-
Input 1 (Line Level/Instrument) Gain Control and Gain Halo - The Gain control sets the input level and the Gain Halo shows you the input level for the 6.35mm (1/4") jack line level/instrument input on the front panel.
-
Input 1 Line Level/Instrument 6.35mm (1/4") Jack Socket - accepts both mono (TS) and balanced mono (TRS) 6.35mm (1/4") jack cables at line or instrument level.
-
Inst Switch - Press to toggle the 6.35mm (1/4") jack, input 1, between line or instrument level.
-
Input 2 (Microphone) Gain Control and Gain Halo - The Gain control sets the input level and the Gain Halo shows you the input level for input 2, the XLR microphone connector on the back panel.
-
48V Button - Press to turn on 48V phantom power at the XLR mic input to power condenser microphones.
-
Air Button - Press to turn on AIR mode (see Air).
-
Speaker Output level Control - Control the level going to Outputs R and L.
-
USB LED - Lights green when the interface is recognised by your computer, white if it is connected but not recognised and off if it is not connected.
-
Direct Monitor Switch - Press to toggle direct monitoring on and off (see direct Monitor Button).
-
Headphone Level Control - Control the level sent to your headphones.
-
-
- Kensington Lock, use a lock to secure your Scarlett and deter theft.
-
USB - USB-C connector to connect your Scarlett to your computer.
-
Speaker Outputs R and L - 6.35mm (1/4") jack (TS or TRS) sockets to connect your Scarlett to speakers or an amplifier. We recommend you use 6.35mm (1/4") TRS jack cables for balanced connections.
-
XLR Input 2 - 3-pin XLR connectors to connect your microphones.
This section covers all the features on your Scarlett Solo's front panel, what they do, how you might use them, and how they work in Focusrite Control 2.
The preamp input gain controls how much signal you are sending into your computer and recording software.
It's essential to set a good level for the preamp input gain so you get the best quality recording. If the preamp input gain is too low, your signal will be too quiet and when you try to boost its level later you may hear noise in the recording; if the preamp input gain is too high you might 'clip' the input and hear harsh distortion in your recording.
The Scarlett Solo has two analogue gain controls for preamp 1 (Line/Inst) and preamp 2 (Microphone).
To control the input gain, turn the gain control for the preamp you are using clockwise to increase the level or anti-clockwise to decrease the level.
When you send a signal into your preamp, the Gain Halo lights green, amber or red to show the signal level going into your computer.
-
Green shows your signal level is good.
-
Amber shows your signal is pre-clip, any higher and you are likely to clip the input
-
Red shows your signal has clipped, you should reduce the gain.
This diagram shows the meters at different levels to show the input signal level:
-
No input signal
-
-42 dBFS
-
-36 dBFS
-
-24 dBFS
-
-18 dBFS
-
-12 dBFS
-
-6 dBFS
-
0 dBFS, clipping - turn down the input gain to avoid distortion and clipping.
In the same way as the input meters on your Scarlett Solo's front panel, you can see the incoming signal on the meters in Focusrite Control 2 to set the correct preamp gain.
As the signal gets louder, the meter in Focusrite Control 2 lights from green to amber (pre-clip).
The indicator above the meter shows you the peak level (in -dBFS), the highest level on this track since you started monitoring the input. When you hover over the Peak level meter, you can click to the value.
|
Waiting for an input signal. |
The input signal has reached -18.5dB. |
Click to the Peak Level meter. |
When you overload the preamp, with too much input signal, or by adding too much gain, the Peak Level Meter lights red. Hover over the Peak Level Meter and click to the value.
|
The Input has clipped. |
Click to the Peak Level Meter after clipping. |
48V, also commonly referred to as 'Phantom Power', sends 48 Volts from your interface's XLR connector to devices needing power to work. The most common use is sending power to condenser microphones, but you may also need 48V for inline mic preamps, active dynamic microphones and active DI boxes.
