Last Updated: August 21, 2019 (Refresh Now)
Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 2nd Gen USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools First
Last Updated: August 21, 2019 (Refresh Now)
7.9
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
1000
Old Reviews
628
Unverified
122
Spam Test
PASS
4 meters
SIZE
2048 GB
MEMORY
Review Analysis - 250 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Sound Quality
50sound, audio, noise, interface, latency
+76%
-24%
" ... This is a workhorse for anyone with audio aspirations or experience. ... I was astounded by the quality of sound I was receiving from my Klipsch Promedia 2.1 before I even thought of introducing a DAC into the equation. ... "
" ... good for producing music ... "
" ... The headphone amps in it are fairly powerful as well ... "
" ... (he is also loves their high end interfaces) Is it professional/studio level sound quality? ... Irig HD is surprisingly good for what it is, but this definitely has a much better sound quality and way more adjustability/capability. ... Has a lot of adjustability for the inputs and sound output. ... Very good sound quality with guitars, haven't really tried anything else. ... "
" ... This thing can take a pounding then still sound and look great. ... "
" ... The task was to record the output of my Peavey Classic 20 Mini amp head into GarageBand. ... At last, after messing with a Line 6 POD that sounded awful and a Vox Tonelab that sounded pretty good but lacked enough output for single coil pickups, I have a plug and play setup for recording. ... "
" ... The sound is good and unit is reliable and solidly built. ... The sound is pretty good. ... "
" ... It sounds great. ... "
Software Platform
34software, windows, windows 10, audio, plugins
+65%
-35%
" ... It's a very solid interface, very easy to use, works well on Mac OS. ... "
" ... Configures nicely with all my software. ... "
" ... Works well on windows 8.1 ... "
" ... Works great on my system running Linux Ubuntu with Bitwig and other audio apps. ... "
" ... In windows 10 are rare glitches, please update or upload a patch ... "
" ... Works in Mac and Linux at ridiculously low latency out of the box. ... "
" ... Using it with a Linux Ubuntu OS in a Lenovo X220 laptop. ... "
" ... After 2 years of using this interface I can safely say it is a wanderful merchine . ... "
Device Compatibility
31windows, interface, pro, midi, macbook pro
+77%
-23%
" ... I love being able to easily switch between my headphones and monitors. ... "
" ... I love this little device. ... "
" ... Works in Mac and Linux at ridiculously low latency out of the box. ... "
" ... 4) Not mandatory, but for anyone looking to take their audio experience another step further I highly recommend pairing this with the iFi Purifier 2 (USB type B). ... "
" ... I use this to to connect my mic to my surface pro. ... "
" ... Using it with a Linux Ubuntu OS in a Lenovo X220 laptop. ... "
" ... my go to device when I'm recording into my laptop or computers. ... "
" ... Well, we gave it our first run yesterday and it worked like a dream through my iMac. ... "
Ease of Use
24easy, easy to use, use, super, software
+92%
-8%
" ... BEST INTERFACE TO ORDER!! ... "
" ... For the price, you won't find a better 8 mic pre interface. ... "
" ... Great audio interface. ... "
" ... It's perfect for home studios and beginners. ... "
" ... And it's relatively simple ease of use. ... "
" ... For the price, you won't find a better 8 mic pre interface. ... "
" ... You simply won't go wrong with this interface. ... It's very easy to set up and to use. ... "
" ... This is my first experience with an audio interface. ... "
Product Reliability
24working, focusrite, worked, scarlett, 2
+58%
-42%
" ... Great product still using it no problem when it comes to using it and had it over 5 month now ... "
" ... Update 9/25/17: ... "
" ... Worked great for about 2 months then it started making all sounds sound robotic. ... "
" ... UPDATE: okay so, as I said these units are amazing when working. ... My anger from previous review has subsided and I’m appreciative they were able to get me a new working unit. ... "
" ... Worked fine for almost 4 months. ... "
" ... 2 months of use later, I love it! ... "
" ... it worked straight out of the box. ... "
" ... After a few months, I have nothing but good things to say about my 18i20 thus far. ... "
Drivers
23driver, windows, download, focusrite, asio
+35%
-65%
" ... I received the device and tried to register in order to download drivers. ... Otherwise a one star is assigned because the device does not work without drivers. ... "
