Scarlett Solo is the smallest and simplest USB audio interface with two inputs and two outputs. It's perfect for singer/songwriters and guitarists looking for an easy way to record studio-quality music on PC and Mac. Scarlett solo is compact and rugged, so you can take it with you wherever you go. Power is supplied via a USB cable. Connect a microphone and a guitar and start recording immediately. Of course in the same sound quality as all interfaces of the Scarlett series. Record in good studio quality with the sound you want. Connect your microphone to the natural-sounding Scarlett microphone preamp with 48V phantom power. Your guitar has a redesigned instrument input with plenty of headroom. This opens up all possibilities for you. Record your guitar and vocals on different tracks. If you don't like the sound yet, you can assign each track its own effects such as an amp simulation for the guitar and reverb for the vocals, so you can refine your sound without re-recording. Don't let your interface restrict you. Scarlett Solo opens up a whole new world of recording possibilities that no other interface in its class has to offer. Above all, you can use your plug-ins, such as guitar amp simulations or reverb for vocals, depending on your software settings and computer, to record in real time. Scarlett Solo comes with everything you need to compose, record, edit and export music. Ableton Live Lite and Pro Tools | First Focusrite Creative Pack are included. There are also 12 different plug-ins, including the amp simulation Eleven Lite for real guitar amp emulations and Black Opt for cult distortion and overdrive sounds. Softube's Time and Tone bundle and Focusrite's Red plug-in suite are also included, as is Novation's Bass Station virtual synthesizer and 2 GB of samples from Loopmasters. Scarlett Solo works seamlessly with all major DAWs on PC and Mac. The included software is not only suitable for beginners, but also professionals will enjoy it.
Scarlett Solo is the smallest and simplest USB audio interface with two inputs and two outputs. It's perfect for singer/songwriters and guitarists looking for an easy way to record studio-quality music on PC and Mac. Scarlett solo is compact and rugged, so you can take it with you wherever you go. Power is supplied via a USB cable. Connect a microphone and a guitar and start recording immediately. Of course in the same sound quality as all interfaces of the Scarlett series. Record in good studio quality with the sound you want. Connect your microphone to the natural-sounding Scarlett microphone preamp with 48V phantom power. Your guitar has a redesigned instrument input with plenty of headroom. This opens up all possibilities for you. Record your guitar and vocals on different tracks. If you don't like the sound yet, you can assign each track its own effects such as an amp simulation for the guitar and reverb for the vocals, so you can refine your sound without re-recording. Don't let your interface restrict you. Scarlett Solo opens up a whole new world of recording possibilities that no other interface in its class has to offer. Above all, you can use your plug-ins, such as guitar amp simulations or reverb for vocals, depending on your software settings and computer, to record in real time. Scarlett Solo comes with everything you need to compose, record, edit and export music. Ableton Live Lite and Pro Tools | First Focusrite Creative Pack are included. There are also 12 different plug-ins, including the amp simulation Eleven Lite for real guitar amp emulations and Black Opt for cult distortion and overdrive sounds. Softube's Time and Tone bundle and Focusrite's Red plug-in suite are also included, as is Novation's Bass Station virtual synthesizer and 2 GB of samples from Loopmasters. Scarlett Solo works seamlessly with all major DAWs on PC and Mac. The included software is not only suitable for beginners, but also professionals will enjoy it.
Scarlett Solo is the smallest and simplest USB audio interface with two inputs and two outputs. It's perfect for singer/songwriters and guitarists looking for an easy way to record studio-quality music on PC and Mac. Scarlett solo is compact and rugged, so you can take it with you wherever you go. Power is supplied via a USB cable. Connect a microphone and a guitar and start recording immediately. Of course in the same sound quality as all interfaces of the Scarlett series. Record in good studio quality with the sound you want. Connect your microphone to the natural-sounding Scarlett microphone preamp with 48V phantom power. Your guitar has a redesigned instrument input with plenty of headroom. This opens up all possibilities for you. Record your guitar and vocals on different tracks. If you don't like the sound yet, you can assign each track its own effects such as an amp simulation for the guitar and reverb for the vocals, so you can refine your sound without re-recording. Don't let your interface restrict you. Scarlett Solo opens up a whole new world of recording possibilities that no other interface in its class has to offer. Above all, you can use your plug-ins, such as guitar amp simulations or reverb for vocals, depending on your software settings and computer, to record in real time. Scarlett Solo comes with everything you need to compose, record, edit and export music. Ableton Live Lite and Pro Tools | First Focusrite Creative Pack are included. There are also 12 different plug-ins, including the amp simulation Eleven Lite for real guitar amp emulations and Black Opt for cult distortion and overdrive sounds. Softube's Time and Tone bundle and Focusrite's Red plug-in suite are also included, as is Novation's Bass Station virtual synthesizer and 2 GB of samples from Loopmasters. Scarlett Solo works seamlessly with all major DAWs on PC and Mac. The included software is not only suitable for beginners, but also professionals will enjoy it.
