Are you or have you used the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre X 26x28 Thunderbolt Audio Interface on Windows?

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Hello My HC friends:

It's nice to be back, I know the world has changed since my last post but I am still trekking along.

 

I am looking at getting a new Audio Interface but noticed units with Fire-wire are slowly diminishing. Specifically I am looking at the Focusrite Clarett 8Pre X 26x28 Thunderbolt Audio Interface:

 

I have to confess, until I looked up these interfaces, I did not know about Thunderbolt connectivity.

 

Have any of you used these on a Windows Machines? I see that there are adapters and PCI Express cards for connectivity but I want to really connect with someone who have used this connectivity on Windows, before jumping in the river.

 

I also read Craig's review here:

http://www.harmonycentral.com/expert-reviews/focusrite-clarett8-prex-thunderbolt-audio-interface

 

Thanks my friends:

 

AI

[Anderton]

Welcome back!!! It's gratifying that so many people are coming back to HC, in addition to the new people discovering it.

 

Here's my take. Thunderbolt remains primarily a "Mac thing" although Focusrite has released drivers for Windows. However (and in the immortal words of Herman Cain, "I don't have facts to back this up"), I think it's really important to make sure that whatever Windows machine you want has a motherboard/chip set that is compatible with any drivers you choose. It's like the early days of FireWire or for that matter, USB 3.0.

 

Thunderbolt became necessary for the Mac when the PCI slots went away, and some method was required to get PCI connections outside of the computer's box. Thunderbolt does that, and through adapters, is also backwards compatible. Windows machines still have PCI slots, so you can run PCI interfaces like those from MOTU, Lynx, and Esi and enjoy the same latency benefits as Thunderbolt. I believe this is also why there wasn't a big push to get Thunderbolt happening for Windows - there was already a tried-and-proven solution for ultra-low latency.

 

Where Thunderbolt really shines is when you need to shove large amounts of video and audio data down the cable. However for audio-only, good drivers with a USB 2.0 or 3.0 interface do a highly credible job.

 

Please feel free to ask any follow-up questions.

 

 

[audioicon]

Welcome back!!! It's gratifying that so many people are coming back to HC, in addition to the new people discovering it.

 

Here's my take. Thunderbolt remains primarily a "Mac thing" although Focusrite has released drivers for Windows. However (and in the immortal words of Herman Cain, "I don't have facts to back this up"), I think it's really important to make sure that whatever Windows machine you want has a motherboard/chip set that is compatible with any drivers you choose. It's like the early days of FireWire or for that matter, USB 3.0.

 

Thunderbolt became necessary for the Mac when the PCI slots went away, and some method was required to get PCI connections outside of the computer's box. Thunderbolt does that, and through adapters, is also backwards compatible. Windows machines still have PCI slots, so you can run PCI interfaces like those from MOTU, Lynx, and Esi and enjoy the same latency benefits as Thunderbolt. I believe this is also why there wasn't a big push to get Thunderbolt happening for Windows - there was already a tried-and-proven solution for ultra-low latency.

 

Where Thunderbolt really shines is when you need to shove large amounts of video and audio data down the cable. However for audio-only, good drivers with a USB 2.0 or 3.0 interface do a highly credible job.

 

Please feel free to ask any follow-up questions.

 

 

 

Thanks Craig:

Your response exemplifies all that is great about this community.

 

The motherboard in my computer is an ASUS Sabertooth X79. After reading your response I decided to look at the

ASUS ThunderboltEX 3 Expansion Card. Unfortunately, that card is not compatible with the X79.

 

I was hoping it would all fit together if both the expansion card and the motherboard are from the same vendor: I have already read reviews of people complaining about compatibility issues.

 

Card here:

https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboard-Accessory/ThunderboltEX-3/

 

Specs here:

https://www.asus.com/us/Motherboard-Accessory/ThunderboltEX-3/specifications/

 

I am more interested in the Interface than the Connectivity but it threw me off, like "what is this Thunderbolt thingy?"

 

Given your input I am going to look at other alternatives.

 

By the way, I just upgraded to Sonar Platinum, and also, I see you are active over there.

 

Thank you so much.

