Focusrite Scarlet Solo

[Bourneendboy]

I popped into my local PMT shop today and spotted these it's a nice looking, compact unit.

Has anyone had any experience with one? I assume you can use as a headphone amp and DAC.

 

[miktec]

I popped into my local PMT shop today and spotted these it's a nice looking, compact unit.

Has anyone had any experience with one? I assume you can use as a headphone amp and DAC.

I had an earlier Firewire mixer from Focusrite that had great features like a wide range of digital and analogue in/outs and 'both way' converters of very good quality for such a small form factor.
When they dropped support for Apple on that model I looked at the newer USB range, especially the Solo, but decided not to bother given that it only has USB in - so didn't audition one...

That said, I also wasn't hugely impressed with the headphone output on the one I had - was OK for monitoring the mix and convenience but not as good as a dedicated head amp fed by the output.

 

[simonpyeman]

I’m using an iTrack Solo as a DAC (which is the same thing as the Scarlet but iPad compatible) for streaming Spotify through an iPad, and on into a passive preamp. It works well and sounds ok given the limitations of Spotify as a format, but I haven’t compared it with a more esoteric DAC. I suspect that hires streaming might show it up, but it’s perfectly adequate for my current use. Quite good actually. I’m not a headphone user so I haven’t tried that either.

 

[Bourneendboy]

I had an earlier Firewire mixer from Focusrite that had great features like a wide range of digital and analogue in/outs and 'both way' converters of very good quality for such a small form factor.
When they dropped support for Apple on that model I looked at the newer USB range, especially the Solo, but decided not to bother given that it only has USB in - so didn't audition one...

That said, I also wasn't hugely impressed with the headphone output on the one I had - was OK for monitoring the mix and convenience but not as good as a dedicated head amp fed by the output.

Since posting, I have done some further investigation and it appears the consensus is that the DAC is good, but the headphone amp not so.

 

[gavreid]

Since posting, I have done some further investigation and it appears the consensus is that the DAC is good, but the headphone amp not so.

It's only a headphone monitor so not really designed as an all purpose hadphone amp. Having said that it will sound pretty good with HD25s, for example. The Solo I don't think is specced quite as highly as the little 2i2 but I don't know the current range.