Scarlett Solo is the smallest and simplest USB audio interface with two inputs and two outputs. It's perfect for singer/songwriters and guitarists looking for an easy way to record studio-quality music on PC and Mac. Scarlett solo is compact and rugged, so you can take it with you wherever you go. Power is supplied via a USB cable. Connect a microphone and a guitar and start recording immediately. Of course in the same sound quality as all interfaces of the Scarlett series. Record in good studio quality with the sound you want. Connect your microphone to the natural-sounding Scarlett microphone preamp with 48V phantom power. Your guitar has a redesigned instrument input with plenty of headroom. This opens up all possibilities for you. Record your guitar and vocals on different tracks. If you don't like the sound yet, you can assign each track its own effects such as an amp simulation for the guitar and reverb for the vocals, so you can refine your sound without re-recording. Don't let your interface restrict you. Scarlett Solo opens up a whole new world of recording possibilities that no other interface in its class has to offer. Above all, you can use your plug-ins, such as guitar amp simulations or reverb for vocals, depending on your software settings and computer, to record in real time. Scarlett Solo comes with everything you need to compose, record, edit and export music. Ableton Live Lite and Pro Tools | First Focusrite Creative Pack are included. There are also 12 different plug-ins, including the amp simulation Eleven Lite for real guitar amp emulations and Black Opt for cult distortion and overdrive sounds. Softube's Time and Tone bundle and Focusrite's Red plug-in suite are also included, as is Novation's Bass Station virtual synthesizer and 2 GB of samples from Loopmasters. Scarlett Solo works seamlessly with all major DAWs on PC and Mac. The included software is not only suitable for beginners, but also professionals will enjoy it.
Last updated at 06/08/2026 06:21:49
Focusrite Scarlett Solo Effects Unit
Delivery $20.70
Focusrite Scarlett Solo Compact (1st Gen) USB Audio Interface
Delivery between 12–16 June $15.52
Focusrite Scarlett Solo Compact USB Audio Interface
Delivery $28.39
originally posted on bhphotovideo.com
It's very prone to creating ground loops. The USB ground is connected to the monitor outputs, and both XLR and TRS grounds. In my setup, I had speakers that took inputs from both the computer and the Scarlett. Needless to say, it didn't work very well. I couldn't use this in a simple enough way to avoid ground loops.For people using this on a laptop on battery power, that's not an issue, but it is quite troublesome when using this on an actual workstation.I was surprised at how much noisier this is than my internal sound card. Sure, I am comparing this to a Xonar D2x, but the Scarlett should have better SNR because it's not inside the computer. Try recording a guitar and passing it through heavy distortion... it's noisier than a squeaky train toilet. The Xonar ... MoreIt's very prone to creating ground loops. The USB ground is connected to the monitor outputs, and both XLR and TRS grounds. In my setup, I had speakers that took inputs from both the computer and the Scarlett. Needless to say, it didn't work very well. I couldn't use this in a simple enough way to avoid ground loops.For people using this on a laptop on battery power, that's not an issue, but it is quite troublesome when using this on an actual workstation.I was surprised at how much noisier this is than my internal sound card. Sure, I am comparing this to a Xonar D2x, but the Scarlett should have better SNR because it's not inside the computer. Try recording a guitar and passing it through heavy distortion... it's noisier than a squeaky train toilet. The Xonar D2x fares much better -- 20dB better to be more specific.It's very picky about which USB ports it will work on. It worked on my workstation, and UPS USB-A ports. It didn't work from a power-pack, or the USB-C ports on my laptop. It's one of the most incompatible USB devices I've ever owned.I wasn't able to record smoothly at 192KHz. It just doesn't like it. I'm certain there's some machine where it works beautifully at 192KHz, but on the three or so machines I tried this, I had to dial it down to 96KHz.One good thing is that the High-Z input sounds impressive. The High-Z input captures a lot more detail and subtleties in an electric guitar. It sounds better than the same guitar on my Soundcraft mixer's line in. Focusrite did something "rite" with the pre-amp.Turning phantom power on or off crates audible pops. Ramping up phantom voltage to stay out of the audible range is trivial, yet they didn't implement it in the Scarlett.The Scarlett has the potential to sound good, but at the same time leaves a lot to be desired. It's worse than my existing D2x internal sound card in every possible way. I feel that instead of being spent on better circuitry and noise isolation, my money instead goes to the code inside the box, and licenses to some software I'm never going to use.
