Inputs you will actually use
An interface is counted in simultaneous inputs, not in sockets. A box with one XLR and one instrument jack records one voice and one guitar at once; recording both a singer and a guitar together needs two preamps, and the product name rarely says so. We compare simultaneous inputs, phantom power, direct or zero-latency monitoring, the highest published sample rate, whether the unit is bus-powered, and — the detail that decides whether recording is pleasant or maddening — whether the manufacturer ships a dedicated low-latency driver or leans on the operating system.
2×2 · Midas preamp · 48 kHz · USB powered
The cheapest honest way into recording: one XLR/TRS combo input with a Midas-designed preamp, a separate instrument input, direct monitoring and USB power. Forty-eight kilohertz, and no pretense beyond it.
Best for: A first interface for one voice or one instrument at a time.
≈ $53
48 kHz · combo XLR/line · RCA outputs · USB powered
A compact 48 kHz interface with a combo XLR input carrying phantom power, a separate line/instrument input, RCA outputs and a USB/Direct switch for latency-free monitoring.
Best for: A desktop setup feeding powered speakers through RCA rather than through balanced jacks.
≈ $49
2 in / 2 out · 120 dB dynamic range · Air mode
One microphone preamp and one instrument input, with the same 120 dB converters Focusrite puts in its larger interfaces, an Air mode for presence, and a software bundle that is a large part of the value.
Best for: A songwriter recording one part at a time who wants room to grow.
≈ $130
2 channels · 48 V phantom power · gain meter −36 to 10 dB · 3.5 mm (0.14 in) mic input
The least expensive interface on this shelf by a wide margin, with two XLR inputs, 48 V phantom power, a published gain-meter range of −36 to 10 dB, and an extra 3.5 mm (0.14 in) microphone jack.
Best for: A first interface for someone who already has recording software and wants two XLR inputs for the least money.
24-bit/192 kHz · Air mode · Gain Halos · three-year warranty
The previous generation of the Solo, publishing 24-bit/192 kHz and a three-year warranty — the only warranty period on this shelf — with the Air mode and the same software bundle as the current model.
Best for: The same recording chain as the current Solo at a lower price, for someone who does not need the newest converters.
A bundle: the Solo 4th Gen, a CM25 MkIII microphone and SH-450 headphones
Not an interface but a package: the Solo 4th Gen already published here, plus the CM25 MkIII condenser microphone and the SH-450 headphones, with the same 120 dB converters and the same software.
Best for: A first recording setup where one order beats three, and the microphone and headphones do not need to be chosen.
XMAX-L preamp with 50 dB of gain · 24-bit/96 kHz · bus powered · Studio One included
The only interface here to publish how much gain its preamp has — 50 dB, adjustable, with switchable 48 V — in a bus-powered USB-C box with 24-bit/96 kHz converters and Studio One Prime included.
Best for: Recording a voice and a guitar on a laptop, a tablet or a phone, where the gain figure matters more than the sample rate.
Six sample rates published to 192 kHz · two XMAX-L preamps · MIDI In/Out · four LED meters
The most completely specified interface on this shelf: six sample rates listed to 192 kHz, two XMAX-L preamps, MIDI In and Out, four ladder LED meters, front-panel output levels and both USB-C cables in the box.
Best for: A home studio with two sources, a MIDI keyboard and a pair of monitors, where the figures should be on the page.
Two preamps · Auto Gain · Clip Safe · 120 dB
Two microphone preamps rather than one, plus Auto Gain to set levels and Clip Safe to stop a take being destroyed by a loud moment. The interface most home studios settle on and stop replacing.
Best for: Anyone who will ever record two things at the same time.
≈ $220
No audio at all · 8 in / 8 out MIDI · three standalone routing modes
The one listing on this shelf that passes no audio: an 8-in, 8-out MIDI interface with three standalone routing modes, per-port activity indicators and front-mounted sockets.
