The Presonus has DC coupled outputs, meaning that you can, for example, send Eurorack CV signals to your gear, if you're into that stuff. This is a pretty uncommon feature in audio interfaces.
I think either are good units, but personally I like the Presonus. While it may initially record lower, it then gives you more headroom to work with. At times the Focusrite sounded slightly distorted on the drum and bass solos.
Completely agree here. That beat sounded clipped on the focusrite. I think you are doing yourself a disservice by using the out of the box settings for these units instead of trying to dial them in a bit. I came here tonight because the 18i20 is on sale and I was curious about what people thought of it. I already own the 1824c and can't use it the way I need to because the driver software forces a downgrade of firmware if you're on windows 7 vs windows 10,and I have to go between both environments regularly with the same interface.
The Sound of the AD/DA converters is critical to the sound quality overall. Good Preamps don't mean anything if the conversion is subpar. So research the converters of both units and choose the one that sounds the best.... personally id go with the Presonus. I think it would give you the highest industry standard sound quality. However the Focusrite sounded better through my laptop speakers.
Let's be real here, the difference in sound quality in terms of conversion in anything under 1,000 is splitting hairs at BEST. Even shelling out some real coin gains you very MARGINAL improvements in sound quality in terms of conversion. What you get when you shell out serious coin for an interface is typically build quality, and stability from company support when encountering issues etc. Think RME for instance. They are NOT cheap, but when you buy one, you can bet that unless you get a fluke incident, it'll last you years, and you can bet the company will continue updating drivers for many years. But in regards to say the Scarlett vs the Presonus. You MIGHT notice subtle differences in terms of the internal preamps when tracking, which is a wash once said sound is then processed, but when it comes to conversion? You're seriously splitting hairs. Interfaces are so far down the list of sonic impact that it's not even funny. The tech is far past mature now. Unless you buy an utter POS of an interface, you're going to be fine. Factors that are far more important than ANY interface are, Mic position, ROOM treatment, monitoring, any potential hardware, ROOM treatment, and the most important, skill.
Hi there. Great video. I have used both Presonus and Focusrite products. One thing I noticed about Presonus products is that it had a smoother type of sound but definitely softer. The Focusrite products were brighter and louder. I somehow always preferred the focusrite stuff myself.
@@LCRLive687 Hi there. Some of my buddies had the Quantum and they loved it but I cannot verify. Do you use Quantum? So sorry. I forgot to add earlier that I use DigiGrid since 2020. I use a DigiGrid IOS unit nowadays. It's an Audio over IP device and it connects to a PC via ethernet cable.
Presonus is known for low input to give you more headroom. I recently had to upgrade my interface for more inputs and decided to go with a used motu Mk3 hybrid. The reason being is they still provide firmware updates for legacy units which is rare nowadays. I’m using an old server late 2012 Mac mini. Motu still supports FireWire in 2022 lol
I am leaning towards the Focusrite because it has ADAT in, I do prefer its sound here over Presonus on this video. Anyway, without ADAT, the Motu 828 III is a good contender as well, how do you find the pres compared to Presonus?
@@wckoek most pres in this price range are gonna sound the same. You don’t get to tell a difference until you go really high up on price and that will mostly be with high end external pres and microphones. If your looking to work with Adat then you can get higher end mic pres later on down the line.
@@wckoekalso one thing to look out for is if the interface supports loopback. If you plan on doing live streaming that is a nice feature to have. There is work arounds depending if you use Mac or windows but it’s always great to have that feature supported
@@thebeatrumble I guess I'll have better luck saving money by buying a cheap Behringer UMC1820 and hook it up with something like Audient pres. Thanks.
I replied to a comment below, but figured I post the gist of it in a new post. I'm watching these videos after just ordering the presonus studio 1824c. I too had two Focusrites and both died. I initially had the 1st gen Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 and after that died the first time, they fixed it (about two years). A year later I wanted the better latency the 2nd gen had so I bought it and connected the two together for 18i/o (neither give you that even though they're titled that without pairing them). I had it almost three years and the 2nd gen just died but only in Windows. I see it's lights on but device manger doesn't see it anymore. A few days of trying and the it's just useless. I emailed support and said "I already tried a few new usb cables and different ports on my computer" and the response to me was to try a different cable and different port... Yes, they actually replied which is okay, but not if they can't read! Anywho, I've been a Studio One user for years and have lots of their hardware, like motorized faders, so I'm moving to the presonus studio 1824c before I get an ulcer :) BTW, Fender is now partners with Presonus (as of 2021).
You should have the same gainlvls on the recorded samples, its difficult to compare when they are not excact same levels of sound. Like that drumpad seemed to distort a little due to overgain on the channel. Also the microphone. Provide the samples at same lvls, without distortion and that way its easier to give an opinion worth having. Hope you get to a informed decision :)
Go with the Presonus if you use Windows, it has a loopback feature. I know you don't use Windows but this comment is for the viewers that do. Other than that it really doesn't matter if you ask me.
@@stevemilani6334 the SSL 2 is little better than the focusrite with a dynamic range of 110.5 db and the focusrite has 109 db, also the SSL 2 has a maximum mic gain input of 62db and focusrite 18i20 3rd gen has a maximum mic gain input of 56 db, I only use the focusrite for prerecorded tracks and pass them down through analog gear since it has more i/o
If your current interface has ADAT in you could get a dedicated Mic pre with multiple ins with less features or even buy some higher end "obsolete" firewire interfaces that have ADAT out. Otherwise without the gain matched in the DAW you can't really tell from this as the Focusrite was louder. Gain aside it sounded clearer. I'm in a similar spot in my studio and planning on linking multiple interfaces over ADAT to my Apollo. If you are on a Mac you can make an aggregate easily and use multiple interfaces including the SP all at once.
they both have the same amount of outputs. the presonus has 8 line outs with two main outs which are basically just 2 additional outputs. afaik, the presonus stuff typically uses class A preamps in their gear, even the more budget-friendly variety. these will provide better sound and specs, especially as you start stacking tracks in a sesh.. have you considered that new evo joint? the evo16? peep it if u haven't, might be another one to consider.
Based upon these, I perceive FAR greater detail regarding the capture of one VS the other. However, the question is.... If you cannot hear the difference then the perception is somewhat irrelevant for you to learn to monitor the differences. More importantly (in my opinion) which do you enjoy recording with more... which helps your workflow... which drives your excitement to record more frequently? Because recording more will give you more time to adjust your perception and find tools (perhaps better suited) to do so, for your needs.
On the 1842c(The one i have), outs 1/2 are linked to the main out, No way to unlink them.... I dont know about the other interface, but it sounds like there is a 6db boost in it somewhere, even looking at your waves it looks that way... 1824c also has a loop back function
I owned the presonus and upgraded to the focusrite clarett+ 8pre and while i did like the sound of the preamps better on the presonus i switched because doing a hybrid system with the presonus software was such a headache! Then one of the headphone amps went out, there wasnt really any adat to expand. The clarett+ sounds very clean and i just use external 500 series preamps (i have 2 different ones). I would say they both have their pros n cons but if you need the i/o i would definitely go with the focusrite over the presonus.
I don't know if you have made your decision yet or not, but I think you should keep the Focusrite interface J. Filt. First of all, it's what you are most familiar with, and you stated that the screen function set-up makes more sense to you. There is no need to worry about transitioning to a look that is foreign to you. Second, the optional rack mounts are cool. I wish all of my rack mountable gear originally came that way. Last but not least, I was listening intently through my studio headphones and the sound coming through the Focusrite was noticeably better. The drums were thicker-sounding, the bass tones cut through with more robust, and your vocals on each take were cleaner with the Focusrite. It is a no-brainer for me. Sorry Presonus, I'm still loyal to you guys otherwise. LOL! My first interface was a Focusrite 2i2. I was enjoying the interface until the sound stopped coming through it. The display showed that it was picking up the sound signal. I replaced it with an M-Audio, but I noticed a difference. There is just something about the sound of the Focusrite. Peace and Positive Energy!
Well, I guess you've gotten one by now; and I presume the Focusrite, if you are going by this. You do need to adjust the knobs so the signal is pretty close in loudness between both units. That can have to do with the value of the pot they use, etc. One thing that concerned me quite a bit about the Focusrite, is the way things would distort when the signal got a little hot. That can be cool, but the Focusrite bass track wasn't at its maximum loudness, but it seemed there was more distortion than there should have been there. If that's not somehow some other artifact of your setup, the extra ins and ADAT connections could be decisive. I think it's just awful when a hw manufacturer like here, M-Audio just says, "It's discontinued, so you can't use it with e.g. the latest MacOS anymore" after you've sunk hundreds, or maybe thousands of dollars into it. That's one thing PC has over Mac: backwards compatibility. You can use pretty old drivers on the latest versions of Windows.
J filt ! Whats good :) I am a studio one user with a Focusrite Clarett 8Pre.In addition to all that ,for more inputs I use a Beringer Ultragain-pro 8 Digital connected to the "clarett 8 pre" via an optical cable.This give me an addition 8 more in-puts.So what ever sound card you choose ,with the beringer i have 16 inputs.Also with my presonus ioSTATION 24c - two more inputs.In total 18 i/o setup! Hope this confuses you further (he he!) -Preace Bro!
The only way you're going to hear an actual difference is by seriously upgrading to either a Universal Audio Apollo x8 18x24 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface with UAD DSP. or the RME Fireface 802 Audio Interface, which is probably overkilled if you're doing (per, per recording), i.e. (One track at a time)...these units mention is live recording purposes with outstanding ad/da converters, the PreSonus studio vs. Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 are in the same league, I own both old & new versions of Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre USB-C Audio Interface that would probably show (SOME) significant quality upgrade recording!
@@Verysickbeats ok. Focusrite then. But I suggest running ya mics thru something like the DBX pre amps. I say that because most, if not all interfaces do not supply the top level of sound for vocals when running mics thru them. Having that DBX or something similar u will hear the difference. Only use the DBX for the mics.
Mr. Jfilt i would say go with Focusrite it seems warmer with amazing overall clarity. I listened with some good headphones and i hope it helps... keep being you my Brother!
I use an 1810C & found the sound quality greatly increased after being run in for 100+hrs...the pre-amps sound a lot better now,very good quality sound...i'm not a PC or IT sort of guy so still reading up on what it can do & how to use it..the 1 obvious thing i noticed is you get a lot of inputs & outputs, ADAT IN & SPIDF IN/OUT,TRS in/out's etc....used with active monitors ,PreSonus Eris E8XT's with quad balanced XLR to TRS cables i'm impressed at the sound quality...something noone taught me,you need to use quad balanced cables for mic's, monitors etc to get that extra headroom, sensitivity & a much better sound...don't make the mistake i made ,only use good quality Quad balanced cables (4 wires & earth with full sheilding) & NOT the 2 wires & an earth XLR cables i first bought...not real balanced cables in my book & not as good sounding,it does media sound as good as you can get on YT etc but really is for more serious uses...with the right mixer &/or using quality virtual online mixing software,Pro Tools 2 etc you could record a band easy using the 1810C as your audio interface...you would obvoiusly need to buy a few more mic's & things to record a whole band but it is pretty versatile interface...so far.....
I think the biggest issue I have with the personus is that it uses an external ac adapter and will probably pick up noise. Where the Focusrite has a grounding pin.
Focusrite has better clarity with better pre amp gain. Recordings sounds brighter. Presonus sounds warmer, but softer. Personally, I'd stick with the Focusrite, but the warmth the Presonus gives is persuading. Final verdict, Focusrite. I prefer clearer recording. I can add in warmth after recording if I need.
Good video! I go with the Presonus due to headroom. If there is too much gain, the chances for distortion increase. The Focusrite sounds a bit more colored with the voice on both mics, though. It might be the preamp.
