I’m looking to buy either an id14 or Scarlett 6i6. I’ve heard that the audient runs circles around any other interface in its price range but I could really use the extra outs on the Scarlett. Is the audient that much better to sacrifice the extra outs?

Hey Zack,

Yes it’s true the sound quality of the ID14 does not compare to the Scarlett. It has no features really, just top-notch 2 preamps/converters. No true line inputs, average drivers.... but for sound quality at that price point, it leads all others by a mile.

Since you really need the extra outputs though, the ID14 idea might be hooped. However, even just the sound quality of the unbalanced Headphones output on the ID14 is more professionally useful than any outputs on the Scarlett. So the ID14 has 2 solid stereo outputs for the sake of this comparison. I wouldn’t touch a Scarlett, so your best bet might be to find a 2nd-hand interface with more routing than the ID14 and without such a precipitous drop in sound quality.

A little off topic, but do you feel that way about the entire Scarlett line, or just smaller units? I've got a 1st-gen 18i20, and I've been quite happy with it. That said, I haven't done shootouts against lots of competing models, so maybe I just don't know what I'm missing.

To my ears the preamps and conversion in the iD14 cleaner, faster and more detailed than the Scarlett boxes. The iD14 sounds more like a real analog console. But I also feel the differences are probably negligible to a lot of people. For me though, the differences are very clearly heard.

It is also the case that the DI on the iD14 is really nice and far more useful than the Scarlett Hi Z input.

Tough decision.

I have two Audients, including the ID14...and my sound has never been better.

You heard wrong. No noticeable diff. Of course everyone has their opinion but the only way to really know is to do a side-by-side test. IMO it is total marketing hype.

Again, no. Don't get me wrong, they're fine interfaces..but so are Scarletts, and Audients are absurdly overpriced. Don't waste your money on alleged "superiority" that simply isn't there (or is extremely marginal at most) and sacrifice the features you really want.

As an owner of a Scarlett 18i20 and an iD22 I will very confidently say that the quality of the Audient is most definitely higher. Another factor to consider is the headphone output, if that's important to you. I have AKG702 headphones which are about 80ohms and when gain staging properly the output of the Scarlett is so noisy it is pretty much unusable. This is gen 1 so I don't know if gen 2 have improved on this.

Also, to claim either of these units are absurdly overpriced is completely insane. Both offer great value for money. What it boils down to is do you want higher quality with fewer features, or more features at reduced quality? You can make great music with either unit so which matches your needs most?

Can't say regarding the gen 1/2 thing. I do know there were issues with the Scarlett 2i2 first gen's that appear to have been fixed in the second. Also not sure how much this matters but you're talking about different models than the OP is talking about. (I'm guessing the tech is mostly the same so probably not much if at all)

Actually "great value for the money" regarding the Audient is IMO insane, since you have to spend a LOT more for mostly fewer features and the quality diff is marginal at most. But that's just my opinion, no more, no less, as is yours.