Applies: 3rd Generation Scarlett 18i8 and 18i20

Speaker Switching lets you swap between two pairs of monitoring speakers very easily.

To use Speaker Switching, open Focusrite Control and click Speaker Switching > Enable:

                                                             
Select MAIN or ALT at the top of the main page:
                                           
On Scarlett 18i20, you can also use the ALT button on the front panel of the interface.

Troubleshooting Steps

If Speaker Switching is enabled, but you only hear audio from your MAIN speakers when selected, and you are unable to hear audio from your ALT speakers when they are selected, please follow these steps:

1. In Focusrite Control, go to Settings ⚙️ and check that Monitor Controls is set to 1-2, if not, no audio will be heard from the ALT output.

2. Ensure that your ALT speakers are connected to the outputs labelled as ALT on the rear of your interface, i.e. Line Outputs 3 and 4.
   
3. Connect the ALT speakers to the MAIN output and your MAIN speakers to your ALT output. This will indicate if the cables or speakers are causing the issue. 
   • • If audio can be heard on both sets of speakers and cables when connected to the MAIN output but not when connected to the ALT output, ensure that you have enabled Speaker Switching and that you have set the Monitor Controls correctly as in step 1.
     • If audio cannot be heard on your ALT speakers when they are connected to either output, your cables, or speakers may be at fault.
       
4. Test your ALT speakers connected to both outputs with the cables you know to be working with your MAIN speakers.
   • • If you still do not hear audio on your ALT speakers with the working cables, your speakers may be at fault. Ensure they are powered and connected correctly, consult the speaker manufacturer's documentation and contact the manufacturer for further assistance.
     • If you do hear audio on your ALT speakers with the working cables, the cables you were originally using for the ALT speakers may be causing the issue. Test these cables with other devices and pursue repair or replacement of the cables if you find them to be faulty.