Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface Recording, Producing And Engineering — High-Fidelity, Studio Quality Recording, With Transparent Playback

Product Information

Eight inputs and four outputs; four 3rd Generation mic pres, two Hi-Z instrument inputs, four fixed line inputs, and four balanced outputs plus ADAT input for up to eight more channels. You’ll also gain access to a number of other software, such as the Focusrite Red 2 & Red 3 Plug-in Suite, the Softube Time and Tone Bundle, and several others. When your interface needs a firmware update, a box will appear when you first open Focusrite Control letting you know. Please install the firmware update if Focusrite Control tells you.

Your recordings will shine with professional clarity with its 24-bit/192kHz converters. At the same time , Air mode (also present in the Clarett USB range but works slightly differently) emulates the famous boost in the mid-high frequency range — adding unique high-end detail, which was a renowned characteristic of Focusrite’s original ISA mic preamp at the famous AIR Studios.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? All the specs of the Scarlett 18i8 have been upgraded since its last iteration. The dynamic range and gain range has been increased for every in and out harbored in the unit. Added the ability to change the colour of the good, pre clipping and clipping stages of the Gain Halos on Scarlett 3rd Generation interfaces. What’s more important for you in your situation, are the specs of your computer. The Scarletts are super-low latency, so if you do find you are having dropouts, audio pops, etc — it’s more than likely going to be an issue to do with the overall computer specs. Writing with loads of channels of CPU-intensive orchestra libraries and VSTs will take its toll on your computer’s resources, regardless of how low latency the audio interface is.

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. Anyway, as your question relates to purely home studio mixing, in-the-box, and working with soft synths, the short answer is that yes, the Scarletts (any of the generations) will be more than enough to cater for your larger instrument ensemble needs.If you're connecting a guitar/bass to one of the first two inputs on the interface, you'll need to select the Instrument circuit rather than the Line circuit. This can be done in the Input Settings section of Focusrite Control. As a side note, if you find yourself using a mic like the RE20 (or any mic that requires anywhere from 70 – 80 dB of gain), it may be worth considering buying an external preamp considering that the gain range of the Scarlett only hits 56 dB. In any case, the preamps here are unquestionably phenomenal. At home studio 4.0 Before all this, I was in IT supporting Windows NT on Wall Street in the late 1990s. I realized I’d much rather play with technology and write about it, than support it 24/7 and be blamed for everything that went wrong. I grew up playing and recording music on keyboards and the Atari ST, and I never really stopped. For a while, I produced sound effects and music for video games (mostly mobile games in the 2000s). I still mix and master music for various independent artists, many of whom are friends.