The Core of Your Professional Studio Recording Setup
Boasting eight stellar Clarett mic preamplifiers, outstanding dynamic range, ultra-fast Thunderbolt performance, and dual ADAT ports, Focusrite's top-of-the-line Clarett 8PreX 26-in/28-out audio interface is a powerful foundation for your professional recording rig. The magic starts as soon as you plug your microphones in — the Clarett mic pres feature Focusrite's switchable Air Effect, which gives your microphones the air and clarity of an ISA transformer-based mic preamp. With comprehensive connectivity including analog I/O, S/PDIF, 16 channels of ADAT, word clock I/O, and more, the Focusrite Clarett 8PreX is an ideal foundation for your studio setup.
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Ideal audio interface for permanent studio install
The Clarett 8PreX's eight newly designed Clarett mic preamps deliver truly impressive dynamic range. Perfect for permanent studio install, the Clarett 8PreX gives you a wealth of connectivity — including MIDI I/O and 16 channels of ADAT — all in a professional 2U form factor. With its versatility, speed, and sonic performance, the Focusrite Clarett 8PreX is an excellent choice of interface.
Record in your comfort zone
With the Clarett 8PreX's exceedingly low round-trip audio latency over Thunderbolt, you can record and monitor in real time with your favorite familiar DAW plug-ins. No special processing or DSP is required. Select any plug-in and create your dream recording chain on every single channel. Every Clarett ships with the Focusrite Classic Red 2 and Red 3 AAX, AU, and VST plug-in suite, which accurately models Focusrite's classic Red range EQ and compression hardware. Also included is Softube's Time and Tone Pack — a powerful plug-in bundle consisting of Softube's world-class TSAR-1R reverb, Tube Delay, and Saturation Knob.
Newly designed Focusrite mic preamps bring your recordings to life
Focusrite fitted the Clarett 8PreX with mic preamps that were designed exclusively for the Clarett range with loads of pristine gain and vanishingly low noise. In addition, these preamps include Focusrite's proprietary Air feature that switches in an analog model of Focusrite's acclaimed classic transformer-based ISA mic preamp, breathing life into your recordings. If you've always wanted vocals that shimmer with presence and silky air, then try recording with the Clarett 8PreX. You will be impressed.
The cleanest way yet to get sound in and out of your DAW
Sweetwater engineers know that conversion is key to superior digital audio, and Clarett features Focusrite's class-leading 24/192 conversion. Offering up to 119dB of dynamic range, Clarett is the cleanest way yet to get sound in and out of your DAW. And naturally, the Clarett 8PreX includes word clock I/O, which enables it to act as a master for clocking multiple devices or receive word clock from a master clock source such as a digital mic preamp.
Exceptional I/O capability handles any recording scenario
The Focusrite Clarett 8PreX gives you 26 audio inputs and 28 outputs packed into a professional 2U rackmount chassis. This includes eight analog inputs, ten analog outputs, stereo SPDIF I/O, and 16 channels of ADAT I/O. The ADAT outputs are perfect for sending audio to an external D/A for line output expansion, while the inputs can be used to bring in 16 additional digital mic preamp channels — such as a pair of Focusrite OctoPre MkIIs — for maximum flexibility. In addition, you get two dedicated front-panel hi-Z instrument inputs with generous headroom to handle your guitars and basses with hot passive or active pickups.
Accessible metering and monitoring
Featuring a 6-segment, multichannel LED meter, the Clarett 8PreX's monitor panel keeps you informed of analog and digital input levels and main monitor outputs. Monitoring facilities include a level control, as well as dim and mute buttons. Add to that two wide-dynamic-range front-panel headphone outputs with volume controls and enough power to deliver healthy level to high-impedance headphones, and the Clarett becomes your go-to device for mixing and tracking.
Intuitive and easy-to-use software mixer
Your Clarett comes with Focusrite Control, a brand-new software mixer that makes short work of configuring your monitoring and routing setups. Simple and intuitive to use, Focusrite Control offers an easy-to-grasp traditional mixer workflow and gives you immediate access to dim, mute, and other internal hardware functions.
Remote control from your iPhone or iPad
With the free Focusrite iOS Control app, you can adjust the mixes you made with Focusrite Control on the desktop app from your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch.
Included software bundle:
- Red 2 and Red 3 Plug-in Suite accurately models Focusrite's coveted Red range EQ and compressor hardware
- Softube Time and Tone Pack with TSAR-1R Reverb, Tube Delay, Saturation Knob, and Drawmer S73 Intelligent Master Processor
- Ableton Live Lite
- 2GB Loopmasters Samples
- XLN Addictive Keys
- Access to Focusrite's Plug-in Collective, with exclusive offers from Nugen Audio, Exponential Audio, Fabfilter, D16 Group, Flux, Positive Grid, Sound Radix, Eventide, iZotope, and more
Focusrite Clarett 8PreX Features:
- 8 Clarett mic preamps with Focusrite's proprietary Air feature
- Copious headroom, vanishingly low noise
- Accurate digital conversion and clocking
- Expanded I/O for big tracking sessions
- 8 analog inputs, 10 analog outputs
- Stereo SPDIF, 16 channels of ADAT I/O
- Two front-panel hi-Z instrument inputs
- Accessible metering and monitoring
- Intuitive, easy-to-use Focusrite Control mixer makes short work of configuring your monitoring and routing; provides quick access to internal hardware functions
- Record and monitor in real time with your favorite DAW plug-ins
- Create custom monitor setups for both you and your artists
- Includes Focusrite's Classic Red 2/Red 3 plug-in suite
- Focusrite's class-leading 24/192 conversion
- Up to 119dB of dynamic range
- Word clock I/O master/slave functionality
- 6-segment, multichannel LED meter
- Monitor level control, plus dim and mute buttons
- Two wide-dynamic-range front-panel headphone outs
- Pairs perfectly with the Focusrite Clarett OctoPre
