Tag Archives: Focusrite

Focusrite Introduces Clarett+

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Focusrite has introduced Clarett+, their new range of premium-quality USB audio interfaces for PC and Mac, which builds on the strengths of the previous Clarett ranges. With improved converters and professional quality mic preamps, Clarett+ 2Pre, 4Pre, and 8Pre inspire producers, engineers, and artists to make their best music.

Clarett+ interfaces feature professional quality mic preamps, which have very high headroom, low distortion and ultra-low noise; so exceptionally pure recordings can be captured to achieve a professional sound, whether miking guitars, recording vocals or tracking drums.

Clarett+ 2Pre – Pure Sounding 10-in / 4-out audio interface for the recording artist:

Clarett+2Pre is the audibly impressive, pure-sounding, bus-powered USB-C interface for PC and Mac to inspire musicians on their creative journey.

Features:

  •  Two Clarett+ professional quality mic preamps featuring All-analogue Air with impedance switching and relay control.
  • Two JFET instrument inputs allow the user to plug straight in and preserve the natural tone of their guitar, just like plugging into an amplifier
  •  Independent A-D and D-A converters offer a greatly improved D-A dynamic range and lower A-D converter distortion
  •  Clarett+ 2Pre is expandable using ADAT inputs

Clarett+ 4Pre – Versatile and sonically true 18-in / 8-out audio interface for the complete creator:

Clarett+ 4Pre is the studio-grade audio interface for PC and Mac, designed for music makers who demand the highest quality while recording and mixing their audio creations.

Key features:

  •  Four professional quality Clarett+ preamps featuring All-analogue Air
  •  New and improved A-D and D-A converters, which deliver extremely low noise, distortion, and high dynamic range
  •  Two improved, powerful, transparent analogue headphone outputs
  •  Two dedicated, ultra-high-impedance JFET instrument inputs and extremely wide audio bandwidth
  •  Clarett+ 4Pre is expandable using ADAT optical input

Clarett+ 8Pre – Poweful studio-grade 18-in/20-out audio interface for the established producer:

Clarett+ 8Pre is a high-performance and immensely capable studio centerpiece for PC and Mac, which inspires producers, engineers and artists to create their best work.

Features:

  •  Eight professional quality Clarett+ preamps featuring All-analogue Air, that brings masses of headroom, low distortion, and ultra-low noise
  •  New and improved A-D and D-A converters that deliver extremely low-distortion, low-noise audio with high dynamic range
  •  Two improved, powerful, transparent analogue headphone outputs
  •  Clarett+ 8Pre is expandable with ADAT optical input and output

Focusrite’s RedNet Control Now Includes Support for Red Range Interfaces

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Focusrite has released RedNet Control 2.3, a free update that unifies RedNet Control with configuration, status monitoring, metering and extended operational control of the Red 4Pre, Red 8Pre, Red 16Line – Focusrite’s range of audio interfaces offering up to 64 in / 64 out Thunderbolt I/O with Pro Tools HD and Dante network audio connectivity.

Focusrite RedNet Control’s “Device View” features a graphical representation of each device on the local network, giving critical feedback such as signal metering, clock status, power supply state and primary/secondary network connection state. RedNet Control is completely customizable, which allows for several users on the same network to have completely different views.

RedNet Control also provides parameter control. This includes clock source selection, sample rate converter configuration, and reference level setup. All the functions of Red mic pres can be controlled from the software: Gain, Phantom Power, Phase Invert, High-Pass Filter, and Air Mode. Graphical control for Red range units is separated into five pages: I/O Control & Meeting, Input Routing, Output Routing, Monitor Control and Custom Mixes.

From the Custom Mixes page, RedNet Control’s internal audio mixer allows you to create up to eight separate mono or stereo sub-mix signals. Up to 30 of all the available inputs can be selected as sources for the mixer. Once selected, these input signals will then become available to all Custom Mixes. Each mixer output can have an individual balance of fader levels, mute and channel pan settings.

