About to ditch my ONYX 400f for a Focusrite Scarlett 18i6

[Guitarzan]

Does anybody see any downsides to this?

I've had the ONYX for a few years and it's served my needs well. They are changing however. I've done mostly bedroom type recordings with my synth, acoustic and electric guitars and voice. I recently acquired a nice piano which is located on another floor of the house. I also plan on doing a recording for some type of release (indie) and will be recording drums.

In my recording space I have a desktop that I've used to capture and mix my recordings to this point. I also have a newer laptop that I plan on using more as it's portable (upstairs, and location). I've used a PCI express card for firewire with my laptop but it is incredibly unreliable. So I started looking for a USB interface and was just going to augment my current setup with a 2X2 to record my piano and when recording drums just haul around my PC. Then I found the Scarlett and it looks like it solves all of my problems and gives me more inputs.

[Guitarzan]

So I ended up buying the Scarlett with the plans of selling my 400F. However, the Scarlett doesn't work on my Desktop becuase it's XP service pack 2, which the Scarlett requires SP3.

I have decided to keep them both and they should work splendidly together. I bought the Scarlett at GC with their 15% off deal so I got it for about $250. I could probably only get about $250 for the 400f which makes it not really worth selling. I will use the 400f as my static, stay at home interface. And I will also be able to use the the 4 ONYX pres utilizing the analog outputs for or the SPDIF outs for 2 channels connected to the Scarlett.

Needless to say, I'm pretty excited with how this is working out. I just thought I'd share.

[shaddai]

How does that Scarlett sound compared to the Onyx? The reason I ask is that I swear that my Saffire doesn't sound as good as the Onyx 1640 I used to have...but wanted to confirm I wasn't crazy.

I've been on Apogee & RME gear since the Onyx, so I may have been spoiled & am not giving the Saffire a fair shake.

todd

[NEWTON IN ORBIT]

Originally Posted by Guitarzan

So I ended up buying the Scarlett with the plans of selling my 400F. However, the Scarlett doesn't work on my Desktop becuase it's XP service pack 2, which the Scarlett requires SP3.

I have decided to keep them both and they should work splendidly together. I bought the Scarlett at GC with their 15% off deal so I got it for about $250. I could probably only get about $250 for the 400f which makes it not really worth selling. I will use the 400f as my static, stay at home interface. And I will also be able to use the the 4 ONYX pres utilizing the analog outputs for or the SPDIF outs for 2 channels connected to the Scarlett.

Needless to say, I'm pretty excited with how this is working out. I just thought I'd share.

Can't you just download SP3? Sorry if I am missing something.

john

[bnutz]

Originally Posted by shaddai

How does that Scarlett sound compared to the Onyx?

I'm trying to decide between the two (well, the Scarlett and Onyx Blackbird, that is...) and am wondering the same thing.

Does anyone have experience with both?

thanks
-b

[Guitarzan]

Originally Posted by NEWTON IN ORBIT

Can't you just download SP3? Sorry if I am missing something.

john

Great question. I just looked this up and it looks like it can only be put on 32bit machines, and mine is 64bit (wierd). To be honest, I don't know that I want a quick fix. I think that my wife is cool with me keeping both :-)

[Guitarzan]

Originally Posted by bnutz

I'm trying to decide between the two (well, the Scarlett and Onyx Blackbird, that is...) and am wondering the same thing.

Does anyone have experience with both?

thanks
-b

I haven't had much time to compare. I did my first recording with the Scarlett last night and I think it sounded great. Although I was using new mics (Cad M179) on a source that I've never recorded before (piano) and did vocals with an SM57 and my VP312. I'll try to do like an acoustic guitar and vocal on both with stock pres and see how they compare.