Ok...i have been a Scarlett 2i2 user for 8+ years. I have the standard, I recently tried the solo since i was trying to limit space on my desk. I have no idea what it is but the sound quality just doesnt seem to match. All my settings are identical. I am not sure if the components inside are that different but there is just something missing. Theres less of a full sound and it's a little quieter. All I am saying is...if its a price issue then I understand about getting the solo. But if you can afford either one, go for the Scarlett 2i2. Literally retuning my Solo to amazon today. Hope that helps for those wondering.
I think its very important to mention that the solo doesn't allow you to adjust studio monitors/headphone volumes separately. So you if want to turn down the volume of your monitors to record or whatever, you actually just have to turn them off. This is why I opted for the 2i2
how about get a monitor controller like mackie big knob? i have the same situation like you... everytime i record vocal, i have to turn my speakers off, i think its really hurt those bottons lol...
That would be the dealbreaker for me getting the solo. I've been meaning to purchase a Focusrite for a while now but I will most likely go with the 2i2 for that reason alone:)
I got the solo on accident. I was very intent on returning and exchanging it for the 2i2, but I looked into it and the Solo actually is a pretty well featured product. My main gripe is not having an independent volume knob for the hardware monitors, which is odd. Other than this, they didn’t really cut many corners. It’s a well done product.
I use the 2i2. If you need multiply line inputs just by a line mixer (Shure SCM 268 4 inputs) Output of the Shure mixer goes to your line level channel on the 2i2 then use the 2nd input for your mic. This setup will work great when using a midi controller / keyboard, electric guitar or any other line level instrument. This will leave one channel open for your mic on the 2i2. The 2i2 works great for my studio.
Thanks for this video. This is all the information I needed. I have an electric guitar, which I plan on plugging in directly, and a digital piano, which I normally record using Midi, but there would be nothing wrong with also using the AUX OUT line directly into the Focusrite so I don't have to waste my life looking for a good piano simulator to transfrom the midi signals back to audio.
@@kettnercreative I use the Focusrite solo, I just got a Shure SM7B but I’m not sure if I should get a cloudlifter? Or get a better interface and not get the cloudlifter, I’m not sure what to really do. What do you think?
It's hard to say. I think there is a large group of people that do VoiceOver, live streaming, video conferencing, tutorials, etc. that will never use the second input in their lifetime. They simply want to connect an NT1 or SM7B to their computer and need a quality interface for that purpose. There's certainly a reason that the 2i2 is the most popular interface, but I do think it's overkill for a large group of people.
Thanks! Just what I needed to know before buying! I'm just starting a VO journey, so I'm going with their refurbished studio kit (3rd gen) on their website... gotta save that money and still get a killer setup.
Hey I have a big question do you personally think the MV7 microphone would work well enough with the scarlet 3rd gen solo btw the Microphone is usb and xlr. I really need to know.
@dar lumin ok thanks man it helped a lot because I kinda wanted to use xlr on my mic I think it just sounds better than usb but I wasn’t sure if it would work.
There seems to be a problem with the solo where it clips no matter how far down the gain is. It's really annoying when recording guitars with a lot of palm muting.
Only reason I wouldn't buy the solo is because the headphone don't have a volume that is not good for studio ,your opinion is great bro .... Thanks much 2i2 all the way
Wow thank you! this helped me to decide what to get. at first i thought you'd need the 2i2 for a mic and a an instrument plug. I just knew the solo has an instrument plug in this video!!
This was helpful, thank you so much. One question I have in my mind though, I am going to record my electric guitar with a condenser mic. I can do that with both of the products am I correct? I am thinking of singing but I'll probably do that seperately.
Can you use the Focusrite in place of a karaoke? How would it compare to a karaoke? I sing a lot with youtube karaoke videos or while playing the guitar. My karaoke is getting too old and I would also like to be able to record (vocals and guitar) as well so just wondering if this would be a better option for me than another karaoke. Or do I need both? If you were singing and not recording with the focusrite would you still need a DAW open?
When i connect my scarlet solo with sm 7b and adobe audition, it only comes with mono nit stereo, i do my voice overs in stereo but it works only mono so i have to change the settings to mono😢?
which scarlett interface would I use for recording a keyboard and vocals together? 2i2? 4i4? Didn't know if the 2i2 had enough inputs or if it would sound ok recording keyboard as mono. thanks.
@@CSL_ Unless you need to double guitars, or play with a drum track, or any other reason to need volume control for headphones and monitors separately.
