Originally Posted By: Simon - PG Music

Yes, I have a 2i2 3rd gen right next to me, and I had a 2i2 1st gen before I upgraded to my current RME. I consider the Focusrite "studio or home" reliable but not "toss it around at a gig and pour beer on it" reliable. The main reason is because the pots and jacks are only board mounted, not fixed to the case at all. So if you trip on a cable and yank the Focusrite to the floor it can break the jack off the PCB much easier than the Mackie who's jacks are screwed to the metal case.

This may or may not be an issue to the OP, if he takes care of his stuff and doesn't let others handle it for him.




The DAC itself is probably the least part of the equation when it comes to sound quality. The analog components between your audio source and the DAC chip play a much bigger part. Like you mentioned with the SSL that it has it's "vintage" circuit, but it probably has higher quality components than the M-Audio or Focusrite.

Either way, you probably won't hear the difference, and not many people can.


With the new stuff, the DAC, Mic Pres and 'phone amps are all on the same chip. It's much quieter and has a noticeably faster round trip than the previous gen. You won't hear the difference between your Scarlet Gen 3 and any of the others because there is none (the marketing departments don't want you to know this, of course). You should hear a big difference between it and your 1st gen, however.

As for hearing the difference between brands, again, no. Except for SSL's switchable circuit and M-Audio tweaking of the pres, it all sounds the same because it is all the same.

The switches, jacks, pots, circuit boards, layout etc. — that's where things vary. I may use the M-Audio at my desk but a Mackie PROFx10v3 or my old 1402vlz is what goes to the gig.

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