Choosing and Audio Interface
Like microphones and DAWs there is a range of options when it comes to picking the right audio interface for your needs. In order to narrow things down, here are some things to consider when choosing an audio interface.
What Are Your Needs?
If you’re just recording a single instrument using a single microphone, you don’t need advanced features designed for other applications. If you want to record multiple tracks at a time you want to make sure you have enough physical inputs for your microphones. Do you need a mobile interface that’s easy transport? These are some of the questions you should be asking yourself that will help narrow down which interfaces are appropriate for you.
Inputs & Outputs
How many analog inputs does the interface have? How many built-in preamps, how many outputs. What about digital ins & outs? Do you plan on adding other gear to your signal chain? If so what and what types of connections do you need (i.e. 1/4″, XLR, RCA, etc.)
Connection Type
What type of connection do you need for your audio interface to communicate with your computer? Internal PCIe card? USB, Firewire, Thunderbolt? Some interfaces offer more than one connection type offering flexibility. But if your computer only has a USB connection or only has a Thunderbolt connection that narrows down your list of options.
Additional Features
Do you need MIDI ins and outs? Additional I/O (Input/Output), additional networking support (i.e. RedNet, Dante or AVB?) If you don’t know what these are, it’s a pretty safe bet you don’t need them. But since you’re wondering, these are all protocols for sending audio over network cables and/or allow remotely controlling the interfaces. Different manufacturers have their own version and protocols.
Do you need additional hardware DSP? In simple terms, DSP translates to processing power, it adds some extra “juice” to your computer. This can be meaningful if you’re planning to use lots of plug-ins and/or virtual instruments, but isn’t really important for recording.
Do you need a built-in talkback mic? Will you be recording others at your home in a different room (probably not). I’m sure there are other features I’m not thinking of right now and for good reason. For recording oneself, they’re not necessary.
Does the audio interface have phantom power available? As I mentioned in the previous section is Phantom Power DC electric current that is transmitted through the microphone cable to operate microphones with active electronic circuitry. The vast majority of audio interfaces have this option, but it’s best to double check before buying. For example I use an older, but really great internal PCIe audio interface which doesn’t have it.
Sample Rates
What sample rates does the interface support? In film & TV the most common settings I see are 48 kHz/24 Bit, though current technology goes up to 192 kHz and 32 Bit float, but not all interfaces support it.
Sound Quality
Just like microphones, different interfaces uses different internal components of various quality, which affect the sound quality. The good news is that even the cheapest modern interfaces tend to have pretty great audio quality.
Cost
I saved this one for last not because it is the least important, but because once you’ve narrowed your choices based on the above considerations, you will have likely also narrowed down the price range of the audio interfaces that are most relevant for your needs.
There are plenty of articles you can find online by searching for things like “Best audio interface 2020,” and I encourage you to do exactly that. However below are a few of my recommendations assuming your needs are just the ability to record yourself playing your instrument and you don’t need too many “bells and whistles”
Apogee, Focusrite, RME, UAD, all make very nice audio interfaces, which I like. There are other manufacturers like PreSonus, Arturia, M-Audio, Steinberg, MOTU and more that all make audio interfaces at various price ranges, with different features. But I’ll focus on recommending a handful that I have either personally used, or have firsthand knowledge about through friends and colleagues.
Low price range (Under $200)
Focusrite‘s Scarlett range has a striking design and some great features at varying price points. The Scarlett 212 is a good choice with two analog inputs with built-in preamps, 48v Phantom power, a pair of analog outputs plus a headphone jack. The interface supports sample rates up to 192 kHz and uses a USB C connection. I also like that Focusrite offers a useful interface finder to help you find the best option for your needs from their line. Cost is $159.99 at Sweetwater.com.
