Discover the Best USB Audio Interfaces

1. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Generation)

2x2 USB Audio Interface
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Generation) review
623,790 ratings
94%
91%
Sound quality
91% of users are satisfied, based on 306,795 reviews
91%
Easy to use
91% of users are satisfied, based on 279,702 reviews
89%
Value for money
89% of users are satisfied, based on 272,743 reviews
90%
For beginners
90% of users are satisfied, based on 211,123 reviews
92%
Volume control
92% of users are satisfied, based on 145,363 reviews
94%
Quality of material
94% of users are satisfied, based on 97,829 reviews
90%
Sheerness
90% of users are satisfied, based on 82,894 reviews
81%
Durability
81% of users are satisfied, based on 55,485 reviews
84%
Tech Support
84% of users are satisfied, based on 48,352 reviews
94%
Portability
94% of users are satisfied, based on 41,501 reviews
92%
Sturdiness
92% of users are satisfied, based on 41,393 reviews
100%
Style
100% of users are satisfied, based on 41,363 reviews
94%
Versatility
94% of users are satisfied, based on 28,422 reviews
96%
Stability
96% of users are satisfied, based on 14,097 reviews

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
Focusrite Scarlett Solo (3rd Generation) review
705,736 ratings
94%
92%
Easy to use
92% of users are satisfied, based on 362,453 reviews
90%
Value for money
90% of users are satisfied, based on 355,543 reviews
91%
Sound quality
91% of users are satisfied, based on 338,062 reviews
89%
For beginners
89% of users are satisfied, based on 240,933 reviews
89%
Volume control
89% of users are satisfied, based on 180,256 reviews
92%
Tech Support
92% of users are satisfied, based on 97,820 reviews
94%
Quality of material
94% of users are satisfied, based on 97,820 reviews
90%
Sheerness
90% of users are satisfied, based on 82,934 reviews
98%
Style
98% of users are satisfied, based on 65,913 reviews
94%
Portability
94% of users are satisfied, based on 41,521 reviews
84%
Durability
84% of users are satisfied, based on 41,413 reviews
92%
Sturdiness
92% of users are satisfied, based on 41,413 reviews
92%
Versatility
92% of users are satisfied, based on 27,215 reviews
100%
Stability
100% of users are satisfied, based on 24,489 reviews

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
Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 (Gen 3) review
457,661 ratings
93%
91%
Sound quality
91% of users are satisfied, based on 272,708 reviews
90%
Easy to use
90% of users are satisfied, based on 255,782 reviews
89%
Value for money
89% of users are satisfied, based on 246,165 reviews
90%
For beginners
90% of users are satisfied, based on 214,392 reviews
90%
Volume control
90% of users are satisfied, based on 133,967 reviews
94%
Quality of material
94% of users are satisfied, based on 97,802 reviews
84%
Tech Support
84% of users are satisfied, based on 48,304 reviews
85%
Durability
85% of users are satisfied, based on 44,148 reviews
100%
Style
100% of users are satisfied, based on 44,118 reviews
94%
Portability
94% of users are satisfied, based on 41,522 reviews
88%
Sheerness
88% of users are satisfied, based on 41,414 reviews
92%
Sturdiness
92% of users are satisfied, based on 41,414 reviews
92%
Versatility
92% of users are satisfied, based on 29,950 reviews
90%
Stability
90% of users are satisfied, based on 2,728 reviews

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
Shure SM57-X2U review
56,161 ratings
96%
92%
Versatility
92% of users are satisfied, based on 4,953 reviews
94%
Sound quality
94% of users are satisfied, based on 4,953 reviews
94%
Value for money
94% of users are satisfied, based on 4,953 reviews
96%
Sheerness
96% of users are satisfied, based on 4,953 reviews
98%
Sturdiness
98% of users are satisfied, based on 4,953 reviews
98%
Durability
98% of users are satisfied, based on 4,953 reviews

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...

Focusrite Scarlett Solo Studio (Gen 3) review
198,673 ratings
93%
89%
Sound quality
89% of users are satisfied, based on 131,992 reviews
89%
For beginners
89% of users are satisfied, based on 129,378 reviews
90%
Easy to use
90% of users are satisfied, based on 123,322 reviews
94%
Quality of material
94% of users are satisfied, based on 97,802 reviews
89%
Value for money
89% of users are satisfied, based on 89,290 reviews
89%
Volume control
89% of users are satisfied, based on 62,579 reviews
84%
Tech Support
84% of users are satisfied, based on 48,304 reviews
90%
Sheerness
90% of users are satisfied, based on 5,644 reviews
92%
Noise Level
92% of users are satisfied, based on 5,644 reviews
90%
Versatility
90% of users are satisfied, based on 5,624 reviews
90%
Style
90% of users are satisfied, based on 5,624 reviews
100%
Comfort
100% of users are satisfied, based on 5,614 reviews

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
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio (Gen 3) review
223,118 ratings
93%
89%
Sound quality
89% of users are satisfied, based on 140,448 reviews
90%
Easy to use
90% of users are satisfied, based on 131,575 reviews
89%
For beginners
89% of users are satisfied, based on 126,832 reviews
94%
Quality of material
94% of users are satisfied, based on 101,032 reviews
89%
Value for money
89% of users are satisfied, based on 95,920 reviews
90%
Volume control
90% of users are satisfied, based on 62,772 reviews
84%
Tech Support
84% of users are satisfied, based on 49,057 reviews
99%
Comfort
99% of users are satisfied, based on 6,367 reviews
90%
Sheerness
90% of users are satisfied, based on 5,644 reviews
92%
Noise Level
92% of users are satisfied, based on 5,644 reviews
90%
Versatility
90% of users are satisfied, based on 5,624 reviews
90%
Style
90% of users are satisfied, based on 5,624 reviews

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
Shure SM58-X2U review
45,625 ratings
94%
92%
Sound quality
92% of users are satisfied, based on 4,575 reviews
92%
Value for money
92% of users are satisfied, based on 4,575 reviews
94%
Quality of material
94% of users are satisfied, based on 4,575 reviews
96%
Durability
96% of users are satisfied, based on 4,575 reviews
98%
Sheerness
98% of users are satisfied, based on 4,575 reviews
100%
Easy to use
100% of users are satisfied, based on 4,575 reviews

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
Solid State Logic SSL2 review
17,844 ratings
94%
94%
Value for money
94% of users are satisfied, based on 7,111 reviews
95%
Sound quality
95% of users are satisfied, based on 5,645 reviews
98%
Easy to use
98% of users are satisfied, based on 4,904 reviews
96%
Volume control
96% of users are satisfied, based on 2,693 reviews
89%
For beginners
89% of users are satisfied, based on 1,468 reviews
86%
Tech Support
86% of users are satisfied, based on 748 reviews
92%
Quality of material
92% of users are satisfied, based on 748 reviews
96%
Durability
96% of users are satisfied, based on 740 reviews
82%
Stability
82% of users are satisfied, based on 735 reviews

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
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 (Gen 3) review
83,030 ratings
93%
90%
Sound quality
90% of users are satisfied, based on 62,448 reviews
88%
Value for money
88% of users are satisfied, based on 60,982 reviews
87%
Easy to use
87% of users are satisfied, based on 57,782 reviews
89%
For beginners
89% of users are satisfied, based on 57,435 reviews
92%
Quality of material
92% of users are satisfied, based on 52,070 reviews
81%
Tech Support
81% of users are satisfied, based on 5,075 reviews
92%
Volume control
92% of users are satisfied, based on 5,020 reviews
82%
Sturdiness
82% of users are satisfied, based on 2,505 reviews
94%
Style
94% of users are satisfied, based on 2,505 reviews
86%
Durability
86% of users are satisfied, based on 695 reviews
96%
Versatility
96% of users are satisfied, based on 695 reviews

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
Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 (Gen 3) review
84,052 ratings
93%
90%
Sound quality
90% of users are satisfied, based on 63,640 reviews
88%
Value for money
88% of users are satisfied, based on 63,214 reviews
88%
For beginners
88% of users are satisfied, based on 60,439 reviews
87%
Easy to use
87% of users are satisfied, based on 58,900 reviews
92%
Quality of material
92% of users are satisfied, based on 52,071 reviews
81%
Tech Support
81% of users are satisfied, based on 5,076 reviews
92%
Volume control
92% of users are satisfied, based on 5,020 reviews
82%
Sturdiness
82% of users are satisfied, based on 2,505 reviews
94%
Style
94% of users are satisfied, based on 2,505 reviews
92%
Versatility
92% of users are satisfied, based on 1,809 reviews

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