UK audio engineering manufacturer Focusrite today announced its latest USB 2.0 bus-powered interface, Scarlett 2i4.

Designed for Mac and PC, Scarlett 2i4 features a pair of Focusrite’s award-winning mic pres with mic, line and high-impedance instrument inputs. It has precision converters — with up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution — and is capable of a dynamic range in excess of 105dB on record and playback.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR4aZuzhJnc

Features

• Two Focusrite preamps
• Dual TRS/XLR front-panel inputs with combi-jack connectors
• Full 24-bit/96kHz resolution
• Over 105dB dynamic range on both recording and playback
• LED ‘Halo’ indicators for optimum input levels (green halo = good; red is too hot)
• Scarlett 2i4 is totally bus-powered, even when using phantom power

Scarlett 2i4 shares several features with the older 2i2 model, adding another two outputs and enhanced zero-latency monitoring — making it possible for an engineer to create separate monitor and artist mixes, or for a DJ to cue up one mix while sending the main mix to a house mixer.

Focusrite is also promoting the 2i4 as a tool for for recording instrument-and-vocal or stereo pairs.

The monitoring controls feature a single large knob for monitor level plus a simple blend control mixing the input signal with the DAW output – with the ability to monitor either pair of outputs. The input monitor can be switched to mono, too. Scarlett 2i4 is entirely USB bus-powered, so does not require a power supply even when using phantom power, so the unit can be run from a laptop in the field.

The interface also includes MIDI in and out, for use with a digital piano to your music software or send and receive MIDI from a sound module.

The Focusrite 2i4 MSRP is $249.99 (street $199.99) and will be available for purchase in October 2012. See the Focusrite site for details.