Owner's Manual

10
The front panel input sockets are “Combo” type, which accept either an XLR male connector (you will
probably have one on the end of your microphone cable) or a ¼” (6.35 mm) jack plug. If you are using
a capacitor (or “condenser”) microphone, you will need to turn on the 48 V phantom power. Phantom
power should NOT be on when other types of microphone – e.g., dynamic or ribbon - are in use.
Note the Scarlett 2i2 has no “Mic/line” switch – the Focusrite preamplifier stage is automatically
configured for a microphone when you plug an XLR into the input, and for a line or instrument when
you connect a jack plug. Set the LINE/INST switch next to the socket to INST if you are connecting
musical instrument (a guitar in the example) via an ordinary 2-pole (TS) guitar jack, or to LINE if
you are connecting a line level source such as a keyboard, synthesiser or the balanced output of an
external audio mixer via a 3-pole (TRS) jack. Note the Combo connector accepts both TRS and TS
types of jack plug.
Recording with a microphone
The Scarlett Studio CM25 MkII microphone supplied with Scarlett Studio is a studio quality condenser
mic which is ideal for recording vocals and most acoustic instruments. Connect the CM25 MkII to
one of the Scarlett 2i2’s two front panel inputs with the cable supplied. Note that the cable has a
male and a female connector; the female end connects to the microphone and the male end into the
Scarlett 2i2.
Condenser microphones (also sometimes referred to as “capacitor” microphones) require a source
of DC power to operate. This is almost always supplied by “phantom” powering from the mic
pre-amp to which the mic is connected (early and special-purpose condenser mics might have
a separate power supply). For the CM25 MkII (or any other condenser mic) to work with the
Scarlett 2i2, press the 48V button on the front panel (see front panel diagram on page 14 item [3]).
We recommend that you follow the following sequence:
• Turn the input gain [2] to minimum
• Connect the microphone
• Press the 48V button
• Increase the input gain to the required level
Enabling the Scarlett 2i2’s phantom power applies 48 V DC to the XLR portion of BOTH inputs.
If you are only using a single microphone, do not plug anything else (like the balanced output
of another item of equipment) into the other input with an XLR connector. Applying 48 V to the
output circuitry of other equipment may permanently damage it. The other input is perfectly
safe to use with a TRS jack plug.