Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio 4th Gen USB Audio Interface Bundle for the Songwriter with Condenser Microphone and Headphones for Recording, Streaming, and Podcasting

Excellent product but shipped like a brick
Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen USB – I love it. I am using a long line of multiple 2i2 devices from Gen 1, Gen 2, Gen 3 for years. I am happy with all of them. Very good built quality, plain, low noise, low distortion. They all meet manufacturer specifications. No inflated claims like some manufacturers do. Each model had some tiny glitches that did not affect my experience. So my expectations are high on 4th Gen. A box arrived quickly. I opened it and realized a box has no protecting layer to soften shocks, blows during transportation. Just over box inside of almost identical, only slightly larger box! This experience was not a good welcome to me. I believe such packaging of any electronics reduces product reliability. Didn’t you see how sometimes drivers drop packages on concrete floor? So I almost feel like getting used product, am I too sensitive about it? Alone in my opinion such product should have some shock absorbing layer of foam material or air bubbles sheet?After opening a box I see a piece of paper printed with miniature characters. Microscope could help… But no guidance here how to get the first steps. Only warnings in very many languages. As I would need all this, very high priority to manufacturer but not to me! I think this excellent product has new functions that a purchaser is not familiar with. It would be highly beneficial if a a small hard card size like 2-3 business cards shows briefly what happens when each of new controls used. OK, I can find it in pdf user manual, but I don’t want to print user manual for one of 15 models audio interfaces I have. So I will work with audio recordings while scrolling through pdf file, at least till I am familiar with all this product offers. After such observations I wish to get to recording… And pdf file does not tell clearly up front that utility program is actually a driver. I have to spend time to learn it. This is the very first item to perform after purchase, but info is written among other content, not up front. I want to install utility program but no info provided if 2i2 Gen 4 should be connected or not, during installation. I learn here I should go to the internet, manufacturer’ webpage and get information how to proceed. A suggestion is strong – identify yourself first! So you can get audio recording software. But I don’t use the internet on sacred computers. I don’t wish to be exposed to Spyware and threats from Microsoft like this one: You paid for our Office Suite, but we make it stop at our convenience under pretense we check if you are the correct user???? So I will to install a driver only, no suspicious activities and forced “updates”, no spyware on my precious computer. How do I proceed considering above? I loaded needed file on another computer, copied it to one working with 2i2 Gen 4. It works fine that way. The utility is just sampling rate changing program combined with a driver, at least on my computer. Nothing else. A device works well, nothing wrong. I enjoy it from that moment. I don’t need extra programs for musicians.Now most enjoyable part – distortion and noise testing. Both are excellent low, exactly as shown on specifications. I really enjoy low noise that is closer now to that of higher grade Clarett+ noise. Regarding distortion, Clarett+ has specs about 0.0003% while Scarlett 2i2 spec is around 0.001% for all generations 1, 2, 3, 4. Truly excellent product here, amazing performance for $200 and this product is far ahead of other USB audio interfaces I used before. Important to me is the fact it can work with no AC/DC power adapter. Through my career I experienced scenarios that noise reading was lowest if USB audio device was powered through USB cable. Then noise reading was even slightly better if power supply disconnected from laptop. The noise reading was consistently worse if given USB audio interface AND laptop used both AC/DC adapters. The difference could be a few dB but sometimes noise spikes were 10dB and more above noise floor, depending how clean was power line, individual wall outlets. I will check later 2i2 Gen 4 on that noise immunity and will update my review.In terms of reliability, all earlier Scarlett 2i2 I used full time worked a minimum of 5 years. If something wrong happened, it would be in the “abuse” category like frequent plugging, unplugging in, out cables with ESD damage maybe. Or connecting to multiple other devices powered with AC/DC adapters and no isolating transformers between. I am a laboratory user, not a musician, so different considerations, scenarios. Scarlett 2i2 Gen 4 is a great tool now for my audio experiments, audio test fixtures, audio signal measuring / analyzing setups.5 stars, but no 5+ due to less perfect packaging with less perfect protection against abuse in transit.

Perfect for my needs
I started taking vocal lessons recently and bought a kind of cheapo mic from a store in town. It was working okay until a software update completely screwed up my mic settings. The mic had a voice effects option, but I never used the option, hadn’t wanted it, and only bought the mic because it was decently priced and pretty much the only one my store had in stock. I didn’t think it would matter.Fast forward two months and following a software update, I started my online lesson and found my instructor was completely thrown because I sounded “weird” to him. After several attempts to figure out what was wrong (I wasn’t hearing it on my end), I finally had to do my lesson via cell phone and only got 15 minutes’ worth of instruction. When I went back and watched the Skype video recordings of our attempts to fix whatever he was hearing, I was absolutely mortified to hear that the update had very obviously applied a random voice effect and made me sound like a cartoon. I also couldn’t get the effect turned OFF.That was the event that led me to buy a much better mic and audio interface. After doing a bit of research, I settled on the Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd generation interface. I can only speak to how well this works on Skype for vocal lessons, but would imagine it’s just as great with instruments and recording. As this was my first audio interface, I did have to ask the company a few questions. But their customer service is superb and I was able to easily set this up and use it pretty quickly. It’s been working great and–best of all–I no longer have to worry about audio issues or having my voice unexpectedly start sounding like Yogi Bear to my instructor. The price was really great as well.

merci pour se très bon produit

Worked perfectly out of the box. Recorded first songs within minutes.

Lo compré en marzo 2024 para comenzar un home studio y está súper bien. Precio y calidad muy bien, excelente funcionamiento. Lo recomiendo precio y calidad