Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

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71GA
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Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by 71GA »

Has anyone seen the news? Focusrite Clarett goes USB!

I already have Scarlett 2i4 which works great with Linux and was about to buy Scarlett 18i20 2nd gen. (https://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-inte ... lett-18i20) when this was announced. So now I would rather buy Clarett 8 pre USB (https://us.focusrite.com/usb-audio-inte ... t-8pre-usb) or Clarett 8 preX USB (when it comes out).

So what do you think? Will it work with Linux? Maybee it is using same chipsets than Scarlett 18i20 2nd gen which does work on Linux.
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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by varpa »

If it uses the USB2 audio standard (is there a USB3 audio standard?) which is likely since they support iPods which only use USB audio standard. Website does not mention if USB standard is used or not, that I could see. However, the control program will almost certainly not work which could be quite annoying.
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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by 71GA »

varpa wrote:If it uses the USB2 audio standard (is there a USB3 audio standard?) which is likely since they support iPods which only use USB audio standard. Website does not mention if USB standard is used or not, that I could see.
This is what is important.
varpa wrote: However, the control program will almost certainly not work which could be quite annoying.
Well it neither works for my Scarlett 2i4 but I never cared. I don't even know what these programs do except set input / output volumes. I intend to mount my interface right in front of me so I have hand control over all the physical knobs, potentiometers... So this is not important to me.

It would be great if anyone could test this product with Linux.
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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by simonvanderveldt »

How is this related to recorders & sequencers? Isn't this more something for viewforum.php?f=6
Last edited by simonvanderveldt on Tue Jan 16, 2018 10:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by 71GA »

I am sorry. I totally missed the folder. Can admin move this topic to the right folder please?
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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by varpa »

Just watched the Sweetwater review https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/focus ... interfaces. Looks like a nice device, but some critical configuration requires use of Focusrite's Control program, like
selecting line vs instrument input to the preamps. Unlikely that this program will work on linux, so if unless you are able to configure using Win/Mac/Ipod/Iphone this device will have limited usefulness on linux.
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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by folderol »

Contact Focusrite guys. I did... politely.

A lot of their new gear needs to be configured with their Control Panel program. Although they were quite definite that they don't support linux, they were able to confirm that their units are class compliant.

I then pointed out that most hardware (and some software) supports configuration over MIDI via SysEx and/or NRPNs. As they had MIDI on the range I was looking at, I was surprised that they didn't do this as well. This got an interesting response. The guy I was in contact with said he'd put that to the developers as a feature request!
The Yoshimi guy {apparently now an 'elderly'}
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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by bluebell »

folderol wrote:Contact Focusrite guys. I did... politely.

A lot of their new gear needs to be configured with their Control Panel program. Although they were quite definite that they don't support linux, they were able to confirm that their units are class compliant.

I then pointed out that most hardware (and some software) supports configuration over MIDI via SysEx and/or NRPNs. As they had MIDI on the range I was looking at, I was surprised that they didn't do this as well. This got an interesting response. The guy I was in contact with said he'd put that to the developers as a feature request!
Another advantage of allowing the configuration via MIDI: it can be automated, e.g. within the DAW

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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by ozogre »

Possible ugly workaround; configure in Winslow, reboot to Linux and use? Does anyone have access to one for testing?
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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by ledufakademy »

Does someone test with linux the clarett usb device ?
(i will receive a Focusrite Clarett 8Pre USB next week)

There is a lot of informations converging that it would work OoB :

- Focurite doc. mentionned that :
This equipment is only compatible with USB Type 2.0, 3.0 or 3.1 ports, or Thunderbolt™
3 ports. More information regarding the compatibility of computer serial ports can be found at:
https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/ ... patibility
...
Drivers for Windows* (Clarett 8Pre USB is class-compliant for Macs:
no drivers required)
...
-
I improve latency using my 2nd Gen Scarlett & Clarett USB interfaces on Mac
https://support.focusrite.com/hc/en-gb/ ... ces-on-Mac
-
Thanks for the background, so Scarlett Gen1 was basically the USB version of the Saffires (makes sense in the timeline). And Clarett USB is basically Clarett with the Scarlett Gen2 USB engine (Focusrite's own published latencies for both are identical) - with apparently a couple of minor spec tweaks.
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/product ... nge-2.html
- another good piece of response ...
Hi all,

