Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools | First

Product Information

The term 'Ultra-low' is used as audio interface hardware/firmware induces a negligible amount of latency. We'll use the term 'Zero-latency' to avoid confusion. But, there are several differences between the two products that may justify your investment. Technical Features If these things matter to you, then the 2i4 is the one to get despite the price increase. If not, then the 2i2 is the more affordable way to go.

Further new features are specific to the 2i2 and 4i4. The reworked preamps have an impressive 69dB of gain, which we found ideal for low-output mics such as ribbons. The 2i2 and 4i4 preamps also include optional auto gain and clip safe. The MIDI in/out makes the audio interface compatible with old keyboards and synthesizers. I’d say this feature is necessary for some recording artists and producers. Open the Ableton Live Lite DAW software and navigate to “Options > Preferences”. This is where we will confirm that the Ableton software is ready to communicate with the Scarlett 2nd Generation. On the left side of this tab, please select “Audio” and two tabs should populate on the right. Select “ASIO” under “Driver Type” and “Focusrite USB ASIO” under “Audio Device”. This will now populate the rest of this window, where you can select your Sample Rate and Buffer Size, which will likely default to 44.1kHz and 256 samples prospectively. If you are unsure what to set your Sample Rate and Buffer Size to, we suggest matching these default settings. Once this is set, we are now ready to test Ableton! Equivalent Input Noise (EIN) < -120dB: measured at 55dB of gain with 150Ω termination (20Hz/22kHz bandpass filter) Please note that if you're using an application that includes ASIO support (e.g. Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Cubase, Studio One, Reaper etc) then all input and output channels will be available to you by default, this article may not be applicable.

Specification

The time it takes for the sound of a snare drum to reach a drummer's ears, is about 2.1 milliseconds.

The 2i4 goes beyond, though, and adds 4-channel stereo output and MIDI in/out. The 4-channel output is useful because it allows you to listen via headphones.By default, a Custom Mix is a combination of analogue inputs and DAW 1/2, mixed together. The analogue inputs represent a direct feed from the inputs.

This preset assigns a Mix (Custom Mix in Focusrite Control) to each of the interface's analogue outputs. Besides microphones, there is other equipment that may use 48V Phantom Power. These devices will often state '48V' on them if they need this, it will also be in the user guide for the equipment you are using. For minimal latency input monitoring the Solo includes a single function Direct button, and the 2i2 is a dual-function Direct button, with mono and panned options. The 4i4 has no hardware option but has 3 software cue mixes, accessible via Focusrite Control 2. We found both worked well, although the clip safe option works best with properly set initial gain levels, as it has the potential to make big gain changes in real-time.

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As every engineer will tell you, the best practice is to connect all your mics with phantom power turned off, then only engage phantom power on mic channels that need it once they are connected. Part of the time this takes is the 'buffer size', which you can set yourself. You can adjust the buffer size for your needs. Using a lower buffer size (and therefore getting less latency) gives your CPU less time to process the audio and therefore the CPU must work harder to process the audio in time. To get an idea of how long one millisecond is, it's best to give some real-world examples you might be familiar with*: Focusrite Overview:Scarlett 2i4 is the latest in Focusrite's new generation of USB interfaces alongside the popular 2i2 and other products in the series. This 2-in, 4-out USB audio interface combines affordability, cross-platform operation, a comprehensive feature set and the best audio performance in its class. It's a perfect match for both the musician and the digital DJ - and it comes in an elegant, road-ready anodised aluminium unibody case. The latency that you set using your buffer size (and sample rate) is not the latency that impacts the sound by the time it reaches your ears. Other sources of latency include: