An affordable and approachable audio interface for recording and mixing
I’ve been a contributing editor for PCMag since 2011. Before that, I was PCMag’s lead audio analyst from 2006 to 2011. Even though I’m a freelancer now, PCMag has been my home for well over a decade, and audio gear reviews are still my primary focus. Prior to my career in reviewing tech, I worked as an audio engineer—my love of recording audio eventually led me to writing about audio gear.
The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is a simple stereo input box that's ideal for recording and mixing both music and podcasts.
If you need something more capable than a USB mic to record music or create a podcast, an audio interface with multiple inputs is the next logical step. The $169.99 Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen) is a simple recording solution that connects to your computer via USB-C and provides stereo quarter-inch inputs that double as XLR inputs for mics. It offers low-latency monitoring and relatively transparent recording paths without unnecessarily complicating your setup. Our biggest complaint is that the left and right gain knobs aren’t easily adjustable in unison. Nonetheless, we highly recommend the Scarlett 2i2 for anyone who is looking for an entry point into the world of professional recording, mixing, and monitoring.
The Scarlett 2i2 measures 1.9 by 6.9 by 3.9 inches; it sports a black front panel and a signature red enclosure. The front houses the inputs and control dials, including the dual quarter-inch/XLR inputs with matching gain knobs. You can use these inputs for mics or as direct inputs for guitars, basses, and keyboards. Note that the combo inputs work with XLR mics, but not XLR gear. If you plug in XLR outputs for an effects processor, for instance, the signal will likely suffer from distortion.
Below these knobs, each input has two buttons: Inst and Air. Select the instrument button to switch between the quarter-inch and XLR inputs, and the Air button when you want to emphasize higher frequencies.
A 48-volt phantom power button for mics that require it sits to the right of these inputs, while a Direct Monitor button below it switches between three monitoring modes. Set it to the Off position to monitor your audio via your software’s output. Otherwise, you can listen in Mono or Stereo modes directly from the inputs, thus eliminating any potential latency issues that might arise from monitoring through your computer.
On the far right end of this front panel, a large knob controls the volume of the speaker monitors, and, in the upper right corner, a smaller knob sets the headphone volume level. A large, quarter-inch headphone jack is right below the knob.
The back panel houses the USB-C port for connecting the interface to your computer via the included cable; this connection both powers the box and transmits the audio to your PC. The left and right quarter-inch line outputs here have a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz (for mic or line-in inputs), while the converter operates at 24 bits and with a sample rate of up to 192kHz (48kHz and 96kHz are also options). The back panel includes a slot for a Kensington security lock, too—this enables you to secure the box to a variety of objects using a Kensington lock (not included).
We wish the gain knobs had detents, which would make it much easier to match the left and right input levels when recording a pair of stereo mics or an instrument. The dials have a single mark on them to indicate where they’re pointed, but otherwise you need to match them by sight and ear. We would prefer demarcated positions on the knobs or a button that links the two knobs so that moving one adjusts the gain for both.
The 1.1-pound Scarlett 2i2 feels solid enough, but when you have two cables plugged into the front, two plugged into the back, a USB cable connecting it to your computer, and a pair of headphones connected to the front panel, any of those components can pull and tug the box. The four rubber feet on the bottom panel help a bit, but don’t quite provide enough grip to keep the box in place, especially if you use thicker or braided cables. On the other hand, the box’s lightweight build means it’s easily portable.
The Scarlett 2i2 is compatible with computers running at least Windows 7 or macOS 10.11, as well as the iPad Pro. The package includes some useful extras, such as a suite of Focusrite plug-ins and some light versions of recording software. For example, it bundles Pro Tools First, a light version of Pro Tools that limits you to 16 tracks. But the extent of recording software and apps the Scarlett 2i2 supports is impressive, including Ableton Live Lite, Ampify Blocs Wave, Ampify Groovebox, Ampify Launchpad, Auria Pro, Cubasis 2, FL Studio, and Garageband.
When we connected the Scarlett 2i2 to a MacBook for the first time, an on-screen prompt immediately directed us to the registration process. Alternatively, you can manually register the box later and start using it immediately by pressing and holding the phantom power button for several seconds.
Recording vocals with the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is easy, and we found the signal to be transparent. The quality of your recordings ultimately depends on your microphone and your recording technique, but the Scarlett 2i2 won’t hold you back; it’s capable of clean, latency-free monitoring and producing excellent recordings.
Setting levels is relatively simple, too. The concentric LED circles surrounding the gain knobs glow green when the signal level is ideal, amber when it’s within 6dB of clipping, and red when it clips. (Again, however, we wish we could link the two knobs so that it’s easier to match their levels.) We also had no trouble recording instruments directly using the quarter-inch inputs. Analog synths, effects pedals, and bass guitars all sounded clean and transparent through the Scarlett 2i2.
The Air mode is best for when you’re recording vocals and guitars with a mic, though it will work for any microphone sound source. We’ve seen this feature a few times over the years—it essentially opens up a band of higher-frequency EQ and brings out some brighter characteristics in vocals and guitar work. This mode can add some extra high-end to a darker-sounding mic, such as a ribbon mic, but models that already sound crisp may not need or benefit from this additional emphasis. In our experience, the box sounds best at its most transparent settings, without the Air setting turned on.
We didn’t experience any operational issues with the Scarlett 2i2 in testing. It’s intuitive to operate and won’t require you to start troubleshooting in the middle of a long session or during an outburst of creativity. It simply does its job and stays out of the way.
When your recording needs exceed what a single-track USB mic can handle, but you don’t need a full-blown console setup, the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is an excellent solution. It’s affordable, delivers a reliable audio experience, and makes it easy to record, mix, and monitor live audio. We would have preferred a slightly different control setup for the gain knobs, but that’s a minor complaint. Otherwise, the Scarlett 2i2 is practically a must-have for upgrading your recordings.
The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 is a simple stereo input box that's ideal for recording and mixing both music and podcasts.
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I’ve been a contributing editor for PCMag since 2011. Before that, I was PCMag’s lead audio analyst from 2006 to 2011. Even though I’m a freelancer now, PCMag has been my home for well over a decade, and audio gear reviews are still my primary focus. Prior to my career in reviewing tech, I worked as an audio engineer—my love of recording audio eventually led me to writing about audio gear.
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