• Hardware
  • Focusrite Scarlett - best audio interface for the price, or not?
2016/12/22 09:50:11
MrBansaw
I'm looking to get a new audio interface.
The Focusrite Scarlett seem to be highly thought of, and perhaps good value for money.
 
I am looking for an USB audio interface (I have a Win10 laptop) that gives me decent latency.
 
Any comments?
2016/12/22 10:01:49
Atsuko
I'm very happy with mine!!
2016/12/22 10:07:36
Sam4246
I have the Focusrite Scarlet 18i20 and the preamps are good quality. I have nothing negative to say about it.
2016/12/22 10:08:01
Slugbaby
I've got the Scarlett 2i2, and am very happy with it.
My only issue was that I THOUGHT I had bought the 2i4 and didn't notice until I went to plug in a MIDI cable...
2016/12/22 12:38:02
Dave76
I have a 1st generation 18i20 that I absolutely hate.  One of the worst musical equipment purchases I've ever made in my life.  Completely unreliable.  Crashes frequently, gets in a state over time where it starts dropping samples (i.e. clicking sounds), etc., etc..  I couldn't even begin to estimate the lost hours trying to get the thing to work not to mention all of the lost takes from it crashing.  I've gone through countless audio interfaces from various manufacturers over the years and have never encountered any as bad as this one.  Do some searching and you'll find others with similar experiences.  Worst part is that they completely abandoned releasing officials drivers for like two years prior to introducing the 2nd gen.  Obviously, quite a few people think their stuff is great and don't seem to have these issues but I'm assuming they are doing different things than I am so, as with anything, your mileage may vary.  
 
2016/12/22 12:43:16
MrBansaw
Has anyone got any comment on the Beringher UPHORIA (UMC202HD)?
I am actually not going to use it much for vocals/guitars.  What I am looking for is a good latency playback when I use my heavy symphonic VSTs.  
 
This is what I read, don't know how true it is ,
*This uses the same Cirrus Logic AD/DA converters as the Focsurite 2i4
2016/12/22 13:40:08
Beagle
Dave76
I have a 1st generation 18i20 that I absolutely hate.  One of the worst musical equipment purchases I've ever made in my life.  Completely unreliable.  Crashes frequently, gets in a state over time where it starts dropping samples (i.e. clicking sounds), etc., etc..  I couldn't even begin to estimate the lost hours trying to get the thing to work not to mention all of the lost takes from it crashing.  I've gone through countless audio interfaces from various manufacturers over the years and have never encountered any as bad as this one.  Do some searching and you'll find others with similar experiences.  Worst part is that they completely abandoned releasing officials drivers for like two years prior to introducing the 2nd gen.  Obviously, quite a few people think their stuff is great and don't seem to have these issues but I'm assuming they are doing different things than I am so, as with anything, your mileage may vary.  
 


I bought a first gen 2i4 and promptly took it back as "defective" but later learned that's the way it was designed.  I hated the way the gains worked on the preamps.  I had to turn them almost all the way up to get any gain and then it seemed like it "crossed over" to a different gain stage so the result was that there was one small sweet spot on the pot that worked, but anything else was way too little gain or way too much gain.  on either channel.
 
got a Roland Duo and have loved it ever since! preamps are pretty clean for a low end audio device and the gain pots are smooth and linear.  bonus:  it doesn't come with a power supply, but you can use one with it instead of using the USB bus power!
 
the 2nd gen are supposed to be completely redesigned on the gain staging.  I have no experience with the new ones.
2016/12/22 15:34:08
BobF
MrBansaw
Has anyone got any comment on the Beringher UPHORIA (UMC202HD)?
I am actually not going to use it much for vocals/guitars.  What I am looking for is a good latency playback when I use my heavy symphonic VSTs.  
 
This is what I read, don't know how true it is ,
*This uses the same Cirrus Logic AD/DA converters as the Focsurite 2i4




I just ordered a UMC404HD.  I'll let you know in a week or so
2016/12/23 11:43:49
Sycraft
I am fairly pissed at Focusrite. I have a 6i6 which has worked ok, but does have a few issues. The reason I'm mad is they dropped support for their first gen interfaces. Some of the issues would be fixed with a proper WDM driver, which they were working on in their 1.9 beta series. Driver was in beta forever, like over a year, which is pretty unbelievably slow development. Then we found out why: New generation of the interfaces come out with new drivers. While they haven't said anything about stopping development on the old ones, there is pretty clearly no action happening.
2016/12/23 12:12:09
jamesg1213
Beagle
 

I bought a first gen 2i4 and promptly took it back as "defective" but later learned that's the way it was designed.  I hated the way the gains worked on the preamps.  I had to turn them almost all the way up to get any gain and then it seemed like it "crossed over" to a different gain stage so the result was that there was one small sweet spot on the pot that worked, but anything else was way too little gain or way too much gain.  on either channel.
 
 




I have a 2i4, and none of the above problems. Apart from it very occasionally getting 'missed' on boot up (I have fast boot on the PC), it's been just fine.
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