NOT the Result I EXPECTED... | Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (Gen 4) VS Audient iD14 (mkii)

[@bluf2000]

Thanks!

[@EdThorne]

You are very kind, thank you! I probably get one of these a year, so that is appreciated!

[@bluf2000]

@@EdThorne i find your videos very informative so it's only fair that I help a bit. I think you saved a bunch from burning money on audio interfaces :D.

[@EdThorne]

Now if only all my 25k subscribers thought the same way 🫣🤣 I’m glad the videos are helpful 🙂

[@MatMediaTV]

Audient does have input metering when mic monitoring is turned on in the app and is shown on the LEDs, but to make it work properly you have to turn the mic monitoring volume (in the app) to maximum

[@EdThorne]

You are correct. I tested for this and missed it somehow. So annoying. Thanks.

[@hooch8395]

i have the audient and love it, theres 1 negative and that's there's no off switch on it

[@marcelbraendli3862]

True - I've just left it on all the time for 1.5 years already.

[@hooch8395]

@@marcelbraendli3862 ridiculous the ID14 blew my monitors, the power tripped in the house as I was outside when it came back on my pc went into a hibernation standby causing power to fluctuate to the interface at about 60db.... pop pop pop bang monitors f******

[@panorama_mastering]

Audient are consistently a class above at their given price points across the board!

[@EdThorne]

Very high quality.

[@samueloluyinkaojomu6548]

The Audient is the bomb. Especially with the ID24

[@EdThorne]

That’s probably the best Audient there is (features to value ratio!).

[@samueloluyinkaojomu6548]

@@EdThorne then you need to check out the new Audient Oria. It's feature packed

[@yuzuzislandii5026]

@@EdThorne What really is a difference between MK1 and MK2? Can't find any info anywhere and I am thinking between iD 44 and iD 24 because of that.

[@stephenr7297]

Over years i had at least multiple 2 channel audio interface. This replaces my 4 audiophile DAC’s even MQA from tidal sounded amazing. Over and beyond its call for sound duty. Audient iD24 brings my untreated room to life. This is my last audio interface. It even beat back RME Black DAC i send that one back after 2 days.

[@ryandunham9282]

should i invest into the id24, i14, or id4 so i can use it with sm7b

[@emericanchaos]

​​@@ryandunham9282they're all 60db gain. Sm7b wants at least 57. You'll want an inline preamp to boost regardless.

[@mevlutmertcil6105]

@@ryandunham9282 id14 has optical input which can be useful to use with smart TVs compared to id4.

[@wharepuke]

Thanks for the review, though I'd already bought the 2i2 (upgraded from 3rd Gen) - it's noticeably (to my ears) better than its predecessor - I looked at Audient too but the price point here in NZ influenced my decision. Scarlett $359/Audient $549. Interesting to hear they are much the same price in UK & Europe.

[@streetsillustratedinc]

The high end RedNet series Converters is what put the new Scarlett over the top for me. The improvement to the preamps was enough that I put the 4th gen over pretty much all interfaces at the same price point, for home audio recording. I also do mostly vocals, so it makes sense for me I guess. Great video!

[@Studio22mix]

I said that if the Scarlet would outperform the Audient that I would eat the armrest off my mixing desk. It definitely would be emotional for me 😂🤣😅

[@EdThorne]

It was close. Pros and cons for both, as explained.

[@doyoulikejazz9516]

been wanting to watch a comparison like this for a while, thanks Ed!

[@EdThorne]

Hopefully it’s helpful🙂

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

Excellent honest camparison of Scarlett and audient audio interfaces.

[@EdThorne]

Thanks, Harvinder!

[@faithhopelove6945]

The iD14 delivers a much much better Signal Quality

[@Themata]

About a million percent better? Or only half a million percent better?

[@genuinemember5766]

id14 is love

[@EdThorne]

I’ve got a lot of love for the Audient team. Lovely fellas.

[@CamariMusic]

very comprehensive. I love the Audient and I have an EVO SP8 but I think I may go with the Scarlett because of the headphone preamps. I primarily mix and create in headphones

[@timjbluntmusic]

Audient ,just ordered one.

