Focusrite Scarlett Solo (3rd Gen) vs Scarlett 2i2 — Which Is Right for You?
The Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen Recording Bundle (AMS-SCARLETT-SOLO-3G) is Focusrite's single-instrument USB-C audio interface bundled with a CM25 MkIII condenser microphone, HP60 MkIII closed-back headphones, and the cables needed to start recording. Per Focusrite's official Scarlett Solo Studio 3rd Gen product page, the Solo is the company's most affordable Scarlett bundle and is targeted at solo singer-songwriters, podcasters, and content creators who need one microphone input plus one instrument input. The 2i2 Studio (covered in a separate module) adds a second microphone input. This module walks through the trade-off so buyers can choose the right Scarlett tier.
The Headline Difference: One Mic Input vs Two
The Scarlett Solo provides one XLR microphone preamp + one separate ¼-inch instrument input. The Scarlett 2i2 provides two combo XLR/TRS inputs, each capable of either microphone or instrument input. Practical translation:
- Singer-songwriter recording vocals + acoustic guitar simultaneously → 2i2 (one channel for the mic, one for the acoustic guitar pickup or a second mic on the acoustic). The Solo's mic-OR-instrument layout means you can record vocal AND DI-instrument simultaneously, but not vocal + acoustic guitar with a microphone simultaneously
- Podcaster recording solo → Solo is sufficient and cheaper
- Two-host podcast recording → 2i2 (one mic per host)
- Guitarist recording DI tracks → Solo is sufficient; the dedicated instrument input is functionally equivalent to the 2i2's combo input set to Hi-Z
- Vocalist re-amping or layering → either works for single-track-at-a-time recording
What's Identical Between Solo 3rd Gen and 2i2 3rd Gen
Per Sound on Sound's review of the 3rd-generation USB-C Scarlett range, the Solo and 2i2 share the same core audio specifications across the 3rd-gen line: the same Onyx microphone preamp design (with the same 56 dB of gain — a 6 dB increase over the 2nd-gen Scarletts' 50 dB), the same 111 dB analog-input dynamic range, the same Air mode that emulates Focusrite's classic ISA transformer preamps, the same 24-bit / 192 kHz converters, the same USB-C bus-powered operation, and the same plug-and-play class-compliant macOS / Windows driver behavior. The Sound on Sound coverage explicitly notes that "the preamps use the same Onyx design as Mackie's [Focusrite's] more expensive interfaces" — meaning the sonic character of a vocal recorded on the Solo is identical to a vocal recorded on the 2i2.
Bundle Components — Solo Studio vs 2i2 Studio
The Studio bundles for each interface tier ship with the same accessory set:
- CM25 MkIII large-diaphragm cardioid condenser microphone — capable of vocal and acoustic instrument recording; powered via the included 48 V phantom on the interface
- HP60 MkIII closed-back headphones — for tracking (avoids bleed into the microphone); per Guitar World's Scarlett 3rd Gen review, the HP60s are "decent reference cans" appropriate for tracking but not for critical mixing
- One XLR cable + USB-C-to-USB-A cable — minimum cabling to track immediately
- Bundled software — typically Pro Tools | Intro (or Pro Tools Artist trial), Ableton Live Lite, plus Focusrite plugin pack
Where the Solo 3rd Gen Specifically Fits
- Solo singer-songwriters and acoustic performers recording one mic source at a time (vocal-only, then guitar-only, then vocal again — layered tracking workflow)
- Podcasters with only one host who don't need a second mic for guest or co-host
- Streamers and YouTube creators moving from a USB microphone to an XLR mic + interface workflow without needing two mic inputs
- Guitarists tracking demos via the instrument input — for clean DI capture or re-amped tones using software like AmpliTube, Helix Native, or Neural DSP plugins
- First-time home recordists on the tightest budget who want the iconic Focusrite Scarlett ecosystem at the lowest tier
When to Step Up to the 2i2 3rd Gen Instead
- Singer-songwriter recording vocal + acoustic guitar mic simultaneously — requires two simultaneous microphone inputs
- Two-host podcast workflows — one XLR mic per host means two preamps
- Drum-overhead or stereo-mic recording — stereo capture requires two matched mic channels
- Future expansion thinking — buyers who anticipate adding a co-host, second instrument, or simultaneous-mic workflow within 1-2 years are better served by paying the modest premium for 2i2 now
- Sampling or mid-side stereo experimentation — requires two simultaneous microphone channels
Honest Limits Both Tiers Share
- USB bus-powered headphone output is acceptable, not great. Per Guitar World's coverage, the headphone amp is appropriate for tracking but may underdrive high-impedance studio cans (250 Ω+). Most consumer / mid-tier headphones (32-80 Ω) are fine
- Air mode can over-emphasize sources with already-bright top end. Per Sound on Sound's coverage of the 3rd-gen Scarlett family, the Air mode high-frequency boost "simply anticipates what you'd have done at the mix anyway, but you do need to be careful with sources or mics that already have a lot of top end."
- Bundled HP60 cans are tracking-grade, not mixing-grade. Critical mix work needs dedicated mixing headphones (Sony MDR-7506, Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 Ω) or studio monitors (PreSonus Eris, KRK Rokit, Yamaha HS5)
- No loopback / streaming features. Per MusicRadar's Scarlett review, neither the Solo 3rd Gen nor 2i2 3rd Gen offers software-loopback for game-audio-into-stream workflows. Streamers who need that feature should look at the Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen (which adds loopback), GoXLR Mini, or Mackie ProFX-series mixers with loopback recording modes
- USB-C-to-USB-A cable is supplied. Modern USB-C-only laptops (recent MacBook Air / Pro, ThinkPad X1 Carbon) need a separate USB-C-to-USB-C cable or adapter
Where Buyers Should Look Elsewhere
- 4+ simultaneous microphone inputs → Scarlett 4i4 (4 inputs), Scarlett 8i6 (6 inputs), Scarlett 18i20 (8 mic preamps)
- Streaming with loopback → Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen (new with Loopback mode), Mackie ProFX10v3+ (3 recording modes incl. Loopback), or GoXLR Mini
- Hardware-DSP / latency-zero monitoring with effects → Universal Audio Apollo Solo / Twin, RME Babyface Pro FS — premium tier interfaces with on-board DSP
- Pro studio workflows requiring 8+ channels of simultaneous tracking → MOTU M6 / M8, RME UFX, or Audient iD44 + ADC expansion
Sources & Citations
- Focusrite, "Scarlett Solo Studio (3rd Gen) Recording Bundle product page," us.focusrite.com (accessed 2026-05-18)
- Sound on Sound, "Focusrite Scarlett USB-C (3rd Generation) review," soundonsound.com (accessed 2026-05-18)
- Guitar World, "Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen review (Scarlett 3rd Gen family)," guitarworld.com (accessed 2026-05-18)
- MusicRadar, "Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen review," musicradar.com (accessed 2026-05-18)
Last verified: 2026-05-18
