Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or similar usb interface?

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:17 pm

Just moved into a new apartment and I need a way to record loud stuff (screamed vocals, primarily) somewhere else. Got an old laptop off of a friend, already got preamps, mics & nice headphones, and now I need to find a USB interface. 2 channels would be fine, although I wouldn't mind more. Something that won't break immediately would be a plus. Most importantly, it's gotta be cheap & work with Reaper on Windows XP.

I was looking at the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. The price is right. Anyone have an opinion on it? Or, anyone have a similar interface they like?

mrc · Post by **mrc** » Tue Apr 08, 2014 7:42 pm

you might want to look at Blackl.ion audio, they are modding some Focusrite gear now.

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Wed Apr 09, 2014 8:27 pm

Sure, but that's more than I'm willing to pay - I don't need fancy or audiophile approved, just functional and not horrible.

numberthirty · Post by **numberthirty** » Wed Apr 09, 2014 10:28 pm

dfuruta wrote:Sure, but that's more than I'm willing to pay - I don't need fancy or audiophile approved, just functional and not horrible.

I bought mine when a Presonus was giving me grief with Reaper. Seems to work fine.

If you'd like, I can double check the whole thing some time Thursday.

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Thu Apr 10, 2014 8:10 am

That would be lovely! Do you have any complaints about it?

numberthirty · Post by **numberthirty** » Thu Apr 10, 2014 3:40 pm

dfuruta wrote:That would be lovely! Do you have any complaints about it?

So far, no. The idea was mostly to have a travel friendly sound card that would play ball with Reaper.

Time looks sort of tight tonight, but I'll try to get checking it out in by Friday if not tonight.

KennyLusk · Post by **KennyLusk** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 8:56 am

I bought my 2i2 for my laptop because it was cheap and I had the intention of upgrading later. But I soon realized it was actually a really decent box. The pre's are actually quite nice, even a little silky, and I've gotten great results (IMO) using my outboard pre's with it using the 1/4" inputs on the 2i2.

I recommend the Scarlett series to anyone looking for something cheap that you'll actually want to keep. Not to mention the plugin bundle that comes with it is actually very usable. The reverb, for instance, isn't grainy at all to my ears; it's very smooth.

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Sat Apr 12, 2014 9:27 am

Good to hear! Currently I'm using Echo firewire boxes, about which I have no complaints. But, I don't have access to a portable computer with firewire, and so I need something that can do USB. I have decent preamps with a few more on the drawing board, and I imagine most built-in preamps nowadays would be adequate for my needs. I'm not at a point, currently, where I get hung up about small differences in quality.

Sounds like the 2i2 will likely be the one. You guys have been very helpful!

mrc · Post by **mrc** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 8:00 am

Hi, I most certainly wasn't trying to pick a fight. I have a pro 24 dsp and pro 40. I'm a bit disappointed that the pro 24 doesn't have an upgrade path. I use a pair of 312's on the line ins, but the converters would sound better, modded. The mods weren't available when I bought them a couple of years ago, but if they were, I would have gotten a pair of pro 40's. Looking back, I would look for mods to almost any interface before purchasing it, now. The stock pre's aren't bad, but against the apis, meh.

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 5:48 pm

Sure, not a problem at all, and certainly no offense taken.

I went ahead and ordered a 2i2 - the price seems right. I'll report back once I get it!

Are you sure the modded converters would sound better? I know I'm a cynic, but I am not at all convinced my ears are good enough to hear much difference between converters.

If the preamps are good enough, it'd be very convenient to just use them (and I imagine they'll be fine for my relatively modest needs). If not, I've got seventh circle audio preamps which sounds great to me.

mrc · Post by **mrc** » Mon Apr 14, 2014 8:44 pm

I'm sure they do, if you read what they are doing and search around you can find photos of some of their mods. They are replacing 4580 op amps with one of my fav's (BB2134) and doing larger cap replacement, along with tying the power rails to avoid other ill's. All in all it's higher fidelity you can hear without a doubt. I've done this sort of thing to 3630's and preamps, in the past, and was amazed by the difference. I'm going to have my 40 done and probably another, plus add something like an Audient ASP 880 to have 24 killer channels for mobile, and perhaps studio work. I'm considering tying the rails on the 24 if I can trace it out and it looks doable for me in SMD land. If you bring other preamps in, at least on the saffires, they go through the preamps on the the focusrites, coming in thru the line in only channels, they are still going thru 4580's and existing caps. Going in, line in on a pre channel, you still have to find unity, and even then the signal is going through the full pre.

KennyLusk · Post by **KennyLusk** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:00 am

mrc wrote:I'm sure they do, if you read what they are doing and search around you can find photos of some of their mods. They are replacing 4580 op amps with one of my fav's (BB2134) and doing larger cap replacement, along with tying the power rails to avoid other ill's. All in all it's higher fidelity you can hear without a doubt. I've done this sort of thing to 3630's and preamps, in the past, and was amazed by the difference. I'm going to have my 40 done and probably another, plus add something like an Audient ASP 880 to have 24 killer channels for mobile, and perhaps studio work. I'm considering tying the rails on the 24 if I can trace it out and it looks doable for me in SMD land.

Are you saying Focusrite is using 4580's in their Scarlett boxes?

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 10:01 am

What is tying the rails? Improved decoupling?

Once I get my 2i2, I'll open it up and see what opamps it uses. 4580s would be kind of perverse at this point.

mrc · Post by **mrc** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 6:35 pm

Yeah, decoupling...sorry, to my mind it's tying the rails together... maybe more to what they do @BLA, dunno. Read the blurb on the pro 40's @ BLA. One link I found showed the caps they are bypassing with. Still, I have no experience with smd parts so it goes to them...for me. It's fun, but I'm way busy already, and have devoted a lot of time to what little electronic knowledge and skills I've learned. That stuff I'll still do, but we flipped the hourglass years ago...
The 4580's in the right circuit can sound very good, and they are slower so don't tend to go over the edge oscillating, though decoupling can help that.
They are in the Green Pre circuit and many, many more.
Years ago, I got some 134's (iirc) and some widgets to mount them on to make dual op amps for a couple of different things I was working on, and it was way too much overkill. China never came up with anything quite that f'd up

envision the Attack of the Ice Picks! Made me glad I'd put in sockets

Kenny, I think they are the same pre as the saffire's, as best I can cipher ad copy, if they are, thaz right? If not, it wouldn't be the first time I've ever been wrong.

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 8:53 pm

smd really isn't too bad! get a decent magnifier lamp, some solder wick and a decent pair of tweezers and it's easy enough. lots of good, quick videos on youtube about soldering smd parts.

i'm skeptical that replacing opamps does much, assuming things were designed well in the first place, but you have more experience with this than i.

anyway, i'm looking forward to getting this little box. i'm just a hack recording black metal in my bedroom, anyway

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Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or similar usb interface?

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or similar usb interface?

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