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Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (1st Gen) USB Recording Audio Interface
Brand | Focusrite |
Compatible Devices | Any computer |
Supported Software | Ableton Live Lite, Scarlett Plug-in Suite, the Softube Time and Tone Bundle, Novation Bass Station |
Connectivity Technology | USB |
Number of Channels | 2 |
About this item
- High quality mic preamps
- Excellent digital performance
- Rugged metal unibody case
- Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 USB audio interface, truly portable interface
- Includes an authorization code for Ableton Live Lite, Scarlett Plug-in Suite (RTAS/AU/VST), Red 2 & Red 3 Plug-in Suite (AAX/AU/VST), the Softube Time and Tone Bundle, Novation Bass Station, and 1GB of Loopmasters samples
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This Item Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (1st Gen) USB Recording Audio Interface | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
Try again! Added to Cart Add to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart Add to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart Add to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart Add to Cart | Try again! Added to Cart Add to Cart | ||
Price | — | -20% $199.99$199.99 List: $249.99 | $139.99$139.99 | $99.99$99.99 | $69.00$69.00 | $139.00$139.00 |
Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 | Get it as soon as Sunday, Mar 31 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Sound quality | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 2.4 | 3.9 | 4.5 |
Tech Support | 4.0 | 4.2 | 4.2 | — | 3.4 | 4.2 |
Volume control | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | — | 3.7 | — |
For beginners | — | 4.4 | 4.4 | — | 4.1 | 4.0 |
Quality of material | — | 4.8 | 4.8 | — | 3.9 | — |
Sold By | — | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | ZUZONG Direct | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
number of channels | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | 1 |
hardware interface | usb2.0 | — | — | usb, usb3.0, usb2.0 | usb | usb2.0 |
connectivity tech | USB | Type-C, USB 2.0 | Type-C, USB 2.0 | USB | USB | USB |
model year | 2012 | — | — | 2021 | 2021 | 2021 |
style | Interface Only | 4th Gen | 4th Gen | — | Interface only | 1-in/2-out |
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Product information
Item Weight | 2 pounds |
---|---|
Product Dimensions | 9.6 x 4.1 x 6.6 inches |
ASIN | B005OZE9SA |
Item model number | SCARLETT 2i2 USB |
Customer Reviews |
4.6 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #47,548 in Musical Instruments (See Top 100 in Musical Instruments) #352 in Computer Recording Audio Interfaces |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | September 23, 2011 |
Color Name | Red |
Compatible Devices | Any computer |
Computer Platform | Mac/PC |
Connector Type | USB |
Hardware Interface | USB 2.0 |
Supported Software | Ableton Live Lite, Scarlett Plug-in Suite, the Softube Time and Tone Bundle, Novation Bass Station |
Size | small |
Operating System | Windows |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Product guides and documents
Videos
Videos for this product
1:28
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Focusrite Scarlett 2i2: great beginner instrument interface
Jake Lewis
Videos for this product
1:14
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Must have for the serious business owner or podcaster
Joe Davis
Videos for this product
4:14
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Customer Review: Full Video Review of the Scarlett 2i2
Caleb Wojcik
Videos for this product
7:22
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Customer Review: Top quality, very easy to use, LOVE IT!
EposVox
Product Description
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface
Housed in an award-winning and attractive anodized aluminum unibody chasis.View larger
Focusrite's Scarlett 2i2 is a 2 in/2 out USB recording interface featuring two award-winning Focusrite preamps. Housed in an attractive anodized aluminum unibody chassis, the interface not only sounds fantastic but looks great too. What's more, it's solid enough to take on the road when you travel.
The Scarlett 2i2 is much more than just a pretty metal box. For more than 25 years, Focusrite has designed some of the most popular microphone preamps in the industry. This experience has been used to create the transparent, low-noise and low-distortion preamp found not only in the Scarlett 2i2 but also the flagship FireWire interface, the Liquid Saffire 56. Plenty of available headroom makes it suitable for moving coil, condenser and ribbon microphones regardless of the source. Phantom power is provided for mics that need it.