I had 2 Focusrites and they both died after 2 years... At the moment i use a Motu and i haven't experienced any problems so far. If this one dies i would go for a RME, my friends Fireface is 13 years old and still running strong, but they're kinda expensive ;) Greets
@@Verysickbeats First i had the 2I6 2nd gen (secondhand) and then i bought a new 18I20 2nd gen which died just before the warranty expired, my musicstore offered me a new one but i directly sold it and bought a Motu Ultralite Mk5.
@@krisgebruers8471 Similar situation for me. I'm watching these videos after just ordering the presonus studio 1824c. I too had two Focusrites and both died. I initially had the 1st gen Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 and after that died the first time, they fixed it (about two years). A year later I wanted the better latency the 2nd gen had so I bought it and connected to two together for 18i/o (neither give you that even though they're titled that without pairing them). I had it almost three years and the 2nd gen just died but only in Windows. I see it's lights on but device manger doesn't see it anymore. A few days of trying and the it's just useless. I emailed support and said "I already tried a few new usb cables and different ports on my computer" and the response to me was to try a different cable and different port... Yes, they actually replied which is okay, but not if they can't read! Anywho, I've been a Studio One user for years and have lots of their hardware, like motorized faders, so I'm moving to the presonus studio 1824c before I get an ulcer :) BTW, Fender is now partners with Presonus (2021).
Let’s add the “ other option”… and discuss the variables that we ALL look at …just to clarify 1) Focusrite 2) PreSonus 3) Behringer --------- a) Price b) build quality and expected service life of the unit c) customer support/ d) software and intentionally made obsolete ? / will the unit be abandoned as the company doesn’t provide updates to keep up with newer operating systems e) audio quality / sound f) inputs/ outputs/ extra connections for expand - ability ------ BEHRINGER…. although many of us will be drawn to Berry due to price….. I’ve taken them off of my list because….. 1) there are a ton of tech reviews that discuss poor quality internal components ( capacitors) which WILL result in noisier audio eventually. 2) the integrity of a company that has a business model of “ let someone else do the expensive heavy lifting ( R&D) and then Berry just pirates the designs” 3) Support ..DO YOUR OWN TEST…attempt to contact customer service/ tech support… when I tested the process, it appeared to be more about BERRY collecting your data while minimizing their actual investment in paying humans to help the consumer …. Name the other audio company… they’ve probably already sued Berry for ripping them off… The quick compressed analysis Price v Audio v Support v Long term value? Behringer Sure …low dollars up front, initial audio sounds ok… warranty three years but ONLY TO Original receipt / buyer ( so for resale value buy w cash and register in the name of a band or business and then don’t sell the hardware, sell the business with all receipts … and you ( and the next owner are just the managers / reps of the business) … ( you sell your “ manager position” ) AUDIO higher probability of audio quality loss over time.. Poor Support Long term value…. Considering cheap parts x marginal support x three year warranty x proven integrity of a company that builds knock offs….. final verdict Fail.. for $200-$300 more get a much better used Presonus or a Focus that will last as long and you’ll have better support. Expand- ability ok Final opinion…. Fail = off my list…. But I may buy an ADA8200 to INITIALLY EXPAND , BUT as a throw away if I can get it cheap enough PRESONUS…. all ok… but ( my PERSONAL only two negatives) 1) I am still smarting from Pre NOT SUPPORTING their FireWire hardware in through Windows 10… the HARDWARE is great… I have two FP 10 units… and the cost to develop one more round of drivers vs forcing us to keep a spare hard drive with Win 7…. Fail # 1…. 2) the newer presonus units only have ONE pair of ADAT/ light pipe ins and out on the back… this may result in a compromise between you CAN expand and add (8) more inputs but with limited audio quality (?) 3) PLEASE TEST THEIR CUSTOMER SUPPORT…. I gave up after the FireWire non support issue… yes I’m holding a grudge. FOCUSRITE…. I am leaning towards to Focusrite Scarlett’s 18i20… ( vs the next model up that is 2x the price)….more adapts… should mean better and and ability and more audio outs… should mean more buss / audio/ monitor output options….but 1) I am “ concerned “ about their native “ mixer software” … there are some observations that there is an initial steep learning curve.. 2) TEST THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT 3) pay $50 more for extended warranty AFTER you read the fine print. 4) the audio quality vs price of the Scarlette is currently a “ reasonable balance”… I ….WILL…. BE BUYING SHORTLY…. Likely a Scarlette 18i20 Gen 3… I may buy used if the price is MORE than $150 less than new. I WILL…. ONLY buy from a company THAT HAS A GENEROUS RETURN POLICY …AND… provides additional warranty at a reasonable price…AND treats its employees well. Sweet water or George’s Music… yes… ( established and treats its employees well) Guitar Center…. ONLY If the price is outrageous …. Due to Bane Capital ( do your on research)… if feel badly for the employees but the Guitar Center in my town looks like they haven’t paid the rent in three months. Reverb… ONLY if the price is outrageous, the extra warranty is a steal , and the return policy is in writing eBay…. Same as above. Amazon… HELLLLL no. TEST YOUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE SELLER AND WITH AMAZON….. I have been sorry too many times after buying from the Death Star. Steven Hawkins tried to explain that at the very center of the universe there is a super massive black hole…. In the center of that… is hell… in the center of that is Amazon…. In the center of THAT… is Darth BEZOS. Friends don’t let friends buy Behringer unless you’re wearing a condom. And ONLY do business with Amazon… AFTER you already have herpes… it better be worth the price..
