Article Contents
- Which products does this apply to?
- What is 'Standalone Mode'?
- Why is it useful?
- Other Useful Resources
Which products does this apply to?
- Scarlett 8i6, 18i8, 18i20 (3rd Gen)
- Scarlett 6i6, 18i8, 18i20 (2nd Gen)
- Clarett+ (whole range)
- Clarett USB (whole range)
- Clarett Thunderbolt (whole range)
This article focuses on interfaces that use Focusrite Control. For interfaces that use Mix Control, please see this article.
What is 'Standalone Mode'?
The interfaces above can be used in 'Standalone Mode'. This allows you to pass audio through the interface, even when it is not directly connected to a computer.
Why is it useful?
The most common reason to set up a Focusrite interface in Standalone Mode is to expand the number of channels in your recording setup. This is because in Standalone Mode you can connect the interface (often called the Expansion) to another interface (often called the Host) connected to your computer. To expand the number of inputs (and sometimes outputs), the interfaces connect via digital ADAT (Optical) or S/PDIF (RCA) formats, if the Host unit has the corresponding digital inputs.
When you use a Focusrite interface as an Expansion unit it functions like one our OctoPre devices or other external mic preamps.
You might also want to use a Focusrite interface in Standalone mode for these other uses:
- To convert a Mic or Instrument signal to a Line level signal to connect it to other analogue equipment
- To directly monitor a mic, guitar, keyboard, synthesiser through your speakers/headphones without turning on the computer
- To listen to audio from the digital ADAT or S/PDIF input through your speakers/headphones (for example, from a TV or games console - steps here)
- To listen to audio from a turntable or CD connected to the Line inputs through your powered speakers/headphones - see here.
How do I set up my interface in Standalone Mode?
To set up your interface in Standalone Mode, you need to connect it to a Mac or Windows computer with Focusrite Control installed. You can download and install Focusrite Control here. You can then make changes to audio routing and settings on the interface. Any changes you make are saved on the interface's internal memory shortly after making the changes.
How you set up the routing and settings will depend on the reason you are using Standalone Mode. In the rest of this article, we will focus on the most common reason: using a Focusrite interface as an Expansion unit.
Setting up an interface with an optical ADAT output and input for use as an Expansion unit
These devices can be set up to send audio signals from the analogue inputs to the optical ADAT output(s), and send audio from the optical ADAT input(s) to the analogue outputs:
- Scarlett 18i20 (2nd Gen and 3rd Gen)
- Clarett+ 8Pre
- Clarett 8Pre USB
- Clarett 8Pre, 8PreX (Thunderbolt)
The ADAT format can carry up to eight channels of audio along a single optical cable. To pass audio from the analogue inputs to the ADAT channels, to record these inputs on your computer, click on the Output Routing section of Focusrite Control. Scroll down on the left-hand side and find the first ADAT Output. By default, the routing will be set up as stereo pairs - you can either leave them like this and route a pair of inputs to each stereo ADAT output (Fig. 1) or split them into mono outputs (Fig. 2). It will have no effect on the overall goal, as long as each analogue input is assigned to an ADAT output.
Here is an example of how you might route the analogue inputs of an 18i20 2nd Gen to the ADAT outputs when using a sample rate of 44.1kHz:
Fig 1.
- Analogue 1-2 > ADAT Outputs 1-2
- Analogue 3-4 > ADAT Outputs 3-4
- Analogue 5-6 > ADAT Outputs 5-6
- Analogue 7-8 > ADAT Outputs 7-8
Fig 2.
- Analogue 1 > ADAT Output 1
- Analogue 2 > ADAT Output 2
- Analogue 3 > ADAT Output 3
- Analogue 4 > ADAT Output 4
- Analogue 5 > ADAT Output 5
- Analogue 6 > ADAT Output 6
- Analogue 7 > ADAT Output 7
- Analogue 8 > ADAT Output 8
The Expansion and Host units both need to be set to the same sample rate and be digitally synced/clocked. If you only have a single optical cable going out of the Expansion unit to the Host unit, the Expansion's Clock Source should be set to 'Internal' in Focusrite Control's Settings. This way, the clock signal will travel to the Host unit via the optical cable. The Host unit should be set up to synchronise (sync) to an external clock. *
Once you have done this, close Focusrite Control and disconnect the interface from the computer. Connect the optical ADAT output of the interface to your Host interface's optical ADAT input (using a TOSLink optical cable) to record the inputs from the Expansion unit into your computer.
*If your Host unit is also a Focusrite interface, please follow the steps in the article below to connect and sync the two interfaces:
Can I also use the analogue outputs on the Expansion interface?