I just purchased Focusrite Solo 3rd Gen and when I GO LIVE on FB (or just record in Quicktime) the sound only comes out the left side. I understand that this happens because the Focusrite Solo considers input 1 (XLR) to be the left channel and input 2 (1/4 inch) to be the right channel. Now this would be an easy fix in post with any DAW because I can process the final output in Mono however because I GO LIVE and I dont have the option to fix in post (because it is LIVE) How can I get the live audio on the left and right side of the recording when recording live?
I saw in another video that when you plug in the earphones into the solo - it doesn't mute the monitors. is that right? so sound comes out of earphones and monitors at the same time? makes it hard to record if that's the case
I'm about to purchase an audio interface to record electric guitars, Once you get an interface, how/where do you get plugins/presets/soundbanks/"Pedalboard"?? I just want to know that which ever interface I get, I'll be able to find effects and distortions.
Hey, I´d like to connect two studio monitors with my PC. Is the sound quality of the 2i2 better than the sound quality of the solo version? I won´t connect any other devices like microphones or keyboards.
Very nice review!Thanks a lot! I'm confused though about the keys recording... stereo? mono? Can I record keys to the "solo" or do I need the 2i2? Thanks again...
[Subscribed] Great video and straight to the point 👍🏼I had one question though, can I also use this as an audio interface for my phone? I want to use it for FL Studio Mobile edition to mix and master my music.
Hello sir. I have a question.. can i use the mic input on the scarlett solo to put my mp3 player as i plan to use a backing track while i use the instrument input for my violin.
The scarlett solo doesn't have gain for headphones, does that mean that your headphone and your monitor speakers have the same knob which is the bigger one? So you will be hearing the monitor speakers and headphones simultaneously while recording?
Well, that one is kinda weird on the solo. The big monitor knob is the gain knob for the headphones and controls system out, so you can definitely do this. But there is no independent volume control for the direct input monitoring should you want to control this. You just have one setting that turns it on or off, and the big monitor knob still only controls the entire system output volume. The default volume for the direct input monitoring is reasonable and it’s worked well, but not being able to adjust it is a bit strange. Not a dealbreaker, I was less disappointed after I tried it, but still something Scarlett really coulda done better on. It’s very unusual for any audio interface (even in this price range) to be missing this feature. Other than this, it’s a fantastic product. That’s really the only area where I felt they cut corners. They have otherwise given the best of their other features all across the board and it doesn’t feel or sound like a cheap product, but I hope they return the independent volume control on the next generation of the solo.
friend I have a question For the scarlett solo 3rd audio interface which microphone is better the one that comes in the focusrite pack which is the CM25 MkIII or the at2020 regardless of the price I just want to know which one is better, I'll use it for my home studio for voice recording
![Which Focusrite Scarlett Interface Should You Buy? [Solo vs 2i2 vs 4i4 vs 8i6 vs 18i8 vs 18i20]](/img/n.gif)
We'd love to see a photo of your setup!
Tag @kettnercreative on UA-cam, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc..
Ok...i have been a Scarlett 2i2 user for 8+ years. I have the standard, I recently tried the solo since i was trying to limit space on my desk. I have no idea what it is but the sound quality just doesnt seem to match. All my settings are identical. I am not sure if the components inside are that different but there is just something missing. Theres less of a full sound and it's a little quieter. All I am saying is...if its a price issue then I understand about getting the solo. But if you can afford either one, go for the Scarlett 2i2. Literally retuning my Solo to amazon today. Hope that helps for those wondering.
I knew I wasn't crazy. thanks for sharing
Sounds like a bunch of baloney. If it's a little quiet just turn up the gain/volume...?
Thanks man
🙏🏼🙏🏼
Thank you for sharing this I am looking into getting one.
I think its very important to mention that the solo doesn't allow you to adjust studio monitors/headphone volumes separately. So you if want to turn down the volume of your monitors to record or whatever, you actually just have to turn them off. This is why I opted for the 2i2
Right! Good point!
how about get a monitor controller like mackie big knob? i have the same situation like you... everytime i record vocal, i have to turn my speakers off, i think its really hurt those bottons lol...
That would be the dealbreaker for me getting the solo. I've been meaning to purchase a Focusrite for a while now but I will most likely go with the 2i2 for that reason alone:)
I dont understand what's the probleme ?
