Those top spec pre-amps really bring out the best in whatever you decide to hook up to the device. You can find the full rundown of the Scarlett 2i2’s specs here If you’ve pushed the gain too high, the light around the knob will turn red, reducing the gain until the light turns green let’s you know you’ve hit the ideal volume.

Speaking of Gain, the Scarlett 2i2 makes it really simple to set your levels by including a unique gain halo system. I found that setting the gain knob at around the 1-2 o’clock position was ideal for picking up a good, strong input signal. They definitely sound fantastic and I didn’t find them overly sensitive at all. They’re the same ones that power Focusrite’s flagship interfaces.

The big draw here though is the Scarlett 2i2’s on board preamps. Handy if you ever come up against latency problems. Some XLR mics require Phantom power to work properly and it’s included here, along with a dedicated headphone monitor output, meaning that you can attach your ‘cans’ to the front facing headphone jack, flick a switch and you’ll be listening to what your playing direct from the interface instead of from your Mac. The 2i2 refers to the number of inputs and outputs the device has – 2 Hybrid XLR/1/4″ TRS jack inputs on the front of it and 2 balanced monitor outputs on the back. Marketed for ‘musicians on the go’, the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is a premium audio interface. I just had to see what all the fuss is about… There is one company (and one model in particular) however that just keeps cropping up – the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. There’s been a boom in the overall quality of ‘affordable’ audio interfaces in the last few years, with companies like Presonus and M-Audio leading the charge. So when I eventually did make the leap and got my hands on a ‘proper’ recording interface I was thoroughly amazed at the jump in sound quality I was able to produce through the use of XLR microphones and directly inputted instruments.

In fact, up until a few years ago I didn’t even use an audio interface at all, instead relying on a single USB microphone to capture my musical tomfoolery. I don’t have dozens of guitars lining my walls, acoustic foam covering every surface or banks of expensive engineering equipment surrounding a top of the range Mac. I don’t have a big impressive home recording studio.

Focusrite scarlett 2i2 ipad