To turn on 48V:
-
Connect your microphone, or another powered device, to the XLR input on your interface using an XLR cable. 48V is not sent to the 6.35mm (1/4") jack input.
-
Turn down that preamp's gain control to avoid any unwanted pops and clicks.
-
Press the 48V button (or the corresponding software button)
48v lights green to show it's enabled. 48V phantom power is now being sent to the XLR input on your Scarlett and to any device connected to the XLR input.
To enable 48V (Phantom Power) from Focusrite Control 2 click the button for the input you want to enable it on. This is the same as pressing the 48V button on the Scarlett Solo hardware.
|
Phantom Power off |
Phantom Power on |
Important
If you accidentally send 48V phantom power to the wrong input, most modern microphones of other types, e.g., dynamic or ribbon, will not be damaged, but some older microphones may be. If you're unsure, please check your microphone's user guide to ensure it is safe to use with 48V phantom power.
Inst, or instrument, changes the impedance and input level of the 6.35mm (1/4") jack inputs on your Scarlett so the inputs sound their best for either an instrument or line-level source. We list the input impedance values in the Specifications section. If you don't turn on Inst and connect an electric guitar, the resulting sound can be muddy and quiet compared to with Inst on.
The Inst (Instrument) button only affects the 6.35mm (1/4") line input for the selected channel, either input 1 or input 2. It changes it from an input suitable for line-level devices to an input better suited for instrument-level devices.
To enable, or disable, instrument mode for the 6.35mm (1/4") jack input, select the channel and press the Inst button once. Green shows Inst is enabled, and white shows Inst is disabled. When you enable Inst and connect a jack to your Scarlett, the minimum gain for the input is changed to +7dB.
Note
When the Inst light is white, the 6.35mm jack input is at line level.
When Inst is enabled (green) you can connect instrument-level devices to the 1/4" inputs such as, but not limited to:
-
Electric or electro-acoustic guitars directly and via effects pedals.
-
Electric basses
-
Acoustic instruments with pick-ups such as violins, double basses etc.
When Inst is disabled (white) you can connect line-level devices to the 6.35mm (1/4") inputs such as, but not limited to:
-
Synthesisers
-
Keyboards
-
Drum Machines
-
External Microphone Preamps
Note
The XLR and 6.35mm (1/4") jack inputs 1 and 2 on the front panel of your Scarlett Solo take priority over the corresponding mic/line inputs on the back panel.
If you have no signal from something connected to rear inputs 1 and 2, check if you have something connected to front inputs 1 and 2.
If you activate 48V for inputs 1 or 2 then plug a 6.35mm (1/4”) jack into the line-level or instrument input on the front panel, your Scarlett Solo automatically disables 48V for the corresponding rear microphone input.
To change inputs 1 or 2 between instrument and line from Focusrite Control 2 click the Inst button once.
|
Line |
Instrument |
Note
When you switch between Inst and Line, the gain stays at the last level you set.
Air lets you change your Scarlett's preamp sound with two different modes; Air Presence or Air Presence and Harmonic Drive.
Air is only available for the microphone input.
To enable Air, select your input, press the Air button once for Air Presence, again for Air Presence and Harmonic Drive and again to turn off. The Air LED changes colour to show which mode you have selected:
|
Mode |
Description |
AIR LED |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Off |
The preamp is clean |
White |
|
|
Air Presence |
An analogue circuit gives a presence boost to your sources. |
Green |
|
|
Air Presence and Harmonic Drive |
Adds harmonics, in addition to the analogue Air circuit. |
Amber |
Only available at up to 96kHz |
To enable AIR from Focusrite Control 2 click the button. This is the same as pressing the button on the Scarlett Solo hardware.
|
Air Off |
Air Presence selected |
Air Presence and Drive selected |
When you click Focusrite Control 2's Air button, the last selected Air mode becomes activated. To change the selected Air mode (Presence or Presence and Drive) click the arrow to show the dropdown menu.
|
Air Presence selected |
Air Presence and Drive selected |
Note
Air Presence & Drive is only available at up to 96kHz, you cannot use it at quad-band (176.4kHz and 192 kHz) sample rates.
