Thinking about buying Scarlett 2i2 - driver question

Joel Glassman

New member
Hi everyone
HomeRecording got me started recording demos a few years ago. Thanks.
I've researched usb audio interfaces and am thinking about the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 ver2.
Lots of complaints on Amazon.com about its Win 10 driver though.
Could use the Focusrite on Win 7 or 8. Are there problems with the drivers for 7 & 8?
[I own an EMu 0404 which recently bit the dust. They never developed a Win 7 driver
for it! Very frustrating.]
Anyone prefer a different usb interface similar to the 2i2?
My demos are primarily acoustic with some electric guitar
thanks--Joel
 
Do not know if the 2i2 does have a driver issue with W10 but there ARE other AIs!

I am well know here for my rabid reccy of the Native Instruments KA6, you will not get that amount of connectivity, driver stability or low latency for the money anywhere near its ~£160 price tag.
There has however been a development. Pete of Scan fame reports the Zoom UAC-2 as having the cleanest converters he has come across at the money. He is a big fan of the KA6 well but says the Zoom jeeeust pips it for sound quality. The UAC-2 is also claimed to have very low latency and good drivers and Pete would not let such claims pass unchallenged.

The Zoom AI is about the same price as the KA6 but lacks the extra line ins and outs and S/PDIF which makes it a bit poorer value for money but despite that if I needed another basic, 2x2 AI THAT is what I would go for.

Dave.
 
Presonus also make a decent low-end unit (Audiobox USB).

I have the 2i2 with Windows 7 x64 and have zero driver related issues. I'd be very surprised they're having Windows 10 issues, as this is one of the more common interfaces sold. I wonder if any complaints you're seeing are the result of bad Windows 7/8 upgrades to Windows 10, or other incompatibilities not actually tied to their driver. One of the reasons I bought the 2i2 was because it has/had a solid reputation for being relatively bug-free.
 
Since the Presonus was mentioned, let me bring up a point I had with mine. A coupe years back that unit had an issue when using phantom power. Mine would have a hum that would not go away when using the phantom power. After several days of research it was found the unit didn't supply enough voltage through the usb interface. So I bought a separate phantom power supply and that fixed it. That unit was another $30 to the cost. I switched to the Scarlett and have not problems on Windows 7. Just fyi.
 
I have a Focusrite 2i4 and an 18i20. With the 2i4 on Windows 10 - I have to unplug and re plug the USB in after the computer boots up. I haven't had the issue with the 18i20. Nuisance more than anything. I would not get the 2i2 - it has a different lower grade preamp.
 
" computer boots up. I haven't had the issue with the 18i20. Nuisance more than anything. I would not get the 2i2 - it has a different lower grade preamp. " As evidenced by? I have little time for the 2i2, not good VFM IMHO (and no MIDI!) but I have never read a bad thing about its pre amps.

About a year ago I did a very unscientific comparison between an 8i6 and my KA6 with AKG P150s and acoustic guitar. I really could not chose between them, both were excellent.

The manfctr of really low distortion, very quiet mic amps is now SO mature and SO cheap that...
1) they are all essentially the same circuit.
2) anyone who claims "A is better than B" has got to support such a claim with numbers and VERY carefully controlled recordings.

Dave.
 
But , I should add. as pointed out; no midi. Although I Like it and it is serving me well, that is a draw back

I'm guessing it was to save space/interface size and cut the costs even more. Midi usb adapters are a dime a dozen, and most newer midi devices operate over USB anyway. Actual midi connectivity is becoming a dinosaur. IMO it's less a con than it is a footnote.
 
I agree. Most people aern't stringing multiple midi devices together, which is the only reason to have a midi port. Midi over USB is the way to go now.
 
I agree. Most people aern't stringing multiple midi devices together, which is the only reason to have a midi port. Midi over USB is the way to go now.

And yet! The VERY latest RME TB/USB 3.0 interface has two (count them TWO!) sets of MIDI ports! There is PLENTY of room for two DINs on the very sparingly adorned F'rite 2i2 and if Alesis can put them on a 70quid interface, why can't they for an extra £40 or so?

And! You can faff about with USB MIDI devices all you like, STILL does not get you a HARDWARE MIDI input.

Dave.
 
And yet! The VERY latest RME TB/USB 3.0 interface has two (count them TWO!) sets of MIDI ports! There is PLENTY of room for two DINs on the very sparingly adorned F'rite 2i2 and if Alesis can put them on a 70quid interface, why can't they for an extra £40 or so?

