WHICH AUDIO INTERFACE SHOULD YOU BUY IN 2023? And Which You Should Avoid

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

I don't talk about it much but I live with an incurable illness that's forced me to rely on my KZbin channel as my only source of income to survive. That said PLEASE consider using my links in the description - it not only helps the channel but helps keep my life afloat. BIG THANK YOU to those that do.

[@kumareshhalder4214]

Hi sir I have home pro level home studio currently i use steinberg ur 816c but am planning for presonus 2626 quantum is it a good choice?

[@simonsmith2642]

If you haven’t already, apply for disability now. Get a lawyer. Worth it.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

@@simonsmith2642I tried years ago and was constantly denied. It worked out ok, I make much more from KZbin now than I would ever get on disability.

[@EvilspeakGaming]

always remember that 1: never fall into debt 2: buy what you need, thats why I have the Uphoria um2

[@royalt7503]

Does it work good ?

[@hollow11111]

@@royalt7503i have had one for years. definitely a little noisy and boxy with the vocals on it. BUT if you can mix well, it works

[@Babyslabz]

@@royalt7503 nooooo😭 terrible there’s cheaper interfaces even better but I still wouldn’t grab those spend about 200$ for the mix quality everything stems from your interface

[@Babyslabz]

You need to upgrade seriously the um2 gives the worst gain it’s never going to get you the good mix now if that’s for you to learn how to use it ok but when you become atleast a mid level engineer you should atleast have a focusrite

[@devbyveritech]

@@Delowistanything from Behringer umc202hd is good

[@munchymanjaro9070]

Great video. Today I had to buy a new audio interface, because my old 10 year old (bought used) onyx blackjack died. After about 30min research I picked up SSL2 in nearby guitar store. It sounds great out of the box, and includes fancy emulation of ssl's 4k "harmonic distortion circuit" (I say emulation because I am almost positive that this thing dont have any analog circuit, and just have some digital processing). Recorded short demo, mixed it, got same sound as with my old interface (which is fine with me at my current level). Recorded same demo with "harmonic distortion", mixed, ended up with lighter compreasion, lighter saturstion and had to drop the presence... Which brought me full circle to the same sound as my old blackjack.

[@4brotroydavis]

Best one is the one you buy once. Don't go "cheap" and then have to switch when you get higher end gear later down the road

[@leebenzonthebeat]

I think getting a decent audio interface and a decent mic preamp will make audio quality better. I'm using Motu M4 pairing with the Art Pro MPA II. The audio quality gets better. If you have the money you can go for an expensive preamp rather than spending way too much on an audio interface.

[@jameswallace5967]

I've got the same!

[@Shred_Rocket]

Agreed! UA thunderbolt interface gave me so much grief for three painful days trying to make it work on my Windows PC with Thunderbolt, that I finally gave up and sent it back! I ended up with a PreSonus Quantum thunderbolt interface with minimin setup and within an hour of opening the box and marrying it up to my DAW, I was hitting the ground running.

[@BSD2000]

I switch to all Universal Audio interfaces in my studio; an older silver face Apollo 8 and Apollo x8 on Windows 10/11 PC's using Thunderbolt. They key is to find a motherboard that natively supports Thunderbolt - NOT as an add-on card, but integrated on the motherboard. I chose the MSI MEG ACE Z690 series motherboard for all of my studio PC's and I haven't had a single issue.

[@wasiliyfilipchuk7136]

Hi Jacob. Why don't you mention sound cards like RME in reviews, or do you have an allergy on them like I do?)

[@paulguy2545]

This may sound pretty obvious, but its the Marketing & Hype the manufacturers of these devices that get people too hung-up on the minuscule differences and get blown out of all proportion! Whats important is that a particular device meets all of your needs and is going to last a long time - and you have also done what you can to minimize or eliminate Bad acoustics in your studio environment! I went with a Minifuse from Arturia, because it checked all the boxes for my particular needs: I was getting tired of the silly & cumbersome Breakout Cable (for hooking up Monitors & Mics to it) fom my previous Duet and the Clicks & Pops it kept outputting to my speakers, so I knew I needed a device that had the sockets housed into the unit body for more robustness and to keep everything tidier… the Minifuse is completely pop & click-free when putting my Mac to Sleep & Waking it up! As an added bonus (that swung it for me) was/is the fact that its the ONLY audio Interface I know of that has a USB Hub built right in to it, because I was fast running out of ports for my everyday devices.

