Audio Interfaces for Beginners
An audio interface is a vital piece of equipment in the world of music production and recording. Essentially, it serves as the bridge between your audio sources, such as microphones, instruments, and synthesizers, to a computer or recording device. Its primary purpose is to convert analog audio signals into digital data that can be processed, edited, and shared using software on a computer. Audio interfaces come in various configurations, with different inputs and outputs, offering options for different recording scenarios, from podcasts and streamers, to solo artists laying down tracks at home, to full-fledged recording studios capturing full band performances.
What Makes an Interface Good for Beginners?
If you’re looking to start recording, an interface is a piece of equipment you can’t go without, but the choices are a bit overwhelming. That’s why we’ve put together this list of interfaces that are suitable for beginners just getting started. Before we dive in to our choices, let’s go over the criteria that make a great interface for beginners:
- Easy to set up and use
- Simple to connect with any computer or mobile device
- Connects with instruments and microphones easily
- Small enough to fit on a desk top or in a backpack
- Good sound quality and build quality
So, now that we know what we’re looking for, let’s dive into our top 3 interfaces for beginners!
The Best Audio Interfaces for Beginners are…
- Plug and play with almost any computer or mobile device
- The best balance of budget and high build quality
- Great preamps for the price
- High quality preamps and great sounding headphone amp
- Plug and play use
- Slightly more expensive but with more features
- Amazing LED meters
- Highest sound quality and performance
- Only 1 input
- UAD plugins included for latency free recording
These are our top 3 picks for beginner friendly interfaces. All three of these have their pros and cons, so let’s take a deeper dive into what makes them great options!
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2: The Best Interface for Beginners
Our top interface for beginners is the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2! Focusrite’s interfaces are known for their high quality preamps in an affordable package. The Scarlett 2i2 is simple to connect to almost any device via USB; that means you can record on your laptop, desktop, iPad, mobile phone…really any device that can load up recording software!
The 2i2 has 2 combo jack inputs, meaning you can record any combination of two microphones or instruments at a time. This makes it great for podcast interviews, vocalists, or singer songwriters looking to record guitar and vocals at the same time. The 2i2 has outputs for your speakers on the back, as well as a headphone jack on the front, so you can monitor via speakers or headphones with ease. The Scarlett 2i2 has phantom power built in, making it compatible with condenser microphones.
While they are under $200, the Scarlett 2i2 is a durable and well-built product. As a plus, Focusrite interfaces are super popular, meaning you can find tutorials and troubleshooting for just about any problem you may have. You really can’t go wrong with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for beginners!
- Plug and play with almost any computer or mobile device
- The best balance of budget and high build quality
- Great preamps for the price
MOTU M2: Our Second Favorite Interface for Beginners
Our #2 pick is the MOTU M2! The M2 has slightly better preamps compared to the Scarlett 2i2, and it also has built in MIDI I/O on the back! The Focusrite just edges it out on price, being a bit cheaper. However, if you have room in the budget, the MOTU M2 is a great option. As with all of the choices on this list, the MOTU M2 connects effortlessly to almost any computer, iPad, or USB enable mobile device, so it’s a great plug and play solution for someone that wants their gear to just work without much effort. The MOTU also has built in phantom power, so your condenser mic will work with this interface!
The main selling point on the M2, in my opinion, is the big LED meters. Instead of monitoring your volumes with a small light, the M2 has huge animated meters that make it easier to make sure you’re recording at the right volume. If you want to record 2 channels of high quality audio for a podcast or music project, you really can’t go wrong with the MOTU M2!
- High quality preamps and headphone amp for amazing sound
- Big LED meters for easy monitoring
- Amazing build quality
Universal Audio Volt 176: Honorable Mention
Our #3 pick for the best audio interface for beginners is the UA Volt 176! This USB interface has the highest sound quality of the pack, but it suffers from just having one single input. If you only ever plan on recording one microphone or instrument at a time, the Volt 176 is a great option, but it lacks the flexibility of our other 2-input picks!