Because of the lack of support from Presonus, both with old units (firestudio project) not playing nice with windows 10 and with new units (studio 1824c) not playing nice with windows 7, I've basically given up on presonus. I think their product sounded better with regards to the samples here, but I attribute that partially to the fact that the interfaces weren't dialed in individually, giving the focusrite too much gain. Im curious how things would be if the levels were evened out properly.
i use a rode Podmic with NO fethead and have zero latency and a great sound with allmost no noise and use it on a DVE aswell as on a DAW in both cases i am happy with ther 18i20. if you can get along with the software that ther 18i20 comes with ( it had me so many times angry ) i say go with that because the sound is truely way better and now hearing a presonus devise how that sounds does convince me even more of the 18i20 which i spared some money to get my hands on and i do mnot regret this because that is realy useable in any situation. now in terms of musicaly usage : vocals recorded with it in a daw paired with a rode podmic sound allmost from start so clear that only litle mastering on the vocals is needed ( one can go crasy but then you are beeing left with also crasy vocals that do not make sense ). so if you ask me , now after hearing how presonus sounds like, i say go with what you allready have experience with and purchase the 18i20 ! one now that i heared the sound of the presonus, could say i change with you my presonus for your 18i20 and i would say no thanx ! well i also thank you for the chance to hear a comparsment for i had no chnce to do that by myself
Presonus I find has some weird behaviour when opening FL projects. Not that you use FL but it's worth knowing. I find that any audio that is playing gets stretched and sounds bitcrushed whilst the project loads. Not a major issue but sometimes annoying if you are showing tracks to someone and want to load up a new project in the background. I had a scarlett in the past and I would say the build quality was not great and it did die due to power supply failure as others have mentioned.
Focusrite is super cleaner. I use the 18i8 nothing else although I do have a presonus studiolive ar16c which I don't use at all. Focusrite is the winner by far
i suggest you the Focusrite 18i20 because of its allmost nonexisting latency but also the preamps are great. i record many things using it : from vocals to beats to voiceovers allmost everything and i am happy with. the only thing i dislike is the way to useless and to compicated software it comes with : sometimes no software solutions are better and for sure they could have set it up with one preset that covers all needs ! so the software is the bad thing on it which i dislike very much because it is simply keeping one on trying to configure isntead of getting it allready configured or at least to have the possibility to configure things on the devise itself rather then on a softweare. but beside this : i ammhappy with its sound and i am happy with the esetialy nonexisting latency but the sound is the thing that got me atmost. now i never had a presonus AI so i cannot compare the both
Put it this way the presonus has better pres and the focusrite has waaay better converters but overall im going with prism titan and later upgrade to lynx because im in the videogame soundesign and music so yes
Man, this comparison is useless need compare the sounds with the same gain level. It makes no sense to compare the same level of gain if one captures at a higher level than the other...I'm sorry but this video is confusing people.
I had one question. If you finished your routing on the presonus do you just can close the software and it still be in the same routes? 😅 Because on the Focusrite it always has to be running in the background 😔 Btw Im on Windows, so maybe someone has some experience with the presonus on Windows? 😊
Bought this piece of sht, and it's been a month and haven't been able to record nothing cause of issues with the sample rates, no matter what set up for latency, after a few seconds it starts to crackle and distort until the signal is inaudible, also on the input meters the light is black!! and also in the mixer, never seen this sht before. I'm tired of messaging with the support team, they don't solve sht. My scarlet 2i2 works way better, should have gone for the claret. now I'm stuck with this junk! shame on presonus! Forgot to mention, if you wanna search in their forum, you have to buy their sphere account! wtf!!
You cant go by knob positions. The pots may be a different taper. You go by gain staging. Thats what the meters are for...
thanks for sharing
The Presonus has DC coupled outputs, meaning that you can, for example, send Eurorack CV signals to your gear, if you're into that stuff. This is a pretty uncommon feature in audio interfaces.
I think either are good units, but personally I like the Presonus. While it may initially record lower, it then gives you more headroom to work with. At times the Focusrite sounded slightly distorted on the drum and bass solos.
thanks for feedback
Completely agree here. That beat sounded clipped on the focusrite.
I think you are doing yourself a disservice by using the out of the box settings for these units instead of trying to dial them in a bit.
I came here tonight because the 18i20 is on sale and I was curious about what people thought of it. I already own the 1824c and can't use it the way I need to because the driver software forces a downgrade of firmware if you're on windows 7 vs windows 10,and I have to go between both environments regularly with the same interface.
very interesting thank you I have a presonus and wanted to work with the presonus once I access older projects made under win 7 ..@@AMurder0fCrows
I had both and reluctantly used Presonus, and I haven't looked back. Presonus sounds best when working within the DAW. I'm talking game changer
thanks
The Sound of the AD/DA converters is critical to the sound quality overall. Good Preamps don't mean anything if the conversion is subpar. So research the converters of both units and choose the one that sounds the best.... personally id go with the Presonus. I think it would give you the highest industry standard sound quality. However the Focusrite sounded better through my laptop speakers.
thanks for feedback
Let's be real here, the difference in sound quality in terms of conversion in anything under 1,000 is splitting hairs at BEST. Even shelling out some real coin gains you very MARGINAL improvements in sound quality in terms of conversion. What you get when you shell out serious coin for an interface is typically build quality, and stability from company support when encountering issues etc. Think RME for instance.
They are NOT cheap, but when you buy one, you can bet that unless you get a fluke incident, it'll last you years, and you can bet the company will continue updating drivers for many years. But in regards to say the Scarlett vs the Presonus. You MIGHT notice subtle differences in terms of the internal preamps when tracking, which is a wash once said sound is then processed, but when it comes to conversion? You're seriously splitting hairs.
Interfaces are so far down the list of sonic impact that it's not even funny. The tech is far past mature now. Unless you buy an utter POS of an interface, you're going to be fine. Factors that are far more important than ANY interface are, Mic position, ROOM treatment, monitoring, any potential hardware, ROOM treatment, and the most important, skill.
Hi there. Great video. I have used both Presonus and Focusrite products. One thing I noticed about Presonus products is that it had a smoother type of sound but definitely softer. The Focusrite products were brighter and louder. I somehow always preferred the focusrite stuff myself.
Thanks for sharing!
Have you used the quantum line?
@@LCRLive687 Hi there. Some of my buddies had the Quantum and they loved it but I cannot verify. Do you use Quantum? So sorry. I forgot to add earlier that I use DigiGrid since 2020. I use a DigiGrid IOS unit nowadays. It's an Audio over IP device and it connects to a PC via ethernet cable.
