For professional engineers who need a broad array of analog and digital I/O, top-of-the-line sonics, and instant DAW-to-DAW switching, the Focusrite Red 8Line Rackmount Audio Interfacerackmount 58x64 Dante/HDX/Thunderbolt 3 audio interface is the Red Series' ultimate single-box solution for studio, stage, and postproduction environments incorporating audio-over-IP networks.

Equipped with two ultraclean, remotely controllable Red Evolution mic preamps, the Red 8Line offers robust gain (up to 63 dB), phantom power, high-pass filtering, polarity switching, and the Focusrite Air mode, which recreates the sound of transformer-based mic pres from the ISA range. Two 1/4" Hi-Z inputs are positioned on the front panel for directly connecting electric instruments such as guitar and bass, no DI boxes needed.

Eight balanced line-level analog inputs are available via a DB25 connector should you want to hook up external mic preamps or direct outputs from a console. Plenty of analog outputs are provided, too. With eight line outputs, two monitor outputs, and two independent high-fidelity headphone outputs, the Red 8Line can easily accommodate your outboard gear, monitoring system, and headphone mixes for multiple artists.

Integrating and synchronizing digital equipment is no problem for the Red 8Line, thanks to ADAT and S/PDIF digital audio I/O, and BNC jacks for wordclock and Loop Sync inputs and outputs. Fluidly operate the interface using its straightforward front-panel controls and three-color LCD screens, or use RedNet Control software to configure monitoring and routing setups in a hurry.

The Red 8Line features a standard IEC inlet for powering through an AC outlet. A premium bonus supplied with the Red 8Line is the bundle of plug-ins, which include Focusrite's Red 2 equalizer and Red 3 compressor, and the Brainworx bx-console Focusrite channel strip plug-in, a stellar digital emulation of the legendary and rare Focusrite Studio Console. Only 10 of the consoles were ever produced, but you can access its famed sound directly in your DAW.

Studio, Live & Postproduction Engineers    2 Thunderbolt 3, Dante & Mini-DigiLink    2 Mic/Instrument Preamps, 8 Line Inputs    Outputs: 2 Headphone, 2 Monitor, 8 Line    24-Bit / 192 kHz AD/DA    AC Powered / Mac, Windows    Monitor Control, DAW Switching, 3 LCDs    Comprehensive Remote Control    Wordclock, Loop Sync, ADAT & S/PDIF I/O    Plug-Ins: Focusrite SC, Red 2, and Red 3

With both dual Mini-DigiLink and dual Thunderbolt 3 connections, it's possible to instantly switch between Pro Tools and other DAW applications without the need to reconfigure your audio settings. Simply change the host mode via the RedNet Control software or the Red 8Line front panel to change DAWs in seconds. This ability to quickly switch between production environments means you'll never lose that moment of inspiration or leave your clients waiting.

Two onboard Dante ports enable communication with industry-standard audio-over-IP equipment from hundreds of manufacturers. Dante makes it easy to expand your system, embrace new ways of working, and discover rapid system expansion using Focusrite RedNet interfaces or devices from third parties such as Neve, Yamaha, and DiGiCo.

The Red 8Line is outfitted with high-performance AD/DA converters that support up to 24-bit / 192 kHz resolution. With 119 dB dynamic range for the A-D and 121 dB dynamic range for the D-A, the interface ensures no-compromise recording and audio playback. The converters have been expertly selected and calibrated by Focusrite to provide the optimal balance of sound quality, dynamic range, and conversion latency.

The two Red Evolution mic preamps provide up to 63 dB of ultraclean gain, phantom power, high-pass filtering, polarity inversion, and Focusrite's Air mode. Plus, they are remotely controllable for added convenience. Dual front-panel instrument connections allow immediate access to instrument inputs, even when racked.

Rear-panel DB25 connectors offer eight channels of balanced analog line-level inputs and outputs, perfect for plugging in your favorite outboard gear, console channel strips, external mic preamps, or multichannel AD/DA converters.

Independent L/R monitor outputs and two stereo headphone outputs are built-in for connecting your primary monitors and headphones for two people. The high-fidelity dual headphone outputs are powerful enough to deliver loud audio even on high-impedance headphones.

