Discover the Best USB Audio Interfaces
1. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Generation)
2x2 USB Audio Interface
Simple to use, great sounding audio interface!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
IMO the one of the best things about this audio interface is its ease of use. On a Mac, it's plug and play using the built in core audio driver. The sound is detailed, clean and hiss free and the pre-amps sound great either with a mic or a guitar/bass direct in. But my favorite thing about this unit is everything is operated by real knobs and switches. No software virtual mixer needed. No one knob that controls 20 different functions. And the round trip latency (7ms on my 2012 MacBook Pro) is low enough that I don't even bother with the direct monitor switch. Probably the best thing I can say about the 2i2 is I can focus on making music and not on troubleshooting why it doesn't work. ... More
Good fit for high-quality mic-ing for Zoom meetings
Reviewed by Jason on B&H Photo Video
I needed to connect my Sennheiser wireless mic to the computer. I bought a $15 usb sound card that provides separate line-in and line-out 3.5mm ports and it works fine for the price. The 2i2 allows for greater control of the gain and provides a really valuable visual cue: clipping. When I speak, the gain knob lights up. Green is good, yellow is warning and red is bad clipping. What I've learned is that when I test my mic setup before a Zoom call that I'll be teaching on a topic, I can get the gain set just right so it's always green with an occasional blip of yellow (I can't hear any distortion with a brief blip of yellow). However, once I'm on the Zoom call, I notice I put on my teacher's voice and I usually talk much louder than normal, so having immediate visual feedback that my audio is clipping is super helpful so I can turn it down then and there. I've had one complaint/problem with the 2i2. I'm an amateur with this audio equipment, so I don't know if this is common knowledge amongst pros or if it's a feature of the 2i2. I'm also not 100% sure what is exactly causing the problem, but here's my thoughts. At any gain level, I can get crackling, distorted noise. Not super bad, but very annoyingly so, especially for the hundreds of dollars I've now spent on higher end gear. Here's what I think may be causing the problem and how I fixed it: * If I turn the gain up so high that it clips into the red range at all, then when I turn the gain back down, it seems the 2i2 introduces some noise. Turning the gain up or down will change the overall volume (and the noise) but the noise doesn't go away. * Using the app Voicemeeter seems also to produce this noise, but I'm still not totally convinced it's the app at all and not just the 2i2. * The FIX is to go into the Focusrite Control software and Restore Factory Defaults under the File menu. The device will reboot itself in about 10 seconds and the noise is gone. It took me a while of trial and error to find the solution to this. Finally, I also had volume problems. I had good volume in Audacity and Zoom, but in OBS I could barely hear the mic recording. Something to to with ASIO and/or WASAPI low-latency source vs. MME in Windows. Audacity by default (at least in my installation) selects MME, which had no audio problems, but apparently can introduce more latency, which hasn't been a problem for me so far. When I switched to WASAPI source in Audacity, then I got the same low-volume problem as OBS. The fix was to turn up the Sensitivity on the Sennheiser G4 transmitter from -24 to -12dB. Finally I chose the 2i2 over the SOLO version (which is about $60 cheaper) because on the SOLO version you can only output from channel 1 *or* channel 2...not both at the same time. Since my wife and I plan to co-teach some classes on Zoom, we need to be able to have two live mics at once. ... More
2. Focusrite Scarlett Solo (3rd Generation)
2x2 USB Audio Interface
Excellent value - best selling budget interface for a reason
Reviewed by Earl Michael on B&H Photo Video
I have just gotten into recording music and didn't want to invest too much into the equipment. I have been familiar with the Focusrite brand for a long time, and knew that a lot of my musician friends use their interfaces for their own professional recordings. I checked a lot of reviews and validated those assumptions. I bought this and have loved using it. Just having it plugged in constantly is a huge source of inspiration. I can fire up my DAW and start playing immediately knowing that I am getting a very clean and crisp instrument signal with negligible latency. I only use this with a guitar and a violin so I don't have firsthand experience with using a mic. I also do not have studio monitors so I just monitor with a pair of Audio Technica m50x'. I could not be more pleased with the performance