Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 Made My Day

[Hurricane Ramon]

It just arrived today , got this sucker up and running on Windows 10 home edition .



Driver install no issue but to have to go through the individual software bundles is NOT a uniform process ,
it's a long lengthy affair , felt like a scavenger hunt .

The Focusrite Control software app made the issue of headphone monitoring on both channels of each input a breeze , it's a no brainer .
Talk about a really nice headphone amp , it's really going to make mixing down a nice affair , I have always
complained about the lack of volume in a headphone's output volume on A/D controllers and other devices including the computer's headphone volume .

The dual headphone amps are really clean and loud where you need them to be on critical editing of soft graceful passages in a given song
This unit is silent as can be and I could not really notice any latency at all , that's really cool .

All inputs/outs were recessed except for the SPDIF aside from that the chassis gets a 99% score on looks and function .
The action on the knob's tactile feel is/are great .

I recorded a test track and it went flawlessly for some one not knowing how to do this digitally -
I really know my way around on 10"reel to reels & analog mixer boards , and like I said this digital recording is new to me .

Tomorrow I get serious and record acoustic guitars - steel dread - 000 resonator & 000 nylon and maybe the soprano ukulele .
I'll tap into the midi controller input into the 6i6 as well as the analog inputs with my Roland GR33 guitar synth module and Godin LGXSA
midi/electric/acoustic electric guitar. After that it's the vocals to play around with .

The size is really compact and takes up little real estate on my desktop . Built like a tank too for such a small device .

I used Reaper 64 to begin with , seems pretty intuitive a study so far . I'll try Music Maker & Pro Tools next tomorrow . I have a
couple more software bundles to try and figure out how they get downloaded . It's quite a drag these
procedures to download bundled software offered by Focusrite but I will get it done one way or - - -

Feel good about this unit , but time is the teller of truth as far as reliability . I have only 4 g's of ram and
was going to use the super clean & powerful FX of my new ( 90 days old ) T.C.Helicon Voice Live 3 X on vocal
& guitar to help lighten the load on the computer's lack of ram but it took a dump two days ago and it goes out to the warranty service center tomorrow .

¡ I really hate to use the word hate but - I hate this when it happens to new gear !

EZ :

HR

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by Hurricane Ramon

....[snip]....
All inputs/outs were recessed except for the SPDIF aside from that the chassis gets a 99% score on looks and function .
The action on the knob's tactile feel is/are great .
....[snip]....
Built like a tank too for such a small device .
....[snip]....

Congratulations on your new 6i6. I had the 1st generation model, and it seems like they've made some significant performance improvements on the second generation. It is quite a feature packed interface, and I never had any problems while I owned it.

However, on my 1st generation unit the headphone volume control knobs were not as 'solid' feeling as the rest of the device. They didn't seem to be mounted to a rigid circuit board; they would push in if any pressure was exerted on them. Always made me wonder if they were going to break. They didn't have the tactile feedback like the gain volume control knobs. I know Focusrite was 'criticized' for the headphone volume controls; I hope they improved them.

[tbeltrans]

I purchased a 6i6 2nd generation not too long ago at GC on sale.

Another cool feature is that the midi ports seem to be very solid. I also recently got a newly released Mooer Ocean Machine pedal (www.mooeraudio.com/?product/201701227426.html).

There was a firmware update, and it went quite smoothly using the 6i6. a number of people were having trouble with the update as reported on the Gear Page site, using various other midi interfaces.

The 6i6 2nd generation seems really solid to me overall.

Tony

[leew3]

Thanks for the great review! I'm considering the 2i2 as I typically only record a vocal and guitar. However, I'd appreciate any feedback about whether stepping up to the 6i6 might make sense when recording our acoustic duo. I note that the 6i6 still have just two inputs but dual headphone outs might be helpful for this application.