Best for: A studio with more than two MIDI instruments, where the problem is routing rather than recording.
The number of inputs decides what you can capture simultaneously. Recording a band, or a voice with a guitar, needs at least two inputs.
An interface with one or two inputs suits the vast majority of home studios and costs markedly less.
An interface powered from the data port, with no mains brick, travels in the same pocket as the laptop. The stated dimensions and weight say whether recording ever leaves the desk.
Two cover the great majority of home uses: a voice and an instrument, or a pair of mics. Beyond that it is a band requirement.
The delay between playing and hearing. Past a certain threshold, playing becomes impossible.
By lowering the buffer size in the software until crackles appear. The interface’s drivers matter a great deal.
Hearing yourself without going through the computer, so with no delay at all. It is what makes recording vocals comfortable.
Only for condenser mics. It is switched on by a dedicated button and should not be connected hot to sensitive gear.
The fineness of the analog-to-digital conversion. Past a certain level, the audible difference becomes very slight in home use.
It replaces it to advantage for recording and listening. A computer’s built-in card has neither a decent mic input nor low-latency drivers.
Small interfaces run off the USB bus. Multi-input models often need an external supply.
Two good inputs beat eight mediocre ones: at the same budget, multiplying channels degrades the preamps. Latency is set by the buffer size, down to the first crackles, and direct monitoring removes all delay while recording.
A column is opened only if four devices in five publish the figure. Below that, it would set blanks against blanks.
| Model | Price | Software | Channels | Resolution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M-Audio M-Track Solo | $49 | MPC Beats, Revalver, 3 virtual instruments, 80 FX plug-ins | — | 48 kHz (M-Audio states) |
| Behringer UMC22 | $53 | — | 2 in / 2 out | 48 kHz (Behringer states) |
| Focusrite Scarlett Solo (4th Gen) | $130 | Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, Hitmaker Expansion | 2 in / 2 out | — |
| Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (4th Gen) | $220 | Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, Hitmaker Expansion | 2 in / 2 out, two microphone preamps | — |
| Black Lion Audio MIDI Eight | — | Black Lion Audio puts nothing in writing on this. | 8 MIDI inputs and 8 MIDI outputs | Not applicable. MIDI carries note and controller data, not audio, so there is no sample rate or bit depth |
| BOMGE M12 | — | BOMGE puts nothing in writing on this. Four interfaces here include a DAW | 2 balanced XLR inputs, 2 line outputs switchable to mono, plus a 3.5 mm (0.14 in) condenser mic input and a headphone output | BOMGE puts nothing in writing on this. Two interfaces here publish 192 kHz and one publishes 48 kHz |
| Focusrite Scarlett Solo (3rd Gen) | — | Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE and Hitmaker Expansion | — | 24-bit / 192 kHz for recording and mixing — one of two interfaces on this shelf to publish 192 kHz |
| Focusrite Scarlett Solo Studio (4th Gen) | — | Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE and Hitmaker Expansion — the same bundle as the interface alone | As the Solo: one microphone preamp and one instrument input | Focusrite publishes a dynamic range rather than a sample rate for the 4th Gen. The 3rd Gen on this shelf publishes 24-bit/192 kHz |
| PreSonus AudioBox GO | — | Studio One Prime DAW and the Studio Magic bundle, with tutorials and samples | 1 XLR mic/line combo input and 1 TS instrument input, so a microphone and a guitar at the same time; 2 balanced TRS outputs | 24-bit / 96 kHz for recording and playback |
| PreSonus Studio 24c | — | Studio One 6 Artist Edition | 2 in / 2 out simultaneous, with 2 mic/instrument/line inputs | 24-bit at 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192 kHz — the only interface on this shelf to publish the full list rather than a ceiling |
Specifications: manufacturer sheets for musical instruments and gear and the matching Amazon product pages. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure in this table names its source.
Most recent revision in this category: October 7, 2026.
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.
