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Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen

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Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen

^# 26

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$262.71 Price Tier: High-end

4.5 (27)

4 Reviews

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

Newer option

Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 (3rd gen)

$385.00 - $749.99

4.5 (18)

Find out who is using Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen

4 community setups

5 wishlisted

68 saved

Page last updated Jul 04, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated July 4, 2026.

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Reviews

Price

5.0 (77)

$262.71 5 available Used

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Average Price: $506

High-end/Boutique

$150

$501+

Price Tier

In the Audio Interfaces category, Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen is priced in the High-end/Boutique range. This premium gear is built to very high standards and offers premium features.

Budget

Standard

High-end

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Description

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The Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen is your gateway to professional-grade audio recording, designed to seamlessly fit into any studio setup with its 18 inputs and 20 outputs. This rack-mountable USB audio interface is engineered with the modern musician in mind, offering an array of features that balance versatility and high-fidelity sound. At the heart of the Scarlett 18i20 are the renowned Scarlett preamps, delivering clean gain, remarkable headroom, and low-noise performance.

Whether you're recording a full band or a solo project, the interface's eight combo inputs (with two conveniently located on the front) allow you to capture every nuance with absolute clarity. The intuitive design ensures that all your instruments and mics can stay plugged in, reducing clutter and streamlining your workflow.

Perfect for producers and engineers who demand the best in audio fidelity, the Scarlett 18i20 also integrates seamlessly with all major DAWs, ensuring you can focus on your music without battling technical hurdles. Its flexible routing and extensive connectivity make it an indispensable tool for any serious studio setup.

Key Features:

18 inputs and 20 outputs for comprehensive connectivity
Eight Scarlett mic preamps with ample headroom and low-noise performance
Two inputs on the front panel for easy access
Rack-mountable design for efficient studio integration
Compatible with all major DAWs and platforms
High-resolution 24-bit/192kHz AD-DA converters for pristine audio quality

Product specs

Brand	Focusrite
Model	Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen USB Audio Interface
Finish	Red / Black
Year	2016 - 2018
Made In	United Kingdom
Categories	Audio Interfaces
Bit Depth	24-bit
Bus-Powered	No
Compatibility	Windows, macOS
Computer Connectivity	USB
Digital Input Format	ADAT/Optical, S/PIDF
Digital Output Format	ADAT/Optical, S/PIDF
Electronics	Analog, Digital, Solid State
Format	19-inch Rackmount
Number of Analog Inputs	8
Number of Analog Outputs	10
Number of Channels	38
Number of Digital Inputs	10
Number of Digital Outputs	10
Number of Headphone Outputs	2
Number of MIDI Inputs	1
Number of MIDI Outputs	1
Number of Mic Preamps	8
Sample Rate	192 khz
Simultaneous I/O	18 x 20

FAQs

What type of connectivity does the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen offer?: The Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen provides USB connectivity for seamless integration with your computer, and it supports both Windows and macOS systems.
How many mic preamps are included in the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen?: The Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen features eight high-quality mic preamps, providing excellent sound quality for recording vocals and instruments.
Is the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen suitable for recording at high sample rates?: Yes, the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen supports sample rates up to 192 kHz, making it ideal for high-resolution audio recording.
Does the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen include MIDI connectivity?: Yes, the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen includes both MIDI input and output, allowing you to connect MIDI devices for enhanced studio integration.
Can the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen be rack-mounted?: Yes, the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen is designed in a 19-inch rackmount format, making it easy to integrate into professional studio setups.

Videos

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BURGERCIS MUSIC Offer Shop Sdn Bhd

Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd gen

BURGERCIS MUSIC Offer Shop Sdn Bhd

Gear Review - Scarlett 18i20 Review (2nd Generation)

Alex Valli Music & Gaming

FOCUSRITE 18i20👉 2nd gen 👈 For Savvy USERS 🎧

zeb bach

Reviews

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PROS

Surpasses expectations even compared to higher-end units
Offers loads of free software, enhancing value
Easy to set up with support videos for assistance
Excellent preamps provide clear audio quality
Compatible with popular DAWs like Logic Pro X, ensuring ease of use
Provides reliable, low to negligible latency performance
Affordable, providing high-end features at a lower cost
Versatile, suitable for both home studios and more professional settings

CONS

Software setup can be cumbersome and quirky
Requires initial configuration adjustments for optimal use
User Interface might be less intuitive, lacking color and categorization

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 2nd Gen.

