Best Interfaces For Home Studio (2024 Update)

This newest version of the top of the Scarlett range is an excellent sounding interface with a ton of I/O available. The unit itself is beautiful to look at, and the setup is quite easy. In use I found the 18i20 to be mostly self explanatory, things seem to work as they should. In addition to the Focusrite Control software there are also iOS versions that work with iPhone and iPad.Audio quality is very good for the price point. Clean and very usable for professional work, although not up to the level of "esoteric" converters that cost much more. I'm using my 18i20 as a bridge between some older Apogee converters and my computer, for audio playback from my computer, and quick and easy recordings on it's own. It's a versatile and thoroughly modern unit.My only gripe with the 18i20 is that there is no output metering on the front of the unit, only input metering. Perhaps there is a way to switch the metering to output, but I haven't found it yet. There is metering in the control software, but I would like to see it on the front of the hardware.Other than that issue I find this to be a well designed interface with a useful feature set. The two headphone outputs are very welcome as well. I'm definitely pleased with my 18i20. ProAudioStar provided great service at a great price and got this to me very quickly–especially considering the lockdown we are all going through right now. Much appreciated.sonicalbert

I had two 18i20 2nd Gen interfaces chained together. I decided to go ahead and grab a 3rd Gen, due to the reported lower latency. I must say, I am impressed! I noticed the absence of lag immediately while recording. Excellent sound, and the software makes routing quite simple. I'll be using one of my 2nd Gen units as an Octopre, in order to expand the ins/outs of the 3rd Gen. From what I understand, this should not create latency, as the connection between the 2nd and 3rd Gen units will be optical. We use this in our home studio, and we also use it for live performances. We split the outs with a 16-channel snake splitter. The short snake stays in the rack case and goes to our Behringer personal monitoring system. The long snake gets tossed on the stage, and the sound engineer plugs it in to the box on the stage… Bam, all is well! This will reduce lag between our unit and the house sound in live situations. I love Focusrite. Always good stuff, and always at an affordable price point.XavierX

This interface is lovely, software is intuitive and easy to access. Would give 5 stars if it had DC coupled outputs. For the money, I can't imagine doing much better if you have a lot of instruments and require lots of audio routing. If you are looking to interface with Eurorack or other systems that use cv/gate input/ouput, maybe look at MOTU units. ADAT i/o's work seamlessly with many ADAT expansion units. Build quality is solid, sounds fantastic and looks real nice. Overall, highly recommended unit. Hope to see DC coupled outputs in future units, its a must in my opinion, and wish more companies would realize this (Do this Focusrite, and you got the best interface on the market and 5 stars from me).MB

1. You cannot use it in standalone mode, so computer is always required (It will not take power from USB power supply). This become a problem when I was trying to feed output to the camera which is connected by USB to the same computer. It creates vary bad case of ground loop. 2. It is not going to give you good sound on high impedance headphones. My Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm work, but have weak low freq. 3. Preamp for dynamic mic might be noisy. I am using Rode PodMic and for effective gain I am on edge of introducing noise. You may need to use something like Cloudlifter ($150) depends on your gain requirements.Roman

This audio interface was easy to set up and came with a lot of really cool free software. It’s pretty simple but does great for what it was designed for. I’d give it an A+ If you’re using it for a pod cast or recording instrument/vocals. I personally got this and a cloudlifter for my sm7b. The Scarlett 2i2 gen 3 does not provide enough gain for my specific mic and a cloud lifter was needed. If you’re looking at this for a twitch style streaming set up, it works as an interface, but I would recommend for around same price to get a goxlr mini. You gain more features like separate controls for chat/game/discord with the sliders and the goxlr mini has enough preamp power that you don’t need a cloud lifter for mics like the popular sm7b. Pro: * Gen 3 comes with a usb-c connector on the back. Very nice as most devices are moving from usb a+micro into a more standardized usb-c. * comes with great free DAW in form of ableton live lite. Comes with a a suite of other free software but this one was nice enough to highlight. * quality metal build * simple and intuitive!Cheddarsharp

I replaced my 2nd generation Scarlett 2i2 with the 3rd generation 4i4. I was a bit skeptical of the software application required to set the inputs to line/instrument, but it turned out to be fairly intuitive. The unit comes with a pad and air feature. Pad is self explanatory (gain reduction for loud recordings), the air setting is supposed to model some classic microphone preamp or something to that effect. I'm not totally sure what the difference is, but I've left the Air feature on anyways while recording and I've been pleased with the results, how much of that satisfaction is a result of the Air setting is hard to say since I haven't actually done any objective testing but it certainly doesn't seem to hurt anything by having it on. Initially, when I got the hardware going on my iMac I experienced significant lag while using Logic at various times, particularly when I was trying to copy logic drum tracks or expand the timeline but also while trying to do basic functions as well. I was concerned that I would have to get more RAM for my Mac which is problematic because the model I have makes it both difficult and expensive to increase RAM. However, after a few repeated uses the issue seems to have subsided, so I don't really know what that was about or whether the change in hardware even had anything to do with it, however it definitely was not an issue while I used my 2i2 so it's something to consider. I mainly upgraded because I wanted to start using midi with my electronic drum kit and that was basically as easy as plug and play (aside from a couple added steps in Logic which didn't have anything to do with the 4i4). However, for some reason the midi tracks seem to cause Logic to experience errors during playback when I close and then reopen a project. Again, can't say that this is a result of the 4i4 but I've been able to resolve the issue by simply quitting Logic entirely before reopening a project which isn't much of an inconvenience at all.Kab

