Applies to:
No - whilst Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen has two Optical Input ports, you can't connect two ADAT devices (e.g. two Scarlett Octopre units), only one, unlike Scarlett 18i20 4th Gen: 16 Channel ADAT I/O - Scarlett 18i20 4th Gen
The two Optical Inputs on Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen are designed to let you receive up to 8 channels at sample rates higher than 44.1/48 kHz, up to 96 kHz, from an ADAT device that features dual optical output ports, like another Scarlett 1820 3rd Gen, a Clarett+ Octopre, or a Scarlett Octopre Dynamic, for example.
The maximum number of ADAT channels you can send to your Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen depends on the sample rate you're using:
- Single-band (44.1/48 kHz) – 8 channels (using a single Optical In port, labelled '1-8' and '1-4')
- Dual-band (88.2/96 kHz) – 8 channels (using both Optical In ports, 4 channels for each port)
- Quad-band (176.4/192 kHz) – 0 channels (Optical In ports are disabled at quad-band sample rates)
Likewise, the two Optical Outputs on Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen are designed to let you send up to 8 channels at sample rates higher than 44.1/48 kHz, up to 96 kHz, to an ADAT device that features dual optical input ports, like another Scarlett 1820 3rd Gen, a Clarett+ Octopre, or a Scarlett Octopre Dynamic, for example.
The maximum number of ADAT channels you can send from your Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen depends on the sample rate you're using:
- Single-band (44.1/48 kHz) – 8 channels (using a single Optical Out port, labelled '1-8' and '1-4')
- Dual-band (88.2/96 kHz) – 8 channels (using both Optical Out ports, 4 channels for each port)
- Quad-band (176.4/192 kHz) – 0 channels (Optical Out ports are disabled at quad-band sample rates)
Note that, on Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen, the optical ports are disabled at quad-band sample rates (176.4/192 kHz).
For information on configuring the Digital I/O Modes of your Scarlett 18i20 3rd Gen, see this article: Digital I/O Modes
For more information on how many channels you can transmit over ADAT, see this artcile: How many channels can I send/receive using ADAT?
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