Where more hands-on control is required, RedNet Control features a MIDI bridge, allowing any programmable CC-based or SysEX MIDI controller to manage up to 16 different devices with mic press. This allows gain to be easily mapped to an encoder for tactile control. RedNet Control includes the option to use the Avid Pre CC protocol, meaning Red range devices can be controlled from ProTools and in turn with one of the Pro Tools controllers such as Artist series, S3 or S6.

RedNet Control’s automatic firmware update ensures that all Red and RedNet devices on the network are kept up to date with the latest firmware. This guarantees that the latest Dante updates from Focusrite will be loaded to the device, ensuring the best possible performance.

RedNet Control 2.3 is available now for free download. The installation package, available for Mac OS X computers includes the RedNet Control application, the Dante Controller application, PCle drivers and Red range driver.

Visit Focusrite at NAB 2019 booth #C2052.

Focusrite iTrack One Pre is an Audio Interface for iOS Devices

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iTrack OneSmartphones and tablets are more than just communication and consumption devices. They’re high-powered computers capable of doing many of the same things as full-fledged desktop machines. For media producers, that means things like multitrack audio production. And while devices like iPhones and iPads come with built-in microphones that make it possible to record sound, this process can be greatly improved with the addition of a dedicated audio interface. That’s where the new iTrack One Pre from Focusrite comes in:

Capture high resolution audio from a mic or guitar directly onto your iPhone or iPad, wherever and whenever you want.

Never before have you been able to record a professional condenser microphone into your iPhone or iPad without needing any external power, making it even easier to record on the go.

The iTrack One Pre connects to an iOS device thru the Lightning port, where it sends audio into the host device for recording. Live audio monitoring is done thru the host device’s headphone jack. (Devices without a headphone jack, like the iPhone 7, don’t have the ability to do live-audio monitoring, but can still record with the iTrack One Pre.)

The iTrack One Pre is officially Apple MFi certified on all iOS devices up to the iPhone 6s Plus and iPad Pro to ensure compatibility with host devices and apps. The iTrack One Pre can also provide phantom power for condenser microphones that need it.

The iTrack One Pre is available for purchase for $129.99.

List of Multichannel USB 2.0 Audio Mixers/Interfaces

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USB 2 logoFor years, Firewire was the reigning technology when it came to sending multichannel audio to/from an interface and a computer or other host device. While it’s still technically possible to use Firewire in many instances, the protocol is clearly giving way to other connection types like Thunderbolt and USB 2.0 (and probably down the line, USB 3.0). With that in mind, I was recently in search of a new USB 2.0 mixer. I wanted the ability to send multichannel audio to my computer for recording, and my current mixer, equipped with a USB 1.1 connection, could only send two audio channels. I began searching around for new gear options and was frustrated by just how difficult it was to find mixers and interfaces that met this requirement. After hours of searching and some suggestions I received on a couple of different podcasting-related forums, here’s the list of all USB 2.0 mixers and interfaces I could find that sell for less than $1000US.

  • Behringer X18 and XR18. Behringer’s fully digital “X” series of mixers are a bit confusing in that the X12 and X16 aren’t multichannel. But the X18 models are.
  • Soundcraft Signature 12 MTK. “The console is designed to deliver pristine recordings. Both have an ultra-low-latency USB interface that flawlessly captures every channel, which can then be mixed or transferred to a DAW for further mixdown and production.”
  • Behringer UFX1204. Another multichannel mixer from Behringer. Unlike the X series, this one is a traditional analog mixer with a USB interface.
  • Allen & Heath ZEDi 10FX. I’ll admit, I was surprised to find something by Allen & Heath in this price range.
  • Presonus StudioLive AR8. This little mixer has some intriguing features, including a built-in SD card slot for recording.
  • Focusrite Scarlett. These interfaces aren’t actually mixers but they are multichannel and Focusrite offers a full range of options, depending on how many inputs you need.

That’s all of the multichannel USB interfaces/mixers I could find for under a grand. Did I miss any? If so, leave the information in the comment section below.