Software and compatibility

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Scarlett 2nd Gen uses the same Focusrite Control software as the 3rd Gen, ensuring compatibility with current macOS systems.
Source

Features and functionality

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Scarlett 2nd Gen interfaces utilize the same ASIO driver as newer models, maintaining performance consistency across generations.
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Feedback issues may arise from incorrect routing settings in Focusrite Control, particularly if a guitar DI is looped back to channels 1+2.
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Users can create separate mix templates for speakers and headphones in Focusrite Control, allowing mic inputs to be muted on speaker mixes while remaining active on headphone mixes.
Source

Use cases and applications

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Some owners use the 2nd Gen 18i20 in standalone mode for additional preamps, highlighting its versatility in studio setups.
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Some owners use the 18i20 as a DAC for playback, which can require careful adjustment of input settings to avoid feedback during non-recording activities.
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User experience

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Owners report long-term reliability, with units functioning well for nearly a decade without issues.
Source

Setup and maintenance

0 0

It's recommended to check routing settings in Focusrite Control when experiencing unexpected feedback, as incorrect loopback settings can cause unintended audio paths.
Source

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4.5 out of 5

Based on 4 Reviews and 27 Ratings

5 star

4 star

3 star

2 star

1 star

mkltesthead

140

over 6 years ago

A nice and affordable entry into a multi-input recording interface

This was a replacement purchase as a change in band members meant equipment we used to have access to we didn't any longer. Researched what would be workable in our price range and came across the 18i20 2nd gen. Opted for it over the 3rd gen simply for price reasons. Worked immediately with Logic Pro X and to date, no latency to speak of. Early days yet but I can already tell the preamps are considerably better than the interface we replaced. We are hoping to update this unit with an OctoPre 2nd Gen as well so I will be happy to come back and update with that experience when it happens. Overall, it works nicely for what we want it to do.

enorthby

530

over 7 years ago

Great sound but...

The be honest the out of the box plug and play was not the best experience for me. The software had to be configured then there is some quirky configuring where you have to turn up the software volumes to get hardware volumes to be accessible which means the software is more for controlling the max volume and not the actual volume. Sort of odd, but I'm sure I'll eventually get used to it. Also not a big fan of the black and white UI for the software. I prefer a more color driven and categorized User Interface. But all in all the hardware is amazing! Great Pre Amps especially for a home pro studio level device. Oh and all the free vsts etc took forever to install because of the nature of how free stuff works.. First there was a step to create accounts with each of the vendor sites, then Serial number blah blah blah and then...install and hope it's still compatible without jBridge 64bit vst shell. Oh well. Still fantastic purchase.

Roles:

Keyboardist Music Producer

Genres:

Electronic Electronica Dance music

xaqary

5455

over 8 years ago

Utilities

Trying it out among other replacements for my additional IO needs. Can’t say much about the preamps as I don’t really use them.

It’s just for more IO for line level stuff & then connected via optical to my Apollo:

Primarily-Sends/ Returns Occasionally if I wanna use a crazy mic count for pretty exotic setups & then it’s hitting outboard preamps before it hits the converters.

I’m not wild about it but then that’s not really my interest. Just need a solid, easy, reliable way to get signal in & out with zero color. The conversion like all but a few lemons on the market does fine with that. Might stay, might not. This was just damn affordable way to get some more IO here. I’m still shopping for another cheap alternative but Focusrite has a pretty vice like grip on this area of the market...so we’ll see...

No latency issues beyond it ain’t analog. That is to say it’s usually negligible. No miracle, no dud.