Audio interfaces

If you’re interested in recording music, you’ve probably watched documentaries and behind-the-scenes footage of your favorite bands.

You’ve noticed the giant desks with knobs and faders, and the little metal boxes with inputs and outputs.

What are they, and what’s the difference? The terms “mixer” and “audio interface” get thrown around, but you might not know what they mean.

While audio production and engineering isn’t the most financially sound hobby or passion, there are many options out there that are perfectly affordable.

Today, we’ll be going over a handful of budget-friendly audio interfaces that I consider to be best of their class.

Nowadays, it’s easier than ever to record music. Nearly every audio interface available has the capability to capture sound at the same quality of professional-grade consoles. While this isn’t to say that all interfaces are created equal, high-quality units are more accessible than ever.

For years, Focusrite has held its spot as the forerunner of budget-level audio interfaces. The Scarlett, in particular, has reigned supreme since it hit the shelves back in 2011.

Now, Focusrite is launching the fourth generation of the beloved interface, once again aiming to keep their place at the top of the heap. Let’s take a deeper look and see what it has to offer, as well as how it contrasts with its predecessors.

These days, built-in DSP has become something of an expectation when it comes to higher-end audio interfaces. Antelope Audio, in particular, has earned a reputation over the years as being one of the more eminent companies who have embarked on this front.

The iRig HD X is one of the latest installments from IK Multimedia. It’s a compact guitar interface that presents itself as an ingenious solution to mobile recording and augmenting your live performance rig. Let’s take a closer look and see whether it deserves a place in your arsenal.