I have two AVID Mboxes that I have used for years. The Focusrite Solo 3rd Generation is so much better. I bought the Recording package with the CM25 MIC and Headphones at least half the cost of my MBOX mini and MBOX2. The Preamps are amazing, The MIc is great, the flat response headphones for mixing are very clear and The interface is very easy to install and set up. Most importantly the recording freq of 192KHZ gives you a very pristine recording for acoustic guitar and vocals. The other recording interfaces being sold in this price range are 96 kHz or 48 kHz. The Air button gives your recordings a live sound which is very cool. The stock plugins are also good and there is enough for your mixing needs. It also comes with a Few free DAW options. You Can download free plugins, join the Focusrite plugin collective and start on a project within a few mins. thus is a good ProductDavis Roy Wilbury

I bought this to record my band using a single condenser mic setup. It seems to work very well. Drivers are recognized by Windows (11). Solid metal casing. Provides phantom power for the condenser mic. I use Audacity to control the recording and edit the results. It comes with several free downloadable software packages, but I have not tried them. I had a Behringer U-Phoria UM2, but is kind of clunky and does not have a good ASIO driver. Plastic casing.g-oracle

Thankfully they have changed the rear power input to USBC, which is great news. My last one never got used because the input was broken, it ran a similar cable to a printer. Warranty runs out after one year and I never even got to use it. It costs the same amount to post out and repair as to buy another new one. Definitely make sure you're getting USBC. Don't wrap the cable around when storing and transporting. Unplugging is absolute must. Take care of your gear. Quality wise, it does the job. If recording directly you will need to have a DAW with VST3I, VST, VST3 files to augment the sound virtually. It basically turns your computer into an amp. Only for those who wish to record at home and avoid studio costs. Don't waste your time if you don't have a computer. Check for Mac compatibility.AeonOvTerror

I use the M4 with Cubase and WaveLab on a Win10 PC, (the MOTU ASIO driver was found quickly by my all various software, Steinberg, Izotope, Waves standalone VSTis, and Windows). The DAC and ADC is performed by the ESS Sabre32 Ultra DAC chip, the same chip used in interfaces costing much more, the same chip currently used by RME, the more expensive MOTU 8 channel units and more. The clock jitter is quite good here, a benefit of the ESS chip, and the fidelity of the recordings are beautiful on an honest set of monitors; the playback is quite good (excellent with a well engineered and produced record!), and with good stage imaging. I will add that there seems to be a slight midrange bump to adjust to here so take note. This took maybe a day and a half of listening to sort things, but I've adjusted easily enough. Worth hanging in there IMO. The payoff (fidelity and detail) is definitely there. In fact, although it was not my reason for buying the M4, listening back to various tracks in a large music library has been a good experience. Almost as if I am hearing things for the first time. It doesn't come with a USBC to USBC cable so I had to pick one up (my PC has USBC), but in fairness the cable they do supply is USBC to USBB and the unit is rated at USBB transfer rates. Overall I think this is a great bargain on so many levels.Redroos

Needed new PC audio interface as my Echo firewire and Windows 10 were no longer working together. First tried Behringer UMC204HD. Drivers worked great but noticed that my musical keyboard would clip/distort at low volume levels. Never had that problem with ECHO firewire AUDIOFIRE4. Second try was this MOTU M2 USB interface purchased March 33 2022. Noticed immediately that keyboard could go much higher in volume without clipping. Sound was clear and love *LOVE* full color meters vice clipping lights found on other audio interfaces in this price range. I like MOTU M2 much better than Behringer (no clipping issues and full range low noise sound). I liked ECHO firewire the best of the three because the output volume was greater with no clipping and very clear. But Windows seems to have said goodbye to firewire support. MOTU is best USB so far for me.Chuckiep

I wanted to upgrade my PC sound card, but still wanted to squeeze the maximum quality from my music collection. Although there are high quality sound cards on the market, I decided to look at outboard USB DAC’s. I looked at a number of USB interfaces, but after looking at a number of manufacturers, I whittled it down to either the MOTU M2 or M4. I eventually decided on the M4 as it had all the in’s and out’s at the rear. Having worked in broadcasting for forty years, I have to honestly say the analog output is, well, brilliant. One of the things that drew me to MOTU was the ESS Sabre32 Ultra™ DAC‘s. For the price, the quality of build and DAC quality it is the best I have ever heard. The detail and stereo imagery is first-class. I am now hearing detail that I was not hearing with my PC DAC. I cannot recommend the MOTU M4 enough.Mr G.