" ... Not sure if it's a compatability/driver issue with Windows like so many other people also have or just a lemon. ... "
" ... Very little customer support, the drivers are terrible. ... "
" ... Drivers re-installations haven't fixed a thing and the product just does not perform to expectations. ... "
" ... No driver update helped, nothing. ... "
" ... Their drivers are useless and the "fixes" they suggest leave your system wide open (disabling antivirus, disabling DAP, etc). ... "
" ... On top of everything, my computer wouldn’t boot up after I installed all the Focusrite drivers. ... So the drivers are a mess (I have the latest focusrite driver installed) and I can only hear everything out of one ear (when through my PC I hear both). ... "
" ... I received the device and tried to register in order to download drivers. ... Otherwise a one star is assigned because the device does not work without drivers. ... "
Price
19price, good, money, little, better
+95%
-5%
" ... A true money hole. ... "
" ... I highly recommend this unit if you're looking for an audio interface in this price range. ... "
" ... Probably not, but it's also not hundreds or thousands of dollars. ... I paired it with some JBL LSR305s and now I have a very nice set up for very little money. ... "
" ... Worth every penny. ... Best on the market for 200 bucks ... "
" ... For me this product as been a great deal for the price given the value that I get from them in my small home studio. ... "
" ... All in all a magnificent bundle of hardware and software at this price point. ... "
" ... It has a good reputation and the sale price was fantastic, so overall all I am pleased. ... "
" ... Great Product for the price! ... "
Ports
19focusrite, xlr, port, phono, midi
+63%
-37%
" ... Best device for turning XLR into USB. ... Recommend using Y adapter XLR cable ... "
" ... Plenty of ports that I'd probably never use, but good to have regardless. ... "
" ... Plenty of ports that I'd probably never use, but good to have regardless. ... "
" ... This is because the device records Stereo imaging through a Mono port. ... 3) Using an AUX to Phono adapter will allow you place headphones directly into the balanced phono port on the front of the Focusrite. ... This device with plug directly into your Focusrite and use the red USB type B cable that came with your Focusrite to plug directly into your Purifier 2 (sandwich style). ... "
" ... Being able to properly fade between input and DAC (computer) is only available on the 2i4, not the 2i2, but they it works. ... "
" ... Focusrite USB Audio Sound Card: A great product overall, nice pre-amps and a good assortment of inputs and outputs.on the Scarlett 6i6 model. ... "
" ... I replaced another USB interface (a mixer) with this unit and I'm glad I did. ... "
" ... Tried using a half dozen different line cables that work perfectly when plugged into amps. ... "
Apps
16daw, windows, interface, google, chrome
+56%
-44%
" ... Works great on my system running Linux Ubuntu with Bitwig and other audio apps. ... "
" ... Audio is choppy on Google Chrome, but great on Microsoft Edge. ... "
" ... It came with Alberton Live 9 which is way more than what I need and like more DAW apps, they take time to learn. ... "
" ... I think there are better products on the market for those applications. ... "
" ... You will need to download the 'management' software because you can't customize things like monitor feeds and such without it . ... "
" ... Comes with a ton of music-related software. ... "
Setup
13easy, install, super, software, win
+92%
-8%
" ... I still encourage you to check out this product due to the free samples and software - high quality/durability - and ease of setup ... "
" ... it's super easy to instal plus comes with all the softwares and tutorials you need. ... "
" ... It was easy to install. ... Setup up my DAW input and output settings and was ready to go. ... "
" ... Works out of the box on my Win, Mac and Linux boxes as simple plug and play (did download Win drivers as in the instructions though). ... "
" ... It took an hour or two to set everything up and it will take someone with some technical knowledge to do it all correctly. ... "
" ... The setup took longer than I expected but that was just getting the free included stuff installed. ... "
" ... Configures nicely with all my software. ... "
" ... Pretty fast delivery, and product is as expected, easy setup. ... "
Returns
10returning, returned, going, policy, one
