Focusrite's Scarlett range has long been the go-to starting point for home studio recording, and the 4th Gen Solo continues that with a set of meaningful upgrades over its predecessor. It is aimed at solo performers and songwriters who need a straightforward, high-quality interface for vocals, guitar, and basic production work.
The Scarlett Solo carries a single mic preamp, redesigned for the 4th Gen to bring more clarity and detail to recordings. It handles a wide range of sources cleanly, from quiet vocals to loud guitars, with a gain range of 57dB, a frequency response of 20-20kHz ± 0.06dB, and an EIN of -127dBu. Dynamic Gain Halos give a clear visual indication of input levels, turning from green to red when the signal is too hot, making gain-setting quick and straightforward.
The dedicated Hi-Z instrument input is designed specifically for guitars and basses, with a 1MΩ impedance that interacts with pickups in a similar way to a real amplifier input. Electric guitars feel and respond naturally through it, and electro-acoustic guitars come through with detail and body. It is well suited to recording direct into amp simulation plugins.
Two re-engineered Air modes give the Solo access to a classic large-format console character. Presence mode adds a high-end lift that brings vocals and acoustic instruments forward in a mix, adding air and detail. Harmonic Drive mode adds mid-range harmonic content that thickens guitars, vocals, and anything else that needs more character and punch. Both modes can be toggled independently and used alongside any input source.
The custom-designed headphone amplifier drives high-impedance headphones with more clarity and volume than previous Scarlett generations, with a dynamic range of up to 115dB at 300Ω. Independent level controls for the headphone output and monitor outputs allow recording and playback levels to be set separately, which is useful when tracking and mixing in the same session.
The Scarlett Solo 4th Gen uses converters drawn from Focusrite's flagship RedNet range, delivering 24-bit/192kHz recording with a 120dB dynamic range on the line outputs and a 130dB dynamic range on the DAC. THD+N on the line outputs sits at -109dB, giving clean, accurate playback that flatters both monitoring and mixdown work.
Loopback allows stereo audio from music apps and other software to be routed directly into a DAW as a virtual input, making it straightforward to capture samples, loops, and live streams without additional routing. Focusrite Control 2 is the companion app for Windows and macOS, and pairs with an iOS and Android app for remote control of the interface from anywhere in the recording space.
The Scarlett Solo 4th Gen ships with Ableton Live Lite, Pro Tools Intro+, and Cubase LE as DAW options, alongside the Hitmaker Expansion bundle which adds a range of instruments and effects plugins from third-party developers.