Create studio quality vocals, powerful guitars, luscious keys and huge drums. Easy Start It's easier than ever to get up and running with your Scarlett with the online tool, Easy Start. Your recordings will retain all of their sonic qualities so that you can sound like the artists you admire. Lownoise for crystal clear listening Two lownoise balanced outputs provide clean audio playback. Hear all the details and nuances of your own track or music from Spotify, Apple Music and Music. Plugin your headphones to the highpowered output for monitoring in highfidelity. Get the perfect guitar and vocal take There's no need to sacrifice your tone with two highheadroom instrument inputs to plug in your guitar or bass so that they shine through. Capture your voice with clarity and your instruments in all their glory without any unwanted clipping or distortion thanks to the Gain Halos. Pro performance with the finest preamps Achieve a brighter and a more open recording thanks to the best performing mic preamps the Scarlett range has ever seen. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Scarlett 2i2.
Create studio quality vocals, powerful guitars, luscious keys and huge drums. Easy Start It's easier than ever to get up and running with your Scarlett with the online tool, Easy Start. Your recordings will retain all of their sonic qualities so that you can sound like the artists you admire. Lownoise for crystal clear listening Two lownoise balanced outputs provide clean audio playback. Hear all the details and nuances of your own track or music from Spotify, Apple Music and Music. Plugin your headphones to the highpowered output for monitoring in highfidelity. Get the perfect guitar and vocal take There's no need to sacrifice your tone with two highheadroom instrument inputs to plug in your guitar or bass so that they shine through. Capture your voice with clarity and your instruments in all their glory without any unwanted clipping or distortion thanks to the Gain Halos. Pro performance with the finest preamps Achieve a brighter and a more open recording thanks to the best performing mic preamps the Scarlett range has ever seen. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Scarlett 2i2.
Create studio quality vocals, powerful guitars, luscious keys and huge drums. Easy Start It's easier than ever to get up and running with your Scarlett with the online tool, Easy Start. Your recordings will retain all of their sonic qualities so that you can sound like the artists you admire. Lownoise for crystal clear listening Two lownoise balanced outputs provide clean audio playback. Hear all the details and nuances of your own track or music from Spotify, Apple Music and Music. Plugin your headphones to the highpowered output for monitoring in highfidelity. Get the perfect guitar and vocal take There's no need to sacrifice your tone with two highheadroom instrument inputs to plug in your guitar or bass so that they shine through. Capture your voice with clarity and your instruments in all their glory without any unwanted clipping or distortion thanks to the Gain Halos. Pro performance with the finest preamps Achieve a brighter and a more open recording thanks to the best performing mic preamps the Scarlett range has ever seen. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Scarlett 2i2.
Create studio quality vocals, powerful guitars, luscious keys and huge drums. Easy Start It's easier than ever to get up and running with your Scarlett with the online tool, Easy Start. Your recordings will retain all of their sonic qualities so that you can sound like the artists you admire. Lownoise for crystal clear listening Two lownoise balanced outputs provide clean audio playback. Hear all the details and nuances of your own track or music from Spotify, Apple Music and Music. Plugin your headphones to the highpowered output for monitoring in highfidelity. Get the perfect guitar and vocal take There's no need to sacrifice your tone with two highheadroom instrument inputs to plug in your guitar or bass so that they shine through. Capture your voice with clarity and your instruments in all their glory without any unwanted clipping or distortion thanks to the Gain Halos. Pro performance with the finest preamps Achieve a brighter and a more open recording thanks to the best performing mic preamps the Scarlett range has ever seen. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Scarlett 2i2.