View larger
Connect and Monitor Instrument Inputs for Recording
The front panel Neutrik combination input can be used to connect line and instrument level signals as well as microphones. This makes it perfect for recording the output of a synthesizer or stage piano, while at the flick of a switch, you can cater to the output of an electric or acoustic guitar. Unique halo indicators let you know that you've got a good signal level for recording. Red means that your signal is clipping, and that you should reduce the gain. The halo will momentarily turn amber as the level returns to a healthy level, at which point it will turn green. A large monitor dial provides a tactile control for the volume of your speakers, while a high quality headphone amp provides a clean yet loud signal to headphones connected to the front panel socket. The direct monitor switch routes audio directly from the inputs to both the headphone and speaker outputs. This allows you to monitor the incoming signal with zero-latency.
High Quality Mic Preamps
Scarlett 2i2 features two high quality award-winning Focusrite mic pres. With more than 25 years of experience in designing analog equipment, Focusrite produces the best mic preamps in the industry. The preamps found in the Scarlett 2i2 are no exception to this, and share the same design as those found in our flagship interfaces: Saffire PRO 40 and Liquid Saffire 56.
Direct Monitor Function
Flick the direct monitor switch on the front panel of your 2i2 and you will hear what you're recording through your speakers or headphones, without the signal having to go through your computer. This avoids the possibility of latency, which can be distracting when recording. With 24-bit resolution at sample rates of up to 96 KHz, the digital conversion in the Scarlett 2i2 is of very high quality, meaning that every note and every subtle detail is captured with great clarity.
Rugged Metal Unibody Case with Truly Portable Interface
The anodized aluminum unibody chassis ensures that your Scarlett 2i2 can withstand the harsh environment of the road. It also makes Scarlett 2i2 the most beautiful interface around. Scarlett 2i2 is very light and compact making it easy to fit in a laptop bag. It's also bus powered, meaning that you don't need an additional power supply. Simply plug in to your computer and hit record.
Included DAW and Effects Software
Inside the box you'll find an authorization code for Ableton Live Lite (available via online download), as well as Focusrite's Scarlett Plug-in Suite and the Red 2 & Red 3 PlugIn Suite (AAX/AU/VST) upon registration of interface. Compatible with all major DAWs, Scarlett plug-in suite provides EQ, Compression, Gate and Reverb-essential tools for polishing your mix.
View largerWhich Scarlett Interface Is Right for You?
The Focusrite Scarlett series comes in a range of interface configurations. Use the chart to the left to compare models and find the right Scarlett for your recording needs.
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the performance, sound quality, quality and ease of setup of the sound card. For example, they mention it works well, does exactly what they need and is made solid. Some appreciate the ease of use and the signal to noise ratio. That said, some complain about the price.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the performance of the sound card. They say that it works well, the drivers are easy to set up, and does exactly what they need. It works wonderfully with their Windows 7 laptop and has no issues with the driver downloads. It also works fine with a variety of software, including iTunes, iMovie, and GarageBand. The phantom power and direct monitoring functions work flawlessly. The dual inputs work fine when recording in stereo, and it should work with other music production software.
"...It does exactly what I need, and from all the ones I looked at seems to be a great value for the price...." Read more
"...my guitar and then with two condenser mics at same time, no problems at all of course...." Read more
"...Everything worked great, and the midi delay was so small that it was virtually nonexistent...." Read more
"...Update:My interface is still going strong and has no noticeable issues so far. Focusrite definitely knows how to make a sturdy interface...." Read more
Customers like the sound quality of the sound card. For example, they mention it has very low noise from the preamps, and is very loud. The signal to noise ratio is low enough that this isn't really much of a problem. That said, they're impressed with the recording quality and say the headphone output level is adequate.
"...I feel like I can tell a difference in sound quality vs when I had my speakers/headphones connected directly to my motherboard...." Read more
"...it to work, adjusting the latency and set it up in your DAW, it works with no noise, at the sample rate you wish, and you can switch between them..." Read more
"...I love the red overload lights. Very nice touch. Sound quality is very good, definitely not apogee quality, but absolutely usable...." Read more
"...The signal to noise ratio is low enough that this isn't really much of a problem, but I often feel like the gain knob could go a little higher...." Read more
Customers like the quality of the sound card. They mention that it feels like a quality item, is made solid, and out of metal. They are impressed with the build quality and sound, saying that it's built like tan. The preamps are solid, the interface is very solid, but the knobs are sturdy but easily slip off. Overall, most are happy with their purchase and recommend it as a great little box for home musicians.
