Have you ever fancied starting your own podcast or hankered after laying down some song demos at home instead of paying for studio time? Where do you begin without paying a lot for sophisticated recording equipment that you may not even know how to use properly. The answer could be this Scarlett 2i2 Studio bundle from Focusrite that includes a top-flight audio interface, a pair of closed-back headphones for monitoring the sound and a condenser microphone that’s sensitive enough to pick up all the nuances of your voice or instrument.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been testing the Focusrite Scarlett Studio 212 bundle. It’s an affordable way to start recording at home or producing podcasts where there are only two participants. It’s a basic setup but has an impeccable pedigree that makes it well worth a closer look.
The Studio 2i2 bundle comes in a cardboard box and the centerpiece of the kit is the revered Scarlett 2i2 audio interface. This smart box of tricks is now in its third iteration and is finished in a very fetching shade of red that’s more crimson than scarlet. This is probably one of the best-value audio interfaces on the market with two two mic/line XLR/TRS inputs for connecting dynamic or condenser microphones or instruments such as an electric guitar or bass. There’s no MIDI interface, though.
The Scarlett 2i2 has some of the best microphone preamps for the money with a noise floor that’s very low. This third generation of the Scarlett 2i2 has an increased gain level and an option to use Focusrite’s Air preamp sound which emulates the technology found in Focusrite’s legendary ISA professional studio preamplifier. It also uses a USB-C interface to connect it to a Mac or PC instead of the Micro USB port of the previous version. Next to the inputs there’s a switch to turn the inputs into instrument mode.
Additionally, there’s a 48V phantom power switch for condenser mics and a direct monitor switch that offers zero latency direct monitoring, so you get to hear your own voice in the monitoring headphones and play along with a backing track or hear the voice of a remote contributor taking part in a podcast.
The gain knobs for both interfaces feature a halo LED which encircles the gain knob and flashes between green, yellow and red to indicate when the sound is clipping. Using the Focusrite software it’s even possible to change the colors of the LEDs, although why you’d want to, I’m not sure.
The direct monitoring feature is so useful plus it can be turned off or set to monitor in mono or stereo mode. This is important if you’re only using one of the inputs and want to hear the input sound in both ears rather than having it play just left and right. This is ideal for podcasting with a remote guest.
The Scarlett 2i2 interface can record at 24-bit resolution and has a maximum sample rate of 96kHz. The audio quality is truly superb and certainly a step up from my Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD interface which has quite a noisy headphone amplifier in comparison to Focusrite’s Scarlett 2i2.
As well as monitoring the sound via a pair of headphones, the 2i2 also has left and right 6.35mm mono TRS outputs to connect to an active pair of studio monitors. The volume level of the main output is controlled by a larger volume knob on the front plate of the interface. There’s also a smaller knob for controlling the volume level to the headphones.
The only thing that’s missing is a monitor mix knob for setting the balance between the incoming audio to the interface and the direct monitor sound that’s feeing into the earphones from the inputs. I’d like to have seen a mixing control as, at times, the direct monitor feed was swamped by the incoming audio. Maybe that’s something for the fourth generation.
In addition to the fabulous Scarlett 2i2, Focusrite also bundles a pair of Focusrite Studio headphones and condenser mic. The headphones are incredibly lightweight but very well made with good quality plastic, an adjustable yoke and a comfortable headband and earpads. These headphones are very easy to drive compared to my Sennheiser HD300 Pros and convey the sound from the microphone with a bit more oomph. As studio headphones go, there’s nothing wrong with these and they are fitted with a long, straight cable and a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter.
The last piece in the Focusrite Studio 2i2 bundle is the Studio condenser microphone. I didn’t have high expectations for this microphone, but I was wrong. Compared with my Marantz MPM-1000 condenser mic it has a much quieter noise floor and really wasn’t showing any signs of hiss until I turned the gain up to maximum. I’d be very happy to use this as a starter mic for instruments and voice.
Being a condenser microphone, the Studio will pick up a lot more of the room’s acoustics compared to a dynamic mic. Obviously, the bundled mic isn’t a Neumann, but it’s very capable and incredibly well built. I’d like to have seen a shockmount included as it’s prone to picking up the slightest of sounds or vibrations. There’s enough sensitivity in the Scarlett Studio mic to pick up the finer nuances from an instrument or a vocal.
Finally, the Focusrite 2i2 is driven with free downloadable software that can be used to control the interface and change the recording settings with a PC or Mac. You can also download a package of software tools to start recording and producing music and podcasts. These free tools include two comprehensive digital audio workstations: Ableton Live Lite and Pro Tools First Focusrite Creative Pack.
Verdict: The Scarlett 212 Studio bundle is terrific value for money. Not only do you get the superb Scarlett 2i2 audio interface, but you also get the headphones and microphone almost thrown in. The interface is simply superb in terms of sound quality and those mic preamps are stunning. The Air button doesn’t do an awful lot but try it and see what you think. If you need an interface with MIDI and a monitor mix, the this might not be for you, but those preamps won me over at first listen. Likewise, the Studio headphones and mic are good quality and will serve the nascent musician or podcaster very well. A lot of people who want to start out recording are tempted to go for a mixer desk with lots of channels and sliders. My advice is “don’t”! Get yourself something like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio and find your bearings first. Unless you want to record a lot of voices and instruments and voices simultaneously, the Scarlett bundle makes a lot more sense, especially if you care about sound quality. Highly recommended.
Pricing & Availability: The Scarlett 2i2 Studio bundle sells for £259.99 / $279.99 and is worth every penny.
More info: www.focusrite.com
