Focusrite 4A742 Vocaster Hub Two USB-C Audio Interface User Guide
- June 4, 2024
- Focusrite
Table of Contents
User Guide
vocaster hub
Version 1
Tell your stories
Introduction
This is the User Guide for Vocaster Hub, the software application you use to control your Vocaster interface.
This user guide describes the Vocaster Hub software but for more information
about your Vocaster interface you’ll need to read both this user guide and the
user guide for your
Vocaster hardware.
You can download the Vocaster One and Vocaster Two User Guides from:
focusrite.com/downloads System Requirements
IMPORTANT
Please visit the following link for up-to-date information on computer and
operating system compatibility for Vocaster Hub:
support.focusrite.com
Installing Vocaster Hub
You can install Vocaster Hub on Windows and Mac. To download and install
Vocaster Hub:
- Go to the Focusrite downloads website: focusrite.com/downloads
- Find your Vocaster on the Downloads website.
- Download Vocaster Hub for your operating system (Windows or Mac).
- Open the Downloads folder on your computer and double-click the Vocaster Hub installer.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to install Vocaster Hub. If installing Vocaster Hub for Windows, your computer will restart.
- If it’s not already, connect your Vocaster interface to your computer with the USB cable.
- Open Vocaster Hub and it will detect your Vocaster One or Vocaster Two automatically.
I can’t see my Vocaster in the software.
If your Vocaster is not recognized in Vocaster Hub, use the links in the
software to visit our Help Centre, or contact our Support Team.
Vocaster Hub Layout
Vocaster Hub’s layout varies depending on which Vocaster interface you connect
to your computer.
While the layout is different, how each section of Vocaster Hub works s the
same. The following diagrams show the layouts for Vocaster One and Vocaster
Two.
For the rest of this user guide, we’ll use screenshots with a Vocaster Two
connected and tell you when the features are Vocaster Two only.
Key Features
Microphone Input Controls
Mic Level Slider and Meter
The Mic Level section of Vocaster Hub mirrors the preamp controls you have on
the front of the Vocaster hardware. At a glance, you can see where the Mic
Level slider (or gain) is set and how loud the signal is in the meter.
Slider
The Slider in the Mic Level control is a software representation of the knob
on the Vocaster top panel.
You can click and drag the slider in the software to increase the gain (right) or reduce the gain (left). When you move the knob the slider will move to reflect this.
Meter
The meter is the section of the Mic Level control that lights up when you
speak into your microphone.
We recommend using Auto Gain to set your Mic Level but if your microphone is
distorting or too loud, you can use the meter to set a better level
The meter lights green and turns yellow as the signal gets louder. To set the
gain, speak into the microphone as if you were recording and move the slider
or knob so the meter starts to turn yellow when you speak at your loudest.
Clip Indicator
The Clip Indicator is the red part at the far right of the meter than appears
when your signal has been clipped. Avoid clipping as your microphone may
distort when it reaches this level.
If you see the clip meter appear, turn down the knob or move the Slider to the
left to reduce the gain.
To ‘clear’ the Clip Indicator, click the red Clip Indicator itself. This
removes the light for all inputs and Mix channels.
Mute
The Mute button in Vocaster Hub does the same job as the Mute button on the
Vocaster: press it to turn your microphone ‘off’:
When Mute is on, the hardware buttons: Auto Gain and Mute light red, and the Gain halo on your Vocaster pulses red.
Enhance
The Enhance button applies three effects to optimize your signal for voice
recording. The three effects are applied in this order:
- High-Pass Filter (HPF)
- Compressor
- Three-Band EQ (Equaliser)
****Descriptions of exactly what each effect does are beyond the scope of this user guide. If you’re interested in learning more, we recommend searching the name of each effect online.
Enhance Presets
Enhance has presets that apply different parameters to your voice depending on
how you want your voice to sound.
The parameters for each Preset effect are at the end of this user guide, see
“Enhance Presets’ Parameters” on page 11.
The presets available are:
- Clean
- Warm
- Bright
- Radio
Auto Gain
Auto Gain is a software version of the button on Vocaster. Click this button
to start the Auto Gain process.
Speak normally for ten seconds while the timer counts down.
Auto Gain will measure the level of your voice and set the gain so the loudest
parts of your voice are around -6 to -16dB in your recording software.
48V
Condenser microphones need 48V, or phantom power, to work.
Most podcasting microphones don’t need this but if your microphone does, you
can turn on 48V using the button in Vocaster Hub.
This is the same as pressing the 48V button on the Vocaster’s rear panel.