Yes! If your Host interface also has an optical ADAT output, you can pass audio from the computer/Host interface to the analogue outputs on the Expansion unit. This is useful for extra headphone mixes or connecting to analogue outboard FX processors.
To do this, you need to connect a second optical cable between the optical ADAT output of the Host unit and the optical ADAT input of the Expansion unit.
To route the audio from the ADAT inputs to the analogue outputs you need to make some more changes in Focusrite Control for the Expansion unit. You can do this at the same time you're doing the above routing or reconnect the Focusrite interface to the computer to make the changes.
This example shows how you might route the ADAT inputs of an 18i20/8Pre to the analogue outputs when using a sample rate of 44.1kHz:
- ADAT 1-2 > Monitor Outputs 1-2
- ADAT 3-4 > Line Output 3-4
- ADAT 5-6 > Line Output 5-6
- ADAT 7-8 > Line Output 7-8
In Focusrite Control's Settings, select None in the Monitor Controls section. Make sure the faders for the analogue outputs are turned up all the way. The volume for these outputs should be controlled via your recording software (DAW).
Setting up an interface with a S/PDIF (RCA) output and input for use as an Expansion unit
These devices do not have an optical ADAT output but can send their analogue inputs to their analogue outputs or send either two inputs or a mix of input channels over an RCA S/PDIF output. They can also be set up to pass incoming audio from the RCA S/PDIF input to the analogue outputs:
- Clarett+ 4Pre/Clarett 4Pre USB/Clarett 4Pre
- Scarlett 18i8 (2nd and 3rd Gen)
- Scarlett 8i6 (3rd Gen)
- Scarlett 6i6 (2nd Gen)
The S/PDIF format can carry two channels of audio along a single coaxial RCA cable. To pass audio from the analogue inputs to the S/PDIF channels, click on the Output Routing section of Focusrite Control. Scroll down on the left-hand side and find the S/PDIF Output. By default, the routing will be set up as a stereo pair - you can either leave it like this and route a pair of inputs to the stereo S/PDIF output (Fig. 1) or split them into mono outputs (Fig. 2). It will have no effect on the overall goal.
Here is an example of how you might route two analogue inputs of an 8i6 3rd Gen to the S/PDIF outputs:
Fig. 1
- Analogue 1-2 > S/PDIF 1-2
Fig. 2
- Analogue 1 > S/PDIF Output 1
- Analogue 2 > S/PDIF Output 2
You can also route a mix of analogue inputs to the S/PDIF outputs. However, you will only be able to control channel volumes in Focusrite Control and can only control the input gain when the interface is in Standalone Mode. Therefore, make sure you are happy with the balance of each mix element before you disconnect the interface. Here is an example on a Clarett 4Pre USB:
- Custom Mix > S/PDIF Outputs 1-2
The Expansion unit and the Host unit will both need to be set to the same sample rate and be digitally synced/clocked. If you only have one S/PDIF cable going from the Expansion unit into the Host unit, set the Expansion's Clock Source to 'Internal' in Focusrite Control's Settings. This way, the clock signal will travel to the Host unit via the S/PDIF cable. The Host unit should be set up to sync to an external clock.
Once you have done this, close Focusrite Control and disconnect the interface from the computer. Connect the RCA S/PDIF output of the interface to your Host interface's RCA S/PDIF input (using a coaxial RCA digital cable) to record the inputs from the Expansion unit into your computer.
Can I also use the analogue outputs on the Expansion interface?
Yes! If your Host interface also has an RCA S/PDIF output, you can pass audio from the computer/Host interface to the analogue outputs on the Expansion unit. This is useful for extra headphone mixes or connecting to analogue outboard FX processors.
To do this, you need to connect a second coaxial RCA digital cable between the RCA S/PDIF output of the Host unit and the RCA S/PDIF input of the Expansion unit.
You also need to make some more changes in Focusrite Control for the Expansion unit, to route the audio from the S/PDIF inputs to the analogue outputs. You can do this at the same time you're doing the above routing, or you can reconnect the Focusrite interface to the computer to make the changes.
Here is an example of how you could route the S/PDIF inputs of an 8i6 3rd Gen to a pair of analogue outputs (also the first headphone output on the 8i6)
- S/PDIF 1-2 > Line Outputs 3-4
Other Useful Resources
How many channels can I send/receive using ADAT?
Can I use a standard RCA cable for my S/PDIF connection?
Focusrite Control Tutorial: 1 - Understanding Focusrite Control
If you're still having issues setting up your product in Standalone Mode or connecting your Focusrite interface to other equipment, please contact support.