Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 or M-Audio Fast Track?

[ovid9]

And why? The Scarlet was recommended to me and its the route I will probably go.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Scarlett2i2

M-Audio Fast Track:

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/FastTrkUSB2/

The only thing I see the Fast Track has going for it is its slightly cheaper and it has a 1/4" in.

MAJOR NOOB QUESTION: How would I plug my guitar direct into the Scarlet? Can that be done? Or would I have to run it to my JCM600 and then out the DI to the Scarlet? Not a huge deal, but being able to go direct seems handy for using things like amp sims right?

*Knows NOTHING about this stuff*

edit: Holy crap it shows previews of the links???? WOW!

[Adrian]

The mic preamps on the Scarlett allow for 1/4" inputs. See the big hole in the middle of each one?

[Wookieslayer]

Focusrite IMO. Also Amazon has the 2i2 for $123ish right now. But even if you're set on Sweetwater I'd say it's worth it. I know Raf was happy with his and my buddy just got one and digs it.

[ovid9]

The mic preamps on the Scarlett allow for 1/4" inputs. See the big hole in the middle of each one?

Ya know, I thought they looked weird, but obviously I didn't do all that much reading on it because I didn't know that. lol Thanks!

Focusrite IMO. Also Amazon has the 2i2 for $123ish right now. But even if you're set on Sweetwater I'd say it's worth it. I know Raf was happy with his and my buddy just got one and digs it.

Yeah, when I get something I'll probably go through Loop cause he takes good care of me and Amazon gets pretty much all my online non-gear purchases anyway. Thanks though dude!

Now, to get my ass in gear rounding up the money.

[overdrivenel34s]

i haven't tried either.

incase it helps here are the interfaces i have owned:

prosonus firebox: was decent but after 7 years or so it died. it was strange there was a audible pop sound from inside the unit and it was dead from them on. it was good while it lasted. i recall having driver issues relating to firewire at 1st that were a pain at 1st to resolve(lot of uninstalling and reinstalling and trial and error).

m audio fast track ultra: currently own this and it is cool. what i like about it is there are 4 preamps (which sound decent). 1st two inputs on front are combo jacks that handle xlr or 1/4" while the two are xlr. there are additional inputs on back as well but i haven't used them. two headphone inputs with individual levels. one complaint with it is if its too close to monitor there is some sort of interference that shows up on screen and some noise that gets picked up through speakers. it is rather strange but keeping unit far enough away from monitor ensures this doesn't happen)

[K-Bizzle]

Thanks for the heads up on the Amazon deal.
Had plans to snag a Scarlet 2i2 for awhile and with the reduced price plus the gift card I had left over from Christmas it only cost me $80 shipped.
Awesome!

[ovid9]

Can't beat that K-Bizz!

And overdrivenEL34s, thanks for your experience man. :thu:

[JohnB]

ovid9 i dont know if you caught my post on my 2i2 direct woes - which i just got a couple weeks ago. the 2i2 instrment input will overload with hot pickups. i am overloading with both passive humbuckers & texas special single coils. focusrite suggested: turn down guitar (no), get a DI, external pad, or buy a 2i4 which has a 10db Pad.

well, i dont want to buy anything else

tried a couple things so far: had a passive unbal to bal converter - but it was shite & messed up the tone bad - i think you'd have to pay big bucks for a passive that works ok, tried using line input mode, but it hurt tone as well (input switched to 10k ohm which is too low), i have an active DI which is for acoustic guitar, but it has an internal trim for the input - still playing with this, but it may end up not working. turning the guitar down has been giving the best tone, but i'm not liking this as a solution. My next option is to build a T-Pad with some resistors i have lying around - which will in effect turn the guitar down. I'm building for a 1Meg input/output so the impedance will look the same to the guitar.

when i got the 2i2 I didnt think i was also getting a homework assignment.

edit: T-pad done, works well & gives around 12db of attenuation - now overload about halfway up on the instrument input gain knob. used:

Code: Select all

in   R1 (590k) - R2 (590k) - out
             |
             R3 (550k)
             |
             GND

used a combo of available values to reach the Rs. For the alternatives I had, it end up sounding the best for a guitar direct in solution.

edit#2: i'm losing a little warmth with the values i have here - which means i have to continue to play with it

[NinjaRaf]

Yeah, I just upgraded from an maudio fast track to the focusrite scarlett 2i2. DEFINITELY get the 2i2. WAY better pres and converters and it comes with some cool plugins. Im getting excellent tones out of mine...

With EQ and Compression: http://tonefinder.com/files/25135559961 ... ckidea.mp3

Without EQ and Compression: http://tonefinder.com/files/31135527321 ... ckidea.mp3

[Wookieslayer]

Cool dudes.

Yeah I heard about the 2i2 being sensitive to some guitar pickups but most have had good luck with it. I use a TC Electronics Konnekt 8 right now (Firewire) and it rules. I mostly use it with my desktop but it doesn't like to play well with my laptops firewire card so I either have to order an extra firewire card or find another USB interface, which is why I was looking at the Forcusrite. At some point I will nab a new computer and a laptop and might just nab a Focusrite 2i4 to get the MIDI and better padded inputs, also because firewire seems to be on the way out and USB 3.0 is here and growing.

[ovid9]

extollo, sorry to hear about the issues you're having man. Its weird that it seems like some people have had these issues and others haven't. Electronics are weird.

I'm glad it seems that you've gotten it worked out.

[megawzrd]

As my m-audio firewire solo died on me recently I am actually looking at the focusrite stuff right now. Current m-audio reviews were not encouraging.

I think for me the question is 2i2 or 2i4.

[K-Bizzle]

Ug my 2i2 comes in on Friday, getting anxious.

[NinjaRaf]

Personally, for the price difference, I would rather have gotten the 2i4, just for the added features. I didnt even check them out when I got mine...2i2 was the cheapest, so I grabbed it.

[ovid9]

Ug my 2i2 comes in on Friday, getting anxious.

How's the Scarlett K-Bizz?

Also, anyone ever used a Presonus Audiobox? A guy is selling one still in the box unused for $100 on my local CL. Looks like that's between $30-50 cheaper than what they sell for new.

If its decent I might snag it and be that much closer to buying a mic.

[scolfax]

I have the 2i2 and love it. I don't plug guitars in direct, I mic an amp, so I haven't had that hot pickup overloading problem. Has this been confirmed or is it just a couple of people who have reported it?

[banana hammock]

For the guys going direct : no lag? You can go straight in and use ampsims live?

[rear naked]

I have a focusrite saffire and the DI input is shit. It clips any guitar signal. I doubt its any different on the scarlet.

Also, the drivers gave me hell with my win7 laptop.

Fuck them anyway. I'll never buy their shit again.

[Devin]

Just wanted to say I never had any problems recording DI with my Saffire, either.

I think Focusrite makes a solid product for sure. I have the little tower model:

[GuitarBilly]

I picked up a Steinberg UR22 this weekend and I really love it so far. I am really impressed with the quality of the preamps in it.

[GuitarBilly]

with an USB unit you can eliminate the atency by reducing your buffer size in the ASIO control panel. But at that point, you are using a lot more of the CPU and RAM. My system is a quad core (A8) with 32gB of RAM. I can record latency free on pretty much any interface.