Why choose the 4th Generation Scarlett?

Roughly two years after the release of the widely praised Gen 3, Focusrite has updated the world’s best-selling audio interface to offer even more power and flexibility, without abandoning its affordability and price point. Trusted in over 6 million homes and studios across 180 countries worldwide, when Focusrite makes an update to the most popular interface on the market, it needs to be right.

New and improved feature overview

• State-of-the-art converters, taken from the RedNet range offer a huge 120dB of dynamic range
• Get impressive sound for any microphone, regardless of sensitivity with all-new, remote-controlled preamps that deliver 69dB of gain
• Improved Air mode with Presence control and all-new Harmonic Drive parameter
• Keep every take and never let clipping spoil your recordings with the new Clip Safe mode (exclusive to 2i2 and 4i4 models)
• Automatically maintain audio levels without interfering manually with Auto Gain mode, letting you focus on your performance and not your levels (exclusive to 2i2 and 4i4 models)
• Hear your performance in more detail than ever with the brand-new custom-designed headphone output amp
• Dynamic Gain Halos are fitted around rotary gain knobs, modernising the iconic Scarlett Gain Halos
• Improved headphones as part of the Studio Packs, with improved comfort designs and a flatter frequency response for more accurate monitoring
• Refreshed Easy Start Tool lets you get up and running in no time for plug-and-play capabilities
• Industry-leading three-year manufacturer warranty with 24/7/365 customer support gives you peace of mind
• Explore all that music production has to offer with one of the best free included software packages of any interface, the Hitmaker Expansion

Model comparison chart

Who is the Scarlett Gen 4 for?

The hub of 6 million producers, musicians, and podcasters, the 4th Generation Scarlett is designed to inspire any creative vision.

The amateur singer-songwriter: Make your vocals stand out when recording your next song and engage the Air mode. Revamped from Gen 3, the 4th Generation Air mode takes your sound’s unique character and brings it to the front of a mix, adding musical presence and rich harmonic drive, just like a classic recording console.

Utilising advanced DSP, two distinct stages are included: a Presence mode which introduces a filter circuit that delivers classic Focusrite console tone and a Drive mode, adding rich harmonics akin to cranking a classic studio console.

The guitarist: With its ultra-dynamic Hi-Z instrument inputs, you can plug your guitar or bass directly into the interface and experience an ultra-responsive and authentic playing feel. Capturing all the nuance of your performance, the incredibly flat frequency response is detailed enough to capture sub-bass playing and intricate lead guitar playing with ease.

Much like the conventional singer-songwriter, engage the Air Mode and introduce some Harmonic Drive to inject the sound of a classic-driven studio console into your playing.

Not to be forgotten, the included officially-licensed-and-endorsed-by-Marshall Silver Jubilee software amplifier emulation is yours free with the interface. Perfect for recording your guitar parts!

The podcaster: A hugely popular and emerging market, podcasters aren’t forgotten about with the new 4th Generation Scarlett. The Loopback functionality allows you to record computer audio into your DAW or editing suite, taking audio outputs from the computer to virtual input channels. Here, you can create a mix of any audio sources from your interface and computer for balanced streaming audio for your guests!

In addition, recording your microphone audio is now higher quality and easier than ever. The huge dynamic range and gain range of the preamps let you plug in popular podcasting microphones and get an amazing sound, even if they have very low output.

Combine this with the Auto Gain and Clip Safe functions to maintain consistent audio levels automatically and avoid unwanted digital clipping, and you can have an extremely professional-sounding vocal sound, without ever lifting a finger.

The casual beatmaker: It’s not just acoustic instruments that the Scarlett 4th Gen is suited to. Electronic producers and beatmakers are also well taken care of. Its compact and portable size is made even more portable with USB power capabilities, meaning wherever inspiration strikes, as long as your interface is with you, you can get your ideas down on record.

Integrating your external instruments is made possible with MIDI In/Out connectivity, helping to perfectly slot into your existing setup.

The beginner musician: Incredibly easy to set up with plug-and-play operation in mind, the refreshed Easy Start tool is a helping guide to allow users of all abilities to unlock the full potential of their Scarlett interface, without the complex learning curves.

Aided by the Auto Gain and Clip Safe modes, you don’t even need to be technically minded or have had previous recording experience to get the best takes possible from your recordings. Just plug in and let Scarlett handle the rest.

The aspiring engineer: Got aspirations to become the next Max Martin? You’ll need to know the basics and all of this is covered with the Scarlett.

Take control over the Focusrite Control 2 software. You can create custom mixes for every scenario, from recording to mixing, and dive into the world of exciting music production with the included Hitmaker expansion – which includes everything from virtual instruments, mixing tools, and a DAW.

What to expect from the new Scarlett

Audio quality

Not just a chassis change with some extra features, but the core audio quality of the Gen 4 models has also been upgraded.

With re-engineered circuitry, preamps and converters taken from the acclaimed flagship RedNet interfaces all contribute to a magnificent audio quality both for your recording preamps, headphone outputs, and line output to your speakers.

Preamps:

• Now boast 69dB of gain to power even the weakest microphone signals to get the perfect sound
• Up to 116dB of dynamic range, capture every nuance of your performance
• Switchable line-level or microphone levels

Line outputs

• Incredibly flat frequency response to ensure transparent playback of your recordings
• Ultra-low distortion as low as -112dB to prevent unwanted artifacts in speaker outputs
• Utilises RedNet D/A converters to produce crystal-clear audio quality

Headphone output

• Completely redesigned from the ground up
• Up to 116dB of dynamic range
• Ultra-low distortion as low as -108dB
• More than enough power for high-impedance headphones

Auto Gain

An increasingly common feature in modern interfaces, Gen 4 introduces the Auto Gain function. Simply hit the switch and play for ten seconds and Scarlett will set the perfect level for you automatically!

