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Hello and welcome back to ‘Foot in the DAW’ - This time we are talking about Audio Interfaces. These are little boxes of magic that turn microphone, guitar and MIDI signals into something your computer can understand. They are an essential part of any studio set up. If we were to use the human body as an analogy, the computer is the brain and the audio interface is the nervous system. It connects everything together.
Please note, I do not have nearly as much varied experience with audio interfaces as I do with DAWs. Also, the prices I put will be estimates, as right now all kinds of hardware are rising in price. Not sure how much interfaces have been affected, but just know that these numbers may be inaccurate after a while.
What Makes A Good Interface?
Audio interfaces can really be broken down to five key points:
D-A/A-D Converters: The Digital to Audio converters, the gismos that turn code into audio
I/O: Inputs and outputs
Durability: How long it’ll last you
Special Features: Like onboard computers, inbuilt hardware processing etc
Cost: Obviously, the cheaper the better!
As such I’ll try to give you a reasonable breakdown of individual units as well as series of interfaces, but of course I can’t rate every interface for every eventuality.
Budget Interfaces
Focusrite Scarlett Series
Focusrite have made a name for themselves for making affordable yet high quality audio interfaces. This means that they are one of the best companies, particularly for starting out. The Scarlett series is known for its decent audio quality, good reliability and good price. However, the Scarletts do lack some of the more exciting features offered by their competitors.
I have a 2nd generation Focusrite Scarlett 6i6. I don’t use it for recording anymore as I upgraded to a Clarett, but it’s still in use to connect my desktop PC to a microphone. I’ve had it for a few years and it’s served me well. The upsides are that they’re cheapish (ranging from £90-£550), come with an interesting software package, and offer a relatively clean sound with good durability. The Scarletts also come equipped with an “Air” feature, which applies an EQ curve to give a high shelf boost to the incoming signal.
This can be noticeable on some mics, however I’ve noticed it lacking on boomier microphones like the SM7B. The downsides are that the cheaper versions do not have midi in/out, with that particular function being reserved for the 4i4 and up, they also don’t have many extra bells and whistles that their competitors do. The audio quality isn’t the best, although with the D-A’s high impedance lower
quality microphones will still sound decent coming through this interface. The gain offered by the Scarlett series is also a bit weak. If you’re looking for a simple box that you can plug a microphone and a pair of headphones into, the Focusrite Solo is a good option. If you’ve got a more complicated set up, with speakers and synthesisers, or you want to record a couple of instruments/microphones at the same times, then the 4i4 is a good shout. For a band recording, or for multiple microphone recording set ups like guitar and drum recording, the 18i8 is worth a shout. Finally, the 18i20. Good for recording in a studio environment or where many microphones (for example, on a drum kit) are mandatory.
Arturia MiniFuse Series
These are relatively new audio interfaces that have been making waves as a possible competitor to Focusrite, boasting more functionality and cheaper prices. They do this by making them out of cheaper materials, so do be careful with it if you buy one!
Firstly, even the cheapest option (£83) has a USB hub built into it. This is surprisingly useful, as there are so many devices that rely on USB connectivity. For example, I use an Anker USB Hub to connect up three different pieces of equipment, with my two other USB ports on my laptop being taken up by an external hard drive and my Focusrite Clarett.
The MiniFuse 2 not only has a USB hub but a midi I/O as well, giving it much more connectivity than Focusrite’s option the 2i2. The Minifuse also comes with a monitoring option which allows you to hear what you’re recording before it reaches your DAW. It also has a lower impedance, which improves the sound quality of it’s D-A converters.
The downsides, however, are that the MiniFuse line are not the most rugged audio interfaces around, and that lowered impedance does come at a cost. While Scarlett’s tend to handle cheaper microphones quite well the MiniFuse has been known to struggle. While most people probably won’t notice the difference, if you want to get the best out of a cheaper microphone this may not be the best interface line for you.
I’d say that these are a solid option, particularly for those with extra gear. The MiniFuse 4 looks like it would be a great pick for working with synthesisers, which may have been in the designers minds as one of Arturia’s most popular product is the KeyStep midi keyboard/synthesiser controller.
Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1, 2 and 6
This curious little interface is probably not a great choice for 99% of you, however it’s still worth mentioning in case anyone is tempted. In order to differentiate itself from the crowd Native Instruments designed the KA6 with DC Coupled outputs, allowing for Control Voltage. I bet most of you don’t know what that is, and the few that do already realise why this isn’t the best interface for everyone.
Control Voltage is what synthesisers use to send control/modulation signals between modules. The KA6 is designed with this in mind, giving you the ability to turn your interface into a Eurorack control module. If that didn’t make any sense to you, don’t worry! But that is the problem, one of it’s key selling points is quite an advanced and relatively niche part of music production. There are other good selling points though, including that it has two high quality dual inputs, as well as 4 set volume inputs round the back. It has an interesting design, with the main volume control on the top rather than on the front of the interface. This gives it a less cluttered view on the front, making it easier to use. The drivers for this interface are also apparently very good, meaning you can use it at lower sample rates (good for recording and live playback). It also has great connectivity, with midi in/out and an S/PDIF in/out. It’s also solidly built with a sleek, interesting design.
It has all the features, but it’s the software that makes it shine. Such is the story with Native Instruments’ gear. I have seen a lot of negative reviews, particularly recently, about Native Instruments hardware (although none directed at the KA6). This is because Native Instruments’ is essentially a software developer that had some extra funds lying around so decided to make some hardware. They’re decently built, granted, but not the most exciting nor the best bang for buck. In this case I think that the KA6 is a decent purchase, but it is about the same amount as the Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 with a very similar design. It’s a close call between the two, to be honest, but the extra feature of the DC Coupled outputs shouldn’t be what sways you unless you are really interested in sound design.
The KA1 and KA2 share similar design to the KA6, but they have fewer inputs/outputs.
Presonus Studio Series
Presonus have a reputation for cheap hardware that’s built to survive nuclear bombs, with the cost of poor sound quality. Having done a bit of research I fear this is true of the Studio Series, however it’s still worth a look. Coming in at under £100, the 24c is a pretty decent interface. There is a slight problem with distortion when it comes to recording at levels higher than -12dBfs, which is unfortunate as a good benchmark level for vocals is between -6dBfs
and -3dBfs.
It’s a simple case of the louder a track is recorded at the start the less gain you’ll have to add in later, resulting in less distortion. The other issue with this interface is that it’s front panel is quite clustered. To make room for a fancy volume metre they’ve shoved all of the buttons to the side with small markings to show you what they do. After a while it’ll become second nature to you as to what each knob does, but at the start this might be a bit tricky. The benefit here is that the 24c is a very reliable interface with midi I/O, which is extremely rare for under £100, with two mic/line inputs and two outputs for speakers, as well as a 1/4” phones output with high impedance.
The 26c appears to be very similar, except for independent phantom power controls and 2 extra line inputs. Moving up to the 68c you get more inputs, including two more dual inputs in the back. All of this for just over £200, with a very impressive software suite, does make it tempting. The midi I/O may not sound useful, but if you’re thinking of getting a midi keyboard then it would probably be worth looking into more. I’ve seen a few places recommend these interfaces without Reservation, but that distortion at above -12dBfs is worrying.
Audient iD4 and iD14
Audient have a reputation for high quality D-A converters. The iD4 looks like a good interface at just over £100. Its design is a little quirky, with the controls on the top of the interface and the mic input at the back, but the iD4 is a very respectable interface for the cost.
The downside of this interface is the same as the cheapest Focusrite models: No extras! No midi I/O means that if you have any other devices you want to connect you may face compatibility problems. Think about what equipment you want in the near future before spending a lot of money. The rather odd placement of the mic and line inputs should also be taken into account, as you may face problems with space.
The iD14 also looks like a solid interface, with more inputs than the previous iteration. The downside of not having midi I/O, however, continues with this model. With probably the best D-A converters on this list, at least for the budget options, these should be worth serious consideration if you want the best possible sound quality. However, they do lack connectivity, and I might question their durability. Recently I received an Audient Nero and it arrived with a short-circuited front panel. Fortunately I got it replaced for free, and from everything I’ve read online Audient support are actually really good, but it’s something to keep in mind. I would say this, though: If you think that the audio quality shouldn’t be that different between these boxes, I did notice a difference between my two interfaces, so don’t write off the claims of good sound quality immediately.
