# Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 - bad pre's quality. What to buy next?



## Oklep (Mar 19, 2017)

Hello guys

I own Scarlett 2i4 (first gen) for few years now, I bought it because everyone were saying that it has amazing transparent preamps. 
But I just saw this video, and I was shocked. It sounds horrible. I never thought that scarlett could be my weakest link in the chain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDkohU-WxvE

So my question is. What to buy next? What about Steinberg UR22 mk2? Could that be the step up from DI quality point of view?


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## Winspear (Mar 19, 2017)

a Radial DI box by the sound of it  The gain issue with those preamps is indeed ridiculous, apparently it was fixed for 2nd gen


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## shnizzle (Mar 19, 2017)

a DI box is probably the cheapest and quickest way to improve your DI quality. the Radial Pro 48 i used in that video is about 100 bucks and it majorly improves the quality. otherwise i´d probably look into the 2nd Gen Scarlett interfaces. the other day i finally heard a DI recorded with it and it sounded very good.


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## budda (Mar 19, 2017)

So you had a product, enjoyed it, saw a video where it was (possibly rightly) bashed, and now you need to replace it?


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## Oklep (Mar 19, 2017)

No. This is my first audio interface, I have no experience with other products. Therefore, I have no idea if scarlett has gread preamps or not (if its good enough for me or not). 
Thats why Im thinking about replacing it after that video


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## Metropolis (Mar 19, 2017)

Oklep said:


> No. This is my first audio interface, I have no experience with other products. Therefore, I have no idea if scarlett has gread preamps or not (if its good enough for me or not).
> Thats why Im thinking about replacing it after that video



It really depends on your setup and overall signal chain what you use. Pre's are not that bad, they only handle instrument level signal like s**t. Because they are not designed to do only that, like input of guitar amps, di-boxes etc.

So you could buy a decent di-box or new interface, what ever works for you and your setup.



budda said:


> So you had a product, enjoyed it, saw a video where it was (possibly rightly) bashed, and now you need to replace it?



Videos like these are eye-openers and deliver new information about audio recording. For beginners it's not always so clear what is a good quality sound. And you learn it by trial and error, making mistakes.


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## schwiz (Mar 19, 2017)

Keep your interface, buy a DI box and call it good. Your scarlett preamp has nothing to do with the sub-par DI signal. The issue is with impedance and the signal level coming from your guitar going to your interface. A guitar signal is a high impedance signal and the DI box will convert the signal from instrument level, to a mic level signal.

Guitar -> DI Box -> Interface (pad)

I just bought the BOSS DI-1 active DI box.


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## jerm (Mar 19, 2017)

If you're plugging directly into the front of the Focusrite with a regular TRS/guitar cable, you're not using the preamp. You need to use an XLR cable to engage the preamp of the Focusrite.

Using a DI box will improve your DI's rather than just using the instrument input (TRS cable) method.


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## Oklep (Mar 19, 2017)

Thank you all.

Yes, I am using regular guitar cable. I had no idea that I need to use DI box to get full potential. Well, time to get one


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## trebal (Mar 19, 2017)

The best is record with a DI box. Is there a lot of difference from one generation to another of Scarlett?


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## Webmaestro (Mar 19, 2017)

Odd, I've never had such issues with my 1st gen 2i4 (I'm somewhat ignorant about all this as well). My signal chain is:

Guitar --> Axe-Fx II --> Scarlett 2i4 --> Monitors (and Computer via USB)

Maybe I'm also bypassing this problematic preamp ya'll are talking about?


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## shnizzle (Mar 20, 2017)

Webmaestro said:


> Odd, I've never had such issues with my 1st gen 2i4 (I'm somewhat ignorant about all this as well). My signal chain is:
> 
> Guitar --> Axe-Fx II --> Scarlett 2i4 --> Monitors (and Computer via USB)
> 
> Maybe I'm also bypassing this problematic preamp ya'll are talking about?



yeah, we´re talking about plugging the guitar straight into the interfaces instrument input. using the Axe you most likely plug into a line input which is completely different and the Axe also has an input specifically made for guitar. so you´re good.


