Focusrite Scarlett 4th Gen

[Brontolo]

If you do want to get ahead with this, please note that you'll want to make some RaneNote 110 #17 cables.

I was thinking about buying something like this one:

 

[AnalogSteph]

Well, don't come complaining about ground loop issues then. Definitely not ideal. (The go-to cable construction when using the line-in would be #18. What you're showing is #19A. Unfortunately #17 and #18 are usually a custom job. Know any pro audio guys? They should usually be able to wield a soldering iron.)

 

[MachOne]

Review is up. Shame about the HP out!

 

[AnalogSteph]

It's not like it wasn't obvious from the specs from the beginning. What wasn't is that it uses a traditional volume pot, as opposed to what seems to be digital gain in the 4i4. I guess you kind of need that if you want independent master and headphone volume with only one DAC.

 

[somebodyelse]

In something of an about-face, Focusrite are now helping a 3rd party developer add linux drivers for the 4th Gen Scarlett. This should remove the need for reverse engineering and guesswork that has gone into the previous drivers, and help both in quality and development time.
https://linuxmusicians.com/viewtopic.php?p=160833#p160833

 

[Ricardus]

In something of an about-face, Focusrite are now helping a 3rd party developer add linux drivers for the 4th Gen Scarlett. This should remove the need for reverse engineering and guesswork that has gone into the previous drivers, and help both in quality and development time.
https://linuxmusicians.com/viewtopic.php?p=160833#p160833

My Gen 3 works perfectly under linux. I'm wondering what they're adding? It's just a class compliant USB2 device, no?

 

[somebodyelse]

The base models tend not to have much beyond the basic UAC2 and hardware controls so 'Just Work'. The higher channel count ones include mix matrix and sometimes logical switching of things that need some custom driver work to control. See for example https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/master/sound/usb/mixer_scarlett_gen2.c - so far this has been done mostly by reverse engineering.

 

[Ricardus]

I also have Clarett+ 8 Pre and that works as well. I guess someone did add some driver code to the linux kernel for that one.

I am not interested in using their mixer or anything like that. I just needed 8 solid converters.

 

[5-pot-fan]

I've read the specs on the gen4 2i2 and the ASR review on the gen 3, but could it work as a preamp into a power amp, and if so does it have a remote control handset? I think no remote??

 

[AnalogSteph]

but could it work as a preamp into a power amp

People are using these with active speakers all the time, so as long as you have balanced inputs, sure.

, and if so does it have a remote control handset?

No. Some higher-grade audio interfaces can be computer-controlled entirely, but something in this class will be operated manually. If you need a remote, what you want may be a consumer-grade DAC instead.

 

[somebodyelse]

Linux support should be arriving in linux 6.8
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Focusrite-Scarlett-New-Linux-68

 

[salmo]

Whoa, finally XLR input on the back in solo version! It's a total mess in 3rd gen when you plug XLR cable on the front and TRS ones on the back at the same time.

 

[geomol]

What a great ,to the point,smart review. Thank you Julian.