of this interface. My only gripes with it are the lack of a direct / USB blend knob and a usable signal meter. For the former, there is a button that switches from the direct signal to the USB one, but having the ability to blend the two would help if you need to play along to a backing track. For the latter, I get that the glowing ring is cool looking, but it's not actionably useful if you're trying to monitor your gain levels. By the time you see the red ring, you're already clipping making it difficult to adjust in real-time. Otherwise this is a GREAT interface and incredible value for money. I can't recommend this enough for beginners in home recording or even for pros who don't need more than two inputs. ... More
The simplest one but I like it
Reviewed by Kaz on Guitar Center
This interface soved a lot of problems for me expectedly and unexpectedly. What I expected was: I can connect my condenser microphone to my PC via this devise. I can stream my Zoom/Skype conversation from my android phone to my PC via this devise. This set-up allowed me to make podcast interviews. Unexpectedly... I can now listen to whatever is happening on my PC via. the devise though direct monitor. Before this my computer had a mind of its own and I lose sound often and had to experiment with the sound setting. Now connected to this, the sound always comes out without a problem. Also unexpectedly, this device allows me to do two projects without moving things. The device sends sounds to my PC though a cable, which allows me to record a video using the webcam. The device also send sound to my iPad to record a podcast using a customized app for podcasting. I can do both without moving the cable around. When I record a podcast interview, I want to make sure my voice and the guest's voice are balanced. This can be easily achieved with Scarlet Solo. This replaced my ICICLE connector (Blue ICICLE XLR to USB Converter/Mic Preamp), which was a lot simpler way to connect a condenser mic to a PC. However, I feel like I liked the sound quality of ICICLE SLIGHTLY better than Scarlet Solo. Both are good, though, and this probably is just my personal preference. ... More
3. Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 (Gen 3)
USB Recording Interface
Better than reviewed
Reviewed by Max on B&H Photo Video
I read some reviews on here that kind of scared me but I decided to try it anyway. There are some reviews where people were talking about software issues and said that it was really hard to install or that drivers didn't allow for long recording times I've tried it out and I have to say it's pretty awesome! I have a Mac so maybe the software issues were only on windows. I use Mac OS Mojave and have found the 4i4 works great with Logic The installation was a little unusual, but it was pretty simple. Just go to the website listed on the printed page and you'll be downloading all your bonus software really quickly. It also has some helpful video guides The included software and extras are great, although I was extremely disappointed by the version of Pro Tools. It has such crazy limitations as not being able to save on your computer (you have to save to the cloud) and other weird stuff like that. When I found out, I didn't even bother with it. The other software is very good. It even came with some free plugins to download I've tested long recordings. The first time, it cut out after 2 and a half hours because my computer said the CPU was overloaded. The second time, it stopped recording after 5 and a half hours without any warnings. It's not great that it cut out, but I can't imagine a situation where I'm recording one long 5 hour jam, so I'm not too concerned about it I'm very happy with the sound quality. It really sounds awesome ... More
Focusrite Scarlett + Rogue Amoeba Loopback = Audio Sorcery!
Reviewed by Jeff on B&H Photo Video
Most people may use this for musical production, and I'm sure it's great for that. But my use case is a little different. I'm on Mac and I use this in conjunction with Rogue Amoeba's equally-capable software, like Loopback as a way to exercise complete control over live streaming audio. The Scarlett and Loopback are very well paired, because Loopback can see and use all of the Scarlett's inputs and outputs independently, in any combination. You can generate an audio stream from multiple software sources in Loopback, route it to the Scarlett, send that out to an external effects processor, bring it back in, add mic(s) on top of it, send the mix back to Loopback to feed the stream, and send the mix-minus to the studio monitor. This is pure audio sorcery, fully accessible to a hedge wizard like me. The only thing that could be better than this Scarlett would be a bigger Scarlett. ... More
4. Shure SM57-X2U
SM57 MIC WITH XLR-TO-USB PACKAGE
Excellent for home studio recording...