[@vanessajazp6341]

I Used those old cassette-based recorders as well. SO easy and straight forward. Literally plug-and-play. Getting into PC-based recording has been a long, arduous and confusing journey - largely thanks to constant changes and "upgrades" in connectivity and computer RAM. I've had a Firewire interface now for many years that works perfect. Except good luck getting any new devices that have firewire connections. So now I've had a MacBook Pro with Thunderbolt 4 for nearly 2 years, and there is not a single interface (that I've found) that uses that. There are a few Thunderbolt 3 interfaces and a slew of USB-C interfaces (which are designed with iOS users in mind). I would really rather just go back to the straightforward simplicity of those older systems.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

Those USBC interfaces should work with your Thunderbolt ports. As a rule of thumb I always make sure I have at least 16 GB RAM (although I use 32 since I edit 4K video). If you just want to move away from computer recording in general they still make digital portastudios.

[@patricksmith4424]

I agree. Back in the day it was all about making music rather than computer wizardry and so many options.

[@IamMagPie]

Talent trumps everything. Paul McCartney recorded his first solo album on a Studer four-track tape recorder, without a mixing desk or VU-meters showing recording levels.

[@teddym2808]

By the way, I just want to make a point re UAD devices, as I have TONS of experience with them, as until a few months back, I used a maxed thunderbolt chain of 3 Apollo 8 and 3 satellites. 6 devices on 1 thunderbolt port, for years. But even though I used Windows, I had an iMac Pro. Yes, I used an iMac Pro for my Windows machine. Apple had done something where it all just worked, with really low DPC latency also (lower than I have ever seen, amazing), and I could run all 6 devices at the lowest buffer at ALL times to maxing out my DAW (Pro Tools and Nuendo) without a single crackle or pop. I am talking about record armed tracks being monitored through DAW so they were really at 32 native buffer. The issue is with MME drivers on PC... If you use a UAD on PC, make sure you have a secondary cheap gaming card if you want something for KZbin, Vid streaming, etc. That will solve that. Secondly, thunderbolt 4 has broken it on PC, but the thunderbolt 3 option card or the new X interface does fix that. UA do not offer nearly enough analog ins for the price, and there should be 16 channels of ADAT, not 8, but they are not bad interfaces, far from it. And yes, this includes windows. You just need the right motherboard, and it will work amazingly well in your DAW. But what most people tend to do, is just set it at 128 buffer and forget it. What this does, is give you an output latency of 3.5ms at 48K, which is fast enough to enjoy playing any VI with a keyboard, and really fast at higher sample rates. Then, you actually monitor your external inputs through the Apollo Mixer with DSP plugins. This is how you do it if you want the best stability and performance for most PCs. I even did it this way when I used Logic on Mac for my old projects (no longer own any Mac) as it was a perfect compromise. But as said, I did also use it at the lowest buffer and bypass the DSP entirely and it worked great. So.... I can't agree with being against UAD overall, if one can afford it and has a modern computer, the thunderbolt 3 line should work on modern PC's. Peace.

[@b3owu1f]

If you want perhaps one of the best audio interfaces quality and driver wise, RME is the way to go. The best drivers bar none of all audio devices on mac and windows, and their quality is insane. They are a bit pricier than some other more popular options.. but well worth the extra spend for what you get.