@@jolavoie8901 it gets annoying as hell when you wanna switch between recording and playing back through your monitors lol
I got the solo on accident. I was very intent on returning and exchanging it for the 2i2, but I looked into it and the Solo actually is a pretty well featured product. My main gripe is not having an independent volume knob for the hardware monitors, which is odd.
Other than this, they didn’t really cut many corners. It’s a well done product.
agreed. makes no sense to not have a seperate headphone knob
@@ilovekaiyko does the 2i2 have a knob
@@ufanisoneetze yes its the oc1 thing he didnt cover, the line out puts and headphone monitoring have independent knobs
I'm thinking of returning my solo and getting the 2i2 because i really like having the headphone knob.
Maybe it's intentional to encourage buyers to go for the higher-priced one. Sales/marketing tactic.
Wasn't sure which I needed but you just saved me a pretty penny since the Solo fits my needs at that stage perfectly. Cheers
I use the 2i2. If you need multiply line inputs just by a line mixer (Shure SCM 268 4 inputs) Output of the Shure mixer goes to your line level channel on the 2i2 then use the 2nd input for your mic. This setup will work great when using a midi controller / keyboard, electric guitar or any other line level instrument. This will leave one channel open for your mic on the 2i2. The 2i2 works great for my studio.
Very helpful! I produce music and see I don’t really have to much need at the moment to have the 2i2 and that the solo is probably the best choice
I think that’s the case for most people. Glad this saved you a couple bucks
Thanks for this video. This is all the information I needed. I have an electric guitar, which I plan on plugging in directly, and a digital piano, which I normally record using Midi, but there would be nothing wrong with also using the AUX OUT line directly into the Focusrite so I don't have to waste my life looking for a good piano simulator to transfrom the midi signals back to audio.
Glad it was helpful!
@@kettnercreative I use the Focusrite solo, I just got a Shure SM7B but I’m not sure if I should get a cloudlifter? Or get a better interface and not get the cloudlifter, I’m not sure what to really do. What do you think?
I would say the 2i2 is a perfect balance. You might later down the line to stereo record some thing. also separate Main vol and headphone.
It's hard to say. I think there is a large group of people that do VoiceOver, live streaming, video conferencing, tutorials, etc. that will never use the second input in their lifetime. They simply want to connect an NT1 or SM7B to their computer and need a quality interface for that purpose.
There's certainly a reason that the 2i2 is the most popular interface, but I do think it's overkill for a large group of people.
You do make a good point and thank you for the full in dept response. @@kettnercreative
that's exactly what I was looking for. Thank you
thank you so much!
additional info:
2i2 has an extra button for headspeaker volume control unlike solo
kardo kullanıyon mu aleti
Most concise and informative video comparing the two, thank you so much :)
Thanks! Just what I needed to know before buying! I'm just starting a VO journey, so I'm going with their refurbished studio kit (3rd gen) on their website... gotta save that money and still get a killer setup.
The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, 18i8 and Clarett 4pre are awesome.
Is the front 1/4" input mono or stereo, on a Scarlett Solo?
It's mono 😀
Of course mono, it's for instruments mainly.
Hey I have a big question do you personally think the MV7 microphone would work well enough with the scarlet 3rd gen solo btw the Microphone is usb and xlr.
I really need to know.
@dar lumin ok thanks man it helped a lot because I kinda wanted to use xlr on my mic I think it just sounds better than usb but I wasn’t sure if it would work.
@UmiDose should work perfectly fine
Well, since I can record stereo recording the same instrument performance twice, I think i'm going with Solo. Thanks man
2i2 is better value for money, because it's more flexible and the cost difference isn't big.
There seems to be a problem with the solo where it clips no matter how far down the gain is. It's really annoying when recording guitars with a lot of palm muting.
Fantastic comparison with great examples for both models. Thank you!
Thank you for the video. Answered all my questions in 5 minutes.
Thank you i heared all i needed to know in 2 minutes
Excellent.
The jack inputon the solo is actually TRS, when not in instrument mode. So you could use some converter cable to connect an XLR device.
Only reason I wouldn't buy the solo is because the headphone don't have a volume that is not good for studio ,your opinion is great bro .... Thanks much 2i2 all the way
Dude. Your videos are seriously perfect.
THANKS MAN! Helped a lot. Now on my way to purchase the 2i2!
My question is: will the quality of the sound be different choosing the Solo?
Same quality, same preamps
This was superb - so useful in helping me choose between the two!
