Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
When push comes to shove, the Clarett beats the Scarlett with higher quality mic pres, expandability and audio specs. However, the Scarlett comes at a much cheaper price point. However, it should be pointed out that this beautiful simplicity has been achieved partly by not including features that are available on some competing products. There is no provision at all for processing audio signals within Focusrite Control, so no equalisation, dynamics, or delay/reverb effects are available. This is clearly a conscious decision on Focusrite’s part: like Apogee, they believe that their Thunderbolt hardware is capable of such low–latency operation as to render the need for a separate cue–mixing utility redundant in most situations. It’s a decision that is fine with me, but then I rarely find myself having the time to set up processing and effects specifically for the cue mix in any case. Two powerful, flat-response headphone outputs make mixing easy in any environment, with any headphones. Two enhanced headphone outputs deliver flat frequency response at every output level - no matter your choice of headphones
On the A‑D side of things, the new Clarett+’s dynamic range figure remains much the same as the previous model. My own test bench measurements using an Audio Precision system gave an AES17 dynamic range measurement of 117.7dB (A‑wtd), which conforms to the published specification of 118dB. I’m not sure why, but the Clarett+ 2Pre is claimed to achieve a slightly better result than its predecessor at 119dB (A‑wtd). Focusrite have also retained the “all‑analogue Air EQ” feature, which can be applied to individual preamp channels. When activated, the high frequencies are boosted in two stages by +4dB overall to bestow crisp transients, enhance presence‑range clarity and, yes, to add ‘air’ to whatever you’re recording. It is quite an alluring effect on vocals and acoustic guitars, in particular, but one which should probably be used with cautious discretion, I think — you really can have too much of a good thing! Interestingly, activating the Air option also reduces the microphone preamps’ input impedance from 6.2kΩ to 2.2kΩ — but while that might alter the tonality of some dynamic mics slightly, any changes would be thoroughly swamped by the Air effect anyway! The THD+N figure for the D‑A measured ‑106.1dB (the published spec is ‑106dB), which is also a very worthwhile improvement over the previous model’s ‑103dB. The headphone outputs have also gained 3dB more dynamic range and 3dB lower THD, too — all of which means lower noise and more pristine low‑level details in reverb tails and room atmospheres. Added the ability to choose whether 48V is retained after restarting Scarlett 3rd Generation interfaces.
Stay in control
In addition to this, the headphone outputs have been upgraded and offer greater DAC performance. This means that regardless of which headphones you use for monitoring purposes you can make better-informed decisions and inspire greater performances. Low distortion, 24-bit/192 kHz converters with up to 124dB dynamic range deliver incredible sound quality.
Eight inputs, ten outputs; eight Clarett mic pres with two Hi-Z JFET instrument inputs, ten balanced outputs and eight-in, eight-out over ADAT.A newly-added D-A converter yields even greater dynamic range than before - something that is especially noticeable on music with high dynamic variation. This is used in conjunction with a meticulously-designed output filter circuit, and the lower D-A converter noise floor allows users to identify intricacies within their mixes that were previously impossible to hear. Out of the box, first impressions are very reassuring. The smart brushed aluminium front panel and all-metal case is complemented by a series of really sturdy controls, apart from a couple of slightly wobbly switches in the monitor section. The build quality is superb and is a definite improvement upon the early incarnations of Scarlett interfaces that had rough, sharp edges. Panel layout is extremely intuitive, with simple preamp controls, clear LED metering, and monitor and headphone controls on the right. Take the Air We investigate this age-old internal war with an outline of some of the most important key features and differences between both devices. Focusrite Clarett vs Scarlett: The Lowdown Ultimately, the decision should be made after factoring in your core needs. You should also try to think ahead and future-proof yourself.