Reviewed by Lon Diffenderfer on Guitar Center
Although a long time semi-professional singer/actor/musician, I am fairly new to recording in my home. However, I am pleased with the response I am receiving from colleagues and fans about the recordings I have made using this mic. I run the SM-57 to my laptop (running Windows 7). The sound is quite pure. Despite the limited resources I have available for creating a home studio, the reproduction of vocals using this microphone sound great on every system from which they have been played. Shure has won me as a loyal customer. As a recommendation to others who are also new to purchasing their own recording equipment, be careful when purchasing accessories recommended on this site. They are not always appropriate for use with the products for which they are being recommended. For example, the Nady SSPF-4 Pop Filter was recommended for use with this microphone but is not appropriate for the SM-57. ... More
Industry Standard.
Reviewed by Andy on Guitar Center
I can't say enough good things about this mic. I have compared it with high quality dynamic mics and the Sure 57 still sounds warmer then all of them. I would suggest getting a Mogami cable to insure no cable noise. You are good to go...
5. Focusrite Scarlett Solo Studio (Gen 3)
Recording Kit
Great piece of equipment!
Reviewed by Dunkin on Guitar Center
I use the product to play the beats I've created. It's also great at catching sound from my raps to my vocals.
so far so good
Reviewed by jacktores69 on Guitar Center
Im using this product to make death metal music. this is my first time ever attempting to record anything.
6. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio (Gen 3)
2x2 USB Audio Interface with Microphone and Headphones
This is an amazing bundle for the price
Reviewed by Stephen on Guitar Center
This is an amazing bundle with everything to get you started with your home studio. The other review stating the USB doesn't stay in is 100% user error.
Perfect for the novice
Reviewed by Jeff on Guitar Center
During all this stay-at-home time (spring of 2020) I have been messing around with a ton of my gear and I needed a way to send things to my bandmates. It's only been a week, but the actual recording aspect has been very simple to nail down (mixing is a whole other animal!). Focusrite's start-up videos walk you step-by-step through how to set up your recording. It couldn't be any easier, and I am NOT very tech savvy at all. I have been recording myself playing bass guitar by directly plugging in--no DI box or amp--to the interface and I'm amazed at how crystal clear my tone is. I would recommend this to anyone thinking about dipping their toes in the pool with home recording and I'm already thinking of ways to set up a rudimentary "home studio". ... More
7. Shure SM58-X2U
SM58 MIC WITH XLR-TO-USB PACKAGE
Flawless plug and play
Reviewed by Jim on B&H Photo Video
Wanted to start content creation on my mac with an XLR microphone. The x2u was immediately recognized as a mic, no config needed. It came packaged (too) securely. It's built solid, which may be a concern if you're using a cheaper mic arm that cant take the extra weight. Headphone jack on the side is actually way more convenient than the back of my computer! Only wish the gain dial had levels marked on it so I could keep it consistent between adjustments. ... More
good sound and simple setup
Reviewed by Harold on B&H Photo Video
I bought this to simplify my mic setup for meetings. I was using my Zoom H6 as a XLR-to-USB interface but got tired of having to set it up every time I wanted to use it. This powers on with the USB bus and is ready to go right away. I cannot use the headphone jack, unfortunately, because this is plugged into the back of a microphone base and the headphone jack faces down to my desk. Other than that, this is working perfectly and the sound seems better than through the H6. ... More
8. Solid State Logic SSL2
2x2 USB Type-C Audio Interface
Absolutely Incredible
Reviewed by Nathaniel on B&H Photo Video
I can't say enough good things about this interface, it is crystal clear and is helping me produce high-quality music from my home studio. Understand that the 4k feature has nothing to do with a higher quality sound, it is actually a feature that models a vintage Solid State preamp. This plus a MXL 990/ Shure SM57 and you can record an album.
Great sounding interface!
Reviewed by Patrick M. on Reverb
I have owned lots of great interfaces over the years - if you only need a two input interface that is usb powered this has the sound of much more expensive gear. The 4K button adds the zing you’ll recognize in the tracks of hit records mixed on SSL boards. I use two SSL channel mic pres with black knob eqs as the front ends into the SSL 2 and always have the 4K buttons on. However, if on location recording with a laptop running protools the mic pres in the SSL2 are remarkably close to the channel strips in sound quality. Have owned this for several years now and the build quality has held up very well. Great SSL sound at a price point that is this affordable and highly portable too? Thank you SSL. ... More
9. Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 (Gen 3)
18x20 USB Type-C Audio/MIDI Interface
Excellence!