Last updated at 03/21/2026 20:52:12
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen)
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Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface
Delivery $15
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen. 2-Channel USB Audio Interface - MOSC0025
Delivery between 26–30 Mar $15.52
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gen 3 2-in/2-out USB Audio Interface
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Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (GEN 3) 2-in/2-out USB Audio Interface
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Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB Interface – 3rd Gen
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen. Usb Audio Interface
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originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I use the interface to use my computer as a digital reverberation processor. The interface looks solid, using an aluminum case instead of the plastic casing more inexpensive interfaces have. The interface has a high signal to noise ratio and the noise it has is a pleasant white noise instead of the unpleasant whine more inexpensive interfaces have. The interface has reasonable latency for its price. At higher sampling rates, I have seen it have a total round trip latency as low as 6.9ms using the third party ASIO4ALL driver (as measured using RTL utility), or a RTL of 7.8ms using the official drivers for the product. At a 44.1khz sample rate, the RTL I have seen is approximately 11ms. One plus is that the interface is USB powered, leaving me with one less wall wart ... MoreI use the interface to use my computer as a digital reverberation processor. The interface looks solid, using an aluminum case instead of the plastic casing more inexpensive interfaces have. The interface has a high signal to noise ratio and the noise it has is a pleasant white noise instead of the unpleasant whine more inexpensive interfaces have. The interface has reasonable latency for its price. At higher sampling rates, I have seen it have a total round trip latency as low as 6.9ms using the third party ASIO4ALL driver (as measured using RTL utility), or a RTL of 7.8ms using the official drivers for the product. At a 44.1khz sample rate, the RTL I have seen is approximately 11ms. One plus is that the interface is USB powered, leaving me with one less wall wart to deal with in my studio. I have had no issues with ground loops and have not needed to use a transformer to connect it to other devices in my studio. I use the unit at line level so I have not personally evaluated the preamps, except to note that they can increase the signal level it receives to acceptable levels without any noticeable coloration. There are reports from some users that, since this unit does not have input pads, some guitar pickups are too loud for the interface, necessitating buying either a direct box to attenuate the signal, or using the higher end Scarlett 2i4 interface, which, in addition to having input pads, also has MIDI ports and four instead of two outputs. I have not evaluated the software one can download when purchasing this interface; I use outboard gear to record music but reports are that it's quite good. It's a good unit for its price point. Four stars because its latency is a little higher than I would like, and because the lack of pads can sometimes be an issue for guitar players.
originally posted on ebay.com
I purchased the first generation Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 as an A.D. converter for recording lectures. Then, I connected the system in the classroom to the Scarlet. It worked very well and gave excellent vocal reproduction. As the technology in the room changed and it became harder to get an analog output signal, I stopped using it for this purpose. When the pandemic hit, are used my computer for online teaching. I like the product so much that I decided to replace the blue yeti microphone at home with an analog microphone and a nother Scarlet 2i2. This time I went for the third-generation model. The main difference between the first and second generation is that the second generation improved latency indirect monitoring. The significant difference I see in the third ... MoreI purchased the first generation Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 as an A.D. converter for recording lectures. Then, I connected the system in the classroom to the Scarlet. It worked very well and gave excellent vocal reproduction. As the technology in the room changed and it became harder to get an analog output signal, I stopped using it for this purpose. When the pandemic hit, are used my computer for online teaching. I like the product so much that I decided to replace the blue yeti microphone at home with an analog microphone and a nother Scarlet 2i2. This time I went for the third-generation model. The main difference between the first and second generation is that the second generation improved latency indirect monitoring. The significant difference I see in the third generation is that the controls are all electronic, allowing the box's footprint to be smaller. I suspect that in the first generation, if a switch broke, one could easily replace it. I am not sure the third generation is serviceable. Here are the benefits of using the Scarlet ... The device removes audio processing from the computer allowing the CPU to do other tasks more efficiently. It is small and portable so one can use it with various computers. It allows me to connect monitors and headphones coincidentally andcontrol the output separately without having to change the configuration of the cables. Finally, the digital to the analog processor is superior to what is built into most computers. Connecting the same speakers to the monitor output on the Scarlet versus directly to the computer makes a night and day difference in the sound quality.
