Focusrite SCARLETT 18i8

• 18-in~8-out USB 2.0 
  
  
• Recording Audio Interface
  
  

OVERVIEW

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing this Second Generation Scarlett 18i8, one of the family of Focusrite

professional audio interfaces incorporating high quality Focusrite analogue pre-amplifiers. In

conjunction with the unit’s accompanying software application, Focusrite Control, you now have a

compact yet highly versatile solution for routing high quality audio to and from your computer. You

can also use the Scarlett 18i8 as a “stand-alone” interface to any other type of recording device, once

you have configured it using Focusrite Control.

Focusrite Control, and several other exciting and useful software applications, can be downloaded

free of charge once you have registered your product. Note that a separate Focusrite Control User

Guide is also available; we strongly recommend that you download this as well.

In developing the Second Generation series of Scarlett interfaces, we have enhanced both the

performance and feature set including support for sample rates up to 192 kHz, improved mic preamp

performance with low noise and plenty of gain, and upgraded instrument inputs with additional

headroom for recording the loudest guitar parts without clipping.

Your Second Generation Scarlett interface is compatible with the new Focusrite Control software

application: this lets you control various hardware features, set up monitor mixes and configure

routings. There is a Focusrite Control installer for both Mac and Windows platforms, and no driver

is required for Macs. The Windows version of the installer contains the driver, so in either case, you

only need to install Focusrite Control to get up and running.

This User Guide provides a detailed explanation of the hardware to help you achieve a thorough

understanding of the product’s operational features. We recommend that you take the time to read

through the user guide, whether you’re new to computer-based recording or a more experienced

user, so that you are fully aware of all the possibilities that the Scarlett 18i8 and accompanying

software have to offer. If the main User Guide sections do not provide the information you need,

be sure to consult https://support.focusrite.com/, which contains a comprehensive collection of

answers to common technical support queries. 

FRONT PANEL VIEW

Features

The Scarlett 18i8 audio interface provides the means for connecting microphones, musical

instruments, line level audio signals and digital audio signals in both ADAT and S/PDIF formats to

a computer running compatible versions of Mac OS X or Windows via one of the computer’s USB

ports. The signals at the physical inputs can be routed to your audio recording software / digital audio

workstation (referred to throughout this user guide as the “DAW”) at up to 24-bit, 192 kHz resolution;

similarly, the DAW’s monitor or recorded output signals can be configured to appear at the unit’s

physical outputs.

The outputs can be connected to amplifiers and speakers, powered monitors, headphones, an audio

mixer or any other analogue or digital audio equipment that you wish to use. Although all inputs and

outputs on the Scarlett 18i8 are routed directly to and from your DAW for recording and playback, you

can configure the routing within your DAW in order to meet your precise needs.

The accompanying software application, Focusrite Control, provides further routing and monitoring

options, as well as the ability to control global hardware settings such as sample rate and

synchronisation.

All inputs on the Scarlett 18i8 are routed directly to your DAW software for recording, but Focusrite

Control also allows you to route these signals internally within the device to the outputs so that you

can monitor the audio signals with ultra-low latency - before they arrive at your DAW, should you

need to do so.

The Scarlett 18i8 also has connectors for sending and receiving MIDI data; this lets you use it as a

MIDI “hub” between your computer’s USB port and other items of MIDI equipment in your system.

System requirements

Mac OS X

Apple Macintosh with a USB 2.0 or 3.0-compliant USB port and an Internet connection*

OS: Mac OS X 10.10 (Yosemite) or OS X 10.11 (El Capitan)**

Windows

Windows compatible computer with a USB 2.0 or 3.0-compliant USB port and an Internet connection*

OS: Windows 7 (32- or 64-bit), 8.1 and 10**

Specifications

REAR PANEL VIEW