Presonus is known for low input to give you more headroom. I recently had to upgrade my interface for more inputs and decided to go with a used motu Mk3 hybrid. The reason being is they still provide firmware updates for legacy units which is rare nowadays. I’m using an old server late 2012 Mac mini. Motu still supports FireWire in 2022 lol
thanks for sharing
I am leaning towards the Focusrite because it has ADAT in, I do prefer its sound here over Presonus on this video.
Anyway, without ADAT, the Motu 828 III is a good contender as well, how do you find the pres compared to Presonus?
@@wckoek most pres in this price range are gonna sound the same. You don’t get to tell a difference until you go really high up on price and that will mostly be with high end external pres and microphones. If your looking to work with Adat then you can get higher end mic pres later on down the line.
@@wckoekalso one thing to look out for is if the interface supports loopback. If you plan on doing live streaming that is a nice feature to have. There is work arounds depending if you use Mac or windows but it’s always great to have that feature supported
@@thebeatrumble I guess I'll have better luck saving money by buying a cheap Behringer UMC1820 and hook it up with something like Audient pres.
Thanks.
I replied to a comment below, but figured I post the gist of it in a new post.
I'm watching these videos after just ordering the presonus studio 1824c. I too had two Focusrites and both died. I initially had the 1st gen Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 and after that died the first time, they fixed it (about two years). A year later I wanted the better latency the 2nd gen had so I bought it and connected the two together for 18i/o (neither give you that even though they're titled that without pairing them). I had it almost three years and the 2nd gen just died but only in Windows. I see it's lights on but device manger doesn't see it anymore. A few days of trying and the it's just useless. I emailed support and said "I already tried a few new usb cables and different ports on my computer" and the response to me was to try a different cable and different port... Yes, they actually replied which is okay, but not if they can't read! Anywho, I've been a Studio One user for years and have lots of their hardware, like motorized faders, so I'm moving to the presonus studio 1824c before I get an ulcer :) BTW, Fender is now partners with Presonus (as of 2021).
thanks for sharing
You should have the same gainlvls on the recorded samples, its difficult to compare when they are not excact same levels of sound. Like that drumpad seemed to distort a little due to overgain on the channel. Also the microphone. Provide the samples at same lvls, without distortion and that way its easier to give an opinion worth having. Hope you get to a informed decision :)
didn't wanna change the knob positions for each device but i hear what you're saying
@@Verysickbeats sorry, but then this comparison,at least the audio part, is useless
I am also looking to upgrade from a 2i4 2nd Gen : D
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Go with the Presonus if you use Windows, it has a loopback feature. I know you don't use Windows but this comment is for the viewers that do. Other than that it really doesn't matter if you ask me.
appreciate it
Focusrite has loopback as well...
@@omelashomelas I wouldn't know, I never got that far into the manual lol...I'll check it out
Focusrite 18i20 3rd generation I own one and never had any issues I also have an SSL 2 for recording only and the focusrite for hardware mastering
thanks for sharing
So you do not record with the 18i20? Does the SSL 2 sound that much better for recording? Looking forward to your reply.
@@stevemilani6334 the SSL 2 is little better than the focusrite with a dynamic range of 110.5 db and the focusrite has 109 db, also the SSL 2 has a maximum mic gain input of 62db and focusrite 18i20 3rd gen has a maximum mic gain input of 56 db, I only use the focusrite for prerecorded tracks and pass them down through analog gear since it has more i/o
If your current interface has ADAT in you could get a dedicated Mic pre with multiple ins with less features or even buy some higher end "obsolete" firewire interfaces that have ADAT out.
Otherwise without the gain matched in the DAW you can't really tell from this as the Focusrite was louder. Gain aside it sounded clearer. I'm in a similar spot in my studio and planning on linking multiple interfaces over ADAT to my Apollo.
If you are on a Mac you can make an aggregate easily and use multiple interfaces including the SP all at once.
thanks for input
they both have the same amount of outputs. the presonus has 8 line outs with two main outs which are basically just 2 additional outputs.
afaik, the presonus stuff typically uses class A preamps in their gear, even the more budget-friendly variety. these will provide better sound and specs, especially as you start stacking tracks in a sesh..
have you considered that new evo joint? the evo16? peep it if u haven't, might be another one to consider.
thanks for sharing
I checked it out. Thanks for the tip, but I need the midi in/outputs :)
Your gain staging is off.
They're 2 different interfaces made by 2 different manufacturers.
The mic pres are totally different.
Look at the levels.
thanks for feedback
Based upon these, I perceive FAR greater detail regarding the capture of one VS the other. However, the question is.... If you cannot hear the difference then the perception is somewhat irrelevant for you to learn to monitor the differences. More importantly (in my opinion) which do you enjoy recording with more... which helps your workflow... which drives your excitement to record more frequently? Because recording more will give you more time to adjust your perception and find tools (perhaps better suited) to do so, for your needs.
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@@Verysickbeats Very Welcome & Happy Holidays!
Can you hook both of them up together? Let me know could you do a tutorial on it?
unfortunately i no longer have the presonus
Great video! Thank you!
You are welcome!
On the 1842c(The one i have), outs 1/2 are linked to the main out, No way to unlink them.... I dont know about the other interface, but it sounds like there is a 6db boost in it somewhere, even looking at your waves it looks that way... 1824c also has a loop back function
yep
I’m in the same situation, my saffire pro 40 just went out. Had it for 10 years with no issues 🙁
salute
Phantom power buttons on each channel is a win for the Focusrite.
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I owned the presonus and upgraded to the focusrite clarett+ 8pre and while i did like the sound of the preamps better on the presonus i switched because doing a hybrid system with the presonus software was such a headache! Then one of the headphone amps went out, there wasnt really any adat to expand. The clarett+ sounds very clean and i just use external 500 series preamps (i have 2 different ones). I would say they both have their pros n cons but if you need the i/o i would definitely go with the focusrite over the presonus.
I'm happy with my Presonus 68. I'm on windows.