For my workflow in audio recording, a compressor before getting the audio into DAW is inevitable. Because if we don't limit the audio into the input DB range we lose so much level. Volt 476 is affordable with the trustable UA 76 compressor and pre-amp. Presets are ready to choose and use, so I focus on my record rather than tweaking forever. I'm satisfied.Trevor D.

Great mic pre, super clean and quiet – helped a lot compared to my 2i2 that I was using before. The outputs are nice, the selectable headphone monitoring is great and the addition of the real analog compression and vintage settings are helpful for cutting through. This thing sounds great, performs perfectly and best of all – it looks nice on my desk too!BRENT

I own the Universal Audio Apollo x4 Heritage but don't want to use that for gigs and events where it might get stolen or damaged. I didn't need the DSPs for live, yet wanted IOS compatibility for the Sunday Sounds IOS app and other iPad applications. This fits the bill perfectly. I also love the output selector buttons on the front. It all just works including the MIDI functions. Thank you UA.Todd

I'm an aspiring podcaster and for that purpose I have purchased the Rodecaster Pro, which is a fantastic device that is pretty much purpose built for podcasting, streaming and the like. The RCP was also my interface, which it did a fine job of, but it is kind of big and cumbersome to set up for small jobs. No, I don't have dedicated space for my whole podcast setup and everything else. I wanted to have something that was small, quick and easy available for those times where I just need to get my voice or some musical idea into the computer and have some hope of it sounding decent. I wanted to be in the $150 price range and know that for that amount, maybe just a few dollars more, there are a wealth of offerings, and some are better than others, but I went with the EVO4 based on the myriad of favorable reviews on YouTube as well as the price, $130. (Throw in the fact that the interface that I REALLY wanted wasn't available anywhere!) I haven't done a lot with it yet; ran some bass and guitar through it into Logic Pro X as well as recorded with several different mics into several different DAWs and everything seemed to work quite nicely. Setup was pretty easy and configuring a DAW to see this device shouldn't be a problem, I was recording something within 5 minutes of the FedEx guy handing this to me…and I definitely don't know this stuff very well, so good job for simplicity! Some find that the preamps are maybe just a bit underpowered, and yes, they are that, but they are certainly clean. I plugged my SM7B into this and though I had to wind the gain all the way up, I was still able to come up with a useful recording. I think when recording with the 7B in the future I'll probably use a FetHead, though most of the reviews I read said that isn't necessary. Like with any new piece of equipment, there is a feeling out process, so we are still getting to know each other. Loopback is a feather that I haven't yet explored. It looks like it could be cool and useful, but I don't know if that is what I will be using this for. Some aren't crazy about the UI on the EVO4, several different mode buttons and a big knob in the middle that has different functionality for each different mode. It may take some getting used to, but since I didn't have to unlearn anything, I got it pretty quickly. The only knock on this device is the build quality. This was a common concern with all of the reviews I read. The device is made of plastic, which feels reasonably rugged, but at the same time feels budget; the plastic is kind of squishy and the seams are not as clean as they could be. Some reviewers were able to pop the top off just by squeezing. This won't be a concern in my use case, but this is a small little piece of kit, ideal for tossing in a bag with your laptop and other gear for recording anywhere (anywhere your laptop works anyway…-so be mindful of that, it might get banged around after a while. I'm sure if they spend an extra few $ on production for beefier preamps and a more solid housing, this could easily be $30-$50 more expensive, so it's a trade off. The bottom line for me is that the device meets my needs and expectations. It has simple setup and ease of use. The features are ample for something in this price range. I don't know how much I will find myself using the Smart Gain feature, but it is kind of cool to check my settings against that sometimes. The USB-C bus power is pretty handy and lends to portability, but again, the build quality might be a problem if this device is going to put in many hard road miles. This probably isn't going to be the device anyone will use to create their next hit record, but it is certainly sufficient to jot down those ideas for that new record! I'm happy with this product and my purchase.Eric

This interface fulfills all my needs (I bought it to do a podcast). Is portable, easy to operate, and it has plenty of features but something is bugging me… when I plug my headphones there's a high inconstant pitch noise. This sound doesn't seem to register in my recordings but it renders direct monitoring useless. I tried everything I can to fix it: changed cables, computer, proximity to my phone (phone signal interference causes weird noises so keep your phone away from it!), possible LED lights, reinstalled drivers… EVERYTHING. Hopefully is a defective unit (fingers crossed). I already submited my RMA request to get a new unit. Still no response. I will update this review once I receive a new one. My advice: run a couple of test with yours and let us know if you experienced this issue too.Gabriel