[@travismiller7679]

Just set the audients ID button to control the volume of outputs 3&4. Then the knob will control the volume of the speakers you're on. That's how I have mine set up, but I use 3&4 to reamp. It's extremely convenient.

[@rickonmic]

The audient id14 mk2 is the only budget interface I’d replace my Motu M2 with.

[@joeylo]

This was my exact scenario. Received the id14 today. Loved the m2 BUT I noticed…the higher I put up the headphone volume…the more distortion/degradation I got on my inputs. It’s very very subtle, but it’s happening nonetheless. At first I thought it could just be my unit but after sifting reddit/the internet I saw I wasn’t the only person with this problem. Like I said it is hardly noticeable…something you need to be listening hard and “testing” for but regardless, I don’t want it to be there.

[@ryandunham9282]

@@joeylo should i just bite the bullet on the id 14 then?

[@joeylo]

@@ryandunham9282 I’ve noticed the Audient is for sure less noisy when I plug my AxeFx in to track guitars. I didn’t realize the interference I was getting with the motu till I made the switch. For $100 more the id14 is worth it. If you don’t need as many inputs I’d ever check out the id4. Pretty sure same preamps, tech and quality, just less I/O

[@marcelbraendli3862]

I have both and plan to keep them. They’re both nice but if I had to get rid of one, it would def. be the M2.

[@amirtak9886]

Both are good, but I'll stick with my audient as it has a much more powerful headphone amp.

[@EdThorne]

Better preamps too.

[@piscesman54]

Always very informative and to the point, Ed. That's the way I like it.

[@EdThorne]

Thanks. Hopefully it was informative.

[@EdThorne]

🌟 Hi-Resolution Audio Files & Specs/RTL Chart - edthorne.com/exclusive-content 🎬 Auto-Gain & Safe Mode Tutorial: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJLbdXaEoM-nrKc 🎬 Ten Things You Didn't Know About Your Scarlett Gen 4: kzbin.info/www/bejne/haixontpj9mdoKM

[@unclebunkum]

Thanks Ed...I have the original Audient ID14...Is the MK2 worth the upgrade..or is the difference negligable?

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

No need of upgrading audient. Just buy UAD 1176 compressor.

[@EdThorne]

Probably not. I’d jump up a level if you want a proper upgrade. Apollo Twin or RME.

[@partycle352]

@@HarvinderSingh-yy8th And a Neumann U47 while you're at it!

[@KebbaPropulsion]

It does sound cleaner yes. More focussed and better separation. More dynamic range. Much cleaner headphone output with less distortion when using low impedance headphones. I got an id14 mk2 for £90 so it was a no brainer.

[@KebbaPropulsion]

The id14 does sounds great, but sounds slightly more fuzzy and less focussed than mk2. No surprise when going from 117db to 125 dB dynamic range. The headphone output is more of a difference, equally as high quality as the main outputs...

[@forgetfulLlama31]

Nice one Ed

[@EdThorne]

Thanks. Hope it was informative.

[@KnockemOrLockem]

The low headphone output on the 2i2 is ridiculous. I'm playing solo and can barely hear myself. So frustrating.

[@EdThorne]

Yep, it's a real problem with the device. Check out this interface! kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGHJqnmIoZeFaJY

[@alexworsfold4320]

I've been using Focusrite Scarlet devices since Win10, but the latest version of Win11 (23H2) has been causing BSOD and many page faults (crackling audio when this happens) with the 2i2 (2nd Gen, and 3rd Gen) maybe the 4th gen has these problems sorted? I wasn't willing to spend any more money on focusrite, so i picked up an ID14 and I could not be happier. Zero issues so far. Awesome preamps, and much more volume with headphones. The loop back feature is also handy with teams, skype, etc without having to install 3rd party virtual inputs.

[@partycle352]

Yeah it's honestly even better than my Apogee One, which slightly edged the Audient on the DAC quality (made everything out of the speakers have huge headroom and depth), but the Audient preamps are better than Apogee, at least at that level. Really impressed me given that my id14 has the functionality of the Duet at half the price.

[@powermosfet]

Does audient stay on even if you shut down the pc. Is it real? I 've read this in a comment.

