Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 2nd Gen Focusrite

Record whatever you want, whenever you want

Our latest generation 18-in, 8-out USB interface is ideal for multi-instrumentalists, producers and small bands who want to record audio from a wide range of sources such as drums, guitars, keyboards and vocals. It’s our most comprehensive desktop interface, giving you four mic preamps, round-trip latency as low as 2.74ms*, class-leading sound quality, and two separate headphone outputs, so you can give different monitoring settings to two artists, or an engineer and artist. It’s also expandable over ADAT.

Focusrite interfaces are perfect partners for Pro Tools, so

Scarlett 18i8 comes with Pro Tools | First Focusrite Creative Pack, as well as Ableton Live Lite recording software and a suite of software and samples, so you can start recording straight away. Scarlett 18i8 works flawlessly with all major DAWs on Mac and PC, and we continue to work with Avid to ensure it is compatible with every update to Pro Tools.

Delimit Your Studio
Don’t be limited by your interface’s connectivity. 18 separate inputs let you connect just about anything you want, and leave your instruments permanently set up and ready to record.

The four combination inputs on the front each have a natural-sounding Scarlett mic preamp, 48V phantom power and superior linear gain. Backed by 30 years of design experience, they guarantee low noise, minimal distortion and a dynamic range that is unrivalled in this class.

On the back are four more line inputs for connecting your synths, keyboards or mixers, and two additional S/PDIF inputs for recording digital sources. For even more inputs, connect an eight-channel mic pre like the Scarlett OctoPre, for a total of 16 analogue inputs with 12 preamps.

Separate Headphones
As well as two balanced analogue line outputs for connecting professional speakers, Scarlett 18i8 gives you two independent stereo headphone outputs, so you can give two artists (or an engineer and artist) their own cans and monitoring settings.

Even More I/O!

If you want four more Scarlett preamps available all the time, and take a look at Scarlett 18i20. It is beautiful, rack-mountable and capable of handling all your day-to-day studio tasks with quality and flexibility.

Expand your Scarlett with an OctoPre

Need additional mic inputs for your Scarlett interface? We have just the answer: the Scarlett OctoPre. With eight 2nd Generation Scarlett mic preamps and up to 192kHz A-D precision conversion, it connects to the ADAT input on your audio interface.

The Scarlett OctoPre lets you expand your interface immediately – providing you with more inputs. Click here to learn more about the Scarlett OctoPre.

Revolutionise Your Workflow
An unrivalled round-trip latency as low as 2.74ms* completely revolutionises your workflow. You can work entirely inside your DAW for both overdubbing and playback, and use your favourite plugins while recording – whether it’s reverb on a vocal, a guitar amp simulator, or even virtual instruments live on stage. You’ll also get the best out of vocal performances, by applying real-time comfort reverb to headphones.

Unrivalled Sound Quality
We’ve been perfecting audio conversion for over 20 years. Our class-leading digital conversion operates at up to 24-bit and up to 192kHz, so you capture every nuance of every performance in crystal clear audio without any unwanted noise or hum, even when you’re playing softly.

Designed For Guitarists
We’ve redesigned Scarlett 18i8’s instrument inputs and given them plenty of extra headroom, so you can handle extreme levels without any unwanted clipping or distortion. If you’re recording extra loud instruments, you can also engage the 10dB pad in Focusrite Control software.

New Generation – Better In Every Way
The latest generation Scarlett 18i8 is packed full of upgrades. It operates at sample rates all the way up to 192kHz with new super-low latency* that lets you record and monitor with software effects in real time.

We completely redesigned the instrument inputs so they can handle even the hottest guitar pick-ups, and we’ve made it easier than ever to set your levels accurately. We’ve also built in new analogue protection circuitry across the inputs and the outputs, to guard your interface against unwanted power surges.

Intuitive Control Software
Scarlett 18i8 works with all major DAWs on Mac and PC, and comes with Focusrite Control: our brand new software mixer designed for easily configuring your monitoring and routing setups. Simple and intuitive to use, it gives you a traditional mixer workflow, separate headphone mixes and immediate access to internal hardware functions.

User Guides
Sometimes you just need to see how adding new equipment to your setup is going to work. Find out just how easy it is to get the benefits of Scarlett 18i8, along with some example setup examples and diagrams here.

Tech Spec
Supported Sample Rates

44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz

Supported Operating Systems

Please visit our OS Compatibility Checker for more information on supported operating systems.

Microphone Inputs

Frequency Response
20 Hz – 20 kHz +0.5/-1.5 dB
Dynamic Range
109 dB (A-Weighted)
THD+N
<0.002%
Noise EIN
-127 dBu
Maximum input level
+8.5 dBu
Gain Range
50 dB
Impedance
3k Ω

Line Inputs 1-4

Frequency Response
20 Hz – 20 kHz +0.5/-1.5 dB
Dynamic Range
109 dB (A-Weighted)
THD+N
<0.003%
Maximum input level
+22 dBu
Gain Range
50 dB
Impedance
52k Ω

Line Inputs 5-8

Frequency Response
20 Hz – 20 kHz +0.5 dB
Dynamic Range
110 dB (A-Weighted)
THD+N
<0.003%
Maximum input level
+16 dBu
Impedance
52k Ω

Instrument Inputs

Frequency Response
20 Hz – 20 kHz +0.5/-1.5 dB
Dynamic Range
109 dB (A-Weighted)
THD+N
<0.003%
Maximum input level
+12 dBu
Gain Range
50 dB
Impedance
1M Ω

Monitor Outputs (1-2)

Frequency Response
20 Hz – 20 kHz ±0.5 dB
Dynamic Range (Line Outputs)
108 dB (A-Weighted)
THD+N
<0.001%
Maximum Output Level (0 dBFS)
+16 dBu
Impedance
94 Ω (Balanced)

Headphone Outputs

Frequency Response
20 Hz – 20 kHz ±0.5 dB
Dynamic Range
108 dB (A-Weighted)
THD+N
<0.001%
Maximum Output Level
+13 dBu
Impedance
10 Ω