ON THE OUTSIDE
The first and most obvious difference is the box. Yes, all new packaging with an all-new design and a smaller, more compact box to house a unit of much the same size. When you take it out, you will notice a few subtle changes to the original, but no so much that it doesn’t look like a Scarlett audio interface. The same red coloured housing is still the same, with the same specs as far as inputs and outputs go, but there are a few simple touches. Noticeably, the master volume and headphone volume knobs have had an overhaul, now replaced with metal knobs instead of the older plastic ones. The logo has shifted and switches are a little different, but essentially, it is the Scarlett 2i2 that we all know.
THE INNER WORKINGS
Most notable of all the changes to the Scarlett 2i2 is what’s going on with the analogue to digital conversion. This new model now offers sample rates of up to 192 kHz, which brings it in line with other competing devices in this price range. It is capable of delivering this audio quality without suffering latency issues either, so you can record and monitor at the best quality without concerns about the unit keeping up on playback.
For guitarists, and I am sure this sort of interface would appeal to many, Focusrite have reworked the instrument inputs on the new 2i2 allowing for hotter guitar signals to be captured without running out of headroom. This means you can use active pickups with very high output levels and be con dent in the 2i2 capturing all of your sound without unwanted distortion.
On top of all that, it’s still compact and bus powered, so you can take it with you and record without the need of an external power supply. Like the earlier version, the new 2i2 includes Focusrite’s Red Plugin Suite for amazing EQ and dynamic processing. But, as an extra bonus, these are now shipping with Pro Tools First as a download, allowing you to start recording straight away with a simplified version of the industry standard recording software.