Other Buttons
Speaker Mute
This button allows you to mute the speaker outputs of your Vocaster. Click the
speaker icon to toggle between mute on (red) or off (black)
NOTE: You can create an audio feedback loop if your speakers are active at the same time as a microphone! Turn off your speakers while recording podcasts, and use headphones for monitoring.
The Mix Section
The Mix Section at the bottom of Vocaster Hub has all the input channels to your ‘Show Mix’ listed with a Slider, Meter, and Mute button.
Sliders and Mutes
The Sliders and Mute buttons adjust the level going to your Show Mix
(headphone/speaker mix) and Video Call L & R channels.
These sliders do not affect your recording levels if you’re recording each
channel individually in your recording software.
Mixer Channels
Host
Adjusts the level sent from the Host microphone input to the Show Mix.
Guest (Vocaster Two only)
Adjusts the level sent from the Guest microphone input to the Show Mix.
Aux
Adjusts the level sent from the Phone/Device input to the Show Mix.
Bluetooth (Vocaster Two only)
Adjusts the level sent from a Bluetooth Device connected to your Vocaster Two
to the Show Mix. Your Bluetooth device’s volume buttons will also control the
Slider’s level.
Loopback 1
Adjusts the level sent from Loopback 1 to the Show Mix. Loopback 1 signal will
come from applications sending their audio to Software Playback 1 and 2.
Loopback 2
Adjusts the level sent from Loopback 2 to the Show Mix. Loopback 2 signal will
come from applications sending their audio to Software Playback 3 and 4.
Show Mix
This is the main mix of all the Vocaster’s inputs. You can record the Vocaster
Hub mix by selecting the ‘Show Mix’ inputs in your recording software. The
slider adjusts the overall level to your recording software.
IMPORTANT
If clip indicators light in the Mix section, reduce the source level, not the
slider. For Show Mix that will be the other sliders.
Settings Page
Click this icon to open Vocaster Hub’s Settings page,
On the settings page, you will see the following information:
Version
This shows the version of Vocaster Hub you are using.
Vocaster Status
This shows what device Vocaster Hub recognizes, the Sample Rate (always
48kHz), and the Firmware version of your Vocaster.
Analytics
Use this tick box to opt into usage analytics to help us make Vocaster Hub
better. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information.
Updating
Updating the Vocaster Hub Software Vocaster Hub updates automatically. If a
new version is available a dialogue box appears when you open Vocaster Hub.
You can choose to install the update, skip the update or ‘Remind Me Later.
Updating your Vocaster’s Firmware
Vocaster Hub tells you when a firmware update is available for your device.
This message appears:
Update message: Your Vocaster will need to update before you can use it with
the Vocaster hub.
Your Vocaster may need an update out of the box and occasionally after as we
improve the device.
Click ‘Start Update’ and Vocaster Hub will display this updating screen:
After the update, Vocaster Hub returns to the main Vocaster window and you can continue to use your Vocaster.
Enhance Presets’ Parameters
This table shows the parameters we’ve used to make the presets for the Vocaster’s Enhance feature.
| EQ HPF| EQ Band 1| EQ Band 2| EQ Band 3| Compressor
---|---|---|---|---|---
Preset Name| Frequency| Frequency| Q| Gain| Frequency| Q| Gain| Frequency| Q|
Gain| Threshold| Ratio| Attack (ms)| Release (ms)| Gain
Clean| 80Hz| 135Hz| 0.6| -2dB| 2000Hz| 0.6| +2dB| 7000Hz| 1.2| +2dB| -22dB|
4:1| 10| 30| +5dB
Warm| 80Hz| 135Hz| 0.8| -1dB| 450Hz| 0.7| +2.5dB| 2500Hz| 0.5| -1dB| -22dB|
4:1| 10| 30| +5dB
Bright| 80Hz| 500Hz| 0.6| -2dB| 2000Hz| 0.6| +3dB| 11000Hz| 1.0| +3dB| -22dB|
4:1| 10| 30| +5dB
Radio| 80Hz| 100Hz| 1| +2.5dB| 1000Hz| 1.5| -1.5dB| 6000Hz| 1.15| +1.5dB|
-22dB| 4:1| 10| 30| +5dB
Troubleshooting
For all troubleshooting queries, please visit the Focusrite Help Centre at
support.focusrite.com
Copyright & Legal Notices
Focusrite is a registered trademark and Vocaster is a trademark of Focusrite
Audio Engineering Limited.
All other trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective
owners. 2022 © Focusrite Audio Engineering Limited.
All rights reserved.