originally posted on musiciansfriend.com
I got this as an inexpensive interface for my laptop to work on mixes and recording ideas away from my main studio. I am very impressed with the quality of the mic preamp - there seems to be a lot of headroom. The instrument input is equally good. Headphone output is loud and live monitoring sound is excellent. The aux outputs on the back are great for hooking up to monitors or stereo system. In fact, I used this for a little while for my home hi-fi setup as DA converter for listening to high-quality audio files from my laptop, and was blown away by the quality. This rivals some of those so-called "audiophile" interfaces. I bet if you gutted one of these things, threw the components in an expensive-looking enclosure and gave it a snobby name, you could easily sell ... MoreI got this as an inexpensive interface for my laptop to work on mixes and recording ideas away from my main studio. I am very impressed with the quality of the mic preamp - there seems to be a lot of headroom. The instrument input is equally good. Headphone output is loud and live monitoring sound is excellent. The aux outputs on the back are great for hooking up to monitors or stereo system. In fact, I used this for a little while for my home hi-fi setup as DA converter for listening to high-quality audio files from my laptop, and was blown away by the quality. This rivals some of those so-called "audiophile" interfaces. I bet if you gutted one of these things, threw the components in an expensive-looking enclosure and gave it a snobby name, you could easily sell this for 10x more:-) Just sayin...I discovered that the inputs don't pan L and R when you use both channels together, like some other interfaces, which means this is all mono. And for some reason in my DAW (Samplitude) it only sees the left channel, so you have to set your recording channel to be mono. It's a small but tolerable annoyance. Also, there's no MIDI input, but many modern keyboards use USB anyway.Anyway, excellent bang for the buck, even at full price.
originally posted on ebay.com
If you're expecting to "plug and play" you'll be disappointed. Get ready to plug and weep instead. It doesn't come with any of the necessary cables to hook it up to your computer or your instruments, so you will be spending a lot of money on the right cables. The software that you are supposed to download will most likely make your computer crash or freeze and is truly not worth it when you finally get it set up. If all you want to do is record yourself and a couple of friends, to work on some music, you will be very frustrated, because it's just not that simple. In the end, the built-in microphone on the computer and some free software did the job better.