The hardware is quite nice as far as my experience goes. I don't have anything fancy, and it sounds good without any noise – much better than the cheap USB adapter I was using. It supports high sampling rates and low latency with ASIO drivers. It's powered over USB, so you get one fewer cable. The software to control the 4i4 is nice enough, although it did take me a moment to figure out what exactly it's doing. I wanted to get a new one so I could use the bonus software it is bundled with, but it doesn't seem like that was worth it. The free software out there is as good or better than this and then you don't have to deal with weird licensing programs. A used one for cheaper without the software bundle would have been fine.justin-eb

Let me begin by saying, I started off on a nice ol' Beringer UM2. I upgraded to M-Audio and then to Focusrite and from there I dove right into the Scarlett series and got an 8i6. I couldn't believe how much of a punch Scarlett packed for the price range, it was a pretty good interface and for it being my 3rd interface I was more than happy. I just decided to upgrade 4-5 months ago to the Clarett+ 2Pre and I'm absolutely in love with it. Much better preamps, and louder gain levels for both monitors & headphones. Take Scarlett, solidify it, and you have Clarett+ (not to mention the much-favored sound of "AIR") I highly recommend Clarett+ to any beginner/professional looking to dabble into Focusrite's incredible line-up of audio interfaces.wxndr

I use the interface for my guitars into my computer for virtual amping, and also to record. It was working great until I connected the headphone out of a small lunchbox amp (a 6505 Piranha) to the line in on the Focusrite and the interface screeched at me, then lit up like a Christmas tree, and has stayed that way for 2 days. Reinstalls, removing power, etc, it refuses to register in Device Manager in Win 10. I'm pretty sure its toast, and I don't know why. The use case is something its already made for. Other than this incident Ive had Focusrite interfaces before and they were great, this is the first one out of three over the last 4 yrs that I've had a problem with. The others were sold/traded to others so I could upgrade to whatever the next one was. Now im at a place where I need more inputs and outputs, so I got the 8I6-up until this incident it was exactly what I needed for the size footprint that I have. The software routing is a little wonky, and Id like that it had more tactile button control rather than having to use Focusrite control for everything, but overall its a solid unit. I can't find any situations like mine on the Web, Reddit, etc, so this particular incident sounds to be pretty limited.Cedric S

Fantastic Value – ASIO driver for Win10 easy to install. "Problems" folks are experiencing are due to windows system configuration settings, and are easily "fixed". Great sound quality; I use this as an alternative digital audio interface with a Traktor S2 MK3 controller as an ultra compact mobile DJ setup. Very modular and extremely easy to use! USB-Bus powered is a HUGE plus; no additional power adapters necessary – 1 USB cable only! Great for live streaming/broadcasts as well! – See settings for getting the CUE & Headphone buttons to work with your controller & Live Broadcast: – Using Traktor Pro 3 & OBS Broadcasting software (Opensource Freeware) – In Traktor: Set your MASTER audio output to channels 3&4 – MONO – Set monitors to channels 1&2 – MONO – Set Microphone input to channel 1 On the unit-Cables: – TRS out [Channel 3] to your PA System or external mixer – TRS Out [Channel 4] to the front, channel 2 Input – Microphone input to channel 1 – Plug headphones into headphone jack. Settings on device: – Control input levels for your microphone and input for stream by adjusting the gain knobs (Microphone input 1 will likely be set close to MAX, input 2 will likely be set lower – watch the meter on the top of the unit to avoid clipping!) –SET ALL SWITCHES on the front of the unit to the far-left position: – Both input switches to "LINE" – Switch to MONO – Input switch to 1/2 Set input knob far-right to HOST Set large volume on the top of the unit to the MINIMUM setting – Control your MAX output volume on your pa mixer / external mixer – Adjust your broadcast audio levels in your broadcast software (OBS) FANTASTIC Product! – Also works great as a midi interface – VERY SATISFIED!John Danger.us

I choose this interface because I thought I wouldn't outgrow it. The available recording quality is high, and it came with a solid selection of software. I got it when it came with a Guitar Rig Pro, which was a huge bonus. I considered all of the typical budget interfaces and settled on this one because of the variety of inputs/outputs, large volume knob, meters rather than single light, and direct/host adjustment for monitoring. The reviews and YouTube videos convinced me it would be a solid choice for what I wanted – an intro level interface that I wouldn't quickly outgrow. I might have purchased something else if not for the Guitar Rig Pro offer, but I'm really happy with what I got. Important points that I didn't see elsewhere: This has an ASIO driver for Windows so you don't have to use ASIO4All (major plus). Be prepared to tweak settings to get rid of pops/crackles (do research, close everything else, consider saving to a hard drive that doesn't house your OS, might have to be external if you have a laptop). Make sure you are using the right option when you download software (the MK2 option) and upgrade the firmware when you get it. I've had it about a month, and it's a good fit for what I wanted. A bit more than a pure intro level interface that is relatively easy to use. I would not recommend this to someone brand new to recording (the 1 or 2 would like suffice of this brand or one of the others in that 100-150 price range) just because it's likely a bit more than needed. Happy with the purchase and service. Note: 5/5 based on meeting expectations, being a good value, and having good sound quality for an interface for someone looking to get more into recording.LesPaulWoman

