Three Month Avid® Pro Tools® Subscription: get a taste of the industry standard recording experience with this legendary DAW. How do I connect my mains-powered Scarlett, Clarett+, or Clarett USB interface to an iPad (Lightning port)? Eight inputs and four outputs; four 3rd Generation mic pres, two Hi-Z instrument inputs, four fixed line inputs, and four balanced outputs plus ADAT input for up to eight more channels.

As we already mentioned earlier, this unit is really well adapted for any gear-hungry producers. The added input capabilities through the optical I/O lend the interface to a wide variety of different setups. However, the Clarett range still has better latency figures and other audio specs, and better external ADAT connectivity to justify their higher price tag.

Whether you are an in-the-box producer or a musician recording with external instruments, Focusrite lays out your best connectivity options regardless of your chosen scenario. What Is Focusrite Control? You will need to configure Scarlett Mix Control/Focusrite Control and then save those settings to the interface because the settings cannot be changed while the unit is connected to the iPad. Scarlett Mix Control/Focusrite Control dictates which audio signals get routed to each output on the interface. The below steps show you an example of how you may wish to route the audio on your interface. Its flexibility in the studio makes the 18i8 a great option for any producer, regardless of the size and nature of their setup. Mobile recording 4.8 For all intents and purposes, the 18i8 3rd Gen is a monstrously clean-sounding interface. The company has a solid reputation for the high performance of its products and this is no different. The 2nd generation of Scarletts may have already sounded fantastic, but the 3rd generation sounds even better.

Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. Read our editorial mission & see how we test.What’s more important for you in your situation, are the specs of your computer. The Scarletts are super-low latency, so if you do find you are having dropouts, audio pops, etc — it’s more than likely going to be an issue to do with the overall computer specs. Writing with loads of channels of CPU-intensive orchestra libraries and VSTs will take its toll on your computer’s resources, regardless of how low latency the audio interface is. As a side note, if you find yourself using a mic like the RE20 (or any mic that requires anywhere from 70 – 80 dB of gain), it may be worth considering buying an external preamp considering that the gain range of the Scarlett only hits 56 dB. In any case, the preamps here are unquestionably phenomenal. At home studio 4.0 As well as the new Scarlett features, you’ll also get a selection of excellent software, so you can get creative right out the box: In terms of connectivity, the Scarlett is clearly the stronger candidate of the two here. However, the Revolution’s preamps are arguably better depending on your preference. Between the two of them, you can’t really go wrong but it depends on your needs. Anyway, as your question relates to purely home studio mixing, in-the-box, and working with soft synths, the short answer is that yes, the Scarletts (any of the generations) will be more than enough to cater for your larger instrument ensemble needs.