Focusrite Forte USB Audio Interface at Front End Audio
Focusrite has announced their new top-of-the-line 2x4 USB audio interface: the Forte. Oh, and Front End Audio is taking orders! Taking its name from the original Focusrite console that embodied all the fundamental elements of the renowned Focusrite sound, Forte is a portable professional USB audio interface with two inputs and four outputs, housed in a compact, sturdy aluminum case. The Focusrite Forte USB Audio Interface has been designed specifically to provide an effective input path to your computer with the maximum possible audio quality for mic, line and instrument sources. In particular, Forte delivers class-leading dynamic range and noise floor – both highly significant in today’s world of an almost unlimited number of tracks making up a mix – and class-leading conversion performance, ensuring you get the very best quality sound at all times.
Featuring two of the latest design of Focusrite's remote-controlled microphone preamplifiers, as used in Focusrite’s flagship RedNet range, Forte connects to both Mac and Windows computers via USB 2.0. It incorporates highest-quality precision 24-bit A-D and D-A converters operating at sample rates up to 192kHz, and the conversion stages have had maximum attention paid to both analogue and digital design to deliver the best possible performance.
Forte includes a color OLED (Organic LED) display to indicate mic, line in, line out and headphone levels, gain structure and other functionality. It features a single smoothly-rotating control knob operated in conjunction with a series of touch-sensitive icons to access preamplifier and output functions – input, monitor, headphone, and control – plus the ability to control DAW functions and act as a remote control for your music software.
In addition to providing the highest quality input preamps and signal path, particular attention has been paid to ergonomic design. A breakout cable with locking connector is used for microphone (XLR) and line/instrument (TRS) inputs, but balanced line and independent headphone outputs are provided on the unit itself, so the breakout cable is not required for playback. In addition, the fact that the mic and line-level inputs on the breakout cable are separate means that you can keep your inputs connected all the time without having to re-patch when you go from one to the other. The aluminum case includes non-slip strips on the base to ensure that it is always stable during operation. An external power supply is included with the unit, but this is only necessary if Phantom Power operation is required: otherwise Forte operates solely on bus power.
The Forte Control software application allows the configuration of low-latency monitoring, mic pre level adjustment and other features. Also in the box is the classic Focusrite Midnight plugin suite, accurately modeling the classic ISA110 EQ and ISA130 compressor.
Focusrite’s original Forté was the recording console based on the ground-breaking mic pre and compression modules that Rupert Neve created for Air Studios back in the 1980s. Designed to offer the very highest audio path quality irrespective of cost, the Forté console set the benchmarks for mic preamplifiers and dynamic control and that remain unequaled today. Since then, Focusrite has also established itself as a world leader in digital audio conversion, demonstrating that even today, where digital conversion seems an everyday process, it’s still possible to deliver an outstanding sound through no-compromise analogue and digital design and component selection.
Forte includes a color OLED (Organic LED) display to indicate mic, line in, line out and headphone levels, gain structure and other functionality. It features a single smoothly-rotating control knob operated in conjunction with a series of touch-sensitive icons to access preamplifier and output functions – input, monitor, headphone, and control – plus the ability to control DAW functions and act as a remote control for your music software.
In addition to providing the highest quality input preamps and signal path, particular attention has been paid to ergonomic design. A breakout cable with locking connector is used for microphone (XLR) and line/instrument (TRS) inputs, but balanced line and independent headphone outputs are provided on the unit itself, so the breakout cable is not required for playback. In addition, the fact that the mic and line-level inputs on the breakout cable are separate means that you can keep your inputs connected all the time without having to re-patch when you go from one to the other. The aluminum case includes non-slip strips on the base to ensure that it is always stable during operation. An external power supply is included with the unit, but this is only necessary if Phantom Power operation is required: otherwise Forte operates solely on bus power.
The Forte Control software application allows the configuration of low-latency monitoring, mic pre level adjustment and other features. Also in the box is the classic Focusrite Midnight plugin suite, accurately modeling the classic ISA110 EQ and ISA130 compressor.
Focusrite’s original Forté was the recording console based on the ground-breaking mic pre and compression modules that Rupert Neve created for Air Studios back in the 1980s. Designed to offer the very highest audio path quality irrespective of cost, the Forté console set the benchmarks for mic preamplifiers and dynamic control and that remain unequaled today. Since then, Focusrite has also established itself as a world leader in digital audio conversion, demonstrating that even today, where digital conversion seems an everyday process, it’s still possible to deliver an outstanding sound through no-compromise analogue and digital design and component selection.
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