+10%
-90%
" ... RETURNED THE ITEM👍 ... Thinking about returning it . ... "
" ... I have now returned and reordered this product and it still does not work. ... "
" ... Cant find a way to get this returned . ... "
" ... Either way, I'm going to be returning this and picking up an Audient ID4 instead. ... "
" ... I've had it 4 months so I'm outside my return window. ... "
" ... I regret not selecting that one, and not returning this one before discarding the box, lesson learned. ... "
" ... They have a 30 day return policy. ... "
" ... Bought it on Amazon and returned it. ... "
Build Quality
10build, way, sound, something, quality
+100%
" ... It feels very dense/solid/durable. ... "
" ... Came packaged tight and without any surface blemishes. ... "
" ... The best course of action is to make sure that your equipment is A) grounded, B) securely outfitted with surge protection, helps as a first defense against ground loop when using utilizing a quality product, C) invest in the iFi Purifier 2, this not only helps by correcting any major frequency imbalances by offsetting them with the necessary frequency to cancel the effects altogether, but also improves the quality of your sound simultaneously. ... "
" ... great sound and solid build quality ... "
" ... High quality build too, it's quite heavy and durable for those who would bring it out to practice spaces or mobile studio owners. ... "
" ... Feels way more solid. ... "
" ... It is also very durable. ... "
" ... First, quality is excellent with sturdy yet flexible cabling. ... "
Delivery
9came, would, package, love, exchange
+67%
-33%
" ... I found package decent, i love small boxes. ... "
" ... Worked right of the box. ... "
" ... Awesome, came on time and in perfect condition! ... "
" ... Came in awesome condition. ... "
" ... Came in awesome condition. ... "
Controls
8second, interface, input, device, voice
+50%
-50%
" ... The device is made of aluminum and the front buttons are made of plastic. ... The buttons seem a little flimsy and may break if heavy pressure is pressed against them. ... I wouldn’t recommend putting this device on a backpack with other stuff to avoid breaking the buttons. ... "
" ... I had to do this because the focusrite playback (no matter what dial I turned) always was a second late after I played a chord. ... "
" ... However, they use embedded menus inside embedded menus to select what you want to move around. ... "
" ... I even have the interface set to instrument mode, same problem. ... "
Cables
7usb, cable, splitter, focusrite, cord
+100%
" ... Tried using a half dozen different line cables that work perfectly when plugged into amps. ... "
" ... Everything was great except the usb cord. ... "
" ... With the right cables, it is extremely easy to use. ... "
" ... Recommend using Y adapter XLR cable ... "
" ... First, quality is excellent with sturdy yet flexible cabling. ... "
" ... Additionally, I have found that after using a XLR Y splitter cable to make a single input play through both XLR channels that my audio has improved for those listening on the other end as well as allowing me to hear myself in Stereo mode (trust me, it drives you nuts). ... This device with plug directly into your Focusrite and use the red USB type B cable that came with your Focusrite to plug directly into your Purifier 2 (sandwich style). ... "
" ... Additionally, I have found that after using a XLR Y splitter cable to make a single input play through both XLR channels that my audio has improved for those listening on the other end as well as allowing me to hear myself in Stereo mode (trust me, it drives you nuts). ... What this means for me is that I can mute my Promedia 2.1 system and pick up my headphones without changing any wires or messing with buttons/dials/etc. ... This device with plug directly into your Focusrite and use the red USB type B cable that came with your Focusrite to plug directly into your Purifier 2 (sandwich style). ... "
USB
7xlr, power, plug and play, midi, interface
+57%
-43%
" ... Best device for turning XLR into USB. ... "
" ... I replaced another USB interface (a mixer) with this unit and I'm glad I did. ... "
" ... This device with plug directly into your Focusrite and use the red USB type B cable that came with your Focusrite to plug directly into your Purifier 2 (sandwich style). ... "
Lagging
6lag, unplug, replug, recording, noticeable
+33%
-67%
" ... No offline recording available. ... "
" ... Had a lot of DAW switching issues ... "
" ... This INTERMITTENTLY CRASHES EVERY COMPUTER I TRIED IT ON. ... "
