# Focusrite iTrack Solo, emc8000, and macbook pro ( intel)



## zillerr (Jul 7, 2010)

Hello all,

I am searching for a low cost (higher end) solution to use with my laptop and REW. I was hoping to do a single unit with the preamp/USB in one to use with a condenser mic. Thoughts?


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## Dub King (Aug 10, 2012)

The emc8000 is the right microphone for the job. I'm partial to the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 as opposed to the iTrack Solo because it features balanced outputs but both are great interfaces. I very much like the sound of the Scarlett, you can always buy 1/4 to RCA cables to connect it to consumer gear and you never know when dual mic inputs will come in handy.


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## zillerr (Jul 7, 2010)

It looks like the phantom power in the solo is knly on the mic input. So how would I do a loop back ?


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## Dub King (Aug 10, 2012)

Phantom power would only be for a microphone anyway. What exactly are you trying to achieve? FWIW this Alesis mixing board sounds really excellent and has enough I/O capability to do anything you need: http://www.alesis.com/multimix8usb20



zillerr said:


> It looks like the phantom power in the solo is knly on the mic input. So how would I do a loop back ?


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## EarlK (Jan 1, 2010)

Feature for feature, the Scarlett 2i2 looks ( to me ) to be the better buy ( click the first pic & then look for the "hidden" real price of the unit / from BHP).

I own one of these 2i2s . I certainly like the build quality ( so far, had it since @ Jan 2012 ) .

:sn:


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## zillerr (Jul 7, 2010)

I may be way off on this, but in the REW cable and connection thread it states phantom power is needed to run the all in one unit with a EMC8000.


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## zillerr (Jul 7, 2010)

The 2i2s does not seem to list phantom power support . Are you using yours for REW?


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## Dub King (Aug 10, 2012)

That's what the '48v' button on the 2i2 is for. The whole point of Focusrite gear is the quality of their mic pre-amp.

From the focusrite website: 

Front panel
2 line/mic/instrument combination inputs – Neutrik XLR/¼” TRS Jack Combo
2 Line/Instrument switches
2 Gain knobs
2 Gain halo signal indicators
*48V Phantom power switch*
Direct monitor switch
Large monitor level dial
USB Connection LED indicator
Headphone output - ¼” TRS Jack
Headphone level knob

I calibrated my system before I got a Scarlett, but I really like it's sound quality - I actually bought it for the output not the input.



zillerr said:


> The 2i2s does not seem to list phantom power support . Are you using yours for REW?


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## zillerr (Jul 7, 2010)

Ah! The sweet water site did not list the "phantom".

Thanks for that! Anyone have comments or experience calibrating this device for REW? Loop back with 1/4 to RCA I would assume....?


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## EarlK (Jan 1, 2010)

> Anyone have comments or experience calibrating this device for REW? Loop back with 1/4 to RCA I would assume....?


Yes,

*NOTE :* The Scarlett 2i2 does not have any RCA connectors on it . 

















- Do your calibration with a cable going from the[ 1/4" (TRS) cable to male XLR ( plugged into the #2 mic input )] with the phantom power ( 48V ) turned off . 
- Mic input pre-amps are typically not as linear as the line input portion of the same pre-amp .

:sn:


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## zillerr (Jul 7, 2010)

Wow. I don't think I'm thinking straight today. Somehow I was thinking about the cables I was going to use for measuring my audio And combined that with the loopback cable. So, to clarify, I will be using quarter-inch TRS connector in the right output to the number 2 mic input male XLR...? 

And REW will not have an issue recognizing this device at all?


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## Dub King (Aug 10, 2012)

Your cable can also be 1/4" to 1/4", the Scarlett's input accepts both. The ASIO drivers are stable with superbly low latency, as are the standard Windows drivers. I have not heard of any issues with the Scarlett on a Mac. I've successfully used the Scarlett with REW, don;t see why there would be any problem. Just be sure to disable your regular soundcard's inputs and make the Scarlett the default audio input device.



zillerr said:


> Wow. I don't think I'm thinking straight today. Somehow I was thinking about the cables I was going to use for measuring my audio And combined that with the loopback cable. S*o, to clarify, I will be using quarter-inch TRS connector in the right output to the number 2 mic input male XLR*...?
> 
> And REW will not have an issue recognizing this device at all?


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## zillerr (Jul 7, 2010)

Thanks for all the great info!

I did 1/4 to 1/4 should I use mono ?


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## EarlK (Jan 1, 2010)

Here's the difference between the LF rsponse of the mic pre-amp and the line input ( of the same channel ) on my ( M-Audio ) Fast Track Ultra sound-card .

The 3db down points are significantly different .

:sn:


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## zillerr (Jul 7, 2010)

Yeah. That is a big difference. This was the screenshot from when you were creating your CAL file? And you used a quarter inch TRS mono male to male?


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## valbuene (Feb 28, 2012)

I tried the software but found that the Audio Signal Path wont work under Firewire connection, REQ doesnt work on Firewire, only works on USB.


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## zillerr (Jul 7, 2010)

Was your workaround for this to manually calibrate?


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## valbuene (Feb 28, 2012)

I was using a TC Electronics Desktop Konnekt 6 that never worked because it was Firewire, so I end up running Audessey XT on the Marantz Receiver to flat the speaker response in the room.


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## tonyptony (May 20, 2007)

Dub King said:


> The emc8000 is the right microphone for the job. I'm partial to the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 as opposed to the iTrack Solo because it features balanced outputs but both are great interfaces. I very much like the sound of the Scarlett, you can always buy 1/4 to RCA cables to connect it to consumer gear and you never know when dual mic inputs will come in handy.


Dub King, I've been looking at this or the Presound Firestudio Mobile to replace my dead (I think) E-mu 0404 USB (I do also have FW on my laptop). For use primarily as a mic preamp, would have any experience with the Presound and how it might compare to the Focusrite? Stuff like frequency response, gain range, frequency linearity with gain (that's one thing which was not good with the E-mu). Thanks.


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