[sohho]

Yes, and actually its an outstanding sound card.
If you use it with a good sound program as JRiver or any other that can handle ASIO output (2i2  has native ASIO drivers) and set it to resample the output to 96000 the result is top notch sound.
Maby, just maybe, you may need to add some EQ (some -3db @ 1kHz) but that depends on your room and system interaction.

 

[ClieOS]

nvm.

 

[Pavel Macura]

web.telecom.cz/macura/focusrite.pdf
Please check my Rightmark measurement, it is very different from the one posted here in the beginning of the thread.

 

[boris_mikhaylov]

  web.telecom.cz/macura/focusrite.pdf
Please check my Rightmark measurement, it is very different from the one posted here in the beginning of the thread.

Sorry, there is no differences for my "S3 - stereo; instrumental + pad mode at 11 clock gain; 3 clock monitor volume; 220 ms latency; MME (16-bit @ 96 kHz)" conditions ( @ http://borisgermanov.blogspot.ru/2014/03/focusrite-scarlett-2i4-rmaa-test-report.html ). And doesn't matter, balanced or unbalanced, MME or ASIO, with "instrumental + pad mode @ 16bit" the results are the same...
What are conditions of your test?
For example, I was very disappointed with *line mode* tests.

 

[Pavel Macura]

Hi,
 
it was measured with instrument (single ended) input.
 
The measurement from balanced output (TRS 1,2) to balanced line input (TRS) is here:
 
web.telecom.cz/macura/focusrite_line_balanced.pdf
 

 

[DrSHP]

Yes, and actually its an outstanding sound card.
If you use it with a good sound program as JRiver or any other that can handle ASIO output (2i2  has native ASIO drivers) and set it to resample the output to 96000 the result is top notch sound.
Maby, just maybe, you may need to add some EQ (some -3db @ 1kHz) but that depends on your room and system interaction.

hi,i use aimp program for playing music in windows,with my focusrite scarlett solo and from the setting of aimp can choose asio and change converdion setting,very usefull program.

 

[noway]

(removed)

 

[Diwad]

Hi guys.
 
Sorry for digging this thread but I can't post new
 
My problem is that I bought Focusrite 2i2 and with my headphones (ATH M50x DG) it doesn't play too well. I mean if it is not on max volume it is ok, but not great. If I make it up to max vol there is massive sound quality drop. No matter if I connect it to my Macbook or to Hackintosh (PC). When I connect headphones directly to my Macbook pro (without scarlett) it is much, much better. Sound is louder without any disortion in sound quality. Bass is deep, etc.
 
Do you think I can have a failture unit? Or I choose wrong device for my headphones?
 
Thanks in advance.
David.

 

[vapman]

Plenty of AD/DA's are perfectly fine for use as a sound card. Gear designed for recording like the Scarlett is nearly always designed with studio gear in mind - that means big, power hungry headphones and no room for error or questionable sound quality.
 
The USB AD/DA which I still own and use every day had a thread here a decade ago where it was compared against the Benchmark DAC1, AKA the widely-agreed on to be best DAC of the mid 2000's. It also had a PCI version, but the point is that it was an AD/DA unit intended for recording, but ended up being very popular here as for a long time it was the cheapest and easiest way to get a unit with that D/A chip.
 
Now, the Schiit Modi 2 which is all the rage here uses the exact same D/A chip my E-MU does.
 
Basically, don't be scared of studio/recording AD/DA's. They're good.
 
edit: Argh, I keep replying to these necrobumped threads at work.

 

[Xyrium]

It sounds like you're clipping the input. Why do you need to increase the gain to such a high level? Are your tracks not mixing well with it and other prerecorded instruments?
 
Edit: Sorry, you're talking about headphone use. It's a 5V interface, I wouldn't use it to power headphones to high amplitude levels. Get an outboard head amp for that. It's great as an audio interface, which is the OP's question.

 

[jcn3]

i have a 2i2 (currently in a box).  i think the device has some nice features, particularly the volume control for use with powered speakers.  it's convenient that it's powered off of the 5v usb bus -- makes it quite portable.  i thought the build quality was great for the price (i think i got it on sale for $115 several years ago).
 
i was unable to ever get 24 bit files to play (don't remember if i tried asio as boris suggested).
 
i found the sound to be a bit forward and on the grainy side.  i replaced it with a schiit bifrost uber and there was a significant jump in sound quality.  of course for the money, it's hard to complain AND it can record stuff through the mic pre-amps!

 

[vapman]

  i have a 2i2 (currently in a box).  i think the device has some nice features, particularly the volume control for use with powered speakers.  it's convenient that it's powered off of the 5v usb bus -- makes it quite portable.  i thought the build quality was great for the price (i think i got it on sale for $115 several years ago).
 
i was unable to ever get 24 bit files to play (don't remember if i tried asio as boris suggested).
 
i found the sound to be a bit forward and on the grainy side.  i replaced it with a schiit bifrost uber and there was a significant jump in sound quality.  of course for the money, it's hard to complain AND it can record stuff through the mic pre-amps!

To be honest I never thought the Scarlett 2i2 was even the best in its class. I always was a little confused at why it was so popular since I thought it had mediocre sound for the price point, but that's irrelevant. It should be a $99 unit. $115 several years ago isn't bad at all I'd say but there are still other interfaces I'd spend the same amount of money on.
 
ASIO is pretty much key on these devices especially for higher bit rate and sample rate playback. A lot of them, especially recording-oriented units are able to go to a lot of different sample rates/bit rates but "lock" onto one. Sometimes I need to manually tell it I want it to switch to a different sample rate or I get no playback if they do not match up.
 
I am not super up to date with audio interfaces but there might be something better out there for the same amount of money. the headphone amp built into the Scarlett is not particularly great either BTW.

 

[boris_mikhaylov]

  i was unable to ever get 24 bit files to play (don't remember if i tried asio as boris suggested).

 
the beta usb2 drivers ( http://beta.focusrite.com/releases/focusrite_usb2_drivers/ )
has 24bit support for wdm, so any player can improve sound now.
i have not tested it yet, but i believe it's good.

 

[boris_mikhaylov]

I am not super up to date with audio interfaces but there might be something better out there for the same amount of money. the headphone amp built into the Scarlett is not particularly great either BTW.

i agree with you.
for playing for less money can get a card with support of headphones with more than 200 Ohm impedance (and less size).
but for instrument/microphone recording only behringer is a competitor may be. ...or not?

 

[vapman]

  i agree with you.
for playing for less money can get a card with support of headphones with more than 200 Ohm impedance (and less size).
but for instrument/microphone recording only behringer is a competitor may be. ...or not?

for recording only? yes some behringer are totally fine for recording but not playback