 

AI

[MikeRivers]

The surge toward Thunderbolt and me having only Windows computers, and old ones at that, is definitely off-pissing. And unlilke Firewire, you can't just stick a Thunderbolt card into any available expansion slot (which, if you haven't noticed, are getting smaller and smaller by the month) or a CardBus slot on a laptop (because they don't make 'em any more).

 

You probably aren't doing anything that requires the throughput of Thunderbolt unless you're into video production, in which case you probably should just bite the bullet and buy a Mac. With 64 channels going in and out through a USB 2 interface, who needs more speed? Have you looked into what Antelope is doing these days? Any new motherboard that supports Windows will have USB 3 on it, and that might be where things will settle out for the next few years.

 

I, too, would like to have the Clarett's better-than-Scarlet's mic preamps and converters, but Focusrite seems to be happy making their Mac customers happy and giving them something that we Windows users can only drool over.

[Anderton]

 

 

Thanks Craig:

Your response exemplifies all that is great about this community.

 

The motherboard in my computer is an ASUS Sabertooth X79. After reading your response I decided to look at the

ASUS ThunderboltEX 3 Expansion Card. Unfortunately, that card is not compatible with the X79.

 

I was hoping it would all fit together if both the expansion card and the motherboard are from the same vendor: I have already read reviews of people complaining about compatibility issues.

 

I think it will take a while before Thunderbolt settles down on Windows, although it will eventually. Windows moves more slowly than the Mac because of the huge installed base. Steve Jobs could say "Okay, no more SCSI" and that was that. Apple expects users to buy new hardware with regularity, in fact as I've noted previously some Apple computers just have arbitrary cutoff points where they will no longer work with a current OS even though there's no technical reason for that limitation. However in many Windows situations, new hardware simply isn't necessary, nor is an OS change...look how many people are happily running Windows 7.

 

Given your input I am going to look at other alternatives.

 

I'd be happy to throw out some suggestions. My usual advice for people looking for interfaces is don't start by looking at what's out there. Start by making a list of exactly what you need - do you need lots of mics? Don't, but might someday? Is ADAT I/O important? Built-in MIDI or do you need a heavier-duty separate MIDI interface? Once you define your needs, it's almost certain you can find an interface that covers those needs.

 

By the way, I just upgraded to Sonar Platinum, and also, I see you are active over there.

 

I love SONAR Platinum. The new PRV changes in the March update are off the hook. I've often said if there was only one DAW in the world, any DAW, I'd use it, be happy, and make music. But SONAR fits the way I make music so well that creating with it is effortless for me.

 

 

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I'd be happy to throw out some suggestions.

 

I do need some recommendations/suggestions on Audio Interface.

 

Currently, I have MAudio 1814 and Presonus FirePod. After about 8 years, the 1814 works perfectly, no audio dropouts or issues. The FirePod on the other hand dropout a lot and appeared unstable but I understand these are legacy products and subject to this behavior after all this time.

 

So, I am looking to upgrade. My primary concern is clear uncolored conversion and Input/outputs.

I saw the Presonus Fire Studio but historically, I have had issues with this brand, but times have changed, maybe they have all new developers.

 

I have a budget of around $1200.

 

Thank you so much!

[Anderton]

Need a little more data...how many inputs do you need? Line or mic? In general, RME has a great reputation. They're not cheap, but I've never known an unhappy RME owner. The drivers are also excellent. .

 

I've been using the TASCAM US-20x20 "by accident." By that, I mean I was using a different interface that had a very good reputation. When the 20x20 appeared as TASCAM's first USB 3.0 interface, I wanted to test it out and while I was at it, tested the mic pres. The performance was superior to what I had used previously, so the 20x20 stayed on as my main interface.

 

Edit: TASCAM is a Gibson Brand, but I'm not using it out of loyalty. The main differences in terms of sound is better crosstalk performance (so better imaging), and very low IM distortion, which I find important. I published specs on TASCAM's 2x2 and 4x4 interfaces, which use the same preamps, here. Another reason why I use the 20x20 is because it has ADAT I/O if I need to expand the number of inputs or outputs.

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Need a little more data...how many inputs do you need? Line or mic?