Audient EVO 4 and EVO 8
So, Audient get mentioned on this list twice, and that’s because they have two budget interface lines. The new EVO interfaces look to be an interesting addition to the already competitive budget market. So, first things first, they are tiny! The interfaces have only one knob that controls everything on the interface, and a button that enables an internal sound engineer that can automatically set up the correct amount of gain for your microphones / guitars after a 10 second soundcheck. According to SOS they tested this feature, called “Smartgain”, several times and the results were invariably perfect. I must admit on first viewing I am highly impressed with these little interfaces.
There are, as always, drawbacks. No MIDI support, much like their cousins the iD’s, and the case is made of plastic. This means that it isn’t the most rugged audio interface in the world, which is a shame as one of the EVO’s selling points is that it’s portable. Overall though, for less than £100, you’re likely not going to get the best build quality in the world. They still have those fantastic D/A converters, however I am a little worried about the Guitar inputs. Apparently they add a little bit of character to your guitar tone but I fear that some people might find that rather annoying. This interface is fantastic for simplicity, for people who need to move around a lot, and for those recording on their own (which, let’s face it, is most of us). I think these are a strong contender in the market.
Verdict?
For budget, I think these might be the best audio interfaces on the market. That’s not to say that there aren’t other good budget audio interfaces out there, but these are the ones that I’ve heard of and have an understanding that they are pretty good for their price. If I had to break these down,
I’d say...
Scarlett: Best reliability
MiniFuse: Best connectivity
Komplete Audio: Best for synth nuts
Studio: Best budget
iD4 and iD14: Best audio
EVO: Best for beginners
Professional Interfaces
Universal Audio Apollo Series
I’ve put all of these interfaces in this section because even their cheapest is $500, with their more expensive interfaces going for over £3000. Despite this they are considered some of the best and most powerful interfaces in the world.
So, let’s break down their features. Firstly, their D/A converters are some of the best on the market, although I think at this level there isn’t much in it between the highest level producers. What makes the Apollo series so unique is that they have onboard computers on the interfaces. This means that they don’t need to run all of their software on your computer, freeing up processing power for your DAW. They can even run plugins pre-DAW, meaning you can have a vocal chain or a guitar preset that alters the audio while you record it. Unfortunately, you can only use UAD plugins, and they do cost a lot of money, but they’re high quality and you can use most of them in your DAW as well. This gives the Apollo series a serious edge over the competition, as it means that your DAW doesn’t have to carry a heavy vocal chain in order to work on your vocals. This also makes them perfect for live setups, as you can have a lot of processing already before it reaches your laptop.
The downsides are only cost, really. That and their limited inputs as well as lack of midi I/O, relying on USB connections. So, if you have a lot of synthesisers, you may need to invest in a midi keyboard as well, something like the KeyStep by Arturia. This, along with the cost of the plugins to take full advantage of the interface, will cost well into the high thousands of pounds. I would only recommend this to serious producers and people considering performing live, electronic performance based music. However, the Apollo Solo is a really small yet powerful interface that would allow you to expand your setup, as it has the same functionality as its bigger brothers.
Focusrite Clarett+ Series
I actually have one of these, the 4pre, and it’s a pretty solid interface. Very well built with between 2 and 8 mic inputs, the Clarett series shares similar audio quality as the Apollo series but at a more affordable price. It even has midi I/O, so you have the ability to hook up synths to it. The Focusrite also has an inbuilt EQ which gives a slight boost to the highs, just like the Scarlett range, which you can activate using Focusrite control.
The downside in comparison to the Apollo series is that it doesn’t have any of the onboard trickery, meaning that your computer is going to have to tackle the full brunt of both the plugins and the interface’s drivers. This will increase latency versus some of the other interfaces on this list, as Focusrite’s already have some pretty bulky drivers.
Audient iD24 and iD44
We’ve already covered the little brothers of these two interfaces but I felt that I should bring these two up, as well as some of their distinctive features. The high quality converters, interesting design and lack of midi I/O continues into these models. However, there are some more interesting additions that may sway some of you.
With brilliant D/A converters and really low latency, this interface is one of the best. It’s well built and the central knobs can be used to control compatible functions within your DAW, for example faders and automation. It also has finer control over your sound with a dB cut and a high pass filter. They’re also some of the lowest priced interfaces on this list, so they are worth serious consideration.
