Perfect for your studio or mobile recording rig, the Clarett+ 8Pre gives you a wealth of connectivity — including ADAT and MIDI I/O — all in a sleek 1U form factor. Aside from this, pre-amp controls are very basic – just a gain control for each, with no high-pass filter or polarity switch. My own test bench measurements using an Audio Precision system gave an AES17 dynamic range measurement of 117. In this time I have verified that the use that I give to the interface is both 50/50 for recording and for monitoring the rehearsal with the band. In some ways, the most radical change that the Clarett range introduces compared with previous Focusrite interfaces concerns the software utility used to control them.

Given how good modern digital equipment already is, Focusrite’s update actually represents quite a significant step forward in engineering terms.

The Clarett+ range comes with a downloadable software bundle comprising a combination of recording software, mixing plug‑ins, and virtual instruments. I happened to do a firmware update and factory reset on mine just to be sure mine was up to date and I hadn't accidentally set something funny before I knew what I was doing, before I read Focusrite's link in this thread. I was provided with the flagship model for this review, the Clarett+ 8Pre, which is described as “a powerful studio‑grade 18‑in/20‑out audio interface”. Generally, these cookies are only created based on actions you take in response to a service request, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in, or filling out forms. Andertons Music Company acts as a credit broker and not a lender and only offers credit products from Secure Trust Bank PLC trading as V12 Retail Finance.

One notable attraction of the whole range was that even the smallest model could be expanded via ADAT inputs to accept eight additional analogue channels, ideally from the matching Clarett Octopre mic preamp/converter. When I used to do live recordings, it was a lot more crucial to be able to make minor adjustments quickly. Ten channels of digital connectivity in and out are provided through stereo S/PDIF (RCA‑phono or optical) and ADAT (assuming the ports aren’t being used for S/PDIF). On the other hand, I would also like to know your opinion about the change and the idea I have for what I need.Of course, the original Clarett was hardly a slouch in this regard, but the improvements are not only measurable but audible too, especially when working in challenging conditions.

The high frequency lift made the signal easier to hear and more flattering in foldback mixes, introducing the kind of processing you’d invariably reach for later when mixing anyway, but instead in the analogue domain. These objects can be mono or stereo, and the interface positively encourages you to hide any that aren’t being used in a particular cue mix. Featuring a 6-segment, multichannel LED meter, the Clarett+ 8Pre's monitor panel keeps you informed of analog and digital input levels and main monitor outputs.

Panel layout is extremely intuitive, with simple preamp controls, clear LED metering, and monitor and headphone controls on the right. Instead, they’ve turbo–charged the audio specifications of the new units, achieving a near 10dB improvement in dynamic range both on the input and output side compared with the Saffire interfaces.

Focusrite fitted the Clarett+ 8Pre with mic preamps that were designed exclusively for the Clarett+ range with loads of pristine gain and vanishingly low noise.The latter is a Focusrite‑endorsed plug‑in which emulates the company’s classic ISA Studio Console’s (110 module) channel equaliser section and (130 module) dynamics processor. This is also useful for intelligibility when using the mic inputs for live streams and online meetings. Better yet, the bx_console Focusrite plugin is completely free for all owners of Clarett and Red interfaces.