[Andy Howell]

Originally Posted by leew3

Thanks for the great review! I'm considering the 2i2 as I typically only record a vocal and guitar. However, I'd appreciate any feedback about whether stepping up to the 6i6 might make sense when recording our acoustic duo. I note that the 6i6 still have just two inputs but dual headphone outs might be helpful for this application.

First off, the Focusrite preamps are very good, very natural, smooth and clean (if that makes sense. There is a lead of headroom here as well.

MY advice would always be to go for as many XLR/combo inputs as you can. For a long time I ran with 2. These days I use a Saffire interface with 4. I seldom use all 4 but it is nice to know I can if I need to. Recording 'live 'songs classically involves me using two mics on the guitar and a vocal mic.

[FrankHudson]

The extra software bundled along is a bit of a scavenger hunt, but I haven't found any of it to be indispensable. I've never bothered to install the plugins in the bundle on my recording Mac.

Your idea of using the outboard box to do "live" effects while tracking is valid, and it will take a load off your computer. In fact, digital recording in and of itself isn't that big a load on a computer. Computer-based effects and virtual instruments tracked live can be a load, and sample libraries used by virtual instruments in particular can benefit from more RAM.

However tracking without effects is also valid. If you "print" your vocal track with too much reverb or compression, you will be stuck with that choice. If you track dry you can make those decisions afterward. Applying effects afterward means that you don't have to worry about running out of computer power in the middle of good take leading to digital artifacts or recording ending abruptly.

If you're just recording two tracks or so at a time, you're probably not going to challenge your CPU with using plug ins judiciously for effects while tracking. The nice thing about plug ins is that you can track with some reverb and compression so that it sounds right to the vocalist and then remove or tweak the effects afterward before mixing down.

[leew3]

Originally Posted by Andy Howell

First off, the Focusrite preamps are very good, very natural, smooth and clean (if that makes sense. There is a lead of headroom here as well.

MY advice would always be to go for as many XLR/combo inputs as you can. For a long time I ran with 2. These days I use a Saffire interface with 4. I seldom use all 4 but it is nice to know I can if I need to. Recording 'live 'songs classically involves me using two mics on the guitar and a vocal mic.

Thanks! this is helpful. I can see where additional inputs would give me more flexibility.

[Hurricane Ramon]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

Congratulations on your new 6i6. I had the 1st generation model, and it seems like they've made some significant performance improvements on the second generation. It is quite a feature packed interface, and I never had any problems while I owned it.

However, on my 1st generation unit the headphone volume control knobs were not as 'solid' feeling as the rest of the device. They didn't seem to be mounted to a rigid circuit board; they would push in if any pressure was exerted on them. Always made me wonder if they were going to break. They didn't have the tactile feedback like the gain volume control knobs. I know Focusrite was 'criticized' for the headphone volume controls; I hope they improved them.

Hello ChuckS :


Yep the headphone jacks are solid , no give or play on these . Enough resistance to make the process a controlled and calculable adjustment .
SPDIF's are a little out of the chassis but , I think it's the nature for those to mount normally that particular way .

The volume is really great too . I'll be recording a lot of duet stuff , this fits my needs . I have midi too that is why I chose this particular model .

EZ :

HR

[Hurricane Ramon]

Originally Posted by tbeltrans

I purchased a 6i6 2nd generation not too long ago at GC on sale.

Another cool feature is that the midi ports seem to be very solid. I also recently got a newly released Mooer Ocean Machine pedal (www.mooeraudio.com/?product/201701227426.html).

There was a firmware update, and it went quite smoothly using the 6i6. a number of people were having trouble with the update as reported on the Gear Page site, using various other midi interfaces.

The 6i6 2nd generation seems really solid to me overall.

Tony

Hello tbeltrans :

Drivers and Windows OS's - They can be a bummer , a blind alley of problems seemly impossible to realize .

I have learned old versions of software and drivers can linger in the system and stop a new updated firmware driver from working .



You have to root the old drivers out .

EZ :

HR