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I don't know if you have made your decision yet or not, but I think you should keep the Focusrite interface J. Filt.
First of all, it's what you are most familiar with, and you stated that the screen function set-up makes more sense to you. There is no need to worry about transitioning to a look that is foreign to you. Second, the optional rack mounts are cool. I wish all of my rack mountable gear originally came that way.
Last but not least, I was listening intently through my studio headphones and the sound coming through the Focusrite was noticeably better. The drums were thicker-sounding, the bass tones cut through with more robust, and your vocals on each take were cleaner with the Focusrite. It is a no-brainer for me. Sorry Presonus, I'm still loyal to you guys otherwise. LOL!
My first interface was a Focusrite 2i2. I was enjoying the interface until the sound stopped coming through it. The display showed that it was picking up the sound signal. I replaced it with an M-Audio, but I noticed a difference. There is just something about the sound of the Focusrite. Peace and Positive Energy!
thanks for the input
@@Verysickbeats No problem
I’m partial to focusrite, I have one that I use with my IMac, they are really clean sounding and you get software with them!
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Focusrite fam! Although I have a Motu 828 and it is a tank, never had any problems with it.
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Well, I guess you've gotten one by now; and I presume the Focusrite, if you are going by this. You do need to adjust the knobs so the signal is pretty close in loudness between both units. That can have to do with the value of the pot they use, etc. One thing that concerned me quite a bit about the Focusrite, is the way things would distort when the signal got a little hot. That can be cool, but the Focusrite bass track wasn't at its maximum loudness, but it seemed there was more distortion than there should have been there. If that's not somehow some other artifact of your setup, the extra ins and ADAT connections could be decisive. I think it's just awful when a hw manufacturer like here, M-Audio just says, "It's discontinued, so you can't use it with e.g. the latest MacOS anymore" after you've sunk hundreds, or maybe thousands of dollars into it. That's one thing PC has over Mac: backwards compatibility. You can use pretty old drivers on the latest versions of Windows.
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Why choose? Use the ADAT and get 16 channels of audio...hmm
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J filt ! Whats good :) I am a studio one user with a Focusrite Clarett 8Pre.In addition to all that ,for more inputs I use a Beringer Ultragain-pro 8 Digital connected to the "clarett 8 pre" via an optical cable.This give me an addition 8 more in-puts.So what ever sound card you choose ,with the beringer i have 16 inputs.Also with my presonus ioSTATION 24c - two more inputs.In total 18 i/o setup!
Hope this confuses you further (he he!) -Preace Bro!
thanks for sharing
The only way you're going to hear an actual difference is by seriously upgrading to either a Universal Audio Apollo x8 18x24 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface with UAD DSP. or the RME Fireface 802 Audio Interface, which is probably overkilled if you're doing (per, per recording), i.e. (One track at a time)...these units mention is live recording purposes with outstanding ad/da converters, the PreSonus studio vs. Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 are in the same league, I own both old & new versions of Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre USB-C Audio Interface that would probably show (SOME) significant quality upgrade recording!
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Nore signal isn't exactly better.
Also zoom into those stems and look at the detail you're getting with the presonus.
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Presonus wins on dynamic mic
And it's even on the condenser mic good review
salute
My only questions are these...1.) how many inputs u need and 2.) Are u running ya mics thru them?
at least 8 and yes
@@Verysickbeats ok. Focusrite then. But I suggest running ya mics thru something like the DBX pre amps. I say that because most, if not all interfaces do not supply the top level of sound for vocals when running mics thru them. Having that DBX or something similar u will hear the difference. Only use the DBX for the mics.
Hello, I'm a Macbook Pro M1 User. There is no Block Size setting in the Presonus Studio Universal Control Panel. Can you help with this problem?
Presonus is awesome the low latency is mindblowing.
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Mr. Jfilt i would say go with Focusrite it seems warmer with amazing overall clarity. I listened with some good headphones and i hope it helps... keep being you my Brother!
Thanks for sharing!
I bought the umc1820 :) no real differences from the two you were interested in. Just a lot less money at the time.
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I use an 1810C & found the sound quality greatly increased after being run in for 100+hrs...the pre-amps sound a lot better now,very good quality sound...i'm not a PC or IT sort of guy so still reading up on what it can do & how to use it..the 1 obvious thing i noticed is you get a lot of inputs & outputs, ADAT IN & SPIDF IN/OUT,TRS in/out's etc....used with active monitors ,PreSonus Eris E8XT's with quad balanced XLR to TRS cables i'm impressed at the sound quality...something noone taught me,you need to use quad balanced cables for mic's, monitors etc to get that extra headroom, sensitivity & a much better sound...don't make the mistake i made ,only use good quality Quad balanced cables (4 wires & earth with full sheilding) & NOT the 2 wires & an earth XLR cables i first bought...not real balanced cables in my book & not as good sounding,it does media sound as good as you can get on YT etc but really is for more serious uses...with the right mixer &/or using quality virtual online mixing software,Pro Tools 2 etc you could record a band easy using the 1810C as your audio interface...you would obvoiusly need to buy a few more mic's & things to record a whole band but it is pretty versatile interface...so far.....
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I think the biggest issue I have with the personus is that it uses an external ac adapter and will probably pick up noise. Where the Focusrite has a grounding pin.
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normally they use an external adaptor to get rid of the hum of the transformer in the case itself
Focusrite has better clarity with better pre amp gain. Recordings sounds brighter. Presonus sounds warmer, but softer. Personally, I'd stick with the Focusrite, but the warmth the Presonus gives is persuading. Final verdict, Focusrite. I prefer clearer recording. I can add in warmth after recording if I need.
thanks for input
1., they both have 10 line outputs! 2., you did not have the exact same levels. look at the wave forms! how can u not notice that?
i was referring to the physical knob levels
Scarlet is gonna sound better in general because the preamps are better.
not necessarily...
depends on preference i guess
I’m just speaking from personal use case I would not buy anything from Presonus but that’s just me
Plus I prefer to based my decision on sound quality.
