Scarlett Solo vs 2i2: Which Focusrite Interface Should You Buy First?
Alex Kraieski
Focusrite markets both the Scarlett Solo and the Scarlett 2i2 as "2-in, 2-out" audio interfaces, so home recording beginners might feel unsure which one to get. I know I felt that a little bit last summer when I ordered my first interface, the Scarlett 2i2 4th generation (I'll be referring to this generation for the rest of the article).
I think either one can be a really solid option as a first interface for a guitarist or bassist, but they have different tradeoffs. If I am honest, the Solo would work for my day-to-day practice and recording needs (mostly 1 guitar, bass, or microphone at a time with a single input), but I am still glad I went with the 2i2 because of the options it opens up.
"Solo" really is the key word with the Scarlett Solo. If you just want to play guitar by yourself or sing and play electric guitar simultaneously, it will certainly do that. But there is only 1 of each type of input. If some kind of opportunity comes up to play/sing simultaneously with someone else, it's not going to do you much good. 2 microphones or 2 guitars isn't going to work.
The 2i2, on the other hand, has 2 instrument/line inputs and 2 XLR inputs. You can still only use 2 at a time, but it gives you a lot of flexibility. It brings stereo audio sources into play, and you can jam with another guitarist if you want. Do I do that often? No. And that is precisely why I value that optionality so much!
The Solo also lacks the auto gain mode and clip safe mode found the 2i2 and the rest of the Scarlett line. If you are just playing/recording alone, you don't really need this; you know how loud you are playing and can set levels accordingly. Also, as I've written about previously, I like using my Xotic SP Compressor pedal in front of my interface to help tame the volume spikes that clip safe mode addresses.
The clip safe mode shouldn't be confused with a hardware pad (that's actually a of both my compressor and bass preamp/DI). What clips safe mode does do is prevent clipping by rapidly adjusting the levels if you approach clipping.
Finally, even though many assume the guts are very similar between these two interfaces, they do have different preamp specs. While the differences seem fairly trivial for the high-z instrument inputs, the XLR input on the Scarlett 2i2 has a significantly higher gain range (69dB vs. 57 dB in the Scarlett Solo). This is huge, and might reduce the likelihood of running into the kinds of problems Cloudlifters are marketed at solving. I've been happy with how my Scarlett 2i2 has handled has handled vocals on an SM58 and a guitar combo with an E609, but your milage may vary. Another minor difference is lower impedance (100 ohms) on the 2i2's line outputs, compared to 200 ohms in the Solo. But both interfaces share the same number of line outputs, 2, and 1 headphone output.
Who is each interface for?
If you are purely a solo musician and you are on a tight budget, the Scarlett Solo can be sufficient. If you're likely to focus on amp sims with a single instrument, then a lot of the extra features on the 2i2 might not be necessary. For a lot of people though, the extra features and better XLR preamp of the Scarlett 2i2 deliver enough value overall to be worth the $70 premium. I do think there is a risk of outgrowing the Scarlett Solo a little too quickly. Even if there's a chance of spending a lot of money on a better interface eventually either way, more time to learn before that big purchase is always a good thing.
If the money saved going with a Scarlett Solo helps you get closer to headphones or a microphone you want, then it could be a very solid purchase too.
Because I ended up buying a few microphones too since my purchase of my Scarlett 2i2 (Sweetwater successfully tempted me into getting an entry-level condenser at Black Friday), I think it's good that I am not bottlenecked/blocked by my interface if I want to learn more about using multiple mics on a cab at once.
It’s also worth saying that neither of these interfaces is for everyone. If you need ultra-low latency (without using the direct-monitoring mode on the Scarlett interfaces) or enough inputs to record drums or a full band, you're probably looking past both the Solo and 2i2 already. But for guitarists and bassists getting started with home recording or experimenting with amp sims, these two interfaces cover a huge amount of real-world use. For most of those shopping between the two, I recommend going for the Scarlett 2i2 over the Scarlett Solo because it opens up more workflow options and has fewer limitations that might box you in before you're ready for a bigger interface upgrade.
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