The new Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen Audio Interface hits it out of the park in our latest home studio gear review.
With each subsequent iteration of the industry-standard Scarlett range, Focusrite continually proves their commitment not only to quality products, but to ensuring each new generation of artists has access to tools that will inspire them to record amazing music in an affordable, easy and dynamic way.
The newest gen of Scarlett recently came across our desk in the 4i4 iteration, which has two front-panel XLR-combo jacks, as well as two more 1/4″ rear line inputs, four 1/4″ line outputs and MIDI I/O (a very welcome addition that’s sorely missing on a lot of competitor’s interfaces).
The inputs themselves feature the latest mic pres, which we tested with a variety of input sources ranging from bog standard Shure SM57’s and 58’s on guitar cabs and vocals, to Warm Audio and Audio-Technica condenser mics on vocals, acoustic guitars and our studio’s Yamaha baby grand. We even ran a Les Paul direct using the included Hi-Z settings, and on each and every source, clarity was superb, noise was non-existent, and dynamics and nuances of our performances shone through brilliantly. For a price tag under $300, the new Scarlett just flat-out sounded phenomenal. Add in the fact that it’s essentially latency-free and you’ve got a killer centerpiece for any home studio or on-the-go recording rig.
As always, we like to keep the “Air” feature engaged just about all the time – now, technically, we’re not 100% sure how it’s operating under the hood, other than the fact we can appreciate the added presence it provides in a mix. Whatever the sorcery going on in the Focusrite R&D department, we hope they continue pushing the Air button on all their interfaces from now until the end of time.
In terms of what’s new, obviously the A/D and DAC convertor chips are new, and we’ve been really digging the auto-gain functionality. For lunkheads like us, it takes all the guesswork out of gain staging and ensuring your project doesn’t clip. Honestly, it’s one of those “set it and forget it” type things that just makes this the ultimate home studio tool – you can focus on getting great takes without riding the input gain or worrying about hitting the red and having to re-do a heartfelt performance.
Speaking again to the Air functionality, we must mention briefly that there are now two settings – one for the presence we’ve become accustomed to over the years, and which we still greatly appreciate. And the second mode is a harmonic drive option, super-cool in its own right. With this setting, you’re essentially punching the mid-range frequencies and boosting the mid-harmonics inherent in your tone. So, especially for guitars which live or die based on how they sit in those mid-range frequencies, this can be the lifesaver you need to cut through a mix. If you need a refresher on that, just watch a Tom Bukovac video where he explains the importance of mid-range in a good mix for guitars, and you’ll see/hear what we mean.
What else is new? The headphone amp gets a nice upgrade, so you can push your higher-spec’d studio cans even better now, and each output can get its own mix. Now this is super handy if you want headphones, studio monitor speakers and outboard fx units each to get their own dedicated output mix. Something, again, not found on similarly-priced interfaces from the competition.
Everything has seemingly been upgraded across the board, and with that, the new 4th Generation of Scarlett interfaces earns our absolute highest recommendation. Make it the centerpiece of your home studio, and let us know how your recordings turn out!
PROS:
Excellent DA and AD convertors, simple setup, enhanced feature set, super affordable across the range
CONS:
None.
STREET PRICE:
$279 USD (in 4i4 configuration)