Reviewed by Ale on B&H Photo Video
I used the MAudio Profire 2626 Highdefinition Firewire Audio Interface in my studio for several years. Recorded a couple of albums with it, and I was relatively satisfied. Then I updated my studio computer, which did not have a Firewire port. In addition to that, M-Audio had not produced a driver for Windows 10. I realized it was about time to upgrade my audio interface. I did a very extensive research. I read reviews, asked colleagues, etc, and everything started to point to the Scarlett 18i20. I then purchase it, and so far it has exceeded all my expectations. The sound quality is crystal clear; the configuration software included works perfectly in real time. Not the most important thing, but its look is spectacular, and the position of every knob, input, and output is in the right place. The two headphone outputs in the front come handy when there are two musicians recording at the same time. As I use this interface I get the feeling that I am working with an appliance 100% professional. With Sonar it blends really good, no audio drops or audio engine error messages at all. So far I haven't noticed anything negative about it. ... More
Works perfect for 5.1 or 7.1 surround in DAW, games, movies!
Reviewed by Daniel on B&H Photo Video
As most of you have noticed by now, it's extremely difficult to find software drivers in an audio interface that also work with 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound in Windows. Focusrite makes awesome drivers for Windows that work in both ASIO and WDM. I previously fought for over two years with an expensive Antelope Discreet 8 Synergy Core interface. Antelope's drivers on Windows are slow and unreliable AND they do not work in any way for 5.1 surround setups outside of the DAW. I consulted with the Antelope audio engineers and they said that their drivers will not work for 5.1 games or movies. I'm never buying another Antelope interface ever again! The Antelope hardware is great, but the drivers are garbage for Windows users. There's a night and day different between Antelope's drivers and Focusrite's drivers in Windows. The Focusrite Control software also searches and handles any firmware updates automatically. After you install the Focusrite Control drivers, in you Windows Sound options you can click on the Focusrite USB driver and get a Configure button at the bottom. Clicking on that Configure button takes you to the Speaker Configuration where you have the following choices: Stereo, Quadraphonic, 5.1 Surround, and 7.1 Surround. From there any games you play that have 5.1 surround like, Alien Isolation, Division 2, Tome Raider, etc. will work perfectly! Also movies going through my Cyberlink Power DVD software sound amazing! By the way, for my setup, I'm running the Scarlet 18i20 3rd Gen, two Adam A77Xs and three Adam A7Xs (looking to also get an Adam Sub8 in the near future). So if you are a 5.1 sound junky like I am, and you want your DAW, your games, and your movies to run through your audio interface with reliable drivers that just work in Windows... then you'll want to stick with Focusrite! ... More
10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 (Gen 3)
18x8 USB Audio/MIDI Interface
Great Audio Unit and superior quality.
Reviewed by Paolo Z. on Reverb
In 2018 I decided to buy my first audio interface; before taking the decisive step, I did a lot of research on the subject. I am absolutely satisfied that I chose Focusrite because the quality of the product is far superior when compared to the price at which it is sold. In fact, the 2i4 was a faithful and well-used travel companion. This is the second unit I buy and this time I needed a bigger unit because of the audio inputs I use. Easy and intuitive, it has a sound performance that is formidable and, if combined with the right microphones, fully highlights the sonicity of the recording source. The only drawback in my opinion, is the fact that it must be controlled through the app via computer (the line / inst selector and the pad button that was present in the younger sister are missing), for this reason it deserves 4.5 stars. Anyway, I absolutely recommend it to anyone who doesn't want to compromise with the recording audio quality. ... More
Excellent
Reviewed by Matt on B&H Photo Video
We bought this pipe audio from a lavalier to our iMac running Audacity, our use case for lecture recording. We had to return it because the monitor knob would only work if you pressed it in but hiccups like that are normal for hardware purchases. The new one has worked flawlessly for over a year and we have had zero complaints. One particular oddity is that the gain on the input channels tends to get exponentially higher the more we go. I noticed it to see if I could get more sound into Audacity (that program normal input range seems to be rather small, huh). This isn't a problem as much as it could be a noobish understanding of how to do a recording with Audacity. the particular feature I love is how you can plug either the normal TRS connectors or the balance mic connectors into the same input; that gives you much freedom on your setup. ... More