I’m a newbie when it comes to audio interfaces, but this is so much better than my PC’s onboard sound. Recording quality using my MXL 770 mic is excellent, low noise and really low overall latency. I’ve had the ASIO buffer as low as 64 samples (2.5 to 3ms) on my 10 year old desktop PC and not had any issues. I like the form factor too, it’s really handing sat on my desk. The volume knob is easily accessible and the other controls feel solid too. I really enjoy the direct monitoring, not from a latency issue as I don’t really notice it much, but from a “conference call perspective” – when on headphones it’s really nice mixing your own voice with everyone else’s when having a group chat. It’s like all being in the same room and feels like the headphones disappear. The free software is nice too, new toy syndrome I know, but I love the reverb plugin! Overall I’m loving this significant upgrade to my system.Will

The pre-amp for the mic input tames a tube amp well enough to pull off serviceable vocals. This is also great for getting quick ideas down on an iPad. It's built like a tank.Keebler

I use Garageband for making beats on my MacBook and wanted to get a dedicated recording interface. I was looking for something inexpensive that would also work with my iPAD. I also wanted something simple that I could use with a MIC and guitar. After doing some research, I was told I should consider the Audiobox series from PreSonus, or the UR series from Steinberg. I was on a low budget, so the ninety-nine bux for the UR12 is what I went with. Overall, I am very happy with the UR12, it is built like a talk, works with both my laptop and iPAD and it came with a free copy of Cubase AI. I'm able to easily control the volume of my SHURE mic and my Ibanez electric guitar with no problems at all. I didn't notice that there isn't a separate knob for the headphones, but that's not a deal breaker for me since my powered speakers have volume controls right on the front of them. I mean for only ninety-nine bux , this unit does do a lot. I was kinda surpassed reading the previous review on the UR12 because for only fifty bux more, he should have considered the UR22. I did my research before I bought this item, so I knew it had all the features I needed. If it turns out I don't like it, MF has a good return policy. But so far, I'm a happy camper with the UR12!OompaLoompa44

A very good buy indeed. Works brilliantly when loan the driver from the manufacturers website. If wanna simple card for computer and sound up to standard this is very good. Output inputs are nice with RCA connection and for headphones there is an optional connection. Volume nod is great and cool. I dont record any with this but for me the sound side to my computer was the very need. Led lights are very static and cool too. Me like much!!!Sinfonius

This is a great product for me! I use ths to record my Mic'd guitar amp to record into GB, Scorecloud or any other recrding software. The Gain enables you to hone in on volume control while recording to raise recording volume withought turning up the amp volume or to minimize fuzz sound from an idle amp not in standby coming through in the recording. You can moniter on headphonrs or split your instrument to a moniter control board, and includes speaker outputs to run your amps output in stereo through speakers. Sound quality is excellent! If you are seriously ameature and need a simple usb plug in for now, consuder searching online for a 1/4-usb patch instrument cable for your instrument or mic, or whateve combo you need, they make them all, for about 15-25 $ as a quick easy solution.Pat

Had issues with connecting the device to the ipad. The mic input works fine on garageband and other apps. For guitar however, in amplitube specifically, it will not put out a signal. After much research I found that the itrack uses its right channel for guitar and amplitube uses the left ios channel, therefore rendering it tricky to use exclusively for AT (stick to iRig, it's way easier) I've had to order a 3/4" jack to 3-pin male xlr from amazon to see if I can patch the guitar line into the left mic xlr of the itrack, although i'm not sure if it will work. If you use only garageband and are most interested in the mic input you will be fine.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I bought this to use with Garage Band on my laptop at home. Its got 2 inputs, one XLR with +48 and one 1/4 for instruments. Its important to note that in GB you must tell it per track which channel youre using- it will default to channel 1 which is the mic. To use a guitar you have to change it to ch2. After that it is super easy. Great value. Very affordable and comes with the cables you need to hook it up.mr.shatters

This is an amazing interface. I absolutely love the Yamaha D-PRE and Rupert Neve Designs Transformer. I got this from Manny's at an absolute deal of $569 and am extremely grateful. Great sound and performance, and easy to play though without DAW. I love the zero latency Yamaha Amps and FX in standalone mode.AARON W.