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## dax21 (Mar 20, 2017)

trebal said:


> The best is record with a DI box. Is there a lot of difference from one generation to another of Scarlett?



2nd gen Scarlett line (easily identified by the white Focusrite logo on top of the unit, unlike the black logo on the 1st gen) has lower latency, improved preamps and handles high gain/ouput instruments way better. 

Apparently bunch of people managed to get 2nd gen drivers to work on the original units for the latency improvements. 

http://masters-of-music.com/1st-gen-focusrite-scarletts-work-with-2nd-gen-drivers-for-lower-latency/


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## trebal (Mar 20, 2017)

dax21 said:


> 2nd gen Scarlett line (easily identified by the white Focusrite logo on top of the unit, unlike the black logo on the 1st gen) has lower latency, improved preamps and handles high gain/ouput instruments way better.
> 
> Apparently bunch of people managed to get 2nd gen drivers to work on the original units for the latency improvements.
> 
> http://masters-of-music.com/1st-gen-focusrite-scarletts-work-with-2nd-gen-drivers-for-lower-latency/



Thanks man!! I'll investigate about this.


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## oc616 (Mar 20, 2017)

Thankfully I got the 2nd gen without even realizing this was an issue. There are still problems with the cross-gen driver fix from what I've heard, but it seems to be a case-by-case issue. Probably your best bet.


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## jvms (Mar 20, 2017)

Can a POD HD with all effects and sims bypassed be used as a DI box for the Scarlett?


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## schwiz (Mar 20, 2017)

jvms said:


> Can a POD HD with all effects and sims bypassed be used as a DI box for the Scarlett?



Yes. On the Pro there is even a "DI Out" output.


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## jvms (Mar 20, 2017)

schwiz said:


> Yes. On the Pro there is even a "DI Out" output.



Is there a difference betweem the DI Out and the Line Out with everything bypassed? Also, I heard the MXR M80 Bass Distortion can be used as a DI when the pedal is off. Does anyone have any idea how that works.


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## schwiz (Mar 20, 2017)

jvms said:


> Is there a difference betweem the DI Out and the Line Out with everything bypassed? Also, I heard the MXR M80 Bass Distortion can be used as a DI when the pedal is off. Does anyone have any idea how that works.



Very much so. Line out = -10dBv. DI out is around -30dBV I want to say.

If you go line out (with everything bypassed) you will want to set your interface input to Line level.

If you go DI out, you will want to set your interface input to Pad.

http://recordmixandmaster.com/2010-02-mic-line-and-instrument-level-whats-the-difference


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## jvms (Mar 20, 2017)

schwiz said:


> Very much so. Line out = -10dBv. DI out is around -30dBV I want to say.
> 
> If you go line out (with everything bypassed) you will want to set your interface input to Line level.
> 
> ...



All right. And if I use my POD HD 400, everything bypassed into the Line Input of my Scarlett 6i6, will it sound better or have a better quality signal than using a guitar into the Instrument Input? I know that most guitars and basses clip it, but hypotetically, let's pretend they don't. I'm mainly worried about sound and quality and not the clipping issues,


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## shnizzle (Mar 20, 2017)

jvms said:


> All right. And if I use my POD HD 400, everything bypassed into the Line Input of my Scarlett 6i6, will it sound better or have a better quality signal than using a guitar into the Instrument Input? I know that most guitars and basses clip it, but hypotetically, let's pretend they don't. I'm mainly worried about sound and quality and not the clipping issues,



yes, the pod will make a much better DI sound. if it has spdif i´d recommend you use that to connect to the 6i6, because then you avoid using another AD/DA conversion stage and you avoid extra cables that could potentially introduce more noise.


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## Descent (Mar 20, 2017)

OP - I'd say get an Audient interface, pretty much the price of a decent DI box (Radial). Flush the Focusrite interface on Ebay.


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## Elric (Mar 20, 2017)

Sigh. The Scarletts are great interfaces even the first gen. If you use the 1/4" line in (and I would not use the pad) you bypass the mic preamp and go through a simple buffer. The guy in the vid said he was clipping the input by definition it'll sound bad... any kind of buffer stage before it could have rolled back the level. Mine doesn't clip on a dry input. If you go through the XLR In you are hitting a mic preamp which has no business in your guitar signal path.