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
I did a LOT of research into affordable yet, high-quality interfaces for mac. There is a ton of information out there and (unless you are a sound engineer) it can be confusing for folks who are new to the audio recording or podcast game. I couldn't be happier with the Scarlett 2i2 Gen 2 interface. The sound is clear, it was easy as 1-2-3 to set up and it works as described. The build quality is solid. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this interface to anyone. I would suggest that anyone using a dynamic microphone invest in an inline pre-amp. This interface worked well with my AKG D5 but, I virtually had to eat the mic with the gain almost maxed out. For speech recording. That would get old quick so, after much searching, I decided to purchase the Triton Fethead ... MoreI did a LOT of research into affordable yet, high-quality interfaces for mac. There is a ton of information out there and (unless you are a sound engineer) it can be confusing for folks who are new to the audio recording or podcast game. I couldn't be happier with the Scarlett 2i2 Gen 2 interface. The sound is clear, it was easy as 1-2-3 to set up and it works as described. The build quality is solid. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this interface to anyone. I would suggest that anyone using a dynamic microphone invest in an inline pre-amp. This interface worked well with my AKG D5 but, I virtually had to eat the mic with the gain almost maxed out. For speech recording. That would get old quick so, after much searching, I decided to purchase the Triton Fethead in-line preamp. There are several brands that will work. Do the research, then decide what works best for you.
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Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen)
7-day returns
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface
Delivery $15
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen. 2-Channel USB Audio Interface - MOSC0025
Delivery between 26–30 Mar $15.52
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Gen 3 2-in/2-out USB Audio Interface
Delivery $15
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (GEN 3) 2-in/2-out USB Audio Interface
Free delivery
I use the interface to use my computer as a digital reverberation processor. The interface looks solid, using an aluminum case instead of the plastic casing more inexpensive interfaces have. The interface has a high signal to noise ratio and the noise it has is a pleasant white noise instead of the unpleasant whine more inexpensive interfaces have. The interface has reasonable latency for its price. At higher sampling rates, I have seen it have a total round trip latency as low as 6.9ms using the third party ASIO4ALL driver (as measured using RTL utility), or a RTL of 7.8ms using the official drivers for the product. At a 44.1khz sample rate, the RTL I have seen is approximately 11ms. One plus is that the interface is USB powered, leaving me with one less wall wart ... MoreI use the interface to use my computer as a digital reverberation processor. The interface looks solid, using an aluminum case instead of the plastic casing more inexpensive interfaces have. The interface has a high signal to noise ratio and the noise it has is a pleasant white noise instead of the unpleasant whine more inexpensive interfaces have. The interface has reasonable latency for its price. At higher sampling rates, I have seen it have a total round trip latency as low as 6.9ms using the third party ASIO4ALL driver (as measured using RTL utility), or a RTL of 7.8ms using the official drivers for the product. At a 44.1khz sample rate, the RTL I have seen is approximately 11ms. One plus is that the interface is USB powered, leaving me with one less wall wart to deal with in my studio. I have had no issues with ground loops and have not needed to use a transformer to connect it to other devices in my studio. I use the unit at line level so I have not personally evaluated the preamps, except to note that they can increase the signal level it receives to acceptable levels without any noticeable coloration. There are reports from some users that, since this unit does not have input pads, some guitar pickups are too loud for the interface, necessitating buying either a direct box to attenuate the signal, or using the higher end Scarlett 2i4 interface, which, in addition to having input pads, also has MIDI ports and four instead of two outputs. I have not evaluated the software one can download when purchasing this interface; I use outboard gear to record music but reports are that it's quite good. It's a good unit for its price point. Four stars because its latency is a little higher than I would like, and because the lack of pads can sometimes be an issue for guitar players.
