Scarlett 2i2 vs 18i8 gain range

[fladd]

Hi there.

I have a Scarlett 2i2 1st gen and a 18i8 2nd gen. Specs of 2i2 state max gain of 46dB. Specs of Scarlett 18i8 state max gain of 50dB. From this I expected the 18i8 to have more gain (i.e. to amplify a mic more at max gain). However, it is the opposite. The same mic at max gain is louder on the 2i2.

Can someone explain this to me? I apparently do not understand the max gain specs correctly.

[ashcat_lt]

The 2i2 has a lower maximum input level, which means that a give input voltage will show closer to 0dbFS in Reaper.

Consider perhaps your microphone for a given source gives a peak output of -50dbu. The 2i2 adds 46db gain, bringing the peak to -4dbu, 8db down from as loud as it gets. The 18i8 adds 50db gain, so it's at 0dbu, but that's 9db below this one's max.

[fladd]

Very interesting. Thanks for the explanation. Does this mean that the 2i2 would actually be better for quiet microphones?

[ashcat_lt]

Not necessarily. Ultimately, if you're really that close to 0dbFS, a db here or there ain't gonna make a difference. Likewise, if even with gain all the way up, you're not getting much of anything, even several db won't make that much difference.

The actual important part is how much noise the thing is adding to your signal and whether/how much higher gain settings amplify that noise. If the noise just gets louder as you turn up the gain, then the gain's not really helping anyway.

To put it another way, as long as you get the bast S/N you can going in, it doesn't really matter where the meters hit. Reaper's got all the clean, flat, quiet gain you could ever need and then a whole lot more.