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

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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. One welcome difference is the new headphone amps, which drive significantly louder (and clearer) than previous generations. Focusrite claims that the 3rd generation Scarlett interfaces are characterized by high gain values and low noise. Making mic preamps since 1985 (Rupert Neve founded the company until being sold to Phil Dudderidge in 1989), they have skin in the game regarding developing high-end gear. We look at the new range of products and give our thoughts below. Spec Differences Between The 2nd & 3rd Gen Scarlett Interfaces

Outputs 3 to 6 are assigned in pairs to headphone outputs 1 and 2, and the channel count is completed by the stereo S/PDIF in/out. Phantom power is switched individually in pairs, and the monitor control knob also includes a mute button. In practice, although the 18i8 has eight output streams, you may have spotted you only have one standard analogue output pair, which could prove limiting. As a custom, the unit features Focusrite’s iconic Air mode on the preamps. Some of you may already be familiar with it, but the design of these preamps were custom-made by Rupert Neve for none other than George Martin sometime in the mid-80s.As interfaces go the Scarletts sound very modern, so we would expect plenty of detail from the outputs and that's what you get. You could say it's almost too much, but it means you can monitor at lower levels and still hear plenty of detail - great for mixing. If you are sure you are connecting the Scarlett correctly, and it's still not working, please test with other cables, as well as any necessary adaptors/hubs. Is your interface up to date and out of Easy Start (MSD) mode?

Like most other Focusrite interfaces, the 18i8 is a very robust and solid interface. The unit isn’t flimsy by any means, and it’s capable of faring a few accidents along the way. Software bundle 5.0

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Your new Focusrite audio interface comes with a killer software bundle headlined by a 3-month Avid Pro Tools Artist subscription and Ableton Live Lite. Focusrite has also partnered with Splice to give you a free 3-month Splice Sounds subscription when setting up a new Splice account. Splice Sounds offers millions of high-quality, royalty-free loops, one-shots, and presets, with new releases daily from your favorite sound designers, artists, and producers. Artists are using Splice to create all kinds of music, from chart-topping pop and Grammy-winning albums, to underground mix tapes, and even cinematic scores. Making studio-quality productions has never been easier when you buy a Focusrite. Along with this, you also get the Focusrite Hitmaker Expansion, which includes: Regarding the headphone output, yes you’ll be absolutely fine. The Scarlett preamps are extremely capable, and you’ll find that the headphones you’re mixing through are going to be the driving factor whether you can produce capable mixes. If your interface does not need a firmware update your interface already has the latest firmware installed, the dialogue box will not appear.