Description

The Focusrite Scarlett 18i6 is an 18 in/6 out USB 2.0 audio interface designed to make home multitrack recording a breeze. Alongside two award-winning Focusrite preamps, six high-quality analog inputs allow you tosimultaneously record guitar, bass, vocals and keys. You don’t need to stop there either – pop in the ADAT optical cable from an outboard eight-channel mic pre unit such as the Focusrite OctoPre MkII and you can track the drums at the same time. Included with the Scarlett 18i6 is Scarlett MixControl, an 18 x 6 DSP mixer. Offering a superb level of flexibility, the MixControl software enables you to create six separate mixes with ultra-low-latency. Route any combination of input signals and sequencer outputs to any of the Scarlett 18i6 outputs. Intuitive one-click configurations help you track, monitor and mix as quickly as possible. Scarlett 18i6 comes with all of the additional tools needed to start making music straight away. Scarlett VST/AU/RTAS Plug-in Suite comes in the box, adding Focusrite compression, reverb, gating and EQ to your recording system. Focusrite’s established Xcite+ bundle is also included. The bundle features Ableton Live Lite (for all your production, performance and compositional needs), Novation’s Bass Station soft synth and over 1 gig of royalty-free samples from Loopmasters. Scarlett 18i6’s two award-winning Focusrite preamps ensure low noise and distortion, whilst cutting-edge digital conversion captures your audio with pristine quality. 16 additional inputs allow you to capture inspired takes, without having to constantly re-patch your studio. Combined with the very latest in USB interfacing technology, excellent routing flexibility and rock-solid driver stability, the Scarlett 18i6 is the heart of the modern recording studio.

Despite the change of livery, to red, the Scarlett 18i6 looks very much like similar Saffire interfaces, but as well as the replacement of Firewire with USB, this model offers I/O options that are unique amongst the two interface ranges.

As the name implies, the 18i6 has a total of 18 audio inputs and six audio outputs. Eight of the inputs are analogue, six being line level. The other two offer the option of mic, line or hi-impedance formats. Phantom power is available on the two mic channels and is switchable globally. The remainder of the inputs are digital, comprising an eight-channel ADAT port and stereo S/PDIF connector. The six outputs are presented as a pair of analog jacks, a stereo headphone jack, and a stereo S/PDIF connector

Features

Four of the best performing mic preamps the Scarlett range has ever seen, now with switchable Air mode to give your recordings a brighter and more open sound
Two high-headroom instrument inputs to plug in your guitar or bass
Eight balanced line inputs for connecting synthesisers, drum machine and other line-level sources
High-performance converters enable you to record and mix at up to 24-bit/192kHz
Four monitor outputs with anti-thump technology and speaker switching