With four Focusrite mic pres, Scarlett 18i8 is designed for producers and recording artists or bands that require the ability to record a significant number of sources at the same time. Scarlett 18i8 works on Mac, piece and iPad (Apple Camera Connection Kit required for iPad). At the heart of 18i8 is a set of 4 Focusrite mic preamps with up to 60dB gain, designed specifically for Focusrite’s computer audio interfaces. The first 2 offer Mic/Line/Instrument on universal XLR/TRS connectors while 3 and 4 offer Mic/Line capability on universal XLRs–all 4 on the front panel with pads and 48V phantom power. Four more line inputs are provided on TRS connectors. An ADAT optical digital connector provides eight additional digital inputs that can also be used with external mic preamps like Focusrite’s OctoPre Mk II to increase the number of mic inputs the 18i8 can handle to 12. A stereo S/PDIF coaxial input is also included. On the output side, there are two TRS monitor outputs, stereo S/PDIF coax, and two independent stereo headphone outputs, each with their own volume knob. All analog inputs and outputs have their own connectors, so no breakout cables are required, and all feature Focusrite precision 24 bit, 96kHz sampling A/D and D/A conversion to get the most accurate signal possible into and out of recording applications on Windows, Mac and iOS apps. Scarlett 18i8 is housed in a compact red unibody metal case. Input level controls feature signal halos–LED rings that give a simple and immediate go/no go level indication. A large main monitor knob with mute button means that main monitor levels are always at your fingertips. Included is the Scarlett MixControl low latency DSP based software mixer and router, with intuitive one click presets and a latency of under 1.4 ms. You’ll also find the Scarlett plug in suite for VST, AU and RTAS, offering EQ, gate, compression and reverb, plus Ableton Live Lite, the Novation Bass Station soft synth and a Loopmasters sample pack.