Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 User Manual
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Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 User Manual

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User Guide

www.focusrite.com
FA 0899-01

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Summary of Contents for Focusrite Scarlett 18i8

  • Page 1: User Guide

    User Guide www.focusrite.com FA 0899-01...

  • Page 2: Important Safety Instructions

    IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS Read these instructions. Keep these instructions. Heed all warnings. Follow all instructions. Do not use this apparatus near water. Clean only with dry cloth. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
  • Page 3 The apparatus shall be connected to a mains socket outlet with a protective earthing connection. Laite on liitettävä suojamaadoituskoskettimilla va rustettuumpistorasiaan. Apparatet må tikoples jordet stikkontakt. Apparaten skall anslutas till jordat uttag. CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).

  • Page 4: Environmental Declaration

    Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme NMB-003 du Canada. RoHS Notice Focusrite Audio Engineering Limited has conformed where applicable, to the European Union’s Directive 2002/95/EC on Restrictions of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) as well as the following sections of California law which refer to RoHS, namely sections 25214.10, 25214.10.2, and 58012, Health and Safety Code;...

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    Scarlett 18i8 Performance Specifications ........

  • Page 6: Overview

    - before they arrive at your DAW. The Scarlett 18i8 also has connectors for sending and receiving MIDI data; this lets you use it as a MIDI “hub” between your computer’s USB port and other items of MIDI equipment in your system.

  • Page 7: Box Contents

    Box Contents Along with your Scarlett 18i8 you should have: • AC mains adaptor (DC PSU) • USB cable • Getting Started Guide • Software Activation card, with codes for accessing the following on-line resources: – Scarlett MixControl (18i8 edition) – includes Mac/Windows USB drivers –...

  • Page 8: Getting Started

    BEFORE CONNECTING THE INTERFACE TO YOUR COMPUTER. Software Installation All software required by the Scarlett 18i8 - and several powerful and useful extras - are available for download from the Focusrite website (www.focusrite.com/register). The Software Activation card provided with your Scarlett 18i8 contains validation codes which you will need to enter at the above web address.

  • Page 9: Hardware Features

    HARDWARE FEATURES Front Panel The Front Panel includes input connectors for Mic, Line and Instrument signals, the input gain and monitoring controls, and sockets for headphones. 1. Inputs 1 and 2 – XLR Combo type input sockets - connect microphones, instruments (e.g., guitar), or line level signals via XLR or ¼”...

  • Page 10: Rear Panel

    18. External DC power input – power the Scarlett 18i8 via a separate AC adaptor (PSU) rated at 12 V C and 1 A. Note that the Scarlett 18i8 cannot be powered via its USB port from the host computer.

  • Page 11: Connecting Your Scarlett 18I8

    Power Your Scarlett 18i8 should be powered from an external 12 V DC, 1 A mains adaptor. A suitable adaptor is supplied with the unit. IMPORTANT: We very strongly recommend that you only use the supplied mains adaptor. Failure to use this adaptor is likely to permanently damage the unit and will also invalidate your warranty.

  • Page 12: Audio Setup In Your Daw

    (Mac version shown). Once the Scarlett 18i8 is set as the preferred Audio Device* in your DAW, all 18 inputs and 8 outputs will appear in your DAW’s Audio I/O preferences. Depending on your DAW, you may need to enable certain inputs or outputs before use.

  • Page 14: Example Of Usage

    Example of Usage The Scarlett 18i8 is an excellent choice for several different recording and monitoring applications. Some typical configurations are shown below. Connecting microphones and instruments Microphones Guitar Bass Guitar Musician’s individual foldback mixes DI Box 25SL MkII DI Box...
  • Page 15 Each channel of the Scarlett 18i8 has a PAD facility, selectable from Scarlett MixControl (in the Input Settings panel below the Mixer section); switching the Pad into circuit reduces the input sensitivity by 10 dB.

  • Page 16: Using Direct Monitoring

    The Scarlett 18i8, in conjunction with Scarlett MixControl, allows “Direct Monitoring”, which overcomes this problem. You can route your input signals directly to any of the Scarlett 18i8’s headphone outputs. This enables the musicians to hear themselves with ultra-low latency – i.e., effectively in “real time”...

  • Page 17: Connecting Scarlett 18I8 To Loudspeakers

    Connecting Scarlett 18i8 to loudspeakers The ¼” MONITOR OUTPUT jacks on the rear panel will normally be used to drive monitoring speakers. Self-powered monitors (e.g., typical computer speakers) incorporate internal amplifiers, and may be connected directly. Passive loudspeakers will require a separate stereo amplifier; in this case, the rear panel outputs should be connected to the amplifier’s inputs.

  • Page 18: Using The Adat Connection

    Using the ADAT connection In addition to the eight analogue inputs, the Scarlett 18i8 has an optical ADAT input port which can provide an additional eight audio inputs at 44.1/48 kHz sample rate or four at 88.2/96 kHz. Using a separate 8-channel microphone preamplifier equipped with an ADAT output –...
  • Page 19 The Scarlett 18i8 has the ability to store a mix configuration defined in Scarlett MixControl within the hardware. This feature lets you configure it – for example, as an on-stage keyboard mixer – using your computer, and then upload the configuration to the device itself.