Utilize the TOSLINK optical ports for up to 16 input and output channels of ADAT digital audio. RCA coaxial jacks are also present for connecting digital equipment with stereo S/PDIF I/O.

When you need tight, accurate synchronization with other digital equipment, the Red 8Line's BNC ports are ready. Wordclock and Loop Sync I/O are there, so you can merge the interface into configurations with Pro Tools gear, house clock, and more.

Onboard monitor control supports mono, stereo, and multichannel monitoring environments up to 10 channels, including 7.1.2. Utilize RedNet Control software for quick setup of complex monitoring and routing configurations, and control of the preamps remotely. Compatibility with the Focusrite RedNet R1 desktop remote controller (available separately) allows even greater flexibility and customized presets for immersive monitoring environments such as Dolby Atmos.

Red 8Line features the latest implementation of Thunderbolt 3, with Focusrite's session-proven, ultralow-latency, rock-solid Thunderbolt drivers. This speed provides the flexibility to use DAW plug-ins in real time, so you can harness the processing power of your DAW to track through plug-ins and record virtual instruments. With two Thunderbolt 3 ports as standard, it's also possible to daisy-chain Thunderbolt devices, such as third-party plug-in accelerators, hard drives, external 4K displays, processing units, and Thunderbolt hubs.

The software bundle includes the Brainworx bx_console Focusrite SC channel strip from the original Focusrite Studio Console, plus the Red 2 EQ and the Red 3 compressor plug-ins, which accurately reproduce the sonic qualities of the original Red hardware. Also, the included Focusrite Plug-in Collective membership provides access to frequent free downloads from innovative music software brands.

Related Questions and Answers

Q: 1. Will this work with vMix?

A: Some users have reported Vmix working with the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20, but there is no official driver support.

Q: 2. Does the other 6 inputs have pad and instrument/line in controls?

A: Hello Mohammed,The other 6 inputs wont have instrument input or pad control.only the two in the front have instrument and pad.

Q: 3. Can you bypass the Mix Control software and use Pro Tools only to control mix on second generation?

A: The Focusrite Control software is used for internal routing within the interface. This is not required otherwise. You can use ProTools and other DAW software with the interface directly as well.

Q: 4. will this work with protools 10?

A: Yes

Q: 5. Should I use Logic Pro with this? Doing a 4-mic podcast. How do I record the audio sent into it? Sorry, dumb questions.

A: The Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 USB-C Audio/MIDI Interface (3rd Generation) can certainly be used with Logic Pro, or any other DAW of your choosing. As with any software, there will be a learning curve, but with the wealth of online learning resources it should not take long to develop a basic understanding of recording functions within your chosen program.

Q: 6. Hi. How can I use this as a desktop interface. What extra gear do I need to buy to just be able to connect it to my Mac and use as a desktop interface. Thx.

A: This does not connect to your computer via USB like other interfaces. This runs on Dante, so you would need an unmanaged network switch like this one to be able to connect it to your computer. https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1499551-REG/netgear_gs308_300pas_gs308_8_port_gigabit_ethernet.html

Q: 7. Might be a dumb question but can I use this with an older ( 2012 )MacBook that uses the larger USB ports with just an adapter cable?

A: Yes this will work with your Macbook no problem The Focusrite scarlett 18i20 comes with the USB cable which is type A that will plug into your mac.

Q: 8. Does it have a TRS phone insert?

A: This unit does not have a TRS insert.

Q: 9. Are the preamps powerful enough for low input/gain hungry dynamic mics, like the Shure 7M7B? Planning on using this for a 3 or 4 mic podcast.

A: The Focusrite Scarlett 18i8's preamps are technically powerful enough for a dynamic microphone like SM7b or the RE20, but best results and the lowest noise floor will still be had with a mic activator such as the CL1 CloudLifter.

Q: 10. Hi Dan, does the headphone output of the RedNet X2P show up on the Dante network? or do i have to purchase the RedNet AM2?

A: You are correct, you need to purchase the Rednet AM2 for full control of the headphone out put on a Dante network. Thank you for shopping at B&H!