This is my first interface so keep that in mind. I tried using the internal pre amps (which supposedly have Neve built transformers) but they were loud to my ear, like noise floor I mean. I am spoiled though because I have tons of outboard preamps etc so I just use this as a go through box. Works great.Spookytoof

This is probably the best quality product at this price point. The preamps are stellar with low noise floor. I'm disappointed that there is no internal routing to direct inputs through a specific output. Input monitoring flows through all outputs. The DSP FX mixer will not run while using Cubase because it's all integrated into cubase, which is not bad after you get past the confusion of learning how to use it. Overall it's the best option for a portable setup.drewhardw

I am using the UMC202HD to digitise my vinyl collection. I have a Rega planar 3 turntable with an Elyse 2 cartridge. I use RCA to XLR connections. The Elyse cartridge is a MM with an output , I think, of 7mV. This drives the 202 quite adequately through the USB to my MacBook and into Audacity for recording. I was concerned about RIAA equalisation but i think I am correcting this in the Audacity software. I have to turn the gain up on the 202 but it doesn't seem a problem. I am very happy with the outcome.Robert R.

https://youtu.be/ck7zqcA6kbo that is what I recorded and wrote yesterday with it. I am not a good singer so I spoke. there are 15 orchestral tracks. and the BENEVOLENT TILLER CREW band. thats all 3 of me, myself and I because I can't find anyone around here who play an instrument. You can hear it works quite well. there is a little noise at the start. that is because the wiring on the house needs attention. not the unit itself.Ian M.

I had M-Audio interface before after about 7 years it just stop working on me. They're so many interface's out there to choose from. You can go to YouTube and get your mind overloaded when looking. So One day I look on AMS and saw the new M-Audio Line and because I ready use it before and whenever I had a issue with the product they're Tech-support and customer service was great. That's another reason why I pick this M-Audio. There is three things that I dislike about this product that you may not know about.If you never used Pro-Tools it has a learning curve and if you already have plug-ins that you love work with all the time.They will not work with pro tool first. If you would like to get plug-ins my understand they're subscription base plug-ins. And you will not be able to share your project with another producer so you can work on the project together you can not do it in Pro-Tool first. you have to buy the full Pro-Tools or pay for the monthly or yearly subscription. Other that that for what I need it for my production work it's great.Davell B

This is a solid interface for my home studio. I use it to record Guitar, bass, vocals through an MXL990 (has phantom power). I also use the MXL above/behind drums to nicely capture cymbals, while also placing a mic on the bass drum. Not the best setup for drums, so I'll be looking into a larger unit with more inputs. The downside is that I most often have to set the preamp levels between 4-5 to avoid clipping, but the recordings are loud and clear on each track. I'm currently using PreSonus Studio One, but have also used Ableton Live, so this interface works well with multiple software packages. I haven't connected any midi devices yet, so I have nothing to add there. The headphone connection and volume control work as they should.Dambro

Stereo recordings work great! After installing the updated drivers and a reboot. I tested it with the NCH WavePad Sound Editor app to verify that it could actually record in stereo and it passed with flying colors. I could see that the right and left sound recording level bars work independently from each other. The 2i2 was connected to a headphone jack by using a 1/8 inch TRS Stereo to Dual 1/4 inch TS Mono Y-Splitter Cable. Found the stereo setting in Windows 10 under the "device properties / additional device settings / advanced tab. Changed the sample rate drop down menu to "2 channel, 16 bit, 48000 Hz (DVD quality)" So cool!turns2gold

First off, I'm mainly using this to (phantom) power my AT-2020 for voice chat with the occasional music recording. For the most part this thing works great. The drivers were easy to install and using the unit is easy to use. I do have a very strange problem though and it is due to static and popping cropping up when using the mic after a few hours. I am unsure of whether this is a power issue with my USB port or a software glitch. I originally found people having issues with this and they fixed it by upping the buffer with the ASIO software–default is 128–I tried this and for some reason the higher the buffer, the more it popped and static'd. What's really weird is lowering the buffer to 16 reduces the popping and static for a few hours before it happens again. I am by no means very knowledgeable with audio interfaces and I could be doing something wrong, but this has been quite an annoyance. Otherwise, the unit is great and I love it.Hunter

I've owned the 2i2 for a few years now. It works fine for my purposes, but I wish it had some different features. I'm actually not a huge fan of the volume knobs for each channel. Personally I like to have ALL settings for a certain microphone for example built into an instrument in your music software. Having a physical knob just unnecessarily adds something that can easily be taken into account in the software. I'm also not a fan of connectors on the front. I wish everything was in the back to make it look "cleaner". This isn't really a major issue but I wonder why so many audio interfaces are designed this way. I can understand a headphone jack being in the front obviously but connections for XLR cables should be in the back in my opinion. Besides these few features I wish were changed, not much else to say. It works fine. I have noticed latency in some situations, but, to be fair, I'm not certain if the audio interface itself is causing this. It may just be my computer running slowly. Restarting the software usually fixes latency issues. For the price and compactness, it is hard to beat this audio interface.Peter

