The Biggest Mistake Beginners Make When Buying An Audio Interface

If you're choosing your first audio interface, watch this before buying! There are a few common misunderstandings that usually lead beginners to replace their audio interface after just a few months or years. I'll help you avoid them.

M-Audio Fast Track USB (My First Interface)

Focusrite Scarlett

Universal Audio Volt

Audient EVO

Audient iD

Book a one to one call:

#AudioUniversity

Disclaimer: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click them, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you.

[somniloquous]

I feel like most beginners buying their first audio interface probably find it confusing enough without worrying about one day needing 24 microphone preamps, no?

[jondnz]

There is a work around option on the drum thing if you don't have enough channels on your interface. You could plug the mics into a multi channel mixer first and take a mono(1 channel) or stereo(2 channels) feed out of the mixer to the interface. The caveat here is that you have less control over the individual drums in the mixing stage later but if you can get the blend right at the recording stages it may not be an issue. At least for beginner bands this could be an option to save on money. Especially if you already have access to a mixer

[mrz]

Don't forget the potential of used gear. The music industry is quite volatile, with bands breaking up and studios upgrading or closing down all the time. You can grab up a lot of equipment for not a lot of money and build a more capable environment than you might otherwise have expected to start out with. I don't expect ever to need more simultaneous i/o than I got with the Fast Track Ultra 8R I pickup for less than the cost of a new 2x2 Focusrite.

[thethrashyone]

For those looking for a simple interface, I can't recommend better than the MOTU M4. Both main inputs are combo inputs and there are two additional 1/4" inputs on the back. The graphical volume meter is also a very nice touch as it gives you an immediate idea of how hot the signal is before it ever even reaches your DAW. And most importantly for me, the latency is the lowest out of any others I've tried, especially my former Presonus interface which had godawful latency that made recording while monitoring virtually impossible for me.

[HeatherSpoonheim]

I love that the focusrite 2i2 inputs can be used for either mic or instrument - so you can lay down 2 mic tracks, 2 instrument tracks, or have one of each. That's not at all enough for a band - but I feel like each individual performer should have their own 2i2 or equivalent for laying down tracks at home.

[KhemBMD]

as a drummer can i jsut point out that you really do not need at least 8 mics. in fact you can get a more natural sound from the drums with less mics set up the right way and of the right quality. if you get 3 good mics you really can capture a wondeful sound from your drums with a very minimalistic set up. it really all depends on the type of music and what it is you're trying to achieve.

[clicks]

I started with a Focusrite 18i8. It was appealing because of its built in preamps and ADAT expansion capabilities. I then purchased an 18i20 which increased my channel count to 16. I had 12 mic preamps and could use 4 external mic preamps, if desired. Learning to route signals using the Focusrite digital mix console software was a bit of a learning curve but once I figured it out, I found it to be extremely versatile. The most channels I recorded simultaneously was 8. The Focusrite’s do not require a ton of processing power. My old Dell laptop with an i5 processor and 8 gigs of RAM handled the load easily. My DAW of choice at the time was Reaper.

[Rrgu_uture]

If you're a small band, the Soundcraft Signature 12MT mixer is a good option for under £500. It can record 14 tracks simultaneously over USB (2 tracks are reserved for the Final Stereo Mixdown). It has 8 XLR ins, 2 hi-z ins, dbx limiter on the first 2 channels as well as bunch of other features like 100Hz cut. If you're more of a home producer, the ESI U168 XT will give you 16 ins, 4 of which are mic preamps, 2 hi-z, spdif and one midi i/o for under £400.

[djole]

For anyone wondering what interface to get with lots of I/O I strongly recommend the Behringer UMC1820. This is almost the same as the Scarlett 18i20 mentionned in this video but at half the price!

Also, the Behringer has 8 instrument inputs! I don't think there are any other interfaces in the world that have 8 Hi-Z inputs...

[kalervohamalainen]

This film is a great example of how to make a good program. The man speaks a very good language (no "actually actually" or other filler words). The instructions are clear and instructive. There is no annoying music or noise in the background of the film. - Thank you very much!

[snickpickle]

My original entry into the world of home recording studios was a TASCAM 4-track cassette recorder (yes, I’m that old!). While 4 tracks wasn’t enough to do more elaborate work, I learned how to record only necessary instruments in stereo, then had to “ping-pong” tracks to accommodate more instruments and vocals. My rudimentary mixer had treble, bass, and panning, aside from the volume knob (all per-channel). It was a terrific intro to recording!

Then along came digital. And I’m STILL getting dragged, kicking and screaming, into digital, even though there are so many things about digital that are far superior. All that to say that I recommend the ability to record four simultaneous channels of audio for beginners, be it analog or digital. SO much more flexibility!

This video is spot-on.

[BaritoneUkeBeastLife]

I’m glad I made the right decision earlier today. I just purchased my first interface and went with the 4th Gen Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 Studio bundle and also added a Shure SM58 dynamic mic and a mic stand with a 5 panel isolation shield. Unlike sound engineers or musicians creating their own music, who I expect are the main customer base for these devices, I only have a specific limited use for them. I want to record myself singing covers of popular songs along with a backing track ( karaoke style ), or playing either my Native American Flute or Irish Tin Whistle with a backing track. That’s it nothing anymore fancy then that. It’s nice to know that I managed to future-proof myself by buying the Scarlet 2i2 Studio instead of purchasing the Scarlet Solo Studio I was originally recommended.

[pirojfmifhghek]

This is an excellent video and I'm glad you specified XLR mic inputs. The problem is in the product descriptions. The ID4 MKIII that you mentioned is advertised as a "2in | 2out Audio Interface" and a person could easily fall into that single-preamp trap if they didn't know to look for it.

[legendreokid]

mmmm this is a vid fa beginners, no beginner needs 8 mic inputs 😂

[sinisterspells]

I think this overlooks the headspace the average musician is in when buying their first audio interface. More often than not, they’re not doing it to be a professional mixing engineer. They’re buying a scarlet solo because they want to record some guitar tracks on ableton and put some free synths behind it. Most bedroom musicians, which is the average person buying these products, aren’t trying to spend $300-thousands of dollars just to hear their voice or guitar on the computer.

[Colombo]

Thank you. You are a very gifted communicator and teacher! Another vocation awaits you to teach others by converting complex issues to simple ones! Best wishes to you and your band!

[reptarien]

As a solo musician this actually made me feel alot better about my AudioBox USB96 purchase! It's basically perfect for my needs as I don't have a drumkit anyway and can record everything else easily.

[lucarosania]

I see this advice everywhere, but I think it depends a lot on your practice, really. I've been using a Roland Duo Capture Ex with two mixed XLR and line inputs + 1 MIDI in/out for years and as I primarily compose through MIDI using USB keyboards and control surfaces, it's too much actually. Turns out I'm swapping my Duo Capture for a Focusrite Solo this year, one mic input is well enough as long as I keep doing most of my work with a USB keyboard and a mouse.

[WebMdp]

I heard this advice so many times and I bought audio interface with two inputs and never connected anything to second one. Beginners (including me) rarely buy something expensive as first experience. So it’s not so pain to replace it in a year if you need. And I will be happy one day if I really need some cool new tool for my setup.

[Derek-xfeu]

Good warning. Got to me in time. I was and am still planning on trying a mixer instead of a interface, but now I know what to watch out for when I get to that step.