Scarlett USB 2.0 Series and both

 

loaded with Features and options The i816=

he Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 gives you a ton of flexibility for a portable interface. Two vibrant Focusrite mic/instrument preamps are right on the front panel where you need them, while the back panel hosts a slew of extra I/O - up to 18-in/4-out simultaneously! With six additional line inputs around back, plus 8-channels of ADAT input and 2-channel S/PDIF I/O, the Scarlett 18i6 is a perfect foundation for home or project studios that may need to expand in the future.

To keep that high channel count under control, Focusrite includes their acclaimed MixControl software for ultimate flexibility. Create up to six separate mono mixes or three stereo mixes, each routable to any of the Scarlett 18i6's outputs. Save your mixes for instant recall later on. Re-route your signal path without having to replug your whole studio. The Scarlett 18i6 was built with flexibility in mind.

Focusrite didn't stop at stellar sound quality and flexible routing with the Scarlett 18i6 - you also get the Scarlett VST/AU/RTAS plug-in suite featuring Focusrite's acclaimed Scarlett compression, reverb, gating, and EQ! These plug-ins give you access to the vibe of classic Focusrite studio hardware with the flexibility of software processing. Factor in the included

Ableton Live Lite 8, a ton of royalty-free loops and samples, and the free Novation Bass- station synthesizer, and you've got a complete music production suite that's ready to go whenever inspiration strikes.

A ton of I/O for an interface in this class Up to 24-bit/96kHz AD/DA for pristine sound quality

Flexible routing options make it easy to change your signal flow without re-plugging cables

MixControl software makes it simple to create low-latency monitor mixes on the fly

Included Xcite+ software bundle adds a ton of value with free software, loops, and plug- ins

and with the i816 $299.99 USA and 8i6 $249.99 Focusrite Makes it easy on your

Checkbook! They have two brand new winning products here in my opinion!

 

I received my 18i6 a few days ago and there is no power switch (contrary to what one of the above posters says), which is slightly annoying as there are lights on all the time and you have to pull out the power adaptor jack if you want to turn it off.

I would also like to warn anyone who is about to install on Windows (tried XP 32 and Win 7 64) that there are confusing instructions in the manual. Do NOT, whatever you do, install the "resources" file off the CD that comes in the box - this installs a driver that refers to "Scarlett 18i6 audio". Although the manual does warn you to download the latest version of the Scarlett Mix Control, you would have had to anyway as it is not on the CD - and because of the lack of any "audio" drivers I was confused into believing that the resources file should be installed also.

When you install Mix Control, what they don't tell you is that this also installs the usb and audio drivers, but again be wary of windows itself popping up a "search for drivers" though bubble and cancel it when it does so. Not doing this leads to a second set of drivers and you are likely to be rewarded with a Blue Screen Of Death.

To set up your DAW you are told to select the "Scarlett USB" ASIO driver - however I had two to select from : "Focusrite USB 2.0 Audio Driver" and "Scarlett USB" and the Scarlett one produced an error saying that device was not available. After uninstalling, reinstalling just the MIx Control download and evading Windows driver searches I had just the single "Focusrite USB 2.0 Audio Driver" and this seemed to work. How about just telling us that in a readme attached to the Mix Control download?

I am still confused by the setup of this device and while this may be my own unfamiliarity with the environment, it would be useful if Focusrite had a forum on their own website rather than the paltry "Answer Base" which actually displays a complete lack of any Answers.

While the unit itself appears to have excellent quality in the hardware I think there is a distinct lack in the manual and the software. But I am, after all, an early adopter and I suspect there are some bugs that need to be ironed out. Hopefully V1.1 of Mix Control will be better - and how about attaching a "read me" to it that explains the pitfalls and details the changed driver names to save others from the hair pulling and cussing that I have gone through?