Medium price range ($200-$800)
Apogee is known for making very high-quality audio interfaces. Duet by Apogee is a fantastic choice for a compact high-end interface. It has a very sleek design, 2 analog inputs with built-in preamps and 48v Phantom power along with 4 analog outputs. It uses USB 2.0 to connect to your Mac or PC and has a directed digital connection option that can connect directly into your iPad or iOS devices. Cost is $649.00 at Sweetwater.com.
High price range ($800 and up)
RME are also known for very high-quality audio interfaces. Babyface Pro FS is a great choice, and like the Apogee has a great design with great features. This interface supports 12 ins and outs, 2 built-in mic preamps, MIDI, and supports sample rates up to 192 kHz/24 Bit. I use an RME Hammerfall HDSP 9632, which is a PCIe card style interface and love the sound quality. Cost of the Babyface Pro FS is $899 at Sweetwater.com.
The Bottom Line
There are lots of great audio interfaces available. Consider all the things mentioned above when picking yours. However there’s one more consideration that’s worth keeping in mind. Some manufacturers include a free DAW when buying their audio interfaces. For example Universal Audio offers Luna for free with any of their Apollo line of products. PreSonus offer their Studio One DAW with some of their hardware. MOTU includes Performer Lite with some of their audio interfaces. Steinberg offers Cubase AI and Cubasis LE with their UR-C Series of interfaces. If you’re interested in any of those DAWs, buying one of their interfaces may be the best way to go.
About Microphone Stands
Like most things, there’s a variety of choices when it comes to mic stands. The most common types for the home studio are probably tripod stands or tripod boom stands. I like the tripod boom stands because they are affordable, versatile, and appropriate for practically all home-recording applications. The stands in the photo are tripod boom stands.
In addition, it’s a good idea to purchase a shock mount for your microphone. Shock mounts can help reduce rumble and produce cleaner recordings. They’re usually pretty cheap and well worth it.
Headphones
As with all other topics, there’s no shortage of headphone recommendations, and different types of headphones out there. I like Over-Ear headphones because they cover the entire ear and minimize sound leakage that can be picked up by your mic.
Cables
You’ll need some cables to plug everything together. For the most part these will be provided with the gear you buy. Your audio interface will almost always include the communication cable(s) needed to connect it to your computer or device (USB, Thunderbolt, etc.). Though depending on your setup you may want to independently purchase longer cables.
The only cable you should anticipate having to purchase separately is the microphone cable. Make sure you’re getting the correct type of cable for whatever connection type is available on your audio interface. The standard microphone cable is what’s known as an XLR cable and many interfaces have XLR inputs. But some only have 1/4″ inputs (or other input types) so just check your interface and get the right type of cable. XLR, XLR to 1/4″, etc.
Buy a cable that’s long enough to comfortably reach from your interface to where you intend to setup your mic. Make sure you have some slack, so if you expect to be 10′ away, maybe purchase a 12′ or 15′ cable to make sure you have that slack. There’s no need to go nuts and buy very long cables, they’re just more expensive and you risk picking up unintended interference (typically this isn’t an issue under 30′ so not really a real concern for most home studios).
Consider the cable core – that’s the copper wire that runs through the cable to transfer the signal. The thicker it is, the better signals support you get. Shielding is very important – that’s what’s wrapped around the core to eliminate interference and noise and keep the signal clear.
Mogami is a manufacturer that makes high-end cables. For example the Mogami Gold Studio Microphone Cable is a great choice, but also pricey ($54.95 at Sweetwater.com)
Looking for something cheaper? Hosa is another popular cable manufacturer that make very good cables. Try their XRR-115 Balanced Interconnect Cable at a fraction of the price of the Mogami ($11.50 at Sweetwater.com). Will you hear the difference between the two? I honestly doubt it, but if you like to have the best, then the Mogami might be for you.
There are other cable manufacturers out there, and they’re probably all just fine, too. These are just the top two manufacturers that I tend to use.
Sweetwater.com has a lovely Cablefinder tool to help you find the right cable.