Output controls the signals going to the first two Outputs on the back of your Scarlett, the outputs you'd most often connect to speakers.
The Output control sets the level at the outputs from nothing (fully anti-clockwise) to full-scale output (fully clockwise).
Speaker Output Calibration
On some occasions, you may still hear sound from your monitor speakers when the Output control is fully anti-clockwise, you can adjust your monitor levels to resolve this:
-
Turn down your interface's Output control and your monitors' level control.
-
Turn the Output control to maximum (or just below maximum).
-
Play sound from your system.
-
Turn up your monitors' level controls until the level is the loudest you need.
You should no longer hear sound when the Output control is at its minimum. You also have more control over the level with the full range of the Output control. By setting it at just below the maximum, you also have a little extra volume if you need it, or want to listen to sounds at a louder-than-normal level.
Direct Monitor allows you to hear the signals connected to your interface's inputs without them going through your computer. This means you will hear the inputs without any latency and without effects.
You might use Direct Monitoring if you're experiencing latency or a delay between making a sound and hearing it back from your software, or if you want to hear the signal going into your Scarlett, instead of after software with effects and plugins changing the way it sounds.
When Direct Monitor is off, the Direct icon lights white, to turn on direct monitoring, press the Direct button once and the Direct icon lights green.
|
Direct monitor off. |
Direct monitor on. |
The headphone output is a 6.35mm (¼”) TRS jack. Many headphones have a 3.5mm TRS jack, to connect them to your Scarlett Solo you must use a TRS 6.35mm to 3.5mm adaptor.
The control above the headphone output controls the level going to your headphones.
Some higher impedance headphones may be quiet using them with a Scarlett Solo, we recommend using headphones with an impedance up to 300Ω.
Note
Some headphones and jack adaptors may have TS or TRRS connectors, for example, if they have a microphone or volume control built into the cable. It's unlikely these headphones will work properly. If you're having issues, use headphones and a jack adaptor with TRS jack connectors.
This section covers all the features on your Scarlett Solo's back panel, what they do, how you might use them and how they work in Focusrite Control 2.
USB Port
The USB Type-C port labelled USB is to connect your Scarlett to your computer.
The connection to your computer provides USB power, two-way audio communication, and a connection to Focusrite Control 2.
The USB Icon Flashes Red
If the USB icon flashes red, this means your Scarlett Solo isn't getting enough power.
To resolve this issue:
-
Make sure you are using the original USB cable provided with your Scarlett.
-
Test a different USB port on your computer, make sure you're connecting directly to your computer and not via a USB hub.
-
Make sure your USB ports can provide 900mA of power. The Scarlett Solo requires 900mA of power to work.
Outputs 1 and 2 are line-level outputs to connect your Scarlett Solo to an amplifier or active monitors. The outputs are balanced 1/4" TRS jack outputs, you can use them with either unbalanced TS or balanced TRS jack cables and connect to speakers with 1/4" jack, RCA or XLR inputs.
Your Scarlett Solo's front panel Output dial controls the level sent to Outputs 1 and 2.
Note
It is possible to use unbalanced connections, like TS 6.35mm jacks or jack to RCA cables– but we wouldn't recommend it. Using unbalanced connections, may mean you hear interference through your monitors.
If you hear a static, crackling or any other noise in your monitors, even when sounds not playing, make sure you're using balanced connections where you can.
The 3-pin XLR connector Input is at microphone level and designed for you to connect your microphones.
You can control your microphone level using the corresponding input gain control on the front panel. 48V phantom power is also available if you are using a condenser mic, you can enable phantom power using the front panel 48V button.