18i20 is the studio hub for engineers who need serious I/O. Whether you’re recording drums, a live session, or racks of hardware synths, you’ve got everything you need with eight of our finest ultra-low-noise mic preamps, plus line, instrument, MIDI, S/PDIF, and ADAT connections. With 26 inputs and 26 outputs, you’re ready for whatever your session demands.
Eight ultra-low-noise mic/line preamps
Two front-panel mic/line and instrument preamps
Two Air preamp modes for classic console sound
Clip Safe and Auto Gain modes
10 line outputs inc. alt speaker switching
Up to 16 channels of ADAT I/O
S/PDIF, MIDI, and Word Clock
Includes Hitmaker Expansion and DAW software bundle
Eight of our most detailed, ultra-low-noise preamps.
Connect your studio to 18i20’s remote-controlled preamps — Scarlett’s most transparent and detailed ever. 69dB of gain range provides all the headroom you'll need to get the best result from the most intense multi-track recordings.
Auto Gain and Clip Safe.
Let 18i20 handle your levels. Auto Gain will set all eight microphone preamp levels instantly and Clip Safe keeps them in the sweet spot, automatically tweaking the gain if you’re in danger of clipping. You'll never lose a take again.
Mix your way with independent outputs
Take full control of your routing and mixing preferences using the Focusrite Control 2 apps, anywhere in the studio.
Dial in the perfect headphone mix for the artist, or route the signal directly to outboard gear to put the finishing touches on your mix.
Get that big console sound with two re-engineered Air modes.
Presence mode boosts your signal’s high-end, bringing the sound to the front of the mix. Create intimate vocal recordings, capture every detail of acoustic guitars, and hear your drum overheads shimmer.
Presence and Harmonic Drive mode boosts mid-range harmonics in your sound, making its unique character shine through the mix. Try it on guitars, vocals, or anything else that needs a little more punch.
Huge 122dB dynamic range for incredible recordings.
Scarlett delivers incredible audio quality, with converters direct from our flagship RedNet interfaces — as found in high-end studios around the world.
Powerful sound, powerful control.
Two custom-designed headphone amps deliver clear, powerful sound for high-impedance headphones, offering the best playback ever from a Scarlett.
A built-in talkback mic ensures seamless communication to the artists, while alt monitor switching lets you A/B your mixes between two speaker pairs.
Specifications
Overview
Number of Microphone Preamps
8
Phantom Power
Yes (Independent)
Instrument Inputs
2
Line Inputs
8
Air Mode
Yes
Auto Gain
Yes
Clip Safe
Yes
Line Outputs
10
Headphone Outputs
2
ADAT Inputs
2 (16 channels at 44.1/48kHz and up to 8 channels at 96kHz)
ADAT Outputs
2 (16 channels at 44.1/48kHz and up to 8 channels at 96kHz)
SPDIF Inputs
1
SPDIF Outputs
1
MIDI Inputs
1
MIDI Outputs
1
Talkback
Yes
Loopback
Yes
Connectivity
USB Type-C
Protocol
USB 2.0
Form Factor
Desktop / Rack Mountable (1U)
Simultaneous I/O
26 x 26
A/D Resolution
24-bit/192 kHz
Bus Powered
No
Dimensions
Height
46.55mm
Width
442mm
Depth
259.73mm
Weight
3.304kg
Supported sample rates
44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz
Microphone inputs
Frequency Response
20-20kHz ± 0.06dB
Dynamic Range
116dB (A-Weighted)
THD+N
-100dB @ 8dB gain
Noise EIN
-127dBu (A-Weighted)
Maximum Input Level
16dBu
Gain Range
69dB
Impedance
3kΩ
Variable Line inputs
Frequency Response
20-20kHz ± 0.05dB
Dynamic Range
115.5dB (A-Weighted)
THD+N
-100dB @ 8dB gain
Maximum Input Level
22dBu
Gain Range
69dB
Impedance
24kΩ
Instrument inputs
Frequency Response
20-20kHz ± 0.05dB
Dynamic Range
113dB (A-Weighted)
THD+N
-80dB @ 8dB gain
Maximum Input Level
12dBu
Gain Range
62dB
Impedance
1MΩ
Line outputs (Balanced)
Frequency Response
20-20kHz ± 0.02dB
Dynamic Range
122dB (A-Weighted)
THD+N
-112dB
Maximum Output Level
16dBu
Impedance
200Ω
Headphone outputs
Frequency Response
20-20kHz ± 0.1dB @ 33Ω / 300Ω
Dynamic Range
112dB @ 33Ω
116dB @ 300Ω
THD+N
-100dB @ 33Ω (Minimum)
-110dB @ 300Ω (Minimum)
Maximum Output Level
5dBu into 33Ω
11dBu into 300Ω
Maximum Output Power
57mW into 33Ω
27mW into 300Ω
Impedance
11Ω
Analogue to Digital Converter
THD+N
-110dB
Dynamic Range
120dB
Digital to Analogue Converter
THD+N
-115dB
Dynamic Range
130dB (A-Weighted)
Power
External
30W
Compatibility
Windows
Intel, AMD, and Arm64 processors supported
macOS
Apple Silicon and Intel processors supported
What's in the box
Scarlett 18i20 audio interface
Rack Ears
1.5m USB-C to USB-C cable
IEC power cable
