There are various reasons for wanting to expand your number of available audio inputs - perhaps you’re in a band and need to record multiple sources at once, or want to mic up a drum kit - but whatever your requirements, when the time comes to add to your I/O, you need to make sure you do it right.
There’s no point adding inputs if they’re not going to give you the high-quality sound that you’re looking for. You need first-rate preamps, clean conversion and excellent dynamic range. And that’s exactly what you get with Focusrite’s 8-channel Scarlett and Clarett OctoPre mic pre expansion units.
Focusrite OctoPres can be hooked up to any interface that has an ADAT optical input. Depending on the ADAT connectivity of the interface you’re connecting to, you can use eight input channels at up to 24-bit/96kHz or four channels at up to 192kHz.
There are two models in the Scarlett OctoPre range, both of which feature eight of the pristine mic preamps that you’ll find in the second-generation range of Scarlett audio interfaces. Two channels also feature instrument inputs that offer plenty of headroom, while there’s the essential low noise and wide dynamic range.
The Scarlett OctoPre Dynamic also boasts eight analogue outputs, which can be fed from its ADAT Input, as well as optimised headroom on the mic preamps (as opposed to a pad on every channel on the standard model), plus analogue compression on every input.
The Clarett OctoPre, meanwhile, includes eight of the preamps found in Focusrite’s Clarett range of audio interfaces. These include the company’s ‘Air’ function, which modifies the frequency response to model the impedance and resonance characteristics of Focusrite’s transformer-based ISA mic preamps. Again, we’re talking 24-bit/192kHz quality, with the Clarett OctoPre also boasting both digital and analogue inputs.
This model also benefits from a switchable INSERT function on every channel, giving you the option to bring external processors (compressors and noise gates, for example) to the party and adding even more flexibility.
Whichever model you choose, you can be sure that it has more than 30 years of heritage behind it, as Focusrite has been creating mic pres since 1985. So, if you’re looking for a reliable, high-quality way of adding recording inputs to your existing setup, an OctoPre is the logical solution.
Find out more about the Scarlett OctoPre, Scarlett OctoPre Dynamic and Clarett OctoPre on the Focusrite website.