Focusrite Scarlett Solo Effects Unit
Delivery $20.70
Focusrite Scarlett Solo Compact (1st Gen) USB Audio Interface
Delivery between 12–16 June $15.52
Focusrite Scarlett Solo Compact USB Audio Interface
Delivery $28.39
It's very prone to creating ground loops. The USB ground is connected to the monitor outputs, and both XLR and TRS grounds. In my setup, I had speakers that took inputs from both the computer and the Scarlett. Needless to say, it didn't work very well. I couldn't use this in a simple enough way to avoid ground loops.For people using this on a laptop on battery power, that's not an issue, but it is quite troublesome when using this on an actual workstation.I was surprised at how much noisier this is than my internal sound card. Sure, I am comparing this to a Xonar D2x, but the Scarlett should have better SNR because it's not inside the computer. Try recording a guitar and passing it through heavy distortion... it's noisier than a squeaky train toilet. The Xonar ... MoreIt's very prone to creating ground loops. The USB ground is connected to the monitor outputs, and both XLR and TRS grounds. In my setup, I had speakers that took inputs from both the computer and the Scarlett. Needless to say, it didn't work very well. I couldn't use this in a simple enough way to avoid ground loops.For people using this on a laptop on battery power, that's not an issue, but it is quite troublesome when using this on an actual workstation.I was surprised at how much noisier this is than my internal sound card. Sure, I am comparing this to a Xonar D2x, but the Scarlett should have better SNR because it's not inside the computer. Try recording a guitar and passing it through heavy distortion... it's noisier than a squeaky train toilet. The Xonar D2x fares much better -- 20dB better to be more specific.It's very picky about which USB ports it will work on. It worked on my workstation, and UPS USB-A ports. It didn't work from a power-pack, or the USB-C ports on my laptop. It's one of the most incompatible USB devices I've ever owned.I wasn't able to record smoothly at 192KHz. It just doesn't like it. I'm certain there's some machine where it works beautifully at 192KHz, but on the three or so machines I tried this, I had to dial it down to 96KHz.One good thing is that the High-Z input sounds impressive. The High-Z input captures a lot more detail and subtleties in an electric guitar. It sounds better than the same guitar on my Soundcraft mixer's line in. Focusrite did something "rite" with the pre-amp.Turning phantom power on or off crates audible pops. Ramping up phantom voltage to stay out of the audible range is trivial, yet they didn't implement it in the Scarlett.The Scarlett has the potential to sound good, but at the same time leaves a lot to be desired. It's worse than my existing D2x internal sound card in every possible way. I feel that instead of being spent on better circuitry and noise isolation, my money instead goes to the code inside the box, and licenses to some software I'm never going to use.
I got this as an inexpensive interface for my laptop to work on mixes and recording ideas away from my main studio. I am very impressed with the quality of the mic preamp - there seems to be a lot of headroom. The instrument input is equally good. Headphone output is loud and live monitoring sound is excellent. The aux outputs on the back are great for hooking up to monitors or stereo system. In fact, I used this for a little while for my home hi-fi setup as DA converter for listening to high-quality audio files from my laptop, and was blown away by the quality. This rivals some of those so-called "audiophile" interfaces. I bet if you gutted one of these things, threw the components in an expensive-looking enclosure and gave it a snobby name, you could easily sell ... MoreI got this as an inexpensive interface for my laptop to work on mixes and recording ideas away from my main studio. I am very impressed with the quality of the mic preamp - there seems to be a lot of headroom. The instrument input is equally good. Headphone output is loud and live monitoring sound is excellent. The aux outputs on the back are great for hooking up to monitors or stereo system. In fact, I used this for a little while for my home hi-fi setup as DA converter for listening to high-quality audio files from my laptop, and was blown away by the quality. This rivals some of those so-called "audiophile" interfaces. I bet if you gutted one of these things, threw the components in an expensive-looking enclosure and gave it a snobby name, you could easily sell this for 10x more:-) Just sayin...I discovered that the inputs don't pan L and R when you use both channels together, like some other interfaces, which means this is all mono. And for some reason in my DAW (Samplitude) it only sees the left channel, so you have to set your recording channel to be mono. It's a small but tolerable annoyance. Also, there's no MIDI input, but many modern keyboards use USB anyway.Anyway, excellent bang for the buck, even at full price.
If you're expecting to "plug and play" you'll be disappointed. Get ready to plug and weep instead. It doesn't come with any of the necessary cables to hook it up to your computer or your instruments, so you will be spending a lot of money on the right cables. The software that you are supposed to download will most likely make your computer crash or freeze and is truly not worth it when you finally get it set up. If all you want to do is record yourself and a couple of friends, to work on some music, you will be very frustrated, because it's just not that simple. In the end, the built-in microphone on the computer and some free software did the job better.