And! You can faff about with USB MIDI devices all you like, STILL does not get you a HARDWARE MIDI input.

Dave.

I knew I'd get your attention.
:)
 
And yet! The VERY latest RME TB/USB 3.0 interface has two (count them TWO!) sets of MIDI ports! There is PLENTY of room for two DINs on the very sparingly adorned F'rite 2i2 and if Alesis can put them on a 70quid interface, why can't they for an extra £40 or so?

And! You can faff about with USB MIDI devices all you like, STILL does not get you a HARDWARE MIDI input.

Dave.

I'm looking at the 2i2 right now, I don't see where they would fit two midi DINs. *Maybe* on the back, if they scrunched what's already there. *MAYBE*

One of the selling points for me with the 2i2 is its compact size, I have it tucked in a spot that most interfaces with more inputs/outputs wouldn't fit. The point of the 2i2 is that it's a 'quick-n-dirty' interface, giving you just enough to get the job done. And, as previously stated, most midi devices also come with USB connections anyway. MIDI (interface) is going bye-bye.
 
Fwiw, I've had (2) crashes of my 2i2 this week, neither was epic or at the worse time, but worthy of mentioning. My interface is maybe 2 years old now, and I use it a couple times a week for production and the rest just for casually listening to music. But it is powered 24/7 since my production PC is up 24/7. That will tend to wear down cheaply made devices. If it died I would still feel fine with replacing it with the newer model. I've gotten my money's worth from it already.
 
"
I'm looking at the 2i2 right now, I don't see where they would fit two midi DINs. " Are you sure you are looking at a 2i2 there Pinks? There is bloody HECTATRES of space on that rear panel! They would not even need to move any existing connectors, just move the screen printing over and maybe go down a point or two in font size.

In any case there is a move now (that I am not totally happy with but, need must...) to put MIDI I/O on 3.5mm TRS jacks and supply adaptors (these could be optional). Some firms have gone for a "D" connector and breakout cable.

I am not deprecating of the 2i2 I just think for the money it has no advantages over the competition, Steinberg, Tascam et al. If it had MIDI ports and say Cubase (S/PDIF would NOT hurt at the price!) I would put it at least equal top of my AI reccies, especially the gen ll model.

Also, electronic equipment does not "wear out" from being run constantly. Think of all the stuff we rely on? Traffic lights, masses of stuff in the modern car. Central heating controls, modems, DEC phones, fekking clocks! Even valve radios would often bang on every day for two decades and often it was capacitors, not valves that gave up at the death.

Dave.

Dave.
 
"
I'm looking at the 2i2 right now, I don't see where they would fit two midi DINs. " Are you sure you are looking at a 2i2 there Pinks? There is bloody HECTATRES of space on that rear panel! They would not even need to move any existing connectors, just move the screen printing over and maybe go down a point or two in font size.

Yes, on the back left there's some room (assuming the insides are not stuffed to the gills there). I thought there were another set of outputs on the back, had to turn it around after your post. :p
 
Besides drivers, consider whether the 2i2 method of direct monitoring will be suitable for you or if you need a knob that can set a customised mix between you recorded sound and the mic you're recording. As an example, that would be a deal breaker for me.
 
Yes, on the back left there's some room (assuming the insides are not stuffed to the gills there). I thought there were another set of outputs on the back, had to turn it around after your post. :p

Right. I admit the AI would need some re design but obviously "decisions were made" at the early design stage and the inclusion of MIDI and other features..AT THE PRICE POINT THEY WANTED TO HIT, were decided against. They went instead (Mk1) for pretty lights and higher than useful DI gain.

See, for me, an AI should always have MIDI, it's historical, even the S (of a)B cards could handle MIDI with an external cable (thick, rigid, clunky bloody thing it was but, IT WORKED!). My first "proper" USB AI was the M-A Fast track pro and at that time I cannot recall an AI that did NOT have MIDI? The FTPro was USB 1.1 but could handle 2 tracks in and out at 24bits 44.1/48kHz and MIDI and S/PDIF in (but not S/PDIF out as well unless you dropped to 16 bits) That tells me that the amount of processing needed to handle MIDI is minute, you just need the generic DINs and a small interface board which must be SO cheap because they fit them on some pretty low budget amps!

Like headphone jacks: USE it (well, bitch if it ain't there!) or lose it. It is not rocket science nor expensive.

Fork! I had forgotten my Behringer BCA2000. Crap drivers and reliability but the thing was packed with features and nothing quite like it has been produced since at anything like the price of £150ish. MIDI in-out and fekkin' THRU!

Dave.
 
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