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Inline Pad into Focusrite Scarlet 2i2


Greggo
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I am picking up a Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 interface on saturday won for cheap off eBay with he intention was that it was to be a "one-stop" shop for recording Vocals, miking up acoustics and direct recording of electric guitars as im currently using various methods to record which work fine but a bit clunky.

As always, hindsight is wonderful and I've noticed that a few reviews do state that it is not that suitable direct electric guitars because the lack of headroom on Instrument Level even when gain is on 0db. It is a known issue but a few people have resorted to using the Line setting which i know from experience sucks a considerable amount of high end from the tone despite being more useable gain levels. I haven't actually got the device yet so I don't know how bad the clipping will (if any) with my guitars, but it does seem to be a problem experienced by a lot of people.

I did read somewhere that someone recommended using an inline pad should be fine. Has anyone any experience of using these type of devices for a similar scenario so the gain is reduced prior to the input stage?

https://www.studiospares.com/Microphones/Mic-Accessories/Studiospares-30dB-In-Line-XLR-Attenuator_568590.htm#rtabs2

I am thinking that using one of these on the guitar should then provide plenty of headroom back on the unit to record, but I'm wondering if this sort of device has any noticeable tone suck like what going to Line would do?

Reason why I mention the tone suck is that my current setup for electric guitar is Guitar -> Disenaged Analog Pedal with Buffered Bypass > Rocksmith Cable

Using this setup sounds really good compared to just going straight into laptop with the Rocksmith cable, which sounds noticeably duller when doing it this way. I imagine that if I just used the Line section of the 2i2 then this will be the same.

I'm hoping to get as good a sound using the Inline Pad that I do with this setup but without having to use this pedal between.

Any thoughts welcome!

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I've been using a Scarlett 2i2 to record electric guitars for a while & never had any problems with clipping or lack of headroom. Depends how hot your pickups are I guess but I've had no problems with my Jazzmaster single coils or my Gretsch Anniversary Filtertron humbuckers.

Edited by RhysP
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Is it the first generation or second generation box that you're buying? I believe that they've fixed this 'issue' with the second generation. Indeed I have the second gen and get no clipping using the instrument setting going direct.

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[quote name='Muppet' timestamp='1475869100' post='3149451']
Is it the first generation or second generation box that you're buying? I believe that they've fixed this 'issue' with the second generation. Indeed I have the second gen and get no clipping using the instrument setting going direct.
[/quote]

Its the first generation unfortunately. It may be that I have no issues but I'll guess I'll have to see.

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[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1475925313' post='3149794']
Does not the 2i2 also have a pad button as well as the gain knob? I now have the 2i4 2nd gen and that certainly does. I had a first gen 2i4 and that did too, I think.
[/quote]


Picked it up this first generation doesn't have pad button, hence why I'm thinking of having inline pad connected to workaround it.

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Update - turns out I needn't have worried too much. There isn't any clipping on guitars through the instrument setting with gain right down and is a real healthy signal. One of my basses clips direct through it, but not a big deal as can use a buffer to help this.

Edited by Greggo
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  • 2 weeks later...

Heya,

We did see some clipping issues on the 1st Gen with guitars/basses that had fairly high output, however this has now been completely fixed in the 2nd Gen units. As someone also mentioned, the 2i4 has a selectable pad whereas the 2i2 does not.
You can of course use the Line input option, however this will give you a different tone due to the impedance change, not usually for the better.

Fortunately you don't seem to be having any issues, but if you find that they start to creep in as you change/upgrade guitars etc, then the 2nd Gen will be the upgrade to make after hopefully wetting your whistle with the 1st Gen :)

Cheers
Si // Focusrite Media Relations

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  • 5 weeks later...

the reason why people think that this issue affects a lot of people is because Focusrite have sold a shipload of 2i2s so it seems there are heaps affected by it but it is a small percentage of the total number of people using it.

I love mine, but now need more inputs, bloody drummers !

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