Excellent product to buy if you are getting into the world of recording or setting up a home studio. It is simple and intuitive to use, has good set of features for its price and works great! I use it mostly for recording electric guitars and this gives me a clean signal with no clipping whatsoever.Pros:1. Great pre-amps! Focusrite pre-amps are considered among the best in the world and you get that in this compact, value for money package.2. Halos to monitor input. Green = Good, Orange/Red = Clipping. Very intuitive to use.3. Direct monitor for latency free recording.4. Can be used without a DI box to record guitars which is a huge plus.5. Phantom power for mic.6. Great build quality, solid and sturdy. Looks great too.7. Lots of bundled software to get you ... MoreExcellent product to buy if you are getting into the world of recording or setting up a home studio. It is simple and intuitive to use, has good set of features for its price and works great! I use it mostly for recording electric guitars and this gives me a clean signal with no clipping whatsoever.Pros:1. Great pre-amps! Focusrite pre-amps are considered among the best in the world and you get that in this compact, value for money package.2. Halos to monitor input. Green = Good, Orange/Red = Clipping. Very intuitive to use.3. Direct monitor for latency free recording.4. Can be used without a DI box to record guitars which is a huge plus.5. Phantom power for mic.6. Great build quality, solid and sturdy. Looks great too.7. Lots of bundled software to get you up and running with recording.8. Plug-n-Play support on Linux! This is a fantastic feature to have.9. Good DAC. Use it as your headphone amplifier, it sounds great.Cons:1. USB driver support on Windows with AMD processor is not that good. Focusrite recommends to connect to a USB 3.0 port but the sound quality suffers when that is done (lots of unwanted clicks and dropped audio). You will be better off using their USB 2.0 drivers.Overall, just go for it!
I recently got the Scarlett Solo. I had previously been using M-Audio's Mobile Pre since 2012, which is not a bad interface, but I wanted a USB 2.0 interface. First off, the preamp is much more balanced and cleaner which is not surprizing since Focusrite used to make preamps long before they started making audio interfaces. The Scarlett is also sturdier and felt more expensive. One of my favorite features is the clipping indicator around the input knob. This gives a much more accurate input reading when recording. My only preference would be, add 1/4" outputs. Overall, the Scarlett was very easy too use, Just a quick plug and play and I was ready to record. My DAW is Logic Pro X, and this interface is working well.
The Focusrite Scarlett Solo audio interface is the most simple and convenient approach towards recording your sounds.You get your basic essentials, an XLR and 1/4″ input, RCA outs for some studio monitors, as well as extra connectivity for your guitar, bass or keys.Build quality is very good. The Solo has an aluminum build, combine that with it's small size and you’ve got a solid on-the-road type of interface on your hands. The USB-powered function means no lugging around an AV adapter if you perform, or it’s one less wire if you’ve got it parked in your studio.Integrated mic-preamps, easy straight plug-ins, record at home or while traveling, studio quality recordings, direct monitoringAlso, the sound card in this is significantly better than the one in my ... MoreThe Focusrite Scarlett Solo audio interface is the most simple and convenient approach towards recording your sounds.You get your basic essentials, an XLR and 1/4″ input, RCA outs for some studio monitors, as well as extra connectivity for your guitar, bass or keys.Build quality is very good. The Solo has an aluminum build, combine that with it's small size and you’ve got a solid on-the-road type of interface on your hands. The USB-powered function means no lugging around an AV adapter if you perform, or it’s one less wire if you’ve got it parked in your studio.Integrated mic-preamps, easy straight plug-ins, record at home or while traveling, studio quality recordings, direct monitoringAlso, the sound card in this is significantly better than the one in my computer, so I have to just have it plugged in and I changed it to the primary sound driver on my computer.Ultimately, It’s great not only for a beginner to a semi-pro, but those who know what they want: an XLR port, 1/4″, RCA’s, monitor switch, headphone jack, volume knobs, and a solid audio interface that gives you crystal clear 24-bit sound quality with a sample rate of up to 96kHz. If you’re looking for a basic audio interface that offers you the nitty gritty of what interfaces are supposed to do, this is the one for you.
