Focusrite Clarett 8Pre Thunderbolt Audio Interface

Blazing-fast Thunderbolt with a Hint of ISA Mojo
The core of your studio or mobile recording rig
Focusrite's Clarett 8Pre 18-in/20-out audio interface is a powerful foundation for your studio or mobile recording rig. It sports eight great-sounding Clarett microphone preamplifiers, an outstanding dynamic range, and ultra-fast, low-latency performance enabled by Thunderbolt. Clarett's magic starts as soon as you plug your microphones in — the mic preamps feature Focusrite's switchable Air Effect, which gives your microphones the air and clarity of an ISA transformer-based mic preamp. With comprehensive connectivity including analog I/O, S/PDIF, and ADAT I/O, the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre is ready to integrate into virtually any recording rig.
"A powerful foundation for your studio or mobile recording rig"




Hover over features below for a detailed description




Versatility, speed, and sonic performance.


Everything You Need in a Preamp/Interface
Outstanding versatility, speed, and sonic performance
The Clarett 8Pre's eight newly designed Clarett mic preamps deliver a truly impressive dynamic range. Perfect for your studio or mobile recording rig, the Clarett 8Pre gives you a wealth of connectivity — including ADAT and MIDI I/O — all in a sleek 1U form factor. With its sonic performance, leading edge round-trip audio latency and ease of use, the Clarett 8 Pre is an excellent choice of interface.

Eight Clarett mic preamps with Air Effect
Accurate digital conversion and clocking
Generous I/O, enough for the whole band
Accessible metering and monitoring
Intuitive, easy-to-use software mixer





Record in Your Comfort Zone
Use your favorite plug-ins in real time
With the Clarett 8Pre's exceedingly low round-trip audio latency over Thunderbolt, you can record and monitor in real time with your favorite familiar DAW plug-ins. No special processing or DSP is required. Select any plug-in and create your dream recording chain on every single channel.
Every Clarett ships with the Focusrite Classic Red 2 and Red 3 AAX, AU, and VST plug-in suite, which accurately models Focusrite's classic Red range EQ and compression hardware. Also included is Softube's Time and Tone Pack - a powerful plug-in bundle consisting of Softube's world-class TSAR-1R reverb, Tube Delay, and Saturation Knob.

Record and monitor in real time with your favorite DAW plug-ins
Create custom monitor setups for both you and your artists
Includes Focusrite's Classic Red 2/Red 3 plug-in suite






Eight Clarett Mic Pres with extra "Air"


8 Clarett Mic Preamps with Air Effect
Newly designed Focusrite mic preamps bring your recordings to life
Focusrite fitted the Clarett 8Pre with mic preamps that were designed exclusively for the Clarett range with loads of pristine gain and vanishingly low noise. In addition, these preamps include Focusrite's proprietary Air feature that switches in an analog model of Focusrite's acclaimed classic transformer-based ISA mic pre, breathing life into your recordings. If you've always wanted vocals that shimmer with presence and silky air, then try recording with the Clarett 8Pre. You will be impressed.

Eight newly designed Clarett mic preamps
Copious headroom, vanishingly low noise
Focusrite's proprietary Air feature





Accurate Digital Conversion and Sync
The cleanest way yet to get sound in and out of your DAW
Sweetwater engineers know that conversion is key to superior digital audio, and Clarett features Focusrite's class-leading 24-bit/192kHz conversion. Offering up to 119dB of dynamic range, Clarett is the cleanest way to get sound in and out of your DAW. And naturally, the Clarett 8Pre includes a word clock output for slaving external digital devices.