I owned a Phonic Firefly 302usb. With time Win10 just stopped supporting it after an update (just use it with my laptop, now). Had to upgrade…and I needed SPDIF IN/OUT for my POD XT. To say this interface is amazing is an understatement! It has an app for iOS or Android which let's you control EVERYTHING…REMOTE! In the vocal booth? Behind the kit? In another room? It came with Studio One 4 Artist…which works PERFECTLY with this interface…like, it FULLY uses every bit of the 1810c capabilities! So much so, that since it was missing VST support I decided to upgrade to 5. 5 Artist has VST/VSTi support…but there was an AWESOME sake, so I bought Professional… I've been using Cakewalk for decades…I've tried switching DAWS so many times with little success or even enjoyment/progress…Studio One opened, asked ifvi wanted to use shortcuts from another DAW. I chose Cakewalk…haven't hardly opened Cakewalk since! IT'S THAT GOOD…combined with this interface, you have a MONSTER. You can add a light pipe Mic Preamp and add 8 inputs at 24bit/44,1khz…or 4 @ 48! 16 channels of MIDI…8 regular inputs…plus SPDIF? You can build this up to WHATEVER your needs are! Home studio? Upgrade to a 16 track interface? Run an e-kit, keyboard, foot controllers, all MIDI (and with SPDIF, you still have used NONE of the 8 inputs! With the multiple outs, I can run to my mixer, my near field monitors, AND my far field monitors! No rewiring or problems… IF THIS FITS YOUR NEEDS, it is TOTALLY worth it! Comes with Studio One Artist and LOTS of built in and free plug-ins and instruments…plus MORE CAN BE BOUGHT! If I didn't already have a BUNCH of VSTs and BFD 3 (and every expansion…way too much money to "just switch"), I wouldn't have upgraded.CheapGearGuy

I went back and forth with FocusRite CS about my 2i2 that would just start digitally garbling the output after 0-90+ minutes and require unplugging/replugging USB to reset the driver. (Brand new top of the line Dell Precision laptop as well as 3 y/o Dell Precision laptop exhibiting same issues). Super frustrating and never was able to get the driver to play nicely with Windows 10. Contrast that with the PreSonus 26c which worked as soon as I plugged it in, quick driver download, and has zero issues/failures. Beyond that, the features are very similar but just implemented slightly differently. (24c is closer to the 2i2 but was on backorder at the time) Works flawlessly with Ableton, MS Teams, Webex, USB cameras on same bus, Premiere Pro, Zoom, browsers, etc. Sound quality is excellent for in/out. One happy customer here.Jeremy

Integrates well with Cubase but not a requirement. Great bargain and a ton of power with a small footprint. Of course the limitation is two inputs, but sometimes depending on application that is enough. Good sounding with quality preamps and zero-latency monitoring of input signals. Cubase AI comes free with it and is also very powerful, although it's a bit complicated to set up. User just needs to be patient and follow the instructions. MacPro Video offers some very good instruction at a reasonable cost, but there are other instructional videos out there that are free via YouTube. Be willing to start off slow and you should have little or no problems.dpuc_0

Looked for what seemed like ages for a confirmed working and decent quality audio interface for the usb c ipad pros. A lot of manufacturers are pretty non-committal. Paired it with a usb c hub and everything works immediately and well. High quality hardware, great sounding pre and latency is not to be found of any concern. If you are looking to make music on the ipad pro with a usb c then this is a viable option to consider. Works with garageband too with no issues. Comes with some software but not worth trading garageband for. I did not buy the 50 buck version of their app. Maybe better?KC

I've had this for two years, windows 10 no troubles at all. I love the built in amp sims and reverb. It allows you to record your guitar direct and hear it through a virtual amp latency free. The amp sim effects can be sent to the mix or not. This is great if you want to experiment with amp/cab sims later. My unit came with the proper usb C cable. I love itRyan

Pro's Well made all metal housing. Everything works as advertised. Easy to setup and easy to use (download and install the drivers from Behringer 1st). I'm on PC running windows 10. Signal quality and adjustability has been good for what I have done so far. electric guitar, acoustic guitar and vocals. Working fine with my DAW (Reaper) Con's The instruction booklet is terrible. Fortunately this unit is popular and there are many instructional video's online. Summary: Great features and quality for the price. I got the 204 (2in 4out) because I wanted the dedicated midi in/out (on the back of this unit) so I could connect electronic drums into the daw or drum machine and then back to the drum kit (so I can utilise sound library's). If you dont need that feature then you might save some $ by getting the 202 (2in 2out).protruding_bone

Using this with a pair of Presonus Eris E3.5 monitors and Eris Sub8 woofer for hobbyist music production, gaming and general media on a Windows 10 tower running on AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and it performs very well in all regards. ASIO offers good low latency and it doesn't choke too hard when my track/plugin count in Reaper start piling up. Inputs are quite pristine. It looks nice on my desk without being too busy and distracting. The second pair of outputs feed an amplifier/receiver which outputs to a single, old Polk Audio PC speaker for working in mono and as something of a baseline for translatability, which I mention because most of the other 4-output interface options in this range also have 4 inputs, which I don't really need, and why spend money on something you won't use? So kudos to Behringer for offering a quality "in-between" option at a very attractive price-point. Two minor criticisms: First, the phantom power switch for the mic inputs is on the back of the unit, which in my smallish workspace entails having to pull the unit out whenever I want to hook up a condenser mic for some live recording. My second nitpick is the inability to link the gain of the two inputs to a single control, which would be useful when recording from stereo line sources or whenever you want to maintain perfect balance. But at the end of the day, I'm very satisfied with this unit.Jason