I always want the cleanest on interface because I can control the dirt
Good video!
I go with the Presonus due to headroom. If there is too much gain, the chances for distortion increase.
The Focusrite sounds a bit more colored with the voice on both mics, though. It might be the preamp.
Thanks for sharing!
I had 2 Focusrites and they both died after 2 years... At the moment i use a Motu and i haven't experienced any problems so far. If this one dies i would go for a RME, my friends Fireface is 13 years old and still running strong, but they're kinda expensive ;) Greets
which focusrite models did you have?
@@Verysickbeats First i had the 2I6 2nd gen (secondhand) and then i bought a new 18I20 2nd gen which died just before the warranty expired, my musicstore offered me a new one but i directly sold it and bought a Motu Ultralite Mk5.
@@krisgebruers8471 Similar situation for me. I'm watching these videos after just ordering the presonus studio 1824c. I too had two Focusrites and both died. I initially had the 1st gen Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 and after that died the first time, they fixed it (about two years). A year later I wanted the better latency the 2nd gen had so I bought it and connected to two together for 18i/o (neither give you that even though they're titled that without pairing them). I had it almost three years and the 2nd gen just died but only in Windows. I see it's lights on but device manger doesn't see it anymore. A few days of trying and the it's just useless. I emailed support and said "I already tried a few new usb cables and different ports on my computer" and the response to me was to try a different cable and different port... Yes, they actually replied which is okay, but not if they can't read! Anywho,
I've been a Studio One user for years and have lots of their hardware, like motorized faders, so I'm moving to the presonus studio 1824c before I get an ulcer :) BTW, Fender is now partners with Presonus (2021).
Imo the scarlet sounds a bit better especially on the condenser mic
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Scarlet because Focusrite make good interfaces & loopback functionality. I have the Clarrets 8 pre and ever looked back.
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thanks for the loopback mention, i've become reliant upon this feature [saffire6, now a motu m4] and looking for more i/o too
Focusrite All Day
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@@Verysickbeats i produced and recorded this song with the i820 th-cam.com/video/Ig5lAEge4NU/w-d-xo.html
What’s better in terms of latency?
pretty equal in my opinion
I would with the Focusrite! !!
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Let’s add the “ other option”… and discuss the variables that we ALL look at …just to clarify
1) Focusrite
2) PreSonus
3) Behringer
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a) Price
b) build quality and expected service life of the unit
c) customer support/
d) software and intentionally made obsolete ? / will the unit be abandoned as the company doesn’t provide updates to keep up with newer operating systems
e) audio quality / sound
f) inputs/ outputs/ extra connections for expand - ability
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BEHRINGER…. although many of us will be drawn to Berry due to price….. I’ve taken them off of my list because….. 1) there are a ton of tech reviews that discuss poor quality internal components ( capacitors) which WILL result in noisier audio eventually. 2) the integrity of a company that has a business model of “ let someone else do the expensive heavy lifting ( R&D) and then Berry just pirates the designs” 3) Support ..DO YOUR OWN TEST…attempt to contact customer service/ tech support… when I tested the process, it appeared to be more about BERRY collecting your data while minimizing their actual investment in paying humans to help the consumer …. Name the other audio company… they’ve probably already sued Berry for ripping them off…
The quick compressed analysis Price v Audio v Support v Long term value?
Behringer Sure …low dollars up front, initial audio sounds ok…
warranty three years but ONLY TO Original receipt / buyer ( so for resale value buy w cash and register in the name of a band or business and then don’t sell the hardware, sell the business with all receipts … and you ( and the next owner are just the managers / reps of the business) … ( you sell your “ manager position” )
AUDIO higher probability of audio quality loss over time.. Poor Support
Long term value…. Considering cheap parts x marginal support x three year warranty x proven integrity of a company that builds knock offs….. final verdict Fail.. for $200-$300 more get a much better used Presonus or a Focus that will last as long and you’ll have better support.
Expand- ability ok
Final opinion…. Fail = off my list…. But I may buy an ADA8200 to INITIALLY EXPAND , BUT as a throw away if I can get it cheap enough
PRESONUS…. all ok… but ( my PERSONAL only two negatives)
1) I am still smarting from Pre NOT SUPPORTING their FireWire hardware in through Windows 10… the HARDWARE is great… I have two FP 10 units… and the cost to develop one more round of drivers vs forcing us to keep a spare hard drive with Win 7…. Fail # 1….
2) the newer presonus units only have ONE pair of ADAT/ light pipe ins and out on the back… this may result in a compromise between you CAN expand and add (8) more inputs but with limited audio quality (?)
3) PLEASE TEST THEIR CUSTOMER SUPPORT…. I gave up after the FireWire non support issue… yes I’m holding a grudge.
FOCUSRITE…. I am leaning towards to Focusrite Scarlett’s 18i20… ( vs the next model up that is 2x the price)….more adapts… should mean better and and ability and more audio outs… should mean more buss / audio/ monitor output options….but
1) I am “ concerned “ about their native “ mixer software” … there are some observations that there is an initial steep learning curve..
2) TEST THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT
3) pay $50 more for extended warranty AFTER you read the fine print.
4) the audio quality vs price of the Scarlette is currently a “ reasonable balance”…
I ….WILL…. BE BUYING SHORTLY…. Likely a Scarlette 18i20 Gen 3…
I may buy used if the price is MORE than $150 less than new.
I WILL…. ONLY buy from a company THAT HAS A GENEROUS RETURN POLICY …AND… provides additional warranty at a reasonable price…AND treats its employees well.
Sweet water or George’s Music… yes… ( established and treats its employees well)
Guitar Center…. ONLY If the price is outrageous …. Due to Bane Capital ( do your on research)… if feel badly for the employees but the Guitar Center in my town looks like they haven’t paid the rent in three months.
Reverb… ONLY if the price is outrageous, the extra warranty is a steal , and the return policy is in writing
eBay…. Same as above.
Amazon… HELLLLL no. TEST YOUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE SELLER AND WITH AMAZON….. I have been sorry too many times after buying from the Death Star.
