Overview; Introduction; Features - Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 User Manual

OVERVIEW

Introduction

Thank . you . for . purchasing . this . Second . Generation . Scarlett . 18i20, . one . of . the . family . of . Focusrite .
professional . audio . interfaces . incorporating . high . quality . Focusrite . analogue . pre-amplifiers. . In .
conjunction .with .the .unit's .accompanying .software .application, .Focusrite .Control, .you .now .have .a .
compact .yet .highly .versatile .solution .for .routing .high .quality .audio .to .and .from .your .computer. .You .
can .also .use .the .Scarlett .18i20 .as .a ."stand-alone" .interface .to .any .other .type .of .recording .device, .
once .you .have .configured .it .using .Focusrite .Control.
Focusrite .Control, .and .several .other .exciting .and .useful .software .applications, .can .be .downloaded .
free .of .charge .once .you .have .registered .your .product. .Note .that .a .separate .Focusrite .Control .User .
Guide .is .also .available; .we .strongly .recommend .that .you .download .this .as .well.
In . developing . the . Second . Generation . series . of . Scarlett . interfaces, . we . have . enhanced . both . the .
performance . a nd . f eature . s et . i ncluding . s upport . f or . s ample . r ates . u p . t o . 1 92 . k Hz, . i mproved . m ic . p reamp .
performance . with . low . noise . and . plenty . of . gain, . and . upgraded . instrument . inputs . with . additional .
headroom .for .recording .the .loudest .guitar .parts .without .clipping.
Your . Second . Generation . Scarlett . interface . is . compatible . with . the . new . Focusrite . Control . software .
application: . this . lets . you . control . various . hardware . features, . set . up . monitor . mixes . and . configure .
routings. .There .is .a .Focusrite .Control .installer .for .both .Mac .and .Windows .platforms, .and .no .driver .
is .required .for .Macs. .The .Windows .version .of .the .installer .contains .the .driver, .so .in .either .case, .you .
only .need .to .install .Focusrite .Control .to .get .up .and .running.
This . User . Guide . provides . a . detailed . explanation . of . the . hardware . to . help . you . achieve . a . thorough .
understanding .of .the .product's .operational .features. .We .recommend .that .you .take .the .time .to .read .
through .the .user .guide, .whether .you're .new .to .computer-based .recording .or .a .more .experienced .
user, .so .that .you .are .fully .aware .of .all .the .possibilities .that .the .Scarlett .18i20 .and .accompanying .
software . have . to . offer. . If . the . main . User . Guide . sections . do . not . provide . the . information . you . need, .
be . sure . to . consult . https://support.focusrite.com/, . which . contains . a . comprehensive . collection . of .
answers .to .common .technical .support .queries.

Features

The . Scarlett . 18i20 . audio . interface . provides . the . means . for . connecting . microphones, . musical .
instruments, .line .level .audio .signals .and .digital .audio .signals .in .both .ADAT .and .S/PDIF .formats .to .a .
computer .running .compatible .versions .of .Mac .OS .or .Windows .via .one .of .the .computer's .USB .ports. .
The . signals . at . the . physical . inputs . can . be . routed . to . your . audio . recording . software . / . digital . audio .
workstation . ( referred . t o . t hroughout . t his . u ser . g uide . a s . t he . " DAW") . a t . u p . t o . 2 4-bit, . 1 92 . k Hz . r esolution; .
similarly, .the .DAW's .monitor .or .recorded .output .signals .can .be .configured .to .appear .at .the .unit's .
physical .outputs.
The .outputs .can .be .connected .to .amplifiers .and .speakers, .powered .monitors, .headphones, .an .audio .
mixer .or .any .other .analogue .or .digital .audio .equipment .that .you .wish .to .use. .Although .all .inputs .and .
outputs .on .the .Scarlett .18i20 .are .routed .directly .to .and .from .your .DAW .for .recording .and .playback, .
you .can .configure .the .routing .within .your .DAW .in .order .to .meet .your .precise .needs.
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The .accompanying .software .application, .Focusrite .Control, .provides .further .routing .and .monitoring .
options, . as . well . as . the . ability . to . control . global . hardware . settings . such . as . sample . rate . and .
synchronisation.
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