Which unit in the Scarlett lineup is best for you depends on your needs and budget, but at this price, the 18i20 3rd Gen will have you set for a long time without breaking the bank. The best card I could find for the price which enables to do anything. Physical channels can be expandable with a preamp via an optic cable. 8 physical inputs are mostly enough for fieldwork. With eight mic preamps, 18 inputs and 20 outputs in total, the Scarlett 18i20 ensures you’ve got no shortage of potential for our recording projects. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 18i20 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface Key Features:

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. The Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 comes with eight of its own built-in inputs, two of which are accessible via the front panel via microphone/instrument combo connectors. The rear panel features six additional microphone inputs, as well as eight line inputs; users may connect line inputs and microphones concurrently and toggle between the two, but the interface is limited to eight inputs total. For access to the extra 10 inputs, you’ll need to bring your own ADAT- or S/PDIF-compatible equipment and connect it to the corresponding ports in the rear of the interface. This slim audio interface is fully equipped with the inputs, outputs, and digital synchronization with other devices you’ll need. Getting started with the 18i20 The Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface features the best preamps ever used in a Scarlett audio interface and the largest range of I/O in the line. The Heart of Your Studio People often ask me what audio interface I recommend. I always answer with two questions: “What are you recording?” and “What’s your budget?” There are products on the market that will suit any answers—there is literally something for everyone. Focusrite has taken that idea and run with it in its new lineup of Scarlett interfaces. While this review focuses on the Scarlett 18i20 3rd generation interface, many of the advancements I mention carry across the entire Scarlett line.

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With its comprehensive connectivity, fantastic features and intuitive included software along with the best preamps ever found in the Scarlett range and improved converters the 3rd generation Scarlett 18i20 could well and truly be the heart of any professional recording studio. While physically speaking the quality of this unit is great, the software implementation leaves a lot to be desired. Many configuration options, such as extending the number of inputs through the ADAT connection, require using the Focusrite Control proprietary software suite, which is only available for Windows and Mac. Why not make all options configurable without a PC, and especially without a proprietary piece of software?

Three Month Avid Pro Tools Subscription: get a taste of the industry-standard recording experience with this legendary DAWWhether 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? The microphone preamps and converters on the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 have very similar specs to those on my Apollo x8, with a comparable gain range of 56 dB and a maximum 24-bit/192 kHz AD/DA conversion rate. These stats more or less mean that the 18i20 is capable of recording at or above the industry standard for audio resolution at a level comparable to that of interfaces two, three, and even four times its price. While the technical reality is a bit more complicated than that, as all-in-one devices like the 18i20 often make technical compromises for the sake of saving space and cutting costs, the 18i20 should still have no trouble producing high-quality files that are up to industry spec. Regarding the headphone output, yes you’ll be absolutely fine. The Scarlett preamps are extremely capable, and you’ll find that the headphones you’re mixing through are going to be the driving factor whether you can produce capable mixes. With two independent headphone outputs, both the engineer and recording artist can monitor during the session.

Focusrite claims that the 3rd generation Scarlett interfaces are characterized by high gain values and low noise. Making mic preamps since 1985 (Rupert Neve founded the company until being sold to Phil Dudderidge in 1989), they have skin in the game regarding developing high-end gear. Despite their powerful and comprehensive features, these DAWs are still intuitive enough for you to get great results in no time; even if you’re a complete beginner. When activated, the Air setting gives you the Air effect found on the original ISA mic preamps, adding brightness and openness to your vocal and acoustic recordings.Software interface is fairly intuitive and enables users to make alternative monitoring. Drivers are working without problem with Voiceomeeter Banana stuff. My old Steinberg card does not work with them properly. In total, as the name suggests, the Scarlett 18i20 3rd gen has 20 outputs which give you a huge amount of options for recording and monitoring. Allowing you to compose, record and produce your music, the Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen USB audio interface comes with some fantastic software included with all the tools you need. New to the Scarlett line is Air, which is an emulation of the sound of Focusrite’s transformer-based mic preamps; it adds a clean brightness to whichever channel you assign it (via Focusrite’s control software). An “Air” LED will light under the knob on the interface to let you know it’s engaged. It’s a nice touch, but I wonder whether you can’t achieve the same effect with post EQ. Air is smooth and adds a nice crispness to vocals, voiceovers and instruments alike, so while I believe in “leaving it flat” (particularly for voiceover recording), I can see why people appreciate it. Adding Air to Scarlett is a nice bonus, and it brings the unit’s capabilities a little closer to the Clarett line. 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?

Your interface is now ready to use! If you're using recording software then make sure you select the Focusrite ASIO driver in the audio settings for that software.In addition, you have two high-headroom instrument inputs so you can record your electric guitar or bass with no clipping or unwanted distortion – just crisp captures of the performance. The Air feature is clearly proving popular, as Focusrite have now rolled it out across all of their interface ranges. In practice its main effect is to add quite a noticeable high-frequency boost; very often this simply anticipates what you'd have done at the mix anyway, but you do need to be careful with sources or mics that already have a lot of top end. (Note that the new Scarlett preamp circuit is not the same as that found on Focusrite's Clarett and Red interfaces, though: switching Air off on the Claretts changes the input impedance, whereas the new Scarlett preamps remain at the Air impedance.) Eight inputs and ten outputs; eight 3rd Generation mic pres, two Hi-Z instrument inputs, and ten balanced outputs plus ADAT input and output for up to eight more channels each way. If your Focusrite interface needs a firmware update, it will update when you open the latest version of Focusrite Control, on a Windows or Mac computer. You need to connect your Focusrite interface to your computer before Focusrite Control will tell you if it needs a firmware update. At the end of the day, however, all that matters is how it sounds. I tested the inputs with voiceover, vocals, acoustic guitars and other string instruments, electric guitar and some drums. The sound was consistently clean and practically noise-free. At no point did I feel that the 18i20 couldn’t handle what I was throwing at it. It’s amazing that you can set up a powerful project studio, band recording session or complete production studio for TV and radio commercial work at this price point.