An excellent and functional audio interface that churns out quality sound is something that all musicians should take into account, especially if they want to record their own music. These days, there is a wide selection of audio interfaces that include features that make audio recordings a breeze. One of these units is the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen 2x2 USB which has been so popular that it is now in its 3rd generation.
This has been the best selling audio interface for years. The 3rd generation continues the tradition with increased dynamic range and lower noise. The mic preamp can now take even larger input levels before clipping.
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At this time, Focusrite is a company that is applauded for the production of quality mic preamps and audio interfaces that often come at affordable prices. A portable selection in the form of the Scarlett series is now available and it features a modern, durable style with its own list of beneficial features such as the company’s widely popular preamps. This is designed for a musician who loves traveling and making music at the same time.
- Pro performance with the finest pre-amps - Achieve a brighter and a more open recording thanks to the best performing mic pre-amps the Scarlett range has ever seen. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Scarlett 2i2.
- Get the perfect guitar and vocal take - There’s no need to sacrifice your tone with two high-headroom 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 our Gain Halos.
- Low-noise for crystal clear listening - Two low-noise balanced outputs provide clean audio playback. Hear all the details and nuances of your own track or music from Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music. Plug-in your own headphones via the output for private listening in high-fidelity.
- Studio quality recording for your music and podcasts - You can achieve professional sounding recordings with Scarlett’s high-performance converters which enable you to record and mix at up to 24-bit/192kHz. Your recordings will retain all of their sonic qualities so that you can sound like the artists you admire.
- Easy Start - It’s easier than ever to get up and running with your Scarlett with our online tool, Easy Start. Whether you’re looking to record or playback audio, we will help you get started.
*Price from: 2023-09-30 at 10:08 EST
Features
- Features 24-bit max depth and 192 kHz sample rate.
- Includes 2 inputs and 2 outputs.
- Includes 2 mic preamps.
- Includes 2 XLR/TRS combo jacks.
- Features 2 1/4-inch TRS balanced output.
- USB Type-C (protocol USB 2.0) connectivity .
- Includes 1 headphone output.
- Compatible with both Mac and Windows.
- Includes phantom power.
- Features direct monitoring.
- Includes Halo LEDs for metering purposes.
- Features latency control.
- Features monitor control.
- Includes headphone control.
- Includes software.
Advantages
The 2i2 comes with its own share of benefits that help users in their search for a great recording equipment on the go. One of its primary benefits is the addition of the brand’s recognized Focusrite preamps.
Focusrite is known in the industry as one of the reputable manufacturers and designers of mic preamps and audio interfaces. The Scarlett’s line of preamps is at par with those from the brand’s Saffire series that are used in many professional recording studios.
You would also discover the top-notch quality of its AD/DA converters as compared to other interfaces of the same size. Many units have signal conversions of 16-bit/48kHz. However, this unit utilizes more at 24-bit/192kHz. This pretty much sums up that users would acquire a better, crisp, and clearer sound quality and recordings.
It has professional-level mic preamps and instruments with 2 XLR inputs and 2 1/4-inch line-level jack inputs. Do you want to create polished recordings by means of monitoring and fast USB 2.0 type-C connections? This unit has them and would prove to be very useful while creating tracks.
Users can also use condenser mics even without any outboard gear because the unit already has phantom power resources. You can also produce distinct audio signals with higher levels of sampling resolutions. Experiment and play around with the help of unit’s bundled Focusrite Plugin Suite and Ableton Live Lite. The former has features such as gate, EQ, compressor and reverb.
Because this unit operates through USB, you won’t have to use a separate power cable for it. The audio interface also comes at a price that most of us would appreciate.
Disadvantages
Reviewers who have experienced a few drawbacks with the unit complained that it lacks digital inputs and outputs and that it also does not have MIDI input and output. Another customer said that he was disappointed that he had to get a pop filter and a mic stand in order to record some vocal tracks.
This is just 2 channels and the latency will be more than their professional line, but it is just an entry level device.
Verdict
The Scarlett 2i2 is something that is ideal for beginners and musicians who travel on a frequent basis yet want to create music along the way and record those tracks. This is also ideal for those who have a limited budget. This USB unit is better as compared to the other models with the same features. It is user-friendly therefore you would not be bothered with guesstimating about how each feature works.
The quality of the preamps and converters are better as compared to the other interfaces of the same size. The bundled plugins are also an excellent addition and would encourage musicians to experiment and make more music. This is a great deal and is definitely recommended.