I purchased the first generation Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 as an A.D. converter for recording lectures. Then, I connected the system in the classroom to the Scarlet. It worked very well and gave excellent vocal reproduction. As the technology in the room changed and it became harder to get an analog output signal, I stopped using it for this purpose. When the pandemic hit, are used my computer for online teaching. I like the product so much that I decided to replace the blue yeti microphone at home with an analog microphone and a nother Scarlet 2i2. This time I went for the third-generation model. The main difference between the first and second generation is that the second generation improved latency indirect monitoring. The significant difference I see in the third ... MoreI purchased the first generation Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 as an A.D. converter for recording lectures. Then, I connected the system in the classroom to the Scarlet. It worked very well and gave excellent vocal reproduction. As the technology in the room changed and it became harder to get an analog output signal, I stopped using it for this purpose. When the pandemic hit, are used my computer for online teaching. I like the product so much that I decided to replace the blue yeti microphone at home with an analog microphone and a nother Scarlet 2i2. This time I went for the third-generation model. The main difference between the first and second generation is that the second generation improved latency indirect monitoring. The significant difference I see in the third generation is that the controls are all electronic, allowing the box's footprint to be smaller. I suspect that in the first generation, if a switch broke, one could easily replace it. I am not sure the third generation is serviceable. Here are the benefits of using the Scarlet ... The device removes audio processing from the computer allowing the CPU to do other tasks more efficiently. It is small and portable so one can use it with various computers. It allows me to connect monitors and headphones coincidentally andcontrol the output separately without having to change the configuration of the cables. Finally, the digital to the analog processor is superior to what is built into most computers. Connecting the same speakers to the monitor output on the Scarlet versus directly to the computer makes a night and day difference in the sound quality.
I did a LOT of research into affordable yet, high-quality interfaces for mac. There is a ton of information out there and (unless you are a sound engineer) it can be confusing for folks who are new to the audio recording or podcast game. I couldn't be happier with the Scarlett 2i2 Gen 2 interface. The sound is clear, it was easy as 1-2-3 to set up and it works as described. The build quality is solid. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this interface to anyone. I would suggest that anyone using a dynamic microphone invest in an inline pre-amp. This interface worked well with my AKG D5 but, I virtually had to eat the mic with the gain almost maxed out. For speech recording. That would get old quick so, after much searching, I decided to purchase the Triton Fethead ... MoreI did a LOT of research into affordable yet, high-quality interfaces for mac. There is a ton of information out there and (unless you are a sound engineer) it can be confusing for folks who are new to the audio recording or podcast game. I couldn't be happier with the Scarlett 2i2 Gen 2 interface. The sound is clear, it was easy as 1-2-3 to set up and it works as described. The build quality is solid. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this interface to anyone. I would suggest that anyone using a dynamic microphone invest in an inline pre-amp. This interface worked well with my AKG D5 but, I virtually had to eat the mic with the gain almost maxed out. For speech recording. That would get old quick so, after much searching, I decided to purchase the Triton Fethead in-line preamp. There are several brands that will work. Do the research, then decide what works best for you.
I have two of these 2i4 units which I use as PC interfaces to playback music into hi-end audio systems. The sound quality whether balanced or unbalanced is superb with great separation and immense detail. Now to the USB interface issue, which is not unique to the first generation unit, as my first unit was a second generation unit with exactly the same broken USB fault. Replacing them takes time and patience, but it can be done with the simplest of tools. I would recommend a sharp pair of snips, temperature controlled soldiering iron, de-soldiering sucker, de-soldiering wick and a small flat screwdriver to use as a lever. You must clear as much soldier as you can around the joints, snipping the rear links and careful prizing of the connector with the iron on the ... MoreI have two of these 2i4 units which I use as PC interfaces to playback music into hi-end audio systems. The sound quality whether balanced or unbalanced is superb with great separation and immense detail. Now to the USB interface issue, which is not unique to the first generation unit, as my first unit was a second generation unit with exactly the same broken USB fault. Replacing them takes time and patience, but it can be done with the simplest of tools. I would recommend a sharp pair of snips, temperature controlled soldiering iron, de-soldiering sucker, de-soldiering wick and a small flat screwdriver to use as a lever. You must clear as much soldier as you can around the joints, snipping the rear links and careful prizing of the connector with the iron on the lugs you can get the beasty off quite nicely. Then carefully clear the debris out of the holes and you are ready to fit the new one. There are plenty of YouTube videos on how to take the unit apart, to get to the main PCB. Good luck.