I'm so grateful for this video. So informative and your examples were so very helpful. Thank you.
so well put together! thank you
Glad you liked it!
Great video! You helped a lot in making my decision to get the Scarlett Solo
Wow thank you! this helped me to decide what to get. at first i thought you'd need the 2i2 for a mic and a an instrument plug. I just knew the solo has an instrument plug in this video!!
likewise! glad to be saved from losing a couple of bucks thanks to this video :)
I’m a rapper, I only use my voice no additional instruments, solo should be cool right?
Perfect! Thanks!!
Thank you very much. you're a lifesaver. I\ve been contemplating which one to buy for weeks, and you made me make the right decision.
Glad I could help!
Just the comparison I was looking for. Thanks for sharing!
Glad it was helpful!
Which has the better sound quality for mics
I'm confused. You said Scarlett Solo can connect to microphones, but then the next minute you said it couldn't.
does the 2i2 have a wAY better sound card than the solo?
This was helpful, thank you so much. One question I have in my mind though, I am going to record my electric guitar with a condenser mic. I can do that with both of the products am I correct? I am thinking of singing but I'll probably do that seperately.
Yeah you can connect a condenser mic to both devices
Absolutely superb tutorial! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Can you use the Focusrite in place of a karaoke? How would it compare to a karaoke? I sing a lot with youtube karaoke videos or while playing the guitar. My karaoke is getting too old and I would also like to be able to record (vocals and guitar) as well so just wondering if this would be a better option for me than another karaoke. Or do I need both? If you were singing and not recording with the focusrite would you still need a DAW open?
Solo, it is. Thanks, you helped me.
This is a great video, and I totally appreciate it. You gotta show the device right side up though, lol.
You didn't talk about that
2i2 has mono ,stereo direct Monitoring
2i2 solo has only mono direct monitoring .
Ahh yes!
Scarlett’s are best! Thanx for the help. Im happy
Ok I’m recording just for myself should I get the solo instead or the 2i2
Great input! I might do an updated comparison for guitar input for desktop vs laptop.
This video was really helpful bro, thanks.
for scarlett solo, can you plug guitar to XLR with converter ?
if yes, how does it sound ?
What I was looking for, thx!
Do they give the same sound quality when it comes to recording electric guitar?
Best info on this stuff!
Is 2i2 scarlet enough for e-piano, e-drums and 2 voices?
Can I connect the solo to a mixer for church?
I brought Scarlett Solo thinking i can record Piano.. I am noe able to figure out how. Can somebody please help.
preamps are identical. thank you!
thanks for the video!! exactly what i was looking for
Can you use both these with chrome books ? And also iPhones
This was very helpful. Thank you!
muchaa gracias
When i connect my scarlet solo with sm 7b and adobe audition, it only comes with mono nit stereo, i do my voice overs in stereo but it works only mono so i have to change the settings to mono😢?
ありがとう！
めっちゃ分かりやすかったです😊
which scarlett interface would I use for recording a keyboard and vocals together? 2i2? 4i4? Didn't know if the 2i2 had enough inputs or if it would sound ok recording keyboard as mono. thanks.
Get the solo….waste of money to pay extra money for and extra mic jack that you don’t need
@@CSL_ Unless you need to double guitars, or play with a drum track, or any other reason to need volume control for headphones and monitors separately.
Was there a mention that Solo wont have a separate head phones volume control?
Hello, I recently bought the Solo. I’ll just be recording a mic and guitar. Is the solo good for that?
Thank you very much!, this overview was helpful!.
What cable are you using? Will i need to buy a cable to connect to my MacBook air m1? Because the MacBook air m1 is thunderbolt 3 connection
Thanks, brother!
I just purchased Focusrite Solo 3rd Gen and when I GO LIVE on FB (or just record in Quicktime) the sound only comes out the left side. I understand that this happens because the Focusrite Solo considers input 1 (XLR) to be the left channel and input 2 (1/4 inch) to be the right channel. Now this would be an easy fix in post with any DAW because I can process the final output in Mono however because I GO LIVE and I dont have the option to fix in post (because it is LIVE) How can I get the live audio on the left and right side of the recording when recording live?
Can we use 2i2 with wireless mic like dji mic or rode
Verr useful video, thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
I saw in another video that when you plug in the earphones into the solo - it doesn't mute the monitors. is that right? so sound comes out of earphones and monitors at the same time? makes it hard to record if that's the case
I'm about to purchase an audio interface to record electric guitars, Once you get an interface, how/where do you get plugins/presets/soundbanks/"Pedalboard"??