I really love this v2 of the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. The Focusrite pre-amps sound fantastic even for such a small unit and they're reminiscent of the Focusrite in the early Digidesign Mbox units years ago in fact that's really what this unit reminds me of in terms of size, performance etc. The output is clean and well balanced going to my monitors (no colouration) and the fact that it's so light and portable means I can record anywhere. Having it USB powered is a bonus - no extra PSU to carry around. When I was looking for something small and compact to take on the road with my laptop, this was exactly what I wanted. The controls are very simple - the coloured knobs to show input gain levels are really handy and the output knob is nice and oversized - so always ... MoreI really love this v2 of the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. The Focusrite pre-amps sound fantastic even for such a small unit and they're reminiscent of the Focusrite in the early Digidesign Mbox units years ago in fact that's really what this unit reminds me of in terms of size, performance etc. The output is clean and well balanced going to my monitors (no colouration) and the fact that it's so light and portable means I can record anywhere. Having it USB powered is a bonus - no extra PSU to carry around. When I was looking for something small and compact to take on the road with my laptop, this was exactly what I wanted. The controls are very simple - the coloured knobs to show input gain levels are really handy and the output knob is nice and oversized - so always within reach and easy to adjust. I also like the fact the input gain knobs aren't too loose - so it's impossible to accidentally knock them and change a level without realising it - quite a clever feature. There isn't anything I don't like about this unit.
The clip LED is one of those that changes colour from I'm guessing what is green to I'm guessing what is orange to I'm guessing what is red, although the middle colour looks darker.Ok, this is 2017 and there are still millions of products that fail to recognise that 10% of the worlds population are colourblind.It's taken me just over a month to realise that the LED turns a different colour when clipping or even going over a certain level. I was under the assumption that the LED just came on when it was clipping. No wonder I couldn't get my levels anywhere near usable, I though the Line/Inst switch wasn't working or there was a fault in my equipment.It took a month for my other half to point out my mistake.Apart from that, it's a great bit of kit, but ... MoreThe clip LED is one of those that changes colour from I'm guessing what is green to I'm guessing what is orange to I'm guessing what is red, although the middle colour looks darker.Ok, this is 2017 and there are still millions of products that fail to recognise that 10% of the worlds population are colourblind.It's taken me just over a month to realise that the LED turns a different colour when clipping or even going over a certain level. I was under the assumption that the LED just came on when it was clipping. No wonder I couldn't get my levels anywhere near usable, I though the Line/Inst switch wasn't working or there was a fault in my equipment.It took a month for my other half to point out my mistake.Apart from that, it's a great bit of kit, but considering the importance of getting input gain correct, it's next to useless for me. A minor design flaw makes this unit redundant.
If you're using Windows 10 and intend on using this for any extended period of time, AVOID purchasing this product. Currently, I can't go any longer than 3 hours without my audio interface resulting in me sounding like a robot. I've contacted support multiple times and they've tried to be helpful, but it doesn't seem like there's any end in sight for this problem. I wish I had researched the Solo prior to purchasing considering it's a very well known issue. To clarify, there's nothing wrong with the interface itself, but the drivers are not working the way they should. I was using this to connect my AT2020 to my PC for streaming alongside VOIP chatting (Discord/Teamspeak/Skype) and it has been 6 months of continuous unplugging and replugging of the Solo to ... MoreIf you're using Windows 10 and intend on using this for any extended period of time, AVOID purchasing this product. Currently, I can't go any longer than 3 hours without my audio interface resulting in me sounding like a robot. I've contacted support multiple times and they've tried to be helpful, but it doesn't seem like there's any end in sight for this problem. I wish I had researched the Solo prior to purchasing considering it's a very well known issue. To clarify, there's nothing wrong with the interface itself, but the drivers are not working the way they should. I was using this to connect my AT2020 to my PC for streaming alongside VOIP chatting (Discord/Teamspeak/Skype) and it has been 6 months of continuous unplugging and replugging of the Solo to temporarily work around the issue.
Easy to use, takes a bit to get it set up but worth it . I use it mostly for practice plugged into my laptop and then plug my acoustic electric and microphone directly into the device. It is small but is built of durable materials. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 only due the extra time needed to setup the included software (it's not a plug and play device but they do supply good software) and get the sound controls on my computer set correctly but the device itself would get 5 stars. If you want this for solo or just for practice or taking the mix as is directly form your sound board or PA this is a good inexpensive option but would recommend getting one of the larger models for more independent sound control for groups.