The Volt 176 has phantom power just like the other interfaces, so you can use it with a condenser mic. The 176 also has onboard compression, as well as a “vintage” preamp mode, meaning you can get amazing character in your recordings. This is an astounding feature for such an affordable interface!
Universal Audio is known for their high quality preamps and audio to digital conversion, so if you’re a total stickler for sound quality, and you think you can make 1 input work, then grab the UA Volt 176! It is amazing that Universal Audio has an interface offering in the sub-$200 price range in the first place, so we had to include it in this list.
Adding a Universal Audio interface to your setup is a great choice because they usually come with some of UA’s amazing plugins, and the Volt is no different. It includes a solid bundle of plugins that’s worth over $400, making this interface a great value option.
- Highest quality of the list
- Only downside is the single input
- Record vocals and instruments with rich, full sound using Vintage Mic Preamp mode
Final Thoughts on Interfaces for Beginners
At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong with any of the options on this list! These interfaces are high quality, easy to connect and set up, and will serve you for many years, whether you’re a beginner producer, musician, podcaster, or engineer. Our top pick for those just starting out is the Focusrite 2i2! If you want a few more features and don’t mind spending a bit more coin, the MOTU M2 is the way to go. And if you really just want the highest quality sound recording, and don’t mind having just one input, grab the Volt 176! If you want to learn more about USB interfaces for beginners, our USB interface buyer’s guide is below!
- Plug and play with almost any computer or mobile device
- The best balance of budget and high build quality
- Great preamps for the price
- High quality preamps and great sounding headphone amp
- Plug and play use
- Slightly more expensive but with more features
- Amazing LED meters
- Highest sound quality and performance
- Only 1 input
- UAD plugins included for latency free recording
Buyers Guide: USB Interfaces for Beginners
When selecting an interface, there are several key factors to look into. There are lots of options for USB interfaces, so let’s break down the key elements of what makes an interface right for you!
Connectivity
How many inputs and outputs do you need? If you’re planning on recording vocals and an acoustic guitar, or a podcast, a 2 channel interface should suffice. If you’re looking to record drums or a full band, you’ll need to look for an interface with more inputs!
You’ll also want to make sure that the interface you buy is compatible with the computer you use for recording! Most new interfaces connect via USB-C, so if you’re using one of the newer computers on the market, it will connect out of the box. They will also connect with iPads and most mobile devices as well, but check with the manufacturer to make sure your new interface is compatible with your recording device!
Sound quality
The interface you buy should be compatible with your sound quality needs. If you’re looking to open a professional recording studio, working with commercial clients, you may need to spring for a higher quality interface with top of the line preamps and conversion. However, if you’re running a home studio, recording a podcast, or recording voiceovers for YouTube, simple 2 channel options should suffice. There have been tons of awesome recordings made with the Scarlett 2i2 and MOTU M2, and there are tons of great recordings made with high budget interfaces as well.
Realistically, any interface offered by a reputable brand will sound good enough for general use. MOTU, Focusrite, Universal Audio, Antelope, etc.. are all making interfaces that sound good enough for the average producer to make Spotify ready music.
Portability and build quality
If you’re looking to travel with a mobile recording setup, you want to make sure you’ve got a portable and durable interface. Most 2 channel interfaces are small enough to keep in a backpack, and they usually are bus powered, meaning they get their power via the USB device they’re connected to, so you don’t need extra power supplies.
Considering these factors, you should be able to find an interface that fits your needs and budget! If you found this review helpful, check out our other reviews here!
- Plug and play with almost any computer or mobile device
- The best balance of budget and high build quality
- Great preamps for the price
- High quality preamps and great sounding headphone amp
- Plug and play use
- Slightly more expensive but with more features
- Amazing LED meters
- Highest sound quality and performance
- Only 1 input
- UAD plugins included for latency free recording
