Best Audio Interfaces
A MIDI controller sends note data. An audio interface is the other half of the room: it turns a microphone, a guitar or a synth output into audio your DAW can actually record, and it drives the headphones and monitors you judge that recording on. Almost everyone buying a first controller needs one of these within a few months, and the honest buying question is not converter quality, which is genuinely good across the board now, but input count, whether the preamps have enough gain for the mic you own, and how stable the drivers are on your machine at a low buffer size.
31 audio interfaces tracked, prices checked weekly by Elan Harpaz.
All 31 audio interfaces
Ordered by our own picks first, then by Amazon rating weighted by review count.
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface for Guitarists, Vocalists, Podcasters or Producers to record and playback studio quality sound
Observed
Best for: One microphone and one guitar, with the most reviewed interface we track.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen USB Audio Interface for Recording, Songwriting, Streaming and Podcasting — High-Fidelity, Studio Quality Recording, and All the Software You Need to Record
Observed
Best for: The default two-input interface for a home studio that records people.
PreSonus Studio 24c 2x2, 192 kHz, USB Audio Interface with Studio One DAW Recording Software
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Best for: Two simultaneous inputs at the top of this budget.
Universal Audio Volt 276 USB Audio Interface
Observed
Best for: Getting an analogue compressor and vintage preamp colour before the computer.
Behringer UMC22 Audiophile 2x2, 48 kHz USB Audio Interface with Midas Mic Preamplifier | For Recording Microphones and Instruments
Observed
Best for: The cheapest interface worth owning.
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen USB Audio Interface, for the Guitarist, Vocalist, or Producer — High-Fidelity, Studio Quality Recording, and All the Software You Need to Record | 1 Mic Preamp, 1 Hi-Z Instrument Input, 24-Bit/192 Khz, Loopback, USB-C Bus-Powered, Includes Hitmaker Plus Daw Bundle
Observed
Arturia MiniFuse 1 - Compact USB Audio Interface with Creative Software for Recording, Production, Podcasting, Guitar - White
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need an audio interface if I only make MIDI music?
Not strictly. A controller sends MIDI over USB and your computer plays the software instrument, so nothing has to be recorded as audio. You will still notice a difference in headphone output quality and in round-trip latency, and the moment you want to record a voice, a guitar or a hardware synth, the interface stops being optional.
How many inputs do I actually need?
Two covers most home setups: one mic and one instrument, or a stereo pair. Buy four or more only if you record more than two sources at the same moment, like a singer and a guitar together, or a drum kit. Extra inputs you never use are cost and desk space, not headroom.
Does a more expensive interface make my recordings sound better?
Less than the marketing suggests. Above roughly the hundred dollar mark the converters are not what limits a home recording, the room and the microphone placement are. What money buys higher up the range is more inputs, more gain for quiet dynamic microphones, better headphone amps and more reliable drivers.