"...construction is really nice - the case (red part) is smooth and feels high quality. All the controls are easy to operate and turn nicely...." Read more
"Honestly the plug ins alone are worth the money! The interface is very solid and extremely capable. I love the red overload lights. Very nice touch...." Read more
"...The Scarlett 2i2 is built quite nicely with a lovely red, or Scarlet metal made to look like brushed aluminum, nice rubber no-slip feet, and even..." Read more
"...(which means they are higher quality and havezero latency so that what comes out of them doesn't get..." Read more
Customers find the sound card easy to setup. They mention that it's simple and well-designed, with no hassle with the right jacks. The driver is easy to download and install, and the device is easy fit into any setup.
"...The driver was easy to download from Focusrite's website and install, in my experience...." Read more
"...This is great and convenient when I am strictly recording and editing audio - for voiceover sessions or commentary, but when I’m editing audio while..." Read more
"...================ The Good ====================This box is simple and well-designed...." Read more
"...one of those compressors was one of my go-tos for a minute bc it felt easy to use, but some of the other stuff is for sure fire...." Read more
Customers appreciate the value of the sound card. They say it's a great investment, with plenty of features for the price. Customers also mention that the plug-ins alone are worth the money.
"...what I need, and from all the ones I looked at seems to be a great value for the price...." Read more
"Honestly the plug ins alone are worth the money! The interface is very solid and extremely capable. I love the red overload lights. Very nice touch...." Read more
"...Altogether, its a sturdy little box, great for the price, I just wish Focusrite would put a bit more effort into their..." Read more
"...The pre-amps are excellent and the value is outstanding. I may buy a second one to dedicate to mobile recording..." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the interface of the sound card. For example, they mention it has well thought out controls, convenient controls, and a simple user interface design. Some say that the interface is reliable and works as expected. Overall, customers are happy with their purchase and recommend it to others.
"...Overall, great entry level interface/sound card!..." Read more
"...It has two XLR inputs on the front, which you can manually control the gain of individually...." Read more
"...It does what you want, has very convenient controls, and has high build quality. I'm pleased with the digital-to-analog conversion...." Read more
"...As for the 2i2, yeah, its a fantastic little interface. Super quiet pres, awesome halo clip indicators, phantom power...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the appearance of the sound card. They mention that it is well-designed, has a beautiful brushed scarlet red metal body, and the finish around the unit is amazing. The Scarlett has a very nicely designed combo jack, which allows you to plug in both an audio and a video source. Overall, most are happy with the look and quality of the product.
"...I love the red overload lights. Very nice touch. Sound quality is very good, definitely not apogee quality, but absolutely usable...." Read more
"...The packaging that the interface came in was very minimalistic, but yet appealing, thumbs up for that...." Read more
"...The Scarlett 2i2 is built quite nicely with a lovely red, or Scarlet metal made to look like brushed aluminum, nice rubber no-slip feet, and even..." Read more
"...I really like this Focusrite. It is sleak, small, sexy, and sounds great with my Heil PR-40...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the latency of the sound card. Some mention that it has very low latency, no delay in recording, and smooth audio playback. However, others say that they had problems with latency and frequency response.
"...Everything worked great, and the midi delay was so small that it was virtually nonexistent...." Read more
"...(which means they are higher quality and havezero latency so that what comes out of them doesn't get picked back up by the..." Read more
"...If you're going to do this, you might experience noticeably high latency in the software until you lower the buffer rate in the Focusrite Audio..." Read more
"...4. Good digital-to-analog conversion5. Low output latency (input latency not important to me)..." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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The driver was easy to download from Focusrite's website and install, in my experience. So far I mainly use it to play my electric guitar through amp modeling software (Guitar Rig) on my computer. If you're going to do this, you might experience noticeably high latency in the software until you lower the buffer rate in the Focusrite Audio Control Panel. At least that's what I had to do.
My latency in Guitar Rig was around 50ms at first - definitely noticeable while playing, to the point that it threw me off. Once I lowered the buffer rate from 10 to 2 my latency dropped to around 12ms, which isn't noticeable to me.
I got the 2i2 specifically because it provides phantom power to microphones that require it. I don't use it yet, but it seems like it'd be silly not to have that. The "direct monitor" switch on the front is useful sometimes, too. I saw some audio interfaces that didn't have either of those features.
