Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface Gen 3 Review

[digicidal]

Walls!!! Don't forget the thick aluminum walls inside!
(Edit to add photo.)

View attachment 41141

Overpriced as they may be... I definitely can't fault MSB for the build quality on any of their products. I just wish the cost was about 85% less.

 

[trl]

Motu M2 seems to be so much better deal for about the same price

Only referring to the measurements (THD+N, SINAD a.s.o.) it's hard to say. Per specs https://cdn-data.motu.com/manuals/usb-c-audio/M_Series_User_Guide.pdf the THD+D is not so impressive: -97 dB (< 0.0014%), unweighted.

However, I'd like to see this on the bench, especially that Motu has a great reputation. I'd also love to see some inside pics too.

 

[Alex-D]

Only referring to the measurements (THD+N, SINAD a.s.o.) it's hard to say. Per specs https://cdn-data.motu.com/manuals/usb-c-audio/M_Series_User_Guide.pdf the THD+D is not so impressive: -97 dB (< 0.0014%), unweighted.

However, I'd like to see this on the bench, especially that Motu has a great reputation. I'd also love to see some inside pics too.

I was talking mostly about output specs

 

[Blumlein 88]

And the Motu M2 is a very recent offering. I too would probably choose it over a 2i2 or 2i4 at the moment if in the market for such a thing. Motu M4 is from the same family of products as well.

 

[bennetng]

And the Motu M2 is a very recent offering. I too would probably choose it over a 2i2 or 2i4 at the moment if in the market for such a thing. Motu M4 is from the same family of products as well.

M2 also has more features as well:

 

[shuri]

Steinberg has their new UR revisions as well. I got the UR22C to tidy up my previous setup with a yamaha mixer I had channel imbalance and noise issues with.
I think some russian site measured the 44C having a SNR of 90dB or something.. There was a link in a gearslutz thread.
Good headphone out though. Pushes my 250ohm beyers to ear hurting levels at 12 o' clock.

 

[raif71]

Pity the headphone power is bad...the trs outputs at the back would be ideal with trs-xlr cables to my monitors. My monitors have rca, trs and xlr inputs...the rca and trs are being used so just looking for an amp that has balanced out to be connected to the monitors. I was also considering the aune s7 (or pro) but the xlr outs are in front of the unit. Anyone know of a good amp with xlr balanced out at the back of the unit?

 

[Bamboszek]

Aune s7 XLR outputs are for headphones. Using them for as line level isn't really best idea.

 

[trl]

the trs outputs at the back would be ideal with trs-xlr cables to my monitors

That's exactly how I have my Mackie's connected to Focusrite now.

 

[raif71]

That's exactly how I have my Mackie's connected to Focusrite now.

I see. Cool. Mine is an Eris. Do you also use the headphone out and if you do, do you find it lacking? My local audio shop has both Focusrite and Steinberg, planning to demo them.

 

[nintendoeats]

Thanks for doing this review! It's really nice to see where the 2i2 really fits in. If I were in a professional recording studio, I would probably not be satisfied with this performance (since I would need to do lots of signal processing, and so need significantly better performance for audible transparency). For the home user, it seems like the 2i2 is a step beyond "just good enough" which is a nice place for a budget interface to be.

 

[starfly]

I had no idea Motu released a new series of interfaces. Currently still using the Scarlett 2i2 Gen 1. Been wanting to replace it for a while with something "better", but all the Motu gear I just found too expensive. But this new entry-level stuff should be good, with good driver support (someting most of the other brands lack). Just ordered the M4!

 

[JohnYang1997]

I had no idea Motu released a new series of interfaces. Currently still using the Scarlett 2i2 Gen 1. Been wanting to replace it for a while with something "better", but all the Motu gear I just found too expensive. But this new entry-level stuff should be good, with good driver support (someting most of the other brands lack). Just ordered the M4!

Would you do some loop back measurements when you receive it? Like using arta or rew?

 

[Biblob]

Do we know what kind of performance differrence there is between the different versions (1, 2 and 3)? Perhaps most importantly differences to the ADC and mic pre-amp

 

[JohnYang1997]

Do we know what kind of performance differrence there is between the different versions (1, 2 and 3)? Perhaps most importantly differences to the ADC and mic pre-amp

As far as I know all three versions measure very similarly.

 

[starfly]

Would you do some loop back measurements when you receive it? Like using arta or rew?

I've never taken such measurements before, but I can try

 

[daftcombo]

I've been using the Scarlett 2i4 with Windows 10 volume control at 80% for Youtube, Bandcamp, etc.
Do you think 100% would be ok, or a bit less is safer, according to those measurements?

 

[starfly]

I've been using the Scarlett 2i4 with Windows 10 volume control at 80% for Youtube, Bandcamp, etc.
Do you think 100% would be ok, or a bit less is safer, according to those measurements?

My understanding is that you want the Windows volume to always be at 100%, and just regulate the volume with the external DAC's volume control. But my understanding could be wrong

 

[trl]

I see. Cool. Mine is an Eris. Do you also use the headphone out and if you do, do you find it lacking? My local audio shop has both Focusrite and Steinberg, planning to demo them.

I use headphones out only for monitoring purposes (while recording podcasts) with my Audio Technica ATH-M30x headphones. For normal listening I don't see any reasons to use this weak headamp.

 

[daftcombo]

I would say it depends on your headphones sensivity & impedance.

For instance, AKG K701 have a sensitivity of 92 dB for 1mW and an impedance of 62 ohm.

So it would be in-between Amir's too graphs: between 33 and 300 ohm.

You can see that you can still achieve a lof of SPL with 1mW and with quite low distortion.