Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre User Guide

User Guide

Version 2

focusrite.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

OVERVIEW..................................................................... 3

Introduction .................................................................3

Features ....................................................................4

Box Contents ................................................................5

System Requirements.........................................................5

GETTING STARTED .............................................................6

Software Installation ..........................................................6

Registering your Clarett+ 8Pre..................................................6

Hardware Features ...........................................................8

Front Panel ....................................................................8

Rear Panel ...................................................................10

Connecting your Clarett+ 8Pre .................................................11

Computer audio setup ..........................................................11

Audio Setup in your DAW ........................................................11

Connecting Clarett+ 8Pre to loudspeakers..........................................12

Working with surround sound ....................................................14

EXAMPLES OF USAGE ..........................................................16

1. Recording a band ............................................................16

2. Using the optical connections ..................................................18

3. Using the Clarett+ 8Pre as a stand-alone mixer ...................................19

4. Providing foldback while recording..............................................20

FOCUSRITE CONTROL - OVERVIEW...............................................21

CLARETT+ 8PRE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS.....................................22

Performance Specications ...................................................22

Physical and Electrical Characteristics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

TROUBLESHOOTING ........................................................... 24

OVERVIEW

WARNING: Excessive sound pressure levels from earphones and headphones can cause

hearing loss.

WARNING: This equipment must only be connected to USB Type 2.0+ or Thunderbolt 3.0+ ports.

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing this Clarett+ 8Pre, a high-performance and immensely capable studio centrepiece for PC or Mac. Eight next-generation, high-headroom, low-noise, low-distortion Clarett+ mic preamps - featuring the unique All-analogue Air function - help you capture superbly clear recordings, and independent A-D and D-A converters with improved dynamic range bring you closer than ever to your music.

This User Guide provides a detailed explanation of the hardware to help you achieve a thorough understanding of the product’s operational features. We recommend you take the time to read the Guide, so you are fully aware of all the features the Clarett+ 8Pre has to offer.

IMPORTANT: As well as this User Guide, you will need the Focusrite Control Software

Guide which can be downloaded from focusrite.com/downloads.

This contains full details of Focusrite Control, the software application designed

specically for use with the Focusrite Clarett+ range of interfaces.

If either User Guide does not have the information you need, please go to

support.focusrite.com, where you can nd articles and tutorials beyond the scope of this

user guide. A Getting Started video tutorial is also available, at

focusrite.com/get-started/ClarettPlus-8Pre.

Features

The Clarett+ 8pre has eight next-generation, high-performance Clarett+ preamps to capture clear and powerful sounds with a preamp design that brings masses of headroom, low distortion and low noise. New and improved high-performance A-D and D-A converters maintain the purity of analogue and deliver extremely low noise and high dynamic range.

Vocals will shine with the All-analogue Air, its analogue circuitry emulating the classic Focusrite ISA 110 preamp. J-FET instrument inputs offer dedicated, ultra-high-impedance, extremely wide audio bandwidth, and mimic guitar amp inputs to preserve the natural tone of guitars.

The accompanying software application, Focusrite Control, is designed to let you easily congure the Clarett+ 8Pre with signal routings appropriate for most common recording tasks. For more complex situations, it provides extensive routing and monitoring options, as well as the ability to control global hardware settings such as sample rate and synchronisation. You can download Focusrite Control from focusrite.com/downloads.

iPad and iPhone users can additionally download Focusrite iOS Control from the App Store®. The app communicates via WiFi with Focusrite Control running on your computer, and lets you adjust your monitor mixes and input settings from your iOS device. See the Focusrite Control User Manual for more information.

Box Contents

Along with your Clarett+ 8Pre you should have:

• AC mains cable with IEC connector

• USB-C to USB-A cable

• USB-C to USB-C cable

Focusrite Control is available at focusrite.com/downloads. On Windows, Focusrite Control will also install the driver required. Mac users: Clarett+ 8Pre is class-compliant on Macs, therefore no drivers are required.

