Inputs you will actually use · review
One microphone preamp and one instrument input, with the same 120 dB converters Focusrite puts in its larger interfaces, an Air mode for presence, and a software bundle that is a large part of the value.
What it amounts to The safest single-input interface here: good converters, a real software bundle and a driver that is maintained.
The Scarlett Solo has been the default first interface for years, and the fourth generation keeps the reasons intact.
Focusrite quotes the same 120 dB dynamic range converters as on its higher interfaces, which means the limit on your recordings will be the room and the microphone rather than the box. The connection is USB-C. The Air mode adds presence and saturation on the way in — useful, and worth understanding as a commitment, because it is printed into the recording rather than added later.
The software matters more than it appears to. Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE and the Hitmaker Expansion arrive with the unit. For someone starting out, that is the difference between an interface and a working studio, and it is a large part of why this unit costs what it does.
The only real limitation is arithmetic: one microphone preamp records one microphone. If two sources have to be captured in the same take, the 2i2 is the smallest fix.
| Channels | 2 in / 2 out |
|---|---|
| Converters | 120 dB dynamic range (Focusrite states) |
| Connection | USB-C |
| Air mode | Presence and saturation setting for vocals and guitars |
| Software | Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, Hitmaker Expansion |
| Setup | Easy Start tool |
| Amazon reference | B0C5JSHP7M (identical on 6 markets) |
| EAN | 0815301001478 |
Same section, nearest price — what the same money else sounds like.
Count what you record at the same moment. One voice, or one guitar, or one after the other: Solo. A voice and a guitar together, two singers, or a stereo pair: 2i2. Nothing else about the two units differs enough to matter at this level.
Focusrite describes it as bringing vocals and guitars forward with presence and saturation. It is a deliberate color rather than a correction, and it is recorded into the file — so it is a decision, not a later adjustment.
7.8/ 10
The safest single-input interface here: good converters, a real software bundle and a driver that is maintained.
Shown because the accessory names this instrument itself.
A reference exists on these Amazon stores: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, United States. Listed is not the same as in stock — availability changes daily.
Details checked on August 18, 2026.
A songwriter recording one part at a time who wants room to grow.
Amazon reports what buyers took in the month before this page was last checked: at least 2,000.
The figure is a floor, rounded by Amazon, and read through Keepa — it says what buyers picked, not what a maker claims.
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for musical instruments and gear and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
2×2 · Midas preamp · 48 kHz · USB powered
The cheapest honest way into recording: one XLR/TRS combo input with a Midas-designed preamp, a separate instrument input, direct monitoring and USB power. Forty-eight kilohertz, and no pretense beyond it.
Best for: A first interface for one voice or one instrument at a time.
≈ $53
No audio at all · 8 in / 8 out MIDI · three standalone routing modes
The one listing on this shelf that passes no audio: an 8-in, 8-out MIDI interface with three standalone routing modes, per-port activity indicators and front-mounted sockets.
Best for: A studio with more than two MIDI instruments, where the problem is routing rather than recording.
2 channels · 48 V phantom power · gain meter −36 to 10 dB · 3.5 mm (0.14 in) mic input
The least expensive interface on this shelf by a wide margin, with two XLR inputs, 48 V phantom power, a published gain-meter range of −36 to 10 dB, and an extra 3.5 mm (0.14 in) microphone jack.
Best for: A first interface for someone who already has recording software and wants two XLR inputs for the least money.
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.