Much-loved for musicians who aren’t as technically-minded as producers or engineers, this lets you focus on your performance, instead of your recording levels. Peaking around -12dBFS, the Auto Gain feature keeps signals loud enough for optimised signal to noise whilst ensuring you’re far away from digital clipping.

Ahead of the competition, Focusrite’s Auto Gain feature takes into account the preamp noise floor, digital silence, inter-channel crosstalk and unwanted knocks or bumps for optimised performance.

Clip Safe

Automatically listening and scanning your audio 96,000 times a second, Clip Safe is an automated system to bring your signal gain levels down if you clip. When Clip Safe is engaged, Scarlett continuously monitors input signals, and through a combination of analog preamp adjustment and DSP, Clip Safe significantly reduces the risk of clipping.

Another fantastic feature for those with less recording experience who want to keep every take, or even just for professionals who are strapped for time and need to get an idea recorded before inspiration fades, Clip Safe is a safety net to make sure every single recording and take you do is useable.

Air

Owners of Generation 3 will be familiar with the Air mode on the Scarlett interfaces. Building on the success and extreme popularity of previous versions, Generation 3 introduces two distinct stages of Air mode.

The all-analog design features the same presence filter boost found before to add extra bite and air to your sound. But now it also includes a Drive section which adds rich harmonics to your recordings, akin to driving a classic studio console input as was so popular back in the day.

Perfect for making your sound jump out of the speakers, this is a very useful feature for vocalists or guitarists recording directly to get the best sound possible.

On the release of the Scarlett 4th Generation, there will be two presets available:

• Presence
• Presence + Drive

Design

It’s still the same red box you know and love, but some small changes have been made to make your life easier. Functional and accessible, it’s been made easier than ever to get hands-on with your interface.

• Neutrik XLR and TRS connectivity
• Larger spacing between the knobs for ergonomic control
• Endless rotary gain knobs enable you to match preamps remotely

New generation, new look

• Sleek matte black front panel design
• Soft touch input knobs
• Robust metal knurled knobs offer more grip for finer precision
• All-new dynamic gain halo metering elegantly lights the front panel when powered up (more on this next)

Dynamic Gain Halos

A staple of the Scarlett series, the gain halos have been vastly improved. Gone are the flashing colour LEDs and in their place, a Dynamic Gain Halo which shows you exactly where your level is to help find the sweet spot instantly, making it easier than ever to monitor your levels at a glance.

Like a standard audio meter, the Dynamic Gain Halos fill up to show the level of incoming signal around the gain knob, moving from white if there is no audio signal to green, orange, and red, depending on the incoming signal level.

Loopback

Podcasters and streamers haven’t been forgotten with the new generation of Scarlett.

Now, the Solo, 2i2, and 4i4 all feature loopback functionality, letting you send stereo audio from your computer back into your DAW via virtual inputs. Loopback is essential for live streaming audio of any kind and with the 4th Generation Scarlett.

You now have a centre hub of your studio for both streaming and recording purposes, letting you mix computer audio into your streams, mix instruments, and track or balance your microphone and game audio for a professional sound every time.

Headphones

Now the full Scarlett range, including the Solo has been upgraded to feature independent headphone and output control via hardware controls on the front panel. A nice addition to the Solo, previous iterations had only one output knob controlling both headphones and speaker outputs simultaneously which needed to be switched each time.

In addition to more tactile controls, the headphone output sounds better than ever before. Redesigned from the ground up, the headphone amp ensures the most transparent and balanced output possible, meaning more accurate monitoring for your recordings and mixing!

Studio Pack Accessories

Focusrite’s dedication to bringing you the best bundle possible with your interface remains true with the Studio Packs available for the new 4th Generation Scarlett. As with previous bundles, the SH-450 Headphones and CM25 Microphone are included, letting you record and monitor yourself straight away.

The SH-450 headphones are the most transparent and comfortable to date, with upgraded cushions for better comfort during longer sessions.

Now the MKIII, the CM25 microphone now comes with a custom-designed windscreen to reduce unwanted plosives and wind noise when recording, making it ideal for vocal recordings with its bright and crystal-clear sound.

A new addition to the Studio Packs, a cleverly designed microphone stand has also been included. A common feedback request from Scarlett Studio Pack owners was that there was no stand included with the pack to connect their microphone to if they didn’t already own one.

Focusrite have clearly listened and taken that onboard, creating an ingenious microphone stand from the packaging included in your Studio Pack. This means less waste and a more environmentally friendly design!

Included software

One of the most exciting parts to talk about with the Sclarett 4th Generation is the included software. Bring together some of the most exciting brands and products, the Hitmaker Expansion software bundle remains the same as previous generations, including the previously mentioned Softube Marshall Silver Jubilee amplifier simulation, Antares Auto-Tune Access, Addictive Drums and tons more.

You also gain access to a choice of recording software, Ableton Live Lite, or three months of Avid’s Pro Tools Artist subscription, a service you can get a 25% discount on for an annual subscription when your three-month trial is over.

Final thoughts

A new Scarlett, same old Focusrite! They push the envelope and bring you only the best they can possibly offer with every new iteration of the world’s most popular recording interface.

Packed with incredible new features, I think this is going to cement Scarlett’s place as one of the best interfaces within the price range and certainly punches well above its weight.