Just to jump in on a few points here:

The audio specifications for the Clarett USB Range are almost identical to the Clarett Thunderbolt range, with Clarett USB very slightly edging it in a couple of areas and Clarett Thunderbolt very slightly edging it in other areas. We are continually working to improve our designs which is why some of the specs for Clarett USB are ever so slightly better than on the Thunderbolt variants.

The Clarett USB range is class compliant. This means that it will use a driver built into Apple's operating system on Mac and iOS devices, with a dedicated ASIO/WDM driver on Windows. We haven't tested the Clarett USB range with iOS devices but in theory they should work without issue.

The Clarett USB range has the same low latency performance as our Scarlett 2nd Gen range. You can find our latency figures for those here: Scarlett In Depth | Focusrite

We'll be publishing latency figures on up to date Operating Systems/DAW versions for Clarett USB in the near future.

If anyone has any specific questions about Clarett USB or any of our other products then please feel free to get in touch with us directly and we'll be happy to help: Focusrite Audio Engineering

Best,
Jack // Focusrite Technical Support
https://www.gearslutz.com/board/showpos ... stcount=12
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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by ledufakademy »

Focusrite Clarett 8Pre USB is working Out-of-the-box under Librazik 2 (de ce pas)
jackd 48000 256 3 => latency 5.3 (i don't try under)

So all the informations above are true.
sound is just incredible ... with my old fostex Pm0.5 MKii (+ sub)

FeedBack in French here :
http://linuxmao.org/Focusrite+Clarett+8Pre+USB
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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by bluebell »

ledufakademy wrote:Focusrite Clarett 8Pre USB is working Out-of-the-box under Librazik 2 (de ce pas)
jackd 48000 256 3 => latency 5.3 (i don't try under)

So all the informations above are true.
sound is just incredible ... with my old fostex Pm0.5 MKii (+ sub)

FeedBack in French here :
http://linuxmao.org/Focusrite+Clarett+8Pre+USB
But it looks as if you need a Windows PC or Mac to set some parms.

They should offer MIDI CCs for all of the parms or at least a platform independent http-Interface, preferably without Javascipt, Java and "Optimized for Browser XYZ".

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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by Loki Harfagr »

@nashimi

That would be interesting to know any URL where it is described what exactly those "(to utilize) right settings," would be?
I use an i24 Scarlett and I'd love to be quiet when going below 5.3ms :-)

(now this thread that started originally only off-topic in this forum has become also off-topic on its initial topic (the Clarett) ;-)
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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by bluebell »

Loki Harfagr wrote:@nashimi

That would be interesting to know any URL where it is described what exactly those "(to utilize) right settings," would be?
I use an i24 Scarlett and I'd love to be quiet when going below 5.3ms :-)

(now this thread that started originally only off-topic in this forum has become also off-topic on its initial topic (the Clarett) ;-)
If you use 44.1 kHz you'll notice much better behaviour if you switch to 48 kHz.

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Re: Focusrite Clarett now on USB! Will it work on Linux?

Post by Loki Harfagr »

bluebell wrote:
Loki Harfagr wrote:@nashimi

That would be interesting to know any URL where it is described what exactly those "(to utilize) right settings," would be?
I use an i24 Scarlett and I'd love to be quiet when going below 5.3ms :-)

(now this thread that started originally only off-topic in this forum has become also off-topic on its initial topic (the Clarett) ;-)
If you use 44.1 kHz you'll notice much better behaviour if you switch to 48 kHz.
Thanks, agreed but I'm already 48kHz since my Adat years long ago :-) (note that I said "5.3ms" not 5.8 ;-)
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