It sounds sooooo much better than my behringer um2. I doubt there's a better sounding interface at this price point. If you currently have a cheapo behringer interface, you won't regret this upgrade. Some amazing things about this interface (that make it better than the um2): 1. It has balanced cables so I no longer have computer noise coming through my JBL monitors. 2. It has two separate volume knobs (one for the speakers and one for headphones), so I no longer have to turn my speakers on/ off or plug/ unplug my headphones. 3. Sturdier/heavier build. It's no longer at risk of being pulled off the back of the desk from the weight of the cables. 4. Better sounding/ more powerful preamps. High frequencies aren't as harsh and the entire sound has more clarity. 5. ... MoreIt sounds sooooo much better than my behringer um2. I doubt there's a better sounding interface at this price point. If you currently have a cheapo behringer interface, you won't regret this upgrade. Some amazing things about this interface (that make it better than the um2): 1. It has balanced cables so I no longer have computer noise coming through my JBL monitors. 2. It has two separate volume knobs (one for the speakers and one for headphones), so I no longer have to turn my speakers on/ off or plug/ unplug my headphones. 3. Sturdier/heavier build. It's no longer at risk of being pulled off the back of the desk from the weight of the cables. 4. Better sounding/ more powerful preamps. High frequencies aren't as harsh and the entire sound has more clarity. 5. Cleaner/ clearer recordings. Line in and XLR recordings have a lot less noise and sound more clean. 6. Can record with a lot lower latency than the ASIO4ALL driver could. Very low latency. (Of course, part of this depends on how good your computer is.) Very happy I bought this :)
I needed to upgrade my interface to something that used balanced ins/outs, as my old M-Audio Delta Audiophile PCI card only had RCA ins/outs. After seeing this interface in a couple of friends' studios and getting their recommendation, I decided to give this a try, seeing as it was right in my budget for the functionality I was looking for.Installation was simple, and I am having no issues on my Windows 7 PC.As for the aesthetics, I love the metal casing. The unit looks and feels solid. I appreciate the size, considering what I'm using it for. I COULD easily pack it up in a backpack/gig bag and take it wherever, if I wanted, but it also fits perfectly on my desk where it is accessible but doesn't take up a bunch of room. The input LED halos are awesome, in that ... MoreI needed to upgrade my interface to something that used balanced ins/outs, as my old M-Audio Delta Audiophile PCI card only had RCA ins/outs. After seeing this interface in a couple of friends' studios and getting their recommendation, I decided to give this a try, seeing as it was right in my budget for the functionality I was looking for.Installation was simple, and I am having no issues on my Windows 7 PC.As for the aesthetics, I love the metal casing. The unit looks and feels solid. I appreciate the size, considering what I'm using it for. I COULD easily pack it up in a backpack/gig bag and take it wherever, if I wanted, but it also fits perfectly on my desk where it is accessible but doesn't take up a bunch of room. The input LED halos are awesome, in that when I feed my mixer from my DJ setup in to it, I can prevent the signal from distortion with little guesswork on the levels.As for the interface, it has (and does) what it says it does. 2 in, 2 out, 1 USB. Would like to have seen USB 3.0, but it seems to be working just fine as 2.0 on my 3.0 ports. If you only have one set of monitors, then one set of outputs will be what you need. If you need multiple outs for multiple sets of reference monitors, then you'll either need some sort of switch or a different unit. I am only using the inputs to plug in my DJ gear, so this is working perfectly for that, since I have mic inputs on my mixer, in the rare occasion I need to record vocals.As for sound quality, I noticed a BIG difference going from my old internal PCI card to this interface. Some of that could be the switch from unbalanced to balanced connections, some of it could just be the quality difference between the two units, but I have no complaints about the sound from this thing going to a set of KRK 8" monitors & 10" sub.The bonus plugins are a nice touch, though I have admittedly not really dug in to them to try them out, since I have the same types of plugins from other companies that I know and prefer. But, even if they perform their functions to a basic standard, they were free, so it's hard to complain about that.There's definitely better audio interfaces out there, if you're willing to spend the money, but this thing is meeting every expectation I've had for it so far, for this price range. If you need a lot of inputs and outs then you may want to go with one of the other Scarlett pieces that have more connections to stay budget conscious, or maybe something a little more professional grade if you're trying to run a pro-grade studio, but this thing easily gets the job done for a novice/experienced/home musician/DJ that doesn't need a whole lot of inputs and only has one set of monitors.