[@gillesgagnon9585]

I have been using an Antelope Audio Zen Go for a couple of years now on a PC and and am totally satisfied with the product. Sound quality is truly amazing. They are using state of the art preamps and dacs. I am also using the bunch of plugins from Antelope Audio that came with the Zen Go and bought additional ones from them. They all work flawlessly. Also bought plugins from Spitfire Audio, Native, Arturia and many others and everything works fine! Shortly after purchase my system had a few hiccups so I had to contact Antelope customer service. They replied quickly and took care of me quickly as well. I use Ableton Lite for a DAW. No compatibility issues. The headphone preamp in the Zen Go has plenty of gain and no noise. With this modest unit I can get incredible sound when I play my recordings on my nearly $40,000 hi-fi system, on par with what I can get playing CD's or music coming from my NAS and streamer. I record in 24 bits 96Khz and I am very impressed by the sound quality. So far reliability and customer support have both been excellent. In fact I partially based my puchase decision on the excellent review done by... Jacob Dark a few years ago! There seems to be a consensus about Universal Audio units having problems with PC's. So I decided to stay away from them. At the end I was debating between buying a RME Babyface or a Zen Go and decided to go with Antelope Audio Zen Go because of the bunch of plugins included with the unit Personnally I am happy with my purchase and do not intend to replace it.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

I'm super glad it's working out for you and you're happy with it, experiences will differ. Antelopes hardware is spot on, really good stuff but I was left with a bitter taste after software glitches, intermittent connectivity issues with their servers that required constant reboots, enough to make me not want to deal with interfaces that rely on software too much. I'd be totally in if they came out with a line that didn't require the server connections to work.

[@jackiedragonfly2461]

Stay away from Focusrite 3gen if you got a Windows PC - the driver disables the computers gain boost, and when recording the condensor mic (so should be way better sound than dynamic!) at max gain without clipping (sound distortion) the driver "claims" i am at -12 dB, peaks at 5 dB, while the actual level going into the DAW (i tried both Ableton and Cubase) is a whisper of -35 dB, peaks at -23 dB. The response from Focusrite is " it is good not to record too loud" .🙄 I would say it is nice to hear what you have recorded. I will now return that very pretty red box, and try a SSL2+. And if that will have similar issues, I will invest and get a mid-level interface around 700€. People tell me "just get a preamp!" which costs 1000 € minimum! If I put that together with the price of a crap interface, I can spend 1200€ and get an almost pro level one. Why should the amateurs be required to know twice as much about EQ, compressing, gain staging and mixing than the pro's, just because they have to make up for all their crap equipment? Saying "it's not important what stuff you have, it's the skill that counts" is the BS line of the century. You can actually HEAR the quality of the gear, and the sound of crap stuff can never compete with pro production. No matter how good you sing, if you have to distort it to be heard, you will finally sound like crap. I know Whitney Houston recorded on Shure sm7b - imagine trying that with Focusrite amps and whisper gain? She would give up singing from shear frustration 😂 In my humble and annoyed opinion.

[@TheRobGuard]

Its correct that you dont need to spend more on IO's than you actually use. For home users, which usually are either guitar or keyboard players making songs, wont need more than like two Hi-z inputs or two mic preamps for an audio interface. Only need more if youre going to record more ppl at the same time, or if youre drummer that want more mic pre's. But about any modern audio interface will do with not more than two mic/hi-z/line inputs. Like, the SSL, Audient, RME, Steinberg, etc. So dont spend more than a few 100 bucks on it. Then get a good DAW that has many good stock plugins, like Cubase 12 Pro and a good headphone like Sennheiser HD 600. Then a few good mics for recording vocal, guitar, etc. Rest you put on instruments and nice plugins. Try to stay in the box so no hazzle with outboards, cables, bad recall, etc. If you play/sing good, make good songs and learn the craft of recording/mixing, you can still create awesome music with all this Ive mentioned. Get a band though, its more fun rehearsing and playing live than just having a home studio, although thats pretty amazing too!

[@ApolloJetsonKND]

I love my neve 88m i even took it on tour with me and it was great for live daw performances with autotune vocals and fxs . Routed from my neve to the venues sound engineer. The monitoring switch between mono, daw (the one i used for tour), stereo mix monitoring .