The first channel is used primarily for vocals, but can also be used to mic up an acoustic instrument or amp. The preamp can cope with a lot of input volume, so long as your mic is equipped for it. It features a panel with an illuminated Halo LED gain dial. The dial changes, from Green to Red, indicate a good level, helping you visualize whether or not you are going to distort. As you can see from the table above, there are some noticeable improvements in the 3rd Gen. All specs considered, the inputs and outputs benefit from a wider dynamic range, gain ranges, and higher input and output levels. What Else Is New In The 3rd Gen? Besides the Air button, the phantom power button also has a visual indicator when in use, supplying 48 volts of phantom powering, enabling you to use a condenser mic. Please note, that all the devices will need to be connected to a computer to set up the routing in Focusrite Control and set the sample rate. There is no iPad version of Focusrite Control, so a Mac or Windows computer must be used to do this. The upgraded specs and added features are welcome additions, and we think they’ve done well to remain competitive. That being said, if you’ve only recently bought a 2nd gen interface — we wouldn’t worry.

Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen review | GuitarPlayer

When it comes to easy home recording solutions, a USB audio interface is one of the most painless routes to go. The market for bus-powered plug and play interfaces is pretty over-saturated because of how simplistic a solution they provide. Lightning to USB-C adaptor cables are not available from Apple, and we would advise against purchasing third-party cables as they are unlikely to work. The input channels include one XLR and one Hi Z TRS connection that allows you to plug in any microphone or electronic instrument. Focusrite’s Scarlett Solo is a top choice for guitarists, solo artists and travelling musicians who need an easy, affordable way to create studio-quality recordings at home or on the move. The Solo is USB bus-powered so all you have to do is plug it into your laptop to get it working - no bulky power supply needed. Like all 3rd-generation Scarlett interfaces, the Solo can connect to an iPad Pro with USB-C ports for a truly portable recording setup. Free Software

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The single 3rd Generation Scarlett mic preamp sounds great straight out of the box. Air mode recreates the legendary effect of Focusrite's ISA mic pres and makes vocals and guitars shine. The high-impedance, high-headroom instrument input is great for recording guitar or bass without clipping, while our iconic Gain Halos make it easy to set input levels fast. Two balanced outputs are hum-free for pristine monitoring, mixing and mastering with studio monitors. And it comes with some of the best-loved tools in the business, including Ableton Live Lite, Avid Pro Tools Artist and Hitmaker Expansion – with plugins from legendary Auto-Tune® creators Antares®, Brainworx®, Softube®, Landr, XLN Audio®, Relab and more.

Scarlett 18i8 3rd Gen | Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 3rd Gen | Focusrite

One of the key upgrades for the 3 rd Generation is the addition of USB-C connectivity. This reversible connection allows faster data transfer, easier connection and can be flipped – no more plugging in upside-down. And thanks to the USB-C’s inherent low latency, you can easily record and monitor everything in real time with many of your favourite plug-ins in place. This 2-in, 2-out USB audio interface also features the best performing preamp ever used in the Scarlett range. For computers with USB Type-C ports, you can use a USB-C to USB-C cable (not supplied) to connect to these devices. As with the other devices, we recommend making sure any 3rd party USB cable you use is under two meters long. Other USB Accessories USB Extensions Three Month Avid® Pro Tools® Subscription: get a taste of the industry standard recording experience with this legendary DAW.The best performing mic preamps the Scarlett range has ever seen, now with switchable Air mode to give your recordings a brighter and more open sound Alongside the two channels, and their gain dials is a large monitor level dial and a front-mounted headphone output connection with a direct monitoring button. This lets you switch between monitoring via the left and right line-outs fed to your speakers and the headphones directly. 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: UK manufacturer Focusrite has made world-class mic preamps for decades. The 3 rd Generation’s mic pre is the best to ever feature in the Scarlett range. Expect a warm, dynamic response that’ll take care of any instrument with ease.