 

Thank you so much!

 

Always wanted an RME, they have quit a reputation.

 

I have about 10 External Synth but most of the time, I use about 6 simultaneously when recording sounds. so those are all Line In. I also have a Roland M1000 Digital Line mixer which I can route up to 4 independent digital inputs to a digital output or XLR.

 

In a nutshell I use about 2 Mics, 8 to 10 instruments input but usually I never record simultaneously, meaning vocals and instruments, I mostly do over dubs, say bass or guitar.

 

My need for inputs is I am lazy, to do patch work.

 

[MikeRivers]

 

 

I have about 10 External Synth but most of the time, I use about 6 simultaneously when recording sounds. so those are all Line In. I also have a Roland M1000 Digital Line mixer which I can route up to 4 independent digital inputs to a digital output or XLR.

 

In a nutshell I use about 2 Mics, 8 to 10 instruments input but usually I never record simultaneously, meaning vocals and instruments, I mostly do over dubs, say bass or guitar.

 

My need for inputs is I am lazy, to do patch work.

 

There are a number of interfaces that have combinations like eight line level (only) inputs and two mic/line/Instrument inputs. Also, it's pretty common to have something like two mic inputs, two or four line inputs, and then one or two ADAT Optical Toslink inputs that give you 8 channels each at 44.1 or 48 kHz sample rate, or 4 channels each at 2x sample rate. But then you need another box with A/D converters and ADAT output. Most of those boxes are mic/line inputs, but if you don't need the mic inputs, you don't need to worry about quality of the mic preamps, and even today's garden variety A/D converter chips are plenty good when your sources are synthesizers.

 

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There are a number of interfaces that have combinations like eight line level (only) inputs and two mic/line/Instrument inputs. Also, it's pretty common to have something like two mic inputs, two or four line inputs, and then one or two ADAT Optical Toslink inputs that give you 8 channels each at 44.1 or 48 kHz sample rate, or 4 channels each at 2x sample rate. But then you need another box with A/D converters and ADAT output. Most of those boxes are mic/line inputs, but if you don't need the mic inputs, you don't need to worry about quality of the mic preamps, and even today's garden variety A/D converter chips are plenty good when your sources are synthesizers.

 

 

Thanks Mike:

 

I think the difficulty for me is not finding stuff in the stores.

The Guitar Center store in my city is like a ghost store with very low inventory.

 

If you want to try anything you have to buy online, wait, then try it and return it for another one. This process can take months and you risk losing your mosey or getting stuck with something.

 

Getting enough information here, such as your input really helps.

[MikeRivers]

You know, now that I think of it, since this discussion started with the Focusrite Clarett, they have the OctoPre that gives you eight Clarett preamps that can also be line inputs, with two can can be instrument DI inputs, all to ADAT optical outputs.

 

You can mate one of those with any USB interface of your choise that's expandable through an ADAT input. There are Focusrite Scarletts that are ripe for this sort of combination, the 18i8 seems to be the smallest one (4 mic/line inputs + 4 line-only inputs) with an ADAT input. That would give you a choice of two grades of Focusrite mic preamps. Or maybe to get a different flavor, an MOTU UltraLite Mk 4. Any of these combinations will give you more inputs than you can dream of using now, but for sure you can leave all of your synths plugged in, as well as any analog signal processors you might have or get.

 

With TASCAM, you need to go to the 20x20 (Craig likes this one) before you get one wiht ADAT inputs. PreSonus has a couple also, and they're always making improvements, so maybe you can set your "issues" bias aside and give one of theirs a try. They seem to have more bang for the buck than most similarly connected interfaces - their Studio 192 Mobile isn't oversized, and it's their latest series which will take advantage of USB 3 if your computer supports it.

 

That's some stuff to look at, for starters.

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You know' date=' now that I think of it, since this discussion started with the Focusrite Clarett, they have the OctoPre that gives you eight Clarett preamps that can also be line inputs, with two can can be instrument DI inputs, all to ADAT optical outputs.

.

 

Thanks Mike:

By the way I am glad you are still around here, I have looked around and most of the people I use to know are not posting or visiting any longer.

 

I think I am going to start with the RME and see where things lead.