Audient EVO 16
So Audient have dropped yet another bomb on the industry with this, newly released, EVO 16. The interface retains all the functionality of the EVO 4 and 8 but comes with yet more features that you’d expect with the higher price tag. At less than £500 these interfaces are still cheaper than the Focusrite Clarett and UAD’s Apollo series interfaces, though. So, onto the features!
This interface comes with a digital mixer that allows you to control volumes, adjust I/O’s, and set up the interface for talkback (useful for studio applications) before it reaches your DAW. This isn’t quite as clever as the Apollo’s, but it still has the inbuilt studio engineer for volume monitoring.
The device also has an LED screen where you can adjust settings like phantom power, see your levels across all the inputs and switch to a different set of speakers if you have them. They’ve merged the Nero into an interface! Given the relatively small footprint of this device it apparently has 24 inputs and 24 outputs (I say apparently because I can only count 16, but what do I know. Perhaps if you press a magic button it suddenly grows and handful more). Like the Apollos and the larger Scarlett series interfaces I think this is more aimed at studio use, but it’s still worth considering if you want to go professional. Unfortunately, the interface still lacks MIDI support, however I’d imagine that there must be a way of getting around that, otherwise these interfaces wouldn’t sell at all.
Verdict
Honestly, all of these are really solid options across the board. I’d argue that the Apollo series is probably the best (and most widely used) interface, however that cost will hurt. If you’re looking at these big price tags with a growing sense of panic, don’t worry. The cheaper interfaces on this list will do you just fine. This is more for people who want to take this to a professional standing.
Other Options
There are always other options, but I have some personal experience with one that I think some of you might find interesting. These can be used as interface substitutes or ways of increasing the capacity of another interface, as well as just offering different functionality than a microphone input.
Zoom Handy Recorder Series
From the Hn4 Pro up towards the H8, the Handy Recorders are really powerful devices capable of recording sound on the go and acting as audio interfaces when needed. I know, because I have the H6. I’ve used it to record a stream, which featured in my track “A Long While” (A Storm Is Coming) as a background sound effect, some birds singing, which featured in my track “Midnight Sun” (Summer) in the middle 8, and a thunderstorm. It’s handled all of those tasks well, giving me the ability to record a whole host of sound effects to mess around with.
However it can also be used as an audio interface, with the H6 providing 4 XLR/TRS inputs along the sides of the device. The H4n Pro has 2 XLR/ TRS inputs at its base, same as the H5, and the H8 has 4 XLR with 2 XLR/TRS inputs.
These come with the benefit of giving you the ability to record audio as well. While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this as an option for a proper studio set up, they could be useful as a multi-tool device if you fancy foley recording and they offer the option of being portable interfaces for the stage. Reasonably priced too!
Behringer Ultragain ADA8200
This is an extension you can use to augment the amount of inputs you have on your interface if you wish to expand it’s capacity for any reason. While some reviews I’ve seen online have questioned the reliability and quality, my Electronic Performance lecturer said they’re good enough for live performance work. I probably wouldn’t recommend using this for prolonged times in a studio, or with the expectation of great audio quality, but for hooking up multiple instruments to one computer during a live performance it’s probably the best on the market for the price.
CL-1 Cloudlifter
Okay, this isn’t an interface, but I think it’s important to mention here. There is a slight hidden cost when considering interfaces.Dynamic microphones, especially mics like the SM7B, have very low gain levels.
These devices are called “Mic Activators” and they boost the gain going into your interface by several dB. Thebenefit? It’s clean, meaning that you won’t get any nasty hum orbuzz by driving the microphone too loud. Just keep in mind that some interfaces, especially the Focusrite’s, might need such a device for specific microphones.
I have two dynamic Shure mics plugged into Focusrite interfaces: A PGA microphone, that’s up at full volume, and the SM7B, which requires the Cloudlifter. These have shot up in price since I last looked, at around £140-150. I think I got mine for less than £100 a few years ago.
Conclusion
There are many great audio interfaces out there, for all budgets, and this list is far from exhaustive. The intention is to give you some options to begin expanding your own research into the topic. I hope this helps and, as always, if you have any further questions don’t hesitate to ask!
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