Focusrite Clarett 2Pre – Thunderbolt audio interface with 192 kHz and 24 bits and 119 dB dynamic range

Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 2Pre
Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 2Pre

Among audio interfaces of new generation there are devices, working through Thunderbolt connection, for example, Focusrite Clarett 2Pre – interface with 192 kHz, 24 bits and dynamic range up to 119 dB. Thunderbolt – is a new connection standard, developed by Intel company and giving throughput 20 Gbits/s, thereby it releases limits of USB 2.0 connection on channels amount, sampling rate and precision per sample. On frontal panel there are : 2 combined XLR/TRS 1/4″ jack connectors with gain control knobs with back light and instrumental Hi-Z work mode, AIR function and phantom power +48 V switches with indicators for both of them; main outputs volume control knob; power, Thunderbolt connection and device blocking indicators; and TRS 1/4″ jack monitor headphones output with volume control. On back panel there are : power button, power adapter input, Thunderbolt input, optical digital input, MIDI input and output and 4 linear TRS 1/4″ jack analogue balanced outputs.

Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 2Pre ( back panel )
Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 2Pre ( back panel )

Inputs of Focusrite Clarett 2Pre in microphone mode have following characteristics : THD+N 0.001 % and noise level -128 dB; in linear : THD+N 0.001 % and dynamic range 118 dB; in instrumental : THD+N 0.001 % and dynamic range 116 dB. Linear outputs : THD+N 0.0007 % and dynamic range 119 dB, monitor headphones output : THD+N 0.0008 % and dynamic range 116 dB. With it following are supplied : Focusrite Control mixer, VST plugins Softube Time and Tone Bundle, TSAR-1R Reverb, Tube Delay and Saturation Knob and AAX, AU and VST Red 2 and Red 3 plugins. Currently device works only in Mac OS X 10.9 and newer, manufacturer promises support of Windows in near time, in Apple‘s OS it works with support of Core Audio interface, via which it can interact with modern DAWs : Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Steinberg Cubase, FL Studio, Cackewalk Sonar, REAPER and others. Its body is made from aluminum with beautiful scarlet color.

Package contains : Thunderbolt audio interface Focusrite Clarett 2Pre itself, warranty card and user’s guide; Thunderbolt cable should be bought separately. All in all interface is good, provides high dynamic range of digital to analogue and analogue to digital conversions and small THD+N level; from the other side : in 2 inputs audio interfaces class there are great USB devices ( of Steinberg, Behringer, Focusrite itself, Roland, ESI, M-Audio and other manufacturers production ), which handle their tasks, work in Windows and cost less. So in entry-level audio interfaces class it is better to buy USB devices and look on Thunderbolt interfaces only in classes of middle and large devices.

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