I just want to know that which ever interface I get, I'll be able to find effects and distortions.
Yea but with the solo the volume knob controls the volume of the headphones as well.. making it impossible to recd vocals
rekon i should get the 2i2 for this reason or any way to fix it?
@@dannylingwood4450 i went and got the solo... now i can't do shit
Hey, I´d like to connect two studio monitors with my PC. Is the sound quality of the 2i2 better than the sound quality of the solo version? I won´t connect any other devices like microphones or keyboards.
Don't know about the solo but the 2i2 is SO unstable. Working great one minute, won't record the next.
In my experience, this is usually effected more by the computer/software that you're using than the actual device.
Very nice review!Thanks a lot!
I'm confused though about the keys recording... stereo? mono?
Can I record keys to the "solo" or do I need the 2i2?
Thanks again...
[Subscribed] Great video and straight to the point 👍🏼I had one question though, can I also use this as an audio interface for my phone? I want to use it for FL Studio Mobile edition to mix and master my music.
You can, I have a solo and I use it with my Android
I know that you can use Solo with your phone. But can the 2i2 do the same? I want to know if the 2i2 works with my Redmi 5.
short and very helpful, thanks!
Jordon, can i use solo for podcasting??? Please reply. Been following but i didn’t hear yet on this.
Hello sir. I have a question.. can i use the mic input on the scarlett solo to put my mp3 player as i plan to use a backing track while i use the instrument input for my violin.
Yes I would also like to know this. If I could plug a two way headphone cable in to that section and play backing tracks from UA-cam etc??
Hope to hear more sir,, thank u so much
Is there any difference in audio quality?
can i use an XLR cable from my guitar amp to the scarlett solo XLR input? or that is for mic only?
So would I have to buy an adapter if my iMac only has the usb c ports and not usb?
You have taught me what I needed. I give like and subscribe
Thanks! Glad to hear it.
Hey Jordan, with a 2i2 interface, can I use two condenser mics and switch back and forth between those inputs and use one at a time?
Could I connect a DJ controller with L/R XLR output to the 2i2?
The scarlett solo doesn't have gain for headphones, does that mean that your headphone and your monitor speakers have the same knob which is the bigger one? So you will be hearing the monitor speakers and headphones simultaneously while recording?
Well, that one is kinda weird on the solo. The big monitor knob is the gain knob for the headphones and controls system out, so you can definitely do this. But there is no independent volume control for the direct input monitoring should you want to control this. You just have one setting that turns it on or off, and the big monitor knob still only controls the entire system output volume. The default volume for the direct input monitoring is reasonable and it’s worked well, but not being able to adjust it is a bit strange. Not a dealbreaker, I was less disappointed after I tried it, but still something Scarlett really coulda done better on. It’s very unusual for any audio interface (even in this price range) to be missing this feature.
Other than this, it’s a fantastic product. That’s really the only area where I felt they cut corners. They have otherwise given the best of their other features all across the board and it doesn’t feel or sound like a cheap product, but I hope they return the independent volume control on the next generation of the solo.
friend I have a question For the scarlett solo 3rd audio interface which microphone is better the one that comes in the focusrite pack which is the CM25 MkIII or the at2020 regardless of the price I just want to know which one is better, I'll use it for my home studio for voice recording
Thank you for this video, I think I will go for the Focusrite Scarlett solo then :)
So to connect two hs8 monitor speakers to a PC, a solo is sufficient right?
Very good video! Thanks a lot. Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷
You are welcome!
With multitrack i can record infinite tracks on those interfaces for example 20 tracks ?
what kind of recorder equipment do you use for this video? because I hear a good voice here. Please tell me. Thank you Sir!
Everything is linked in the description below.
Can I connect JBL 305P MkII 5" 2-Way Powered Studio Monitor to this? And then simply connect it to my PC?
Thanks, great informative comparison - you just saved me $60 bucks!👍
I want to buy solo 3rd gen. But no stock, only 2i2 2nd gen available with same price range. Should 2i2 2nd gen is good enough for me? Help! Thanks!
What do you mean multitracking? I can record the two inputs to two separate tracks in my DAW? With the Solo, I mean.
Yes, you can.
@@kettnercreative Hell yeah. This is all very new, the last time i recorded anything was fifteen years ago. Thanks!
You make great videos and you explain things very good thanks a lot
Glad you like them!