Steven Hawkins tried to explain that at the very center of the universe there is a super massive black hole…. In the center of that… is hell… in the center of that is Amazon…. In the center of THAT… is Darth BEZOS.
Friends don’t let friends buy Behringer unless you’re wearing a condom.
And ONLY do business with Amazon… AFTER you already have herpes… it better be worth the price..
thanks for sharing
Because of the lack of support from Presonus, both with old units (firestudio project) not playing nice with windows 10 and with new units (studio 1824c) not playing nice with windows 7, I've basically given up on presonus.
I think their product sounded better with regards to the samples here, but I attribute that partially to the fact that the interfaces weren't dialed in individually, giving the focusrite too much gain. Im curious how things would be if the levels were evened out properly.
Which one did you keep?
Scarlett
For the presonus you could use studio one you don't need universal controller
the universal controller is for live session
thanks for sharing
I would take the Presonus !
The Focusrite sounds cleaner, whereas the Presonus sounds muddy
salute
i use a rode Podmic with NO fethead and have zero latency and a great sound with allmost no noise and use it on a DVE aswell as on a DAW in both cases i am happy with ther 18i20. if you can get along with the software that ther 18i20 comes with ( it had me so many times angry ) i say go with that because the sound is truely way better and now hearing a presonus devise how that sounds does convince me even more of the 18i20 which i spared some money to get my hands on and i do mnot regret this because that is realy useable in any situation.
now in terms of musicaly usage : vocals recorded with it in a daw paired with a rode podmic sound allmost from start so clear that only litle mastering on the vocals is needed ( one can go crasy but then you are beeing left with also crasy vocals that do not make sense ). so if you ask me , now after hearing how presonus sounds like, i say go with what you allready have experience with and purchase the 18i20 ! one now that i heared the sound of the presonus, could say i change with you my presonus for your 18i20 and i would say no thanx ! well i also thank you for the chance to hear a comparsment for i had no chnce to do that by myself
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Focusrite has more gain and the mids are higher
thanks for feedback
Why not a mixer audio interface by Soundcraft mtk22
thanks for sharing
Do any of these work with the MPC as an interface in standalone mode? Or even in controller mode?
i use my mpc2000xl as a controller with the focusrite
Presonus if you use studio one daw, but I would go with the focusrite
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I choose the focus rite
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Presonus I find has some weird behaviour when opening FL projects. Not that you use FL but it's worth knowing. I find that any audio that is playing gets stretched and sounds bitcrushed whilst the project loads. Not a major issue but sometimes annoying if you are showing tracks to someone and want to load up a new project in the background. I had a scarlett in the past and I would say the build quality was not great and it did die due to power supply failure as others have mentioned.
thanks for sharing
I am going to guess that the sample rate of your base windows audio output and the sample rate of FL Studio differ.
Focusrite is super cleaner. I use the 18i8 nothing else although I do have a presonus studiolive ar16c which I don't use at all. Focusrite is the winner by far
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The SP 404 MK2 is also a nice interface.
true LOL
Keep it simple and just go with the Scarlet.
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i suggest you the Focusrite 18i20 because of its allmost nonexisting latency but also the preamps are great. i record many things using it : from vocals to beats to voiceovers allmost everything and i am happy with. the only thing i dislike is the way to useless and to compicated software it comes with : sometimes no software solutions are better and for sure they could have set it up with one preset that covers all needs ! so the software is the bad thing on it which i dislike very much because it is simply keeping one on trying to configure isntead of getting it allready configured or at least to have the possibility to configure things on the devise itself rather then on a softweare. but beside this : i ammhappy with its sound and i am happy with the esetialy nonexisting latency but the sound is the thing that got me atmost.
now i never had a presonus AI so i cannot compare the both
thanks for feedback
I am going with the 4th generation Scarlett 18i20 and the Scarlett Octo Pre
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The Focus rite sounds better in my opinion
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18i20 all the way : D
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Presonus studio live 16r 🎉🎉🎉🎉
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is this presunos good for drum recording?
Why wouldnt it be? Its and audio interface
Put it this way the presonus has better pres and the focusrite has waaay better converters but overall im going with prism titan and later upgrade to lynx because im in the videogame soundesign and music so yes
thanks for sharing
what's the advantage of prism and lynx for video game sound design and music?
@@brynkirsch5195pristine surround dolby atmos quality
Presonus > Focusrite
thanks
Definitely the focusrite, it has a livelier sound than the presonus
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Man, this comparison is useless need compare the sounds with the same gain level. It makes no sense to compare the same level of gain if one captures at a higher level than the other...I'm sorry but this video is confusing people.
I had one question. If you finished your routing on the presonus do you just can close the software and it still be in the same routes? 😅
Because on the Focusrite it always has to be running in the background 😔
Btw Im on Windows, so maybe someone has some experience with the presonus on Windows? 😊
Great question, i'm not 100% sure because i returned the presonus
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20
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Focusrite on the rc bang harder
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Go with focusrites
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Why not used the Behringer x32 rack?
yep
Focusrite!!!
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Ofcourse focusrite!
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Focusrite sounds "bassy" ...don't like that...Presonus wins!
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Focus Rite is stronger and clearer on all.
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Focusrite all the way….much better signal
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Focusrite
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Focusrite wins again
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Son sordos? La Focusrite suena sarurado sucio
Presonus ...
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go Apogee
thanks for feedback but not enough line inputs
Which 1 you Get ? I need to upGrade Also
focusrite
Bought this piece of sht, and it's been a month and haven't been able to record nothing cause of issues with the sample rates, no matter what set up for latency, after a few seconds it starts to crackle and distort until the signal is inaudible, also on the input meters the light is black!! and also in the mixer, never seen this sht before. I'm tired of messaging with the support team, they don't solve sht. My scarlet 2i2 works way better, should have gone for the claret. now I'm stuck with this junk! shame on presonus! Forgot to mention, if you wanna search in their forum, you have to buy their sphere account! wtf!!
thanks for feedback
Focusrite
thanks