As a Clarett+ owner, you are also entitled to a selection of third-party software. Go to focusrite.com/included_software/ClarettPlus-8Pre to nd out what’s included.

System Requirements

IMPORTANT – Please visit the following link for up-to-date information on computer and

operating system compatibility for all Clarett+ products:

support.focusrite.com

GETTING STARTED

Software Installation

Focusrite Control and the driver software needed for the Clarett+ 8Pre are available for download from the Focusrite website: focusrite.com/downloads.

Clarett+ range on the Downloads page. This will take you to a page with all the downloads

Click which are available for the Clarett+ range.

To download the Focusrite Control version you need, click the appropriate Download button.

Note that the Windows driver is included within the Focusrite Control download. No additional driver is needed for Macs.

Registering your Clarett+ 8Pre

If you are having trouble with the steps below, please watch our video guide here:

focusrite.com/get-started/ClarettPlus-8Pre.

1. Go to focusrite.com/register/.

2. If you do not have already have a Focusrite/Novation account, select CREATE AN ACCOUNT and follow the on-screen instructions.

3. If you do have an account, log in and select REGISTER A NEW PRODUCT:

4. Select your Clarett+ device from the

Product drop-down list and enter your device’s Serial Number

at the bottom of the page. You can nd the serial number on the underside of the Clarett+ 8Pre,

and also on the gift box. Then click Set Serial Number.

5. Follow the rest of the on-screen instructions to nish registering your device.

6. When the registration is complete, your Product will appear in your Account under the

My Hardware tab.

7. All your bundled software can be found under the My Software tab in your account

Hardware Features

Front Panel

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The front panel includes all input gain and monitoring controls as well as two input connectors for Mic, Line and Instrument signals.

1. INPUTS 1 & 2 – Combo XLR input sockets - connect microphones, instruments (e.g., guitar), or

line level signals via XLR or ¼” jacks as appropriate. Either TRS (balanced) or TS (unbalanced) jack plugs can be used for instruments or line level signals.

2. 48V – two switches enabling 48 V phantom power at the Combo connectors’ XLR contacts

for mic inputs 1-4 and 5-8 respectively. (Note that inputs 3 to 8 are on the rear panel.) Each switch has a red LED to show when phantom power is enabled. Note that not all microphones require phantom power. If you are unsure whether your microphone needs it to work, please read the microphone documentation.

3. Gain 1 to 8 – eight rotary controls: adjust input gain for signals at Inputs 1 to 8 respectively.

4. INST – two red LEDs which illuminate when Instrument mode is selected for the jack

Inputs 1 or 2 from Focusrite Control software. When INST is selected, gain range and input impedance are altered (relative to LINE), and the input is made unbalanced. This optimises it for connecting instruments directly via a 2-pole (TS) jack plug. When INST is off, you can connect line level signals. Line level signals may be connected either in balanced form via a 3-pole (TRS) jack or unbalanced, via a 2-pole (TS) jack.

5. AIR – eight yellow LEDs – one per input - which illuminate when AIR function is selected

for the input from Focusrite Control. AIR modies the input stage’s frequency response to model classic, transformer-based Focusrite ISA mic preamps.

6. Meters – ten 6-segment LED bargraph meters indicating a) the signal levels of the eight

analogue input signals (meters 1 to 8), and b) the signal levels at the MONITOR 1 and 2 outputs (meters L and R). The input meters show signal level after the input gain stage. The output meters show signal level before the monitor level control [10], which therefore does not affect their indication. The LEDs illuminate at -42 (green, “signal present”), -18 and -12 dBFS (green), -6 and -3 dBFS (yellow) and 0 dBFS (red). 0 dBFS implies digital clipping, and should always be avoided.

(USB active) – a green LED which illuminates when the unit has established a connection

with the computer to which it is connected.

8. MIDI – a green LED which illuminates when MIDI data is being received at the rear panel

MIDI IN port.

(Locked) – a green LED which conrms clock synchronisation, either to the Clarett+ 8Pre’s

internal clock or to an external digital input.

10. MONITOR – main monitor output level control – this control will normally control the level at

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