[@alexworsfold4320]

@@powermosfet if there is still power sent over usb, yes it stays on. I use a powered usb hub and it stays on and retains settings from the PC. Audient is amazing and works perfectly everything I have tried.

[@kenlien412]

For me, what I’ve heard is that Scarlett is a little bit booming at mid range frequency, overall, Audient is a better choice for sound quality in my opinion.

[@malibustacy3606]

So your opinion is what I'm looking for here, I bought a Scarlett 2i2 second gen in 2018 I think it was, one of a few suggestions by an employee at Long and McQuade in Winnipeg, Canada because I was looking for a way to listen to the music at production music websites through my powered monitors, so anything you'd like to add to that, I'd be grateful.

[@Христосович-ц1ф]

I'm a beginner guitarist which should i buy as my first interface audient id4 mkII or scarlett solo 4gen?

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

ID sounds fuller and Scarlett sounds ligher. Scarlett designs the sound a little more than ID. ID is industrial recommended AI.

[@derekfromtauranga6012]

Even a gen 3 solo is fine. Unless you doing studio quality recording you will not notice a lot of difference in recorded sound quality.

[@davefk]

Why if the Scarlett headphone output is weak, would you recommend it for headphone mixing? What is special over headphone mixing on the Audient?

[@EdThorne]

It’s weak output power wise but it has the better sound due to the RedNet conversion. When recording I like a loud monitor mix so I’d want to use the Audient but for mixing for long periods you don’t want to mix loud so I recommend the Scarlett.

[@davefk]

@@EdThorne Ah, OK, that makes sense. It just was not too clear why at the end of your video. Thanks for your reply 🙂

[@johne1599]

Why test the Scarlett consumer product? The Clarett+ is the Professional line from Focusrite!

[@Emilysponyandartsandcrafts]

I have just got rid of a clarret utter garbage to weak a signal

[@vanishdx]

Very nice video! I'm looking to get an interface for around $200 USD and the 2i2 and ID4 MKII are possibilities. If anyone has any thoughts I'd definitely be open to user experiences with them. Currently using it for podcasting, streaming, and maybe one day music.

[@EdThorne]

Thanks. Wait for my next video. Strong contender in that!

[@andesneko]

I honestly think the Audient's muting system to be a minus, since it requires you to be super aware of what you are doing. When you have some sudden loud noise you just want to kill the volume right away, not have to change the mode and then tap the switch or lower the volume. Independent controls are always better or a complete master control that will change all levels at once.

[@byeonghokjoo31]

spec wise Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (Gen 4) wins every single point. check both website.

[@gutaninblanco]

Hi i recently bought nth30 and i love it, I'm using scarlett 2i4 2gen and i want to buy better amp so i purchased topping l50 and im not happy, soundstage is wider and brighter but i have less punch and definitely less sub bass, i listened id24 mk2 and i did not like headphones amp, so can you recommend interface with great headphones amp or dedicated headphones amp.

[@AnwaarAliOfficial]

Would love to see comparison between the new Presonus ES2 and Audient id14?

[@smithrock876]

Hey , thank you for this very helpful comparison! Can you tell me, how the Audient iD14 handles active humbuckers? I want to replace my Presonus Audiobox (yes, I know it's shit LOL) Thank you!

[@bassyey]

I can hear the toan better on iD14. The luscious creamy thick mids is better. Toan is stored in the audio interface.

[@PsychoCaki]

Audient > Focusrite. They have waaay better preamps without noise literally, and much cleaner sound in general

[@natjes6017]

Great comparison and video! As a newbie, is either of these interfaces able to record from a Moog Werkstatt? TIA 😊

[@soundmattersuk]

They both have 2 x line inputs, so as long as your synth has a line output, then yes.

[@frattuncbas]

I have Audient mk2 but on Win11 Scarlett drivers are more stable and durable..

[@Uncaught_in_promise]

Hi I am buying first audio interface. Should i buy 3rd gen or 4rth (which is most costly)? Purpose: live streaming concerts and lections to zoom / KZbin, band (drums, keyboard, gitars), church. Source: mixing console, stereo pair (jack jack).

[@derekfromtauranga6012]

For a first interface the gen 3 2i2 would do all that you need and should be cheaper compared to gen 4.

