Focusrite Clarett 8PreX

Focusrite Clarett 8PreX

BETTER. FASTER. EASIER.

Excellent sound is the quality Clarett owners love most. With up to 119dB dynamic range, superbly low noise, precision 24/192 conversion and eight specially-designed mic preamps with a unique analogue “Air” effect, Clarett 8PreX is the Thunderbolt audio interface that simply sounds great, easily out-performing other interfaces in its class and beyond. Meanwhile, its astonishing 1.67ms round-trip latency* simplifies your workflow and lets you use your favourite plug-ins in real time.

GIVE YOUR RECORDINGS SOME AIR

The key to getting an analogue signal into your DAW is the microphone preamplifier – with its associated line and instrument inputs. Mic pres were among the very first modules that the original Focusrite company ever produced, thirty years ago, when master console designer Rupert Neve was commissioned by Sir George Martin to create a new series of console modules for his AIR Studios: we have plenty of experience behind us. So perhaps it’s no surprise that the Clarett mic pre, designed specially for the range, delivers very low noise indeed: an impressive –128dB EIN. That, combined with its low distortion, ultra-linear design and carefully chosen components, guarantees a clean, open and transparent sound that gives the most accurate representation of the original performance. But there’s more to it than that. Mic preamps are very subjective things. There’s a complex interaction between the mic impedance and the input impedance of the preamp that can completely change the character of the sound you capture. Increase the input impedance and you enhance the clarity, transparency and accuracy of the sound. Reduce it, to a point, and you begin to bring out the innate character of the microphone. There is a time and a place for each. That’s why, with Clarett, we let you choose between the two, with a switchable “Air” effect emulating the sound of our classic transformer-based ISA preamps, and matching their input impedance. ‘Air’ harks back to our earlier designs, and in particular the ISA Range, acclaimed around the world for its signature sound – the sound behind thousands of hit records. The original Rupert Neve designs, and in particular their transformer-coupled mic preamps, were the inspiration for Focusrite’s acclaimed Red Range that formed the basis for today’s range of ISA ‘Heritage Sound’ products. ‘Air’ is the name our customers first coined as a simple description of the effect the ISA Preamp added to their sound recordings. There are three main elements that contribute to the classic ‘Air’ effect.

FOCUSRITE CLARETT 8PREX FEATURES AT A GLANCE:

• Eight Clarett mic preamps with Air Effect
• Accurate digital conversion and clocking
• Expanded I/O for big tracking sessions
• Accessible metering and monitoring
• Intuitive, easy-to-use software mixer
• Record and monitor in real time with your favorite DAW plug-ins
• Create custom monitor setups for both you and your artists
• Eight newly designed Clarett mic preamps
• Copious headroom, vanishingly low noise
• Focusrite's proprietary Air feature
• Focusrite's class-leading 24/192 conversion
• Up to 119dB of dynamic range
• Word clock I/O master/slave functionality
• Eight analog inputs, 10 analog outputs
• Stereo SPDIF, 16 channels of ADAT I/O
• Two front-panel Hi-Z instrument inputs
• 6-segment, multichannel LED meter
• Monitor level control, plus dim and mute buttons
• Two wide-dynamic-range front-panel headphone outs
• Makes short work of configuring your monitoring and routing
• Traditional mixer workflow
• Quick access to internal hardware functions
• Includes Red 2/Red 3 plug-in suite and Softube's Time and Tone Bundle
• Softube Time and Tone Pack
• Loopmasters sounds and samples (1GB)
• Novation Bass Station VST and AU plug-in synth
• XLN Addictive Keys