Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface for Recording, Producing and Engineering — High-Fidelity, Studio Quality Recording, with Transparent Playback

Product Information

Allowing you to compose, record and produce your music, the Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen USB audio interface comes with some fantastic software included with all the tools you need. In total, as the name suggests, the Scarlett 18i20 3rd gen has 20 outputs which give you a huge amount of options for recording and monitoring. 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. The Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface features the best preamps ever used in a Scarlett audio interface and the largest range of I/O in the line. The Heart of Your Studio

As the flagship model in the Focusrite Scarlett range, the Scarlett 18i20 offers fantastic audio quality with comprehensive I/O and great expansion capabilities. Added the ability to change the colour of the good, pre clipping and clipping stages of the Gain Halos on Scarlett 3rd Generation interfaces. While physically speaking the quality of this unit is great, the software implementation leaves a lot to be desired. Many configuration options, such as extending the number of inputs through the ADAT connection, require using the Focusrite Control proprietary software suite, which is only available for Windows and Mac. Why not make all options configurable without a PC, and especially without a proprietary piece of software?The speaker switcher works with the first two pairs of outputs (1&2/3&4), which you’ll need to keep in mind when mapping your I/O for surround or other applications. It would be nice if the dim was adjustable, but I wasn’t able to find a way to change it. If you're having problems installing the driver on Windows 7, please try the steps in the following article: Focusrite USB Driver will not install on my Windows 7 machine (digital signature problem).

With its comprehensive connectivity, fantastic features and intuitive included software along with the best preamps ever found in the Scarlett range and improved converters the 3rd generation Scarlett 18i20 could well and truly be the heart of any professional recording studio. Whether you are an in-the-box producer or a musician recording with external instruments, Focusrite lays out your best connectivity options regardless of your chosen scenario. What Is Focusrite Control? The microphone preamps and converters on the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 have very similar specs to those on my Apollo x8, with a comparable gain range of 56 dB and a maximum 24-bit/192 kHz AD/DA conversion rate. These stats more or less mean that the 18i20 is capable of recording at or above the industry standard for audio resolution at a level comparable to that of interfaces two, three, and even four times its price. While the technical reality is a bit more complicated than that, as all-in-one devices like the 18i20 often make technical compromises for the sake of saving space and cutting costs, the 18i20 should still have no trouble producing high-quality files that are up to industry spec.With the release of the new third-generation range of audio interfaces, Focusrite shows no plans in slowing down on their quest to provide affordable, easy to use and high-quality audio products for beginners and professionals alike. In my experience, when trying this out, the ‘Air effect’ has a presence that is felt more than heard. Regardless, it is a welcome addition that many users will no doubt embrace in their recordings. 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.

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. Software interface is fairly intuitive and enables users to make alternative monitoring. Drivers are working without problem with Voiceomeeter Banana stuff. My old Steinberg card does not work with them properly. There wasn't much wrong with the mic preamps on the second-generation Scarletts, and their 50dB gain range was adequate for the vast majority of recording contexts. But at the bottom end of the scale it was possible to run into clipping with loud drummers, while at the other extreme, the maximum gain available wasn't always enough for the quietest sources. The addition of switchable pads on the 18i20 nails the first issue once and for all, and the extra few dB at the top of the range certainly helps with the second, though podcasters with SM7s and quiet voices might still want to lay their hands on a Cloudlifter or similar device. The Air feature is clearly proving popular, as Focusrite have now rolled it out across all of their interface ranges. In practice its main effect is to add quite a noticeable high-frequency boost; very often this simply anticipates what you'd have done at the mix anyway, but you do need to be careful with sources or mics that already have a lot of top end. (Note that the new Scarlett preamp circuit is not the same as that found on Focusrite's Clarett and Red interfaces, though: switching Air off on the Claretts changes the input impedance, whereas the new Scarlett preamps remain at the Air impedance.) Eight inputs and ten outputs; eight 3rd Generation mic pres, two Hi-Z instrument inputs, and ten balanced outputs plus ADAT input and output for up to eight more channels each way.The only issue I have with this device it's that it has ONE bus mixer. Means you can create one "custom mix" aka virtual mixer (with whichever physical or software inputs you like) and then assign this one mix output it to whichever outputs you like but there's only ONE such stereo mix. It means that you can't for example pass line-in 7-8 to out 1-2 and line-in 5-6 to out 3-4 as that would require 2 independent virtual mixers which is not possible. Which unit in the Scarlett lineup is best for you depends on your needs and budget, but at this price, the 18i20 3rd Gen will have you set for a long time without breaking the bank. People often ask me what audio interface I recommend. I always answer with two questions: “What are you recording?” and “What’s your budget?” There are products on the market that will suit any answers—there is literally something for everyone. Focusrite has taken that idea and run with it in its new lineup of Scarlett interfaces. While this review focuses on the Scarlett 18i20 3rd generation interface, many of the advancements I mention carry across the entire Scarlett line.