While I probably wouldn't buy this audio interface to use only as a computer soundcard, I do enjoy having it even just for listening to music/watching videos on my computer. I feel like I can tell a difference in sound quality vs when I had my speakers/headphones connected directly to my motherboard. It's also handy having the volume knob right on my desk within arm's reach - quicker and easier than changing volume in Windows or on my speakers. Plus I get to look like the world's most simple DJ.
Oh, and I switch back and forth between my computer speakers and headphones by swapping which device is plugged into the 2i2 headphone output port - faster than going into the Windows audio menu and changing the default device, in my opinion. And you get the nice, tactile feedback of unplugging/plugging in audio cables.
All in all, I'm very pleased with my 2i2 and will probably go with Focusrite again if I ever buy more gear in the future.
At First I plugged in the usb cable to my computer, ran the driver included on the CD-Rom and installation was done. I inmediately tested it in my DAW Reaper, and I was confused because all I got was this sloppy, clipped sound, so I started to get desperate.
But searching in the Focusrite website I tried downloading the driver, and it was different than the one in the CD because this actually worked perfectly.
The product delivers just what it promises, i've been using directly this with my guitar and then with two condenser mics at same time, no problems at all of course. Knobs are just soft moving and solid, also the red metallic case gives a lot of security. Probably the loosest, weakest part of the hardware is the "line-guitar" and "direct monitor" switches, they feel a little bit loose, just don't play too much with them, just use them correctly.
Once you get it to work, adjusting the latency and set it up in your DAW, it works with no noise, at the sample rate you wish, and you can switch between them without getting errors or crashes (well, at least for me using WIn 7 and 8 gb of RAM).
I have at least 4 months with this interface and I'm just getting started, so be it recording music or just listening to music and games, but this little red box has proven it's worth. Very recommended for traveling and for micro-homestudios, if you can't afford the Scarlett 2i4, which includes a MIDI interface. It also comes with some Focusrite plugins, very good indeed.
Just make sure you get the latest drivers and the compatibility with your recording software.
About the Red plug ins included... It's simple- AMAZING! I use these plug ins on almost everything. This is coming from someone who has EVERY Waves plugins and tons of other very expensive plug ins! These also aren't super taxing on your CPU like a lot of good plug ins are. Let me shut up so you can just buy the thing already :)
Top reviews from other countries
J'avoue ne pas être déçu, ce produit me convient parfaitement, il est simplement alimenté par un câble USB / Mini USB standard.
De plus il es founi avec des utilitaires à télécharger sur internet grâce à un code d'accès fourni dans la boîte.
Fonctionne bien et sans driver sur Windows et Linux, avec le logiciel Audacity pour enregistrer, y qu'à brancher !
The packaging was subtle but very easy to open and the items inside were well-contained.
The interface itself is beautiful, easy to clean, and sturdy. The pads on the bottom are extra helpful for grip and keeping the interface positioned how you would like it to be. Knobs are easy to use and move without resistance on the outgoing volume for monitors and headphones, so adjustment is easy. XLR and line in inputs I have found to have some resistance, but only to the point where it allows you to be precise and accurate in the ingoing gain you'd like for your microphone or source. The grip on these knobs is appreciated as well to compliment the resistance and make it still easy to control without slipping. The overall interface is very simple and easy to understand, while simultaneously providing splendid sound transferring to your computer system (or other) as if it was a much more expensive product.
The size of the interface makes it the go-to for mobility, transportation, and diversity. Everything you need for recording audio to your DAW right there, and it can fit in the majority of bags and possibly even some pockets of coats and such if you tried, for the always busy and travelling musician, engineer, vocalist, producer, or band.
The plug-in and effect packs (Red and Scarlett) that come with the 2i2 are extremely helpful for the beginners in music who would like to take their sound to the next level.
As far as latency goes, listening to the on-board feedback for inputs is immediate without delay both in monitors and the headphones. I do notice a very small delay doing the same in a DAW compared to the interface, although there are many factors that can go into account here. This interface is bus-powered and runs USB 2.0, but I think the small sacrifice is an okay price to pay for the otherwise top notch quality of this product in the price range for beginners and moving users.
Focusrite continues to prove themselves with their line of interfaces in the audio world, and I am for sure glad I made this purchase. Looking forward to upgrade some day to an even more advanced interface by them.
Thank you!