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## Oklep (Mar 21, 2017)

Elric said:


> Sigh. The Scarletts are great interfaces even the first gen. If you use the 1/4" line in (and I would not use the pad) you bypass the mic preamp and go through a simple buffer. The guy in the vid said he was clipping the input by definition it'll sound bad... any kind of buffer stage before it could have rolled back the level. Mine doesn't clip on a dry input. If you go through the XLR In you are hitting a mic preamp which has no business in your guitar signal path.


Now I am confused. So do I want to go through preamps (xlr) or not? Many different opinions


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## jerm (Mar 21, 2017)

Oklep said:


> Now I am confused. So do I want to go through preamps (xlr) or not? Many different opinions


If you use a DI box, you'll be using XLR to the Scarlett (using the mic preamps)

This is a perfectly good option and probably the best with the Scarlett 2i4.


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## shnizzle (Mar 22, 2017)

Oklep said:


> Now I am confused. So do I want to go through preamps (xlr) or not? Many different opinions



a DI box is designed to go to a mic pre. it converts the impedance and level of a guitar so that it can go to a mic input, so you can record DI´s into a console or interface. not sure what that guy is talking about that a mic pre has no business in a guitar signal. this is very standard procedure also for pro studios.


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## Carl Kolchak (Mar 22, 2017)

shnizzle said:


> a DI box is designed to go to a mic pre. it converts the impedance and level of a guitar so that it can go to a mic input, so you can record DI´s into a console or interface. not sure what that guy is talking about that a mic pre has no business in a guitar signal. this is very standard procedure also for pro studios.



Would you still be getting the benefits if your interface only had a 1/4 line in?


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## jerm (Mar 22, 2017)

Carl Kolchak said:


> Would you still be getting the benefits if your interface only had a 1/4 line in?


No, you'd be bypassing the mic pre.


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## Carl Kolchak (Mar 22, 2017)

jerm said:


> No, you'd be bypassing the mic pre.



Seriously, this is the only forum I know of where you can get a straight answer.


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## vdubreeze (Mar 3, 2018)

This is not correct. On all of the Scarletts the channel input goes through the mic pre no matter if it's set for line level or instrument level, which is standard for inexpensive interfaces and even some not inexpensive. But that in and of itself isn't a deal breaker, it's just worth noting that nothing gets bypassed and it'll be the same whatever under $1,000 interface it is. But early Scarletts all had a problem with the instrument inputs, which had no headroom and clipped much too early and easily. They were a problem no matter what you did. They claim to have fixed this in later generations. But a direct box, even an inexpensive good one (Radials are great but not cheap) will go into the XLR set for mic input and will make it work right.


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## Elric (Mar 5, 2018)

Regarding the Scarlett from Focusrite's web site:



> When connecting to the combo XLR/jack inputs using a 1/4 inch jack cable on a Focusrite interface the signal goes through the variable gain *section* of the preamp circuit, allowing the user to set the input level of their line level audio sources. Due to the transparent nature of our preamps, however, this does not colour the signal. On Clarett/Red interfaces, we would recommend switching 'Air' mode off if you wish to get the most transparent signal possible.


Reference:
https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en...nputs-on-my-interface-bypass-the-Mic-Preamps-

What I take this to mean: The 1/4" input is the least processed input on a scarlett and only goes through an input gian stage of the preamp input to allow you to set the level.

Whether you like the result or not is up to you. There certainly are higher end choices and other factors to consider too (A/Ds, sample rates, impedance, etc). I a Scarlett (2i4) along with five or six other interfaces and consider the 2i4 to be a very good day to day interface when you set the input levels properly. Mic pres and interfaces definitely have some personal choice going on. I like Focusrite quite a bit, generally.

Not sure why this thread was necrobumped. But figured I would post the info from Focusrite themselves. I'm sure the OP has either gotten his input levels set or gotten a new interface by now (almost a year ago).


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