This is one of the best entry level Audio Interfaces on the market, also the most popular. "IT JUST WORKS." It's solid metal, and the knobs and buttons work smoothly with just the right amount of resistance - very professional. It's also not too large, so you can throw it in a backpack or gig bag. This 3rd generation has "Air" mode - a famous sound profile from their higher end professional interfaces - which gives an option for a more open sound to mic recordings. The software package is AWESOME with Ableton (better for live performance) and ProTools, which is the recording studio industry standard. I like that it's powered by a usb-c connector, and when attached to your computer, it shows up as a drive. You open that up and launch the link to all the setup, ... MoreThis is one of the best entry level Audio Interfaces on the market, also the most popular. "IT JUST WORKS." It's solid metal, and the knobs and buttons work smoothly with just the right amount of resistance - very professional. It's also not too large, so you can throw it in a backpack or gig bag. This 3rd generation has "Air" mode - a famous sound profile from their higher end professional interfaces - which gives an option for a more open sound to mic recordings. The software package is AWESOME with Ableton (better for live performance) and ProTools, which is the recording studio industry standard. I like that it's powered by a usb-c connector, and when attached to your computer, it shows up as a drive. You open that up and launch the link to all the setup, instruction videos, registration and software downloads. Phantom power works great, and has enough punch to power more demanding microphones like the famous Shure SM7B. I also like the volume control for the monitor headphone jack. The outputs on the back are solid 1/4" unbalanced TRS jacks to go to your studio speakers or mixer.
I purchased a Scarlett 2i2 new from Musician's Friend a few years ago. Immediately after receiving the interface, I plugged it into my Mac and recorded several tracks in GarageBand. The interface was simple to set up and worked seamlessly... for about an hour.When it quit working, I assumed that I had set up something incorrectly, and decided it was a sign that I needed to put it down to take care of other responsibilities at the time. Without ever getting back to troubleshooting, I eventually put everything back into the original packaging and stored it in a closet with my other gear and put recording on the backburner.I have since pulled the Scarlett 2i2 back out of the box to begin recording again only to find out that the interface is still inoperative. It ... MoreI purchased a Scarlett 2i2 new from Musician's Friend a few years ago. Immediately after receiving the interface, I plugged it into my Mac and recorded several tracks in GarageBand. The interface was simple to set up and worked seamlessly... for about an hour.When it quit working, I assumed that I had set up something incorrectly, and decided it was a sign that I needed to put it down to take care of other responsibilities at the time. Without ever getting back to troubleshooting, I eventually put everything back into the original packaging and stored it in a closet with my other gear and put recording on the backburner.I have since pulled the Scarlett 2i2 back out of the box to begin recording again only to find out that the interface is still inoperative. It still will not recognize any instrument or microphone plugged into either input on the face of the box. The gain LED's do not light up, but will give an intermittent orange flash that is probably an error code of sorts.I have gone through all technical support articles on Focusrite's website. I have been in contact with Focusrite via email and over the phone. I have watched countless YouTube videos of other users with the same or similar issues. I have dug through forums to explore other potential solutions. All to no avail. The last bit of advice I got was from Focusrite telling me the interface had an internal hardware issue and that it would need to be replaced...Ultimately, the issue is that this product didn't last more than an hour in a home studio. Before purchasing this product, run a few Google searches to see just how many people have encountered input issues with the Scarlett. You'll be surprised.With added longevity, it would be worth every bit of 5-stars. The sound quality was great for home use, and the unit was simple to use. However, although the price is very appealing, I would highly recommend spending the money for a more reliable USB interface...
