Best and Worst Audio Interfaces of 2024.. TESTED!

I purchased and tested over a dozen audio interfaces for the noise floor of the preamps, headphone output, volume of headphone output, frequency response of preamps, harmonics, distortion, latency and perceived sound quality. I talk about which audio interface is the best for various home studio setups, I announce winners for various categories such as best value, best sound quality and best features. I also make recommendations for various price points. I spent a lot of time testing and using these audio interfaces in various recording studio situations with singers, vocalists, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, piano, music production, professional recording studio, home music production studio for professional level of sound quality.

Links

00:50 Comparison of the behringer UMC204HD and the Universal Audio Apollo
02:10 Audio Interface Preamp Noise Floor Comparison
04:10 Audio Interface Preamp coloration and transparency comparison
05:45 Audio interface ease of use comparison
08:14 Audio interface latency
11:30 Balancing the mix with direct monitoring on an audio interface
12:40 The importance of the converters in an audio interface
14:50 Comparing the sound quality of headphone outputs in audio interfaces
17:41 Comparing dynamic range of audio interfaces
20:45 Dedicated line inputs VS line inputs that route the signal through a preamp
23:10 Comparing USB 2, usb 3, and thunderbolt connection types for audio interfaces
24:11 Reviewing multiple audio interfaces

[pkdude]

wow, what an incredibly well researched and presented video. subscribed!

[acousticide]

Dude! That's a lot of friggin work you did. Thank You.

[sonexcellencea]

I do not smell any sponsor in this video at all. Great job

[mickpowell]

This vid is really outstanding. Such a great level of

[jimmaleski]

Thank you! Outstanding deep-dive into the subject. Inspired fresh thinking about available interfaces.

[StirfriedGerman]

Great video! If you take into consideration that the ID24 uses a digital encoder for volume (it resets), that drivers are not always rock solid and that you need to create an account and login to Audient to retrieve said drivers, SSL12 takes the win for me at +100 USD.

My SSL12 is rock solid on Win10 and 11 on 3 different machines, power on/off switch with minimal on/off plop, awesome direct monitoring options with great mixer software on SSL360, which also notifies about and updates your drivers and firmware when necessary, with one click, no accounts no logins. Sounds great, easy to use, even talkback is included. I've used it on the go for a string quartet and vocal sessions with Schoeps CMC mics, fantastic, it's just been the most pleasant experience all-round. It's the "finally !" interface for me after having suffered so many others over the years.

[jimsanger]

Great video. I have an Audient and the preamps are superb, my expensive Warm Audio pres are hard to distinguish from them.

[TheDavidPoole]

Wow, thanks for the work you put into this. Some very surprising results there.

[wessanderssays]

You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar. This is the video I have been looking for.

[RickyMontijo]

Umm this is now THE BEST video on this subject! Excellent work and thank you

[svendtveskg]

Really good video, thanks! A little off-topic: I have an ancient RME HDSP 9632 Hammerfall PCI(non-e) card, and I grow more and more fond of it every year. I don't suppose there's many of them left on the second-hand market, but if you find one, and it's working properly - and your computer has a PCI slot - it will knock all of these out of the water.

[noturnleftunstoned]

The SSL 2X has been above and beyond for my podcast. Great loopback function and zero latency monitoring with monitor mix. Great video!!

[JozsefHorvathBarcza]

This is most useful video for, home recording, mixing people on the entire internet!!! Thank you!

[KuroDensetsu]

Very well made video, and well documented objective tests! However I would like to say, I did try to replicate your test with the Motu M2 on my Motu M4, and did not experience the same outcome, there was no change with headphone volume. IMO, the M4/M6 is a massive step up from the M2 in features, and does in fact have dedicated line level inputs on 3/4 which bypass the preamp. Also, the M4 was one of the few interfaces I found with RCA line level inputs/outputs, which for my use case is very handy.

[Steven-uw]

This video has left me with more questions than answers for which interface I would go for. Obviously I need more research on this. Gosh

[panagope]

Excellent video, very informative, no such video in you tube with testing and so much details, subscribed !

[Belman]

Ok, this is hands down the best video on audio interfaces. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this, you answered so many questions in this one presentation.

[junsun]

I don't know what equipment this guy using on these measurements but many of his measurements are not rigorous at all:
Noise floor in dB (not DB) with positive numbers?
Line input dynamic range of 70 (no unit?)? I assume you mean dB, with +12dBu max input level, the noise floor is -58dBu. That's ridiculous.
Please, learn some basics and at least by a professional audio analyser before you publishing any technical figures.

[civilfieldengineer]

Sir, I want to record my poetry professionally. Please tell me a microphone and audio interface that gives me professional quality. But my room is not sound proof. At night, the sound of a motorcycle and barking dogs comes in my room from outside. But I also want to do a professional recording. Please tell me. My budget is arround $350

[pioferro]

Wow, what an amazing video! Thank you for the thoroughness and insight.