Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 User manual

Recording Studio
User Guide
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Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 USB Audio Interface
and Focusrite Control
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1. Gain Dial: Use this to adjust the input level of each channel. Check sound at its loudest level to
ensure there is no clipping.
2. Mode Indicator: Illuminated icons AIR, INST, PAD reflect the input settings inFocusrite Control.
3. Headphone Jack: Independent ¼" headphone jack and volume dial
4. Input jack: Channels 1-2 support XLR/TRS/TS and Channels 3-4 support XLR/TRS
5. 48V Phantom Power: for using with condenser microphones or the In-line preamps.
6. Monitor Volume: This dial controls the volume level of the speaker/monitor output.
1. ON/OFF Switch
2. USB-C Port: Connect the device to the computer with the appropriate USB cable
3. MIDI In/Out: To connect non-USB MIDI devices
4. Output Jacks: To connect speaker monitors (Channels 1 and 2 only)
5. Line Inputs: For connecting instruments via TS or TRS cables like guitar, bass or keyboards or mixers
The Interface
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4
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3
2
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5
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This is the application icon
you can find on the
computer desktop.
•The Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 USB Audio Interface works in tandem with a
software called Focusrite Control. It allows you to customize your input
and output settings.
•Please consider reading the manual beforehand.
Focusrite Control
1. Channels 1 & 2
•These accept all input types--XLR/TRS/TS.
•If an XLR cable is plugged in, LINE and INST settings in Focusrite Control will have no effect.
•If you are connecting a Guitar or Bass via TS cable, make sure to select INST.
•If you are connecting a Keyboard or Mixer via TRS cable, make sure to select LINE.
2. Channels 3 & 4
•These accept only XLR/TRS inputs
•Do not connect instruments via TS cable to these ports, instead use Channels 1-2 or 5-8.
•If an XLR cable is plugged in, Line and Inst settings set in Focusrite Control will have no effect.
Input Setting: Channels 1-4
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•If an XLR cable is plugged into Channels 1-4,
selecting LINE or INST will have no effect.
•LINEis for balanced, line level instruments like
electric keyboards and mixers (often in stereo/two
channels)
•INSTis for unbalanced instruments like guitar or
bass that connect with a ¼" TS cable.
AIR is a digital
preamp that adds
somehigh-end
frequencies and
a volume boost to
the sound.
PAD very simply
reduces gain by
10dBfor instruments
with an output level
that is too loud.
Channel Features
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Hardware means the audio
interface. These inputs refer to
direct monitoring from the audio
interface, which occurs before the
computer in the signal chain.
Sofware (DAW) Playback means
hearing playback from the DAW that
you are using to record, which comes
after the hardware outputs in the
signal chain.
•When you enable monitoring from both sources (Hardware and Software) you will hear audio
from both sources simultaneously, which gives a doubling effect.
•Depending on your recording context, you will want to use one or the other, either Hardware
or Software playback.
•Focusrite gives you the ability to choose between these options with the click of your mouse.
Output Routing
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Add software
inputs to be sent
to playback by
clicking on the +
button.
Select the inputs
you are using by
clicking on
the same number
. If it is a stereo
instrument choos
e 1-2, etc..
Add hardware
inputs to be
sent to playback
by clicking on
the + button.
Add software
inputs to be sent
to playback by
clicking on the +
button.
Select the inputs
you are using by
clicking on the
corresponding nu
mber.
Select the inputs
you are using by
clicking on
the corresponding
number.
Adding Output Channels
To hear the microphones or instruments from a particular channel, you need to manually add those
channels to our output configuration. For example, if you have a mic plugged into Input 1 on the audio
interface, you need to select Input 1 from either Hardware Inputs or Software (DAW) Playback.
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If microphones are
plugged into inputs 1
and 2, you
should select
analogue inputs 1 and
2, to monitor directly
from the audio
interface (Pre)
If microphones are
plugged into inputs
1 and 2, you should
select inputs 1 and
2 to monitor from
the DAW you are
using (Post)
•Generally, you will only want to monitor from a single source. Monitoring from two sources
simultaneously can give a doubling sound that inaccurately represent what is being recorded.
•Important Note: If you are using MIDI instruments or audio effects in the DAW, you will need to
monitor from the Software Playback to hear them, since all those elements exist virtually in the DAW.
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This controls outputs 1-2, your primary outputs for speak
monitors. This should always be set to stereo.
This controls auxiliary outputs 3-4 which you will likely never
need to use. These outputs are only used if there are output
devices plugged into outputs 3-4.
This controls headphone output 1 on the audio interface. This
should generally be to set to Custom Mix and Stereo.
This controls headphone output 2 on the audio interface. This
should generally be to set to Custom Mix and Stereo.
The green light indicates that Focusrite Control is connected to
the Scarlett 18i8.
The Output Control Panel
The output control panel allows you to switch between the configurations of each output
S/PDIF is an optical output that is not used by the library. If you are
aware of this kind of output and intend to use it, you probably
don’t need this user guide.
Activating Loopback enables recording audio from other
applications on your computer, like your internet browser or
Zoom. Loopback uses virtual inputs 11 and 12.
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Loopback
Important Note: You must mute the loopback tracks in your DAW or else you will create terrible
feedback which can damage your ears or equipment. Before playing back your recording,
remember to disarm your track, and go back to Focusrite Control and mute Loopback.
Because of the risk of forgetting to mute/unmute or reconfigure channels for playback please
only do Loopback recording via Headphone monitoring. This means you should either turn off
power to the speakers or mute the speakers in Focusrite Control.
Loopback allows the user to record audio directly from the computer, such as from apps, web
browsers, or from sites like YouTube. The Scarlett 18i8 uses channels 11 and 12 for loopback.
These are virtual inputs that have no physical counterpart on the audio interface itself.
You will have to enable channels 11 and 12 in audio preferences of whichever DAW you are using,
and then select those channels in your input configuration. Loopback must also be selected
and unmuted in Focusrite Control.
Loopback In Audition
In Reaper, the virtual inputs Channels 11 and 12 will display as Loop 1 and Loop 2 in the audio
channel configurations. Go to Edit→Preferences→Audio Channel Mapping and under Device
Channels, select Loop 1 and Loop 2 by clicking on the pointers at the far right of the menu.
In a new Multitrack session, mute a stereo track to prevent feedback, and arm the
track. Click record and then play the source audio.
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