Tone Report Weekly Issue 98 | Page 45

FOCUSRITE SCARLETT 2I2 - $150 Focusrite has been in the audio game for a long time, and its preamps are hailed as some of the clearest, cleanest, and most honest sounding. For those just starting out in the world of home recording, the 2i2 is a little USB unit that is one of today’s best deals. It looks sleek, cool, and is completely bus powered (that means you don’t need to plug it into a power supply). This is the unit I currently use in my home studio. • Two inputs, with Neutrik jacks for plugging in XLR or quarter-inch cables. Independent gain controls on each with switchable Line and Instrument settings for going direct in or using a line-level signal. • 48-volt phantom power for condenser mics • Direct monitor and headphone output with dedicated volume. • Red and green lights to indicate clipping and gain • 96 kHz, 24-bit conversion ToneReport.com 45