I bought one B stock and it was not working right has issues with high noise after boosting the channel volume and the main volume there was a hiss of pink noise from both channels. I sent back to the supplier and got a brand new one sent and it is very cool the Midas pre-amps are amazing sounding the audio interface for the price is really good I would have liked this as a first soundcard, But it also is good for someone on the move producer sound editor or recording instruments mobile. Very easy to put into a laptop bag. It is very user-friendly for the complete beginner to the advanced producer or sound engineer. I would recommend for the home studio if you need a backup and again as a mobile unit then this is the got to. Finally, the price is little over 75 and that is a bargain for Midas pre-amps as if you research the brand Midas have very expensive mixing desks well over the . And have been around since the early 80s so they know what sounds good and have many awards and many top people in the record industry would recommend Midas. Also, thank you to the retailer on eBay they were very good fast and very pleasant to talk to understood my issues and even gave me a free return to get my audio interface swapped, the turn around was very fast and I would use this storeagain. THANK YOU INTER AUDIO COVENTRY.jpro8689

I have a Windows 10 operating system and Cubase AI 9.5 and so I thought this Steinberg interface would be a perfect fit. It even had good reviews on the Musician's Friend site. Unfortunately, when I got it hooked up the sound would drop out on playback. I spent about a week trying to resolve this issue. I reinstalled my drivers and reconfigured my device setup in Cubase several times. I tried using an external power cable, thinking it wasn't getting enough power from the USB, but the dropout problem continued. I fooled around with my Windows sound options too but nothing helped and I was forced to return the interface. The only other reason I can think of for my sound dropout issue is that my motherboard is over 10 years old and so maybe there were incompatibility issues. It was suggested in one forum that I update my chipset and BIOS, but that seemed risky and so I didn't go down that road. Ironically, after I returned the interface to Musician's Friend, I got out my old Artcessories USB Phono Plus and got it to work with Cubase after installing the ASIO4ALL driver. It had not worked before and that was my reason for purchasing the Steinberg UR22mkII.Eric

A very good product if you need to record a vocal mic, instrument and perhaps a MIDI keyboard simultaneously to a computer to record. USB powered so no extra power supply needed when connected to a computer with a suitably powered USB socket. Can also be used with an iPad, but needs to be powered in such circumstances. USB power can be connected via a micro-USB socket, or if using the Lightning- USB Camera connector on an iPad, the power can be connected to the lightning connector on that. Microphone gain is fairly low – for recording spoken voice seems to need to be at or close to maximum gain, but if used with a singer then probably the dynamic range would require a lower setting. Comes with licence codes for Cubase AI which provides decent digital audio workstation capability (although is quite a steep learning curve). Will work with other DAW software as well (at least on my Mac). Also unlocks a version of Cubasis for the iPAD which also provides recording capability. With a portable battery power source provides a completely portable recording capability. Device is quite heavy, but on the other hand is solidly built with a metal enclosure that is likely to protect against knocks and bangs.Reviewed by Absolute Music custo

OK… was going to give it 0 stars and return it… seriously. Didn't work on 3 computers W10 64, W7 64 and W7 32. Updated all drivers as advised and it was still stuttery, popping ans in general crap when just playing audio and test microphone was barely being picked up. After 2 days I uninstalled all the drivers to install clean. OK… when I went to re-download the DRIVERS I noticed a firmware updater on their site. Since I was on the verge of either returning it or smashing with a sledge hammer I decided to run the firmware updater since it said mine was was 1.03 and 1.04 was on offer. Well… after the update the unit rebooted itself… and suddenly everything worked! The sound was clear, crisp and sharp. I tested the microphone and suddenly it was behaving as expected. I tried on the W10 64 machine (as was on the W7 32 machine) and it just worked without me changing anything on that machine as well. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE LATEST DRIVER AND FIRMWARE. PS – It's a good solid build, well set out and now sounds and records great.Dean W.

I bought the Rode AI-1 for my mic setup about a year ago. I was surprised at how well built (Materials and overall feel) the unit was for the price. It's a simple piece that in my opinion is a great long term investment from a trusty brand. I'm pretty tough on products I buy and I wish I could give it some sort of negative feedback but genuinely, it's so simple and well built I can't. I've paired it with the RODE Procaster Broadcast Quality Dynamic Microphone and a mixer. Great setup with pristine sound.James H.

I use this for both my XLR Audio technica microphone and to run my Hifiman Sundara headphones which require a decent amount of power. This unit does a great job of keeping my audio clean and easy to manage. The buttons and unit itself are high quality feeling. USB C makes connection reliable and simple.Gabe

Taking the product out of its packaging, I was immediately impressed by how dense a lump it is. It feels very solid and well made. I bought this to have a high quality headphone output with manual volume control, plus the ability to hook up the XLR microphones I already have to my computer. At both of these functions it works perfectly. Very happy with this purchase.William