  • Page 20: Scarlett Mixcontrol

    (Windows only) are available from Scarlett MixControl. Note: Scarlett MixControl is a generic product, and may be used with other hardware interfaces in the Focusrite Scarlett range. When you connect a Scarlett interface to your computer and launch Scarlett MixControl, the model of interface is automatically detected, and the software configured to suit the number of inputs and outputs, and other facilities, available on the hardware.

  • Page 21: Mixer

    How you set up the mixer section only affects what is sent to the audio outputs. The signal level of Inputs 1 to 4 to be sent to the DAW for recording are adjusted on the Scarlett 18i8 using the front panel GAIN controls.

  • Page 22: Input Channel

    Inputs Clicking the button offers two lists: ; selecting Inputs opens a list of all the available Scarlett 18i8 inputs, and selecting opens a list of all the available DAW outputs. Any input not available is greyed-out. Note that channels may be mono, or in pairs for stereo operation.
  • Page 23 Input Channels Control Fader Meter Stereo Mute Solo Channel Names Pan Control If the mix has been defined as a stereo one (see page 24), the Pan control (in the form of a slider) positions the channel signal in the stereo image, i.e., the signal is faded between two audio outputs such as monitor L and R.
  • Page 24 DAW tracks, external digital inputs or analogue inputs 5 to 8, or by adjusting the GAIN controls on the Scarlett 18i8 in the case of analogue inputs 1 to 4.

  • Page 25: Output Channel

    You can route the mix to any or all of the Scarlett 18i8’s physical outputs; if just one output is selected, its name is displayed at the top of the Many…...
  • Page 26 Scarlett 18i8 and Scarlett MixControl are to be routed to the Scarlett 18i8’s physical outputs. Each of the Scarlett 18i8’s physical outputs is listed, and the audio signal to be sent to that output may be selected from the drop-down menu which appears when the button to the left of that output is clicked.

  • Page 27: Routing Presets

    The Zero Latency Tracking option can be used during the recording process. It routes the outputs of Mix 1 and Mix 2 to all the Scarlett 18i8 outputs simultaneously as odd-even pairs; this includes the front panel Headphone Outputs. Line Inputs and DAW outputs must be set up in Mix 1(if stereo, or Mixes 1 and 2 if mono) so that you can monitor these sources with ultra-low latency.

  • Page 28: Monitor Section

    - are affected by the other GUI monitor section controls. Note: the levels at the S/PDIF digital output on the Scarlett 18i8 are unaffected by Scarlett MixControl’s monitor section controls. If you need to route individual DAW tracks to digital outputs, adjust the output levels from the DAW.
  • Page 29 When the button is blue, the level of the line output is controlled by the GUI monitor section. When the button is red, - the line output is muted. When the button is grey, the level at the line output is fixed at full volume and is not controlled by the GUI monitor section.
  • Page 30 Monitor level control knob Set the output level of all selected outputs with this control, using the mouse. The numeric display below shows the current monitor output level. Attenuates the monitor output level by 18 dB. Mute Mutes all monitor outputs. Left Mute switch Mutes all odd-numbered outputs.

  • Page 31: Device Status Section

    Sample Rate display This displays the sample rate currently in use by the Scarlett 18i8. To change the sample rate, click on the red displayed value and select 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, or 96 kHz from the list.

  • Page 32: Settings Menu

    Settings Menu Settings... button is only available on the Windows version of Scarlett MixControl. It allows you set the size of the ASIO buffer. This option lets you set the buffer size of your ASIO driver. A small buffer size will in result in lower latency, but at the expense of increased CPU usage.

  • Page 33: File Menu

    Save to Hardware - This saves the current Scarlett MixControl set-up to the Scarlett 18i8 • hardware. If you are moving the Scarlett 18i8 from one computer to another and want to retain the set-up, or want to use it in “stand-alone” mode, select this option.

  • Page 34: Scarlett 18I8 Performance Specifications

    Scarlett 18i8 Performance Specifications Configuration Inputs 18: analogue (8), S/PDIF (2) , ADAT (8) Outputs 8: analogue (6), S/PDIF (2) Mixer Fully assignable 18-in/8-out Digital Performance A-D Dynamic Range 103 dB CCIR-RMS (all inputs) D-A Dynamic Range 104 dB CCIR-RMS (line outputs) Supported sample rates 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz &...

  • Page 35: Physical And Electrical Characteristics

    Physical and Electrical Characteristics Analogue Inputs 1 & 2 Connectors XLR Combo: Mic/Line/Inst, on front panel Mic/Line switching Automatic Line/Instrument switching Via software from Scarlett MixControl Phantom power Shared +48 V phantom power switch for inputs 1 and 2 Analogue Inputs 3 & 4 Connectors XLR Combo: Mic/Line, on front panel Mic/Line switching...

  • Page 36: Troubleshooting

    COPYRIGHT AND LEGAL NOTICES Focusrite is a registered trade mark and Scarlett 18i8 is a trade mark of Focusrite Audio Engineering Limited. All other trade marks and trade names are the property of their respective owners.

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