I have several 2-input interfaces I've used over the years, including a Fast Track Pro and the gen 1 Scarlett 2i2. I set up a test using my Rode NT2A mike (and a couple others) to compare those boxes with my new 2i2 Gen 2.There is definitely a difference in clarity between this box and the two older ones. Even when a friend assisted to the tests would be "blind", I could consistently identify the Gen 2. I was NOT able to distinguish between the Fast Track Pro and the 2i2 Gen 1; they both produced slightly muddier recordings. It was enough of a difference that I immediately switched everything over to the 2i2 Gen 2.THEN I noticed that the CPU use in Ableton Live had gone up significantly when I played back some complicated sessions, and even caused a particularly ... MoreI have several 2-input interfaces I've used over the years, including a Fast Track Pro and the gen 1 Scarlett 2i2. I set up a test using my Rode NT2A mike (and a couple others) to compare those boxes with my new 2i2 Gen 2.There is definitely a difference in clarity between this box and the two older ones. Even when a friend assisted to the tests would be "blind", I could consistently identify the Gen 2. I was NOT able to distinguish between the Fast Track Pro and the 2i2 Gen 1; they both produced slightly muddier recordings. It was enough of a difference that I immediately switched everything over to the 2i2 Gen 2.THEN I noticed that the CPU use in Ableton Live had gone up significantly when I played back some complicated sessions, and even caused a particularly complex one to stutter - which had never happened with the Fast Track Pro. I tested to see if it was because I had the 2i2 Gen 2 set at a higher bitrate (96K) but even on 44100 the CPU usage for the 2i2 Gen 2 is higher. I'm not sure if this is due to the Fast Track having a more efficient driver - but it worries me a little and cost this interface a star.Most of the work I do is not very complex, so this should be fine for most recordings. I'll keep the Fast Track Pro around, though, in case I need it for more complex work.
When my previous audio interface (Griffin iMic) broke I sought a replacement that I could trust to have quality electronics, 24-bit stereo audio, low latency, and musicality. I went for an interface designed for musicians because they need reliability and ruggedness as well as audio quality. I chose the Scarlett 2i2 over a similar Behrenger product because I like the layout of the controls and the connections.Here is what I found:• It feels solid — I don’t think the internals will easily get shaken up.• The dials, switches, and connection sockets feel sturdy and have no play (they aren’t loose).• Connections were easy. Getting it all to work together with the laptop and stereo took a little fiddling but worked well when I got familiar with all the components.• ... MoreWhen my previous audio interface (Griffin iMic) broke I sought a replacement that I could trust to have quality electronics, 24-bit stereo audio, low latency, and musicality. I went for an interface designed for musicians because they need reliability and ruggedness as well as audio quality. I chose the Scarlett 2i2 over a similar Behrenger product because I like the layout of the controls and the connections.Here is what I found:• It feels solid — I don’t think the internals will easily get shaken up.• The dials, switches, and connection sockets feel sturdy and have no play (they aren’t loose).• Connections were easy. Getting it all to work together with the laptop and stereo took a little fiddling but worked well when I got familiar with all the components.• Getting the software is a pain. It took multiple account creations to get the Pro Tools installed and it still won’t let me actually run it.• Sound is excellent. It is clearly better than the iMic. Signals when recording or playing are strong and clean. Using the highest quality capture and file format gave a pleasing musical tone.• I played back a sample I made from an ELO LP and thought, “That’s a lot of sound.” Channel separation was fantastic, dynamic and frequency range were also very good. The “sound stage” was tall and wide and full of detail.Other notes:• To record from LP, I plugged the turntable directly into the Scarlett 2i2, set the #1 and #2 inputs to Line level, turned both dials to max.• Results were good with Final Vinyl but better with Audacity. I got best results using OGG; keep sample rate at 24-bit or better (I think the Scarlett maxes at 24).• All analog connections to the stereo required 1/4”-RCA patch cords. I got a 5 foot cord and 1 meter cord but it’s not enough. I recommend a 6-8 foot patch cord or USB cord (A-B connectors).• It powers up if you connect the USB cable to a power block but it won’t send any signal unless it’s plugged into a computer.
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