[@Ady_Sr]

would I need cloudlifter with either of these ? I have shure sm7b

[@ivanrains8529]

Which Scarlett: best to worst Gen2, Gen3, Gen4, then Gen1

[@EdThorne]

Gen 3 for the preamps. Gen 4 for everything else.

[@HeirWulf]

Hi, I would have liked a comparison with the Lewitt Connect 6 interface. Thank you.

[@EdThorne]

No-one uses it. These are the most popular devices in this price range.

[@HeirWulf]

@@EdThorne Hi, Thank you for your reply. From the videos I've seen, the Lewit Connect 6 seems to be a very good product. Whereas Focusrite is often criticized.

[@mattdylan664]

you say the headphone amp is weak on all the scarlett ,would using lower impedance headphones or attaching a portable headphone amp improve this? i know absolutely zilch about audio intrerfaces but have had to use portable headphone amps for higher impedance headphones for my DAP's which is why i wondered if that could also apply to an Audio I/O

[@bigbenny_Ent]

Isn’t lower bro I’m using it

[@djsorin]

What would you choose between Focusrite Scarlett Solo (Gen 4) and Audient iD4 (mkii)? I will not use them for recording, just for mixing in daw with my headphones.

[@EdThorne]

I’m not sure what you thought this video was about? 😜 For mixing, check out this interface. Far better than these two for mixing: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGHJqnmIoZeFaJYsi=VWHaxIE99vdEGA10

[@kerimalpaltuncu97]

should i get a ID14, VOLT2 or SSL (not the plus one)

[@yochillsmith]

I’ve been eyeing up the iD4 to carry around with me

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

Correct eying.

[@powermosfet]

Why companies keep removing the usefull feature of balance between input/playback....

[@stefanoricci9978]

any tips for an audio interface that allows two sets of monitors and doesn't collect dust in the volume control

[@EdThorne]

Dyson make one I think… 😉🫣

[@filterscape]

I’d recommend the MOTU. Stay away from presonus studio. All the potentiometers got crackling. It’s junk.

[@peacefulruler1]

ID24 has four outputs

[@elzurixmusic]

Hey, great review! I wanna ask for your recommendation, I'm looking for the best sound you can get for headphones and speakers that can also power 250 ohms headphones (dt 1990) I don't mind about preamps and DI, I only care about sound quality, what would you say is a good pick for that (out of any interface)? Also, is a dedicated amp/dac like the topping is actually worth it over any of these? or is the difference negligible? I was looking at the new presonus quantum es2 aswell, maybe you could review this too to compare?

[@EdThorne]

The Topping E2X2 has THE best headphone amplifier on any interface under £1800!

[@akg.69]

Which mic did you use in this video for vocal performance on both interfaces?

[@EdThorne]

JZ Amethyst. In hind sight the Lewitt 440 Pure would have been a better choice (brighter and more budget friendly).

[@burgerp1255]

Audient iD14 will be good for beyerdynamics dt 990 pro? i ve heard that this headphones are too quiet on some interfaces

[@random-_-2633]

Idk about the audient iD14 but the scarlett 2i2 4th Gen has enough headphones preamp for the DT 990 Pro (I have one myself)

[@sungphoto]

Top end feels muffled on the Scarlett, even through my iPad.

[@freddymercury2259]

Oh, Darn! I just ordered the Scarlett 2i2 and saw this video afterwards. Is there any way to remedy the low Headphone volume, like an external amp or anything like that?

[@bigbenny_Ent]

Bro I just bought two 2i2 4th gen I’m enjoying it

[@EdwardJacksonproject]

I have the id24!

[@MrRobot01010]

Great video comparison!

[@jbaranowski1990]

Lol who record the tracks in 192k anyway?! Audio is definitely better with Audient for my ears.

[@lostinpa-dadenduro7555]

How do these stack up with the Black Lion Revolution 2x2 ?

[@OSAMasonboone]

What does this mean for better vocals

[@georgem7374]

After listening to these recordings a few times, in my opinion, The Scarlet sounds like it's being attenuated too much. Towards the mid high to high range it sound like it's being digitally compressed too much compared to the Audient.

[@Neil-Aspinall]

Any stereo DAW 100 Euros and over is almost indistinguishable these days.