The Scarlett range, in comparison, is suited more to those who need a portable interface or are more conscious of their budget. The added bonus when considering devices from both ranges is that they both have different types of preamps installed in them. This extended range is infinitely more appealing to artists, producers, and engineers. The enhancements in terms of A-D/D-A conversion - as well as the improved preamp performance - lend themselves to greater sonic capabilities and a better overall music-making experience. Wherever you sit on the creative spectrum, this audio interface will fulfil all of your audio-based requirements. Capture crisp vocals, the nuances of acoustic instruments and powerful drums with unrivalled clarity thanks to eight Clarett+ mic preamps. Yes, I know in this setup, I won’t have an Electrovoice RE-20 or Shure 7b for classic up close to the mic broadcast sound, but, would you get the DBX option or will the Clarett or something else be a better option for a richer sound? The thought, also, was since I have plug ins for post I don’t need the DBX and the DBX pre-amps specs are similar to the Scarlett specs. But, then, the benefits fo the Claret may be more for a musician than for my application doing voice most of the time, not even vocals for songs. But, then, there’s also Brainworx that may be better than my Izotope plug-ins. Very confused.Despite having a slightly lower dynamic range, they still have a low noise floor, meaning you can easily get the most out of your recordings in a wide variety of environments with minimum fuss. The inclusion of the all-analogue Air (with impedance switching and relay control) is a great feature, emulating the ISA110 mic preamp from the classic Focusrite Studio Console. This is especially noticeable when recording things like vocals, adding an extra layer of presence and clarity. The ‘Air’ function is an analog effect applied to the circuitry of the preamps which instantly brightens, adds detail, and preserves the subtle nuances of your recordings. This sets a much higher standard of audio capture quality than most other devices at this competing price point. The sound of ‘Air’ is based on Focusrite’s original ‘ISA’ preamp, one of their first and most famous preamps. The Focusrite ISA One preamp
Overall, the Clarett range is a little more pricey and has fewer ‘bells and whistles’ but delivers a huge level of quality at a really affordable price. When combined with the free software and plugins, the Claretts offer a more ‘premium’ experience, with the professional user in mind. The Scarlett interfaces come with a more creative-based selection of plugins and have the widest selection of goodies out of the three. Focusrite have also designed a new mic preamp circuit for the Clarett range, the most notable feature of which is the Air option. This is “modelled on” the Air mode in Focusrite’s ISA430 MkII input channel, and although it’s switched in software, actually changes the behaviour of the circuit in the analogue domain. A representative of the company told me: “Air mode is an impedance change in the mic pre from 6.2 to 2.1 kΩ in combination with a frequency response change through the use of an analogue filter which provides a 4dB boost starting from around 100Hz, reaching +4dB around 10kHz, all of which happens before the A–D conversion.” Great review, but, didn’t leave me with a clear answer. I bought a Scarlet solo and plugged it into an Audio Technica AT8035 shotgun. I do voiceovers, but, I used the shotgun to record audio for a video presentation I did recording the video portion through Zoom and making an mp4 out of it. I used the shotgun to keep the microphone off-camera. I also tried a Rode videomic plugged into USB on my Dell XPS laptop, but, I wasn’t happy with the USB preamp in the Rode and bought the Scarlet Solo. If you’re simply recording guitars and vocals, or even just voices (for a podcast, for example) then this might be ample range for your needs.This app gives you the power to do things like change channel volumes, adjust gain, route signals and engage effects directly from your Android or iOS device wirelessly with minimal fuss. This is extremely handy when recording on your own, and saves you from running between the live room and the control room to tweak your drum levels. Final Thoughts The eight Clarett preamps have been meticulously engineered to bring authentic large-format studio sound to any recording session. All-analogue Air mode, with impedance switching, recreates the legendary effect of Focusrite's ISA mic pres, adding clarity and presence to drums, guitars and vocals. Two high-impedance JFET instrument inputs preserve your guitar’s true character and feel just like an amp. Independent A-D and D-A converters offer ultra-low distortion and up to 124dB dynamic range. Ten balanced outputs are hum-free for pristine monitoring, mixing and mastering with studio monitors. Eight channels in and eight out over ADAT allow 8Pre to grow with your studio. And it comes with some of the best-loved tools in the business – with plugins from legendary Auto-Tune® creators Antares®, Brainworx®, Softube®, Landr, XLN Audio®, Relab and more. However, last year Focusrite faced a big problem with its Clarett USB range! As explained in the ‘ Chip Crisis’ article published in the Sound On Sound September 2021 edition, a huge fire last year all but obliterated the Japanese factory of Asahi Kasei Microsystems — AKM being one of the major suppliers of high‑quality A‑D and D‑A converter and digital interface chips to much of the pro‑audio industry. The Clarett range offers a more complete Air mode as it alters the input impedance of the preamp, therefore applying a different colour to the microphone. The dynamic range of the mic inputs on the Scarlett are 111dB A-weighted for the 3rd generation interfaces - a slightly lower range than is found on either of the Clarett models.
Great Deal 
New Comment