" ... Has some lag from when you record, to when its placed on the wave table. ... I've tried different settings still get lag and a little latecy. ... "
Marketplace
6tried, time, support, seller, nowhere
+33%
-67%
" ... Amazon was unable to resolve the issue, and resulted in hours of my time coordinating with the manufacturer directly. ... "
" ... I tried getting online support and got nowhere. ... "
" ... It's 2017, not 2007. ... "
" ... I will never buy from PROAUDIOSTAR again. ... "
Headphones
5headphone, headphones, front, 3 5 mm, xlr
+60%
-40%
" ... I chose this one since it has 2 sets of outputs, which allows you to use one set for cueing, via the headphone jack on the front, and the other set as your main outputs. ... "
" ... 3) Using an AUX to Phono adapter will allow you place headphones directly into the balanced phono port on the front of the Focusrite. ... "
Cleaning
5audio, unit, lower, di
+100%
" ... The monitoring RCA outputs send clean audio as well. ... "
" ... Its very easy to get a clean DI signal from this unit over the lower tier Focusrite as it doesn't require a separately slotted DI convertor to lower impedance from my guitar to the unit (more gain, less clipping). ... "
" ... Very clean preamps. ... "
" ... Clean pure audio. ... "
Call quality
5hear, work, scarlett, mic, input
+80%
-20%
" ... No latency that I can hear or feel. ... "
" ... Voice in particular, but works great for everything. ... "
" ... Makes your voice clear and sounds very professional for voice overs in advertising as I use it for video. ... "
" ... I can monitor my voice either with phones to the Scarlett, or if you use Voicemeeter you can hear the mic as a digital input. ... "
Memory
4ram, i5, i7, 9
+100%
" ... its a very powerful software (make sure you have room on hard drive and good memory). ... "
" ... This was on an i5 with 8 GB ram and a 7200 rpm HDD. ... "
" ... Laptop specs: i7/1TB/16GB ... "
Resolution
4hd, sound quality, preamps, high quality, audio interface
+100%
" ... Irig HD is surprisingly good for what it is, but this definitely has a much better sound quality and way more adjustability/capability. ... "
" ... Irig HD is surprisingly good for what it is, but this definitely has a much better sound quality and way more adjustability/capability. ... "
Overall performance
4+100%
" ... One can reduce latency through the use of external hard drives and solid state devices - assuming your CPU is powerful enough. ... "
" ... Laptop specs: i7/1TB/16GB ... "
" ... I5 2500k over clocked to 4.6 ghz ... R9 280x gpu ... "
Microphone
4listening, audio, sounds, mixing, record
+100%
" ... It records clean and the playback of the recording sounds amazing. ... It give you a true representation I the sounds you are listening to when mixing and mastering which is super important when recording and mixing. ... "
" ... If any component is lacking it's the headphones but they do the job for recording. ... "
" ... I just do some singing that i record nothing professional but this thing works great! ... "
Defective Delivery
4defective, came
+75%
-25%
" ... Came in awesome condition. ... "
" ... Came in awesome condition. ... "
Design
4way, feels, build quality
+100%
" ... Feels way more solid. ... "
" ... The level of utility I have found from this piece of equipment has brought me countless hours of enjoyment so far, and from the look/feel of it many more to come. ... "
" ... It feels very dense/solid/durable. ... "
Capacity
3small, perfect, noise, low, floor
+100%
" ... For home studio work, it's perfect. ... "
" ... For me this product as been a great deal for the price given the value that I get from them in my small home studio. ... "
" ... I use it for my home studio ... "
Bass
3guitar, electric, acoustic
+100%
" ... I use it to record music, electric bass mostly, and I like it. ... "
" ... We use it primarily for trombone, oboe, and voice (speaking), but I've also recorded acoustic/electric guitars and bass guitar – all with great results. ... "
" ... Included headphones are good, with just enough bass feedback. ... "
Features
3knobs
+100%
" ... Decent preamps, full of useful features, works seamlessly with Logic. ... "
" ... Very impressed with all of the features. ... "
" ... The red/green LED indicators on the gain knobs are super helpful. ... "
Size
3excellent, easy to use
+100%
" ... The fact this is small enough to still be bus powered is very convenient. ... "
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Specifications
Body
Size: 4 meters
Memory
Memory: 2048 GB