[@ranstont]

Boom or ID4 for headphones monitoring?

[@sandrosadhukhan]

There's a bit of misinformation in this video, there is no free Strymon big sky plugin given away with the Audient interface. That plugin costs $199 by itself! It's a 3 month trial being given.

[@EdThorne]

Thanks for the correction.

[@robfoster5500]

I wish the Scarlett would add ADAT. That feature alone puts the iD14 over the top for me, to be honest. I own a 4th gen 4i4.

[@EdThorne]

The ADAT definitely sets the Audient’s apart.

[@nathanbuckner5660]

they do have adat

[@robfoster5500]

@@nathanbuckner5660 not in the Scarlett.

[@nathanbuckner5660]

@@robfoster5500 the Scarlett 18i8 and 18i20 has adat

[@robfoster5500]

@@nathanbuckner5660 right...but that's not the Gen 4 line. That's Gen 3. This video is about the Gen 4 stuff.

[@Squirrel-i6u]

Could someone explain gain staging please?

[@climber7565]

How did you manage and cancel out the humming and static sound in the scarlet? I experienced this issue with my Scarlett

[@EdThorne]

Make sure the sample rate is synced between the Scarlett and your DAW, and don’t use above 75% input gain. Also, check your cable. Humming is likely to be a grounding issue from a damaged cable.

[@climber7565]

@@EdThorne thank you so much for the prompt replay and advice.

[@fiazmiskin]

Thank you

[@meronyach.]

Even a Behringer, or an old Tascam interface, sounded better than the scarlett 18i20 I started with. Wild how lo-fi the inputs sound, like a cassette tape or something.

[@jukkauh]

Isn't Digital Gain just bosting the volume in post? This buys you nothing, right? You can just do that in your DAW.

[@dragonstone6594]

Which interface has the fastest round trip latency?

[@EdThorne]

RTL chart available on my website. But the Gen 4 is faster.

[@bighousemusic628]

So no question here the scsrlett has better converters

[@ryandunham9282]

what audio interface should i buy to power the shure sm7b without having problems with sound?

[@EdThorne]

The Scarlett Gen 4 has 60dB of gain which is plenty for an SM7b.

[@snoopywalker1881]

Ed, love your channel. But do you really use a Focusrite in your own studio? Why bother? Just stick to the Apollo ecosystem

[@EdThorne]

Do I even need to answer this question? 😜 I use my Neve preamps into my X16.

[@jeffpodeszwik1592]

What is better with latency?

[@EdThorne]

There’s an RTL chart on my website in the member area (link in the video description). I can’t remember off the top of my head but I think the Scarlett. The Motu’s have the best RTLs.

[@coacharielandersson]

Hmm.. always something.. would love Audient, and annoyed to power button.. hmm

Can you help me which one should I buy for rap vocals microphone Lewit 440 pure

[@Antonio-wz3hc]

Dont buy 440 pure I tried it and its result is inconsistent...Opt for Nt1

[@EdThorne]

How can a microphone be inconsistent? It either works or it doesn’t…

[@Antonio-wz3hc]

​@@EdThorne The microphone certainly works but in my very personal opinion I find it not the best in terms of vocality. The nt1 with the same price offers (in term of voice recording) a quality that is difficult to find at that price

[@TFOCHH]

Yea the Lewitt 440 is not very good for loud rap vocals, the highs and lows are too extreme, you gotta lay down everything in one take or else its pretty obvious lol i guess for a beginner mic its decent but Id rather go with the Sony C80 or something for rap vocals, its a little more expensive but worth it

[@KaikoaMusic]

I’m debating getting a new audio interface because the id4 doesn’t pick up my signal properly unless the gain knob is up around 8.5 outta 10 and it just doesn’t give enough wiggle room with the gain. Does anyone else have this problem with the id4??

[@EdThorne]

What source are you capturing? This sounds like you’re trying to record a passive instrument on a line-in rather than a Hi-Z input.

[@KaikoaMusic]

@@EdThorne its when I'm recording vocals. I can get good levels and good takes but it's extremely sensitive. I guess I'm just wondering if there is a way to get more gain from the id4 without cranking it up so far. ?