Focusrite's class-leading 24/192 conversion
Up to 119dB of dynamic range
Word clock output for slaving external digital devices



Superior Focusrite conversion onboard




Clarett 8Pre offers generous I/O


Track the Band in a Single Take
Generous I/O to handle any recording scenario
The Focusrite Clarett 8Pre gives you 18 audio inputs and 20 outputs packed into a trim 1U rackmount chassis. This includes eight analog inputs, ten analog outputs, stereo S/PDIF I/O, and eight channels of ADAT I/O. The ADAT output is perfect for sending audio to an external D/A for line output expansion, while the input can be used to bring in eight additional digital mic preamp channels, such as the Focusrite OctoPre MkII, for maximum flexibility. In addition, two front-panel mic/line/instrument inputs give you quick and easy access — even when you've got your Clarett rack mounted. And those hi-Z inputs have copious headroom to handle your guitars and basses with hot passive or active pickups.

8 analog inputs, 10 analog outputs
Stereo S/PDIF, 8 channels of ADAT I/O
Two front-panel mic/line/instrument inputs





Accessible Metering and Monitoring
You're always informed and in control
Featuring a 6-segment, multichannel LED meter, the Clarett 8Pre's monitor panel keeps you informed of analog and digital input levels and main monitor outputs. Monitoring facilities include a level control, as well as dim and mute buttons. Add to that two wide dynamic range front-panel headphone outputs with enough power to deliver healthy level to high-impedance headphones, and the Clarett becomes your go-to device for tracking and mixing.

6-segment, multichannel LED meter
Monitor level control, plus dim and mute buttons
Two wide-dynamic-range front-panel headphone outs







Intuitive and Easy-to-use Software Mixer
Easy configuration of monitoring and routing setups
Your Clarett comes with Focusrite Control, a brand-new software mixer that makes short work of configuring your monitoring and routing setups. Simple and intuitive to use, Focusrite Control offers an easy-to-grasp traditional mixer workflow and gives you immediate access to dim, mute, and other internal hardware functions.

Makes short work of configuring your monitoring and routing
Traditional mixer workflow
Quick access to internal hardware functions





Comparing the Claretts
Focusrite's Clarett line includes two multi-channel rackmount models, the Clarett 8Pre and the Clarett 8PreX. If you're configuring a mobile recording setup, you will appreciate the svelte 1U Claret 8Pre and its blend of performance and portability. If, however, you're seeking a preamp/interface for permanent studio installation, the 2U Clarett 8PreX offers an expanded range of professional features you'll find extremely valuable.






Clarett 8Pre
Clarett 8PreX


Focusrite mic preamps
8
8


Analog inputs
8
8


Analog outputs
10
10


Headphone outputs
2
2


Instrument inputs (Hi-Z)
2
2


48V phantom power
2 Banks
Per-channel


Highpass filters
No
Per-channel


Phase reverse
No
Per-channel


Digital inputs
10
18


Digital outputs
10
18


S/PDIF
Yes
Yes


ADAT inputs
8 Ch
16 Ch


ADAT outputs
8 Ch
16 Ch


Connection protocol
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt


LED metering
6-segment
6-segment


Switchable input metering
No
Yes


Rackmount height
1U
2U


Wordclock output
Yes
Yes


Wordclock input
No
Yes







Clarett 8Pre: You're Ready to Rock
WIth its eight great-sounding preamps, ample connectivity, superior conversion, and smart feature set, the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre is an essential component of your mobile or studio recording rig. Add a computer, your favorite DAW, a selection of good mics, and a dash of creativity, and you're ready to rock.


Upgrade your sonics and workflow with the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre!






Tech Specs



Computer Connectivity
Thunderbolt


Form Factor
Rackmount


Simultaneous I/O
18 x 20


Analog Inputs
8 x XLR/TRS Combo


Analog Outputs
10 x 1/4", 2 x 1/4" (Headphones)


Digital Inputs
1 x Coax, 1 x Optical


Digital Outputs
1 x Coax, 1 x Optical


Number of Preamps
8


MIDI I/O
In/Out


Clock I/O
1 x Word Clock


Rack Spaces
1U


Width
19"


Height
1.75"


Manufacturer Part Number
Clarett 8Pre









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