[@EdThorne]

@KaikoaMusic what mic are you using? Something gain hungry like an SM7b will need 85% of the preamp gain for sure.

[@KaikoaMusic]

@@EdThorne I'm using the Aston origin. The id4 I have is the old id4mk1, could it be that I just need a newer interface? Ive tried new cables and I got a fethead for condenser mics for some extra gain but it didn't do much to help like I thought it would.

[@kekw-b2h]

My only concern with audient is that it only offer 96khz as opposed to focusrite

[@EdThorne]

When do you need more than 96k?

[@kekw-b2h]

@@EdThorne I don’t particularly need during mixing but sometimes I do listen to high res records which are at 24bit/192khz

[@Llatonnia]

Everyone remember that only the 2i2 and 4i4 has that 69db of gain, not the solo.

[@MakN.]

Audient >

[@Appleloucious]

Why are you only recording in 720p? It is 2024! XD

[@EdThorne]

@@Appleloucious FCPX reset to a default export setting when I updated it and I didn’t notice until someone else pointed it out. It’s been fixed. Thanks.

[@veritas7010]

rme?

[@EdThorne]

Not in this price point.

[@duppykitoon]

Big difference in price: Audient, $285.95, Scarlett, $169.99

[@anastasy2]

In Europe both cost the same price. You can find them around €185. 😕

[@HarvinderSingh-yy8th]

Audient must include MIDI port.

[@peacefulruler1]

Audient sounded more realistic; the Scarlett sounds sterile, like something is missing

[@EdThorne]

I think that’s the difference between analog and digital preamps. Exactly what you’ve described.

[@bighousemusic628]

They are good but not even close to my black lion revolution 2x2 which can easy pass for a lynx hilo if you listen closely while using it its a all in one solution

[@guyfawkes8873]

Stuff like ‘air mode’ are beyond irrelevant. I mean if you want EQ just add EQ. WTH would a fixed EQ setting be a bonus? There’s NEVER a reason to use it over adding personalised EQ to a track. Stupid ‘features’ like this are worth multiple negative points imo.

[@vitalmakhdum]

First

[@EdThorne]

Legend!

[@zerofox2046]

I so wanted to skip to the conclusion, but you told me not to, so I didn’t. 😂

[@EdThorne]

Haha. Thanks

[@mmacult5336]

lol just go with the SSL2 MK2

[@wilkopiano]

Why does nobody ever review the quality and after care support for windows 11 drivers. Had to log a call with focusrite cause their windows 10/11 drivers are crap. In thr end downgrading to win7 drivers worked fine (go figure). Nobody talks about pops and crackles from bad drivers. No point banging on about preamp quality scores if the drivers are garbage. Also loopback and direct monitoring is very important and always missed off reviews😂

[@EdThorne]

Because most people are on Mac which doesn’t require driver support.

[@derekfromtauranga6012]

I have a Scarlett gen 3 solo running on win 10 optimised for best performance and after a few midi tracks I having to max out the sample rate to stop stutters and pops. In comparison to my Steinberg UR22C it is worse in this aspect. I’m sure they could improve the asio drivers?

[@malenveskavic1219]

stay away from Focusrite stuff!!

[@unsertrefflicher4678]

The scarlett as usual, is much inferior, if we compared with Audient, Motu and so on. Frankly I can't understand how anybody can recoment in ANY scenearios this red thing, even for beginners, wtf the impedance and power output are lame. For heavens sake don't buy scarletts, the red colour is not important!

[@seemesim]

The red colour is not important 😂, like it's a decoration for the studio😂

[@peacefulruler1]

The low end MOTU have noisy preamps and design flaws

[@jorgemauriciomercado288]

They sound great, I’m having a lot of results!!

[@soundmattersuk]

When you consider the RME fireface 800 was cutting edge 20 years ago, and it has a dynamic range over 10dB less than the scarlet, I don't think it really matters so much anymore.

[@ABigDeal]

I use Arturia…. Better than Scarlett by far

[@garethde-witt6433]

It’s all rubbish the only thing different is the price basically they’re all the same

[@ryandunham9282]

what should i buy? just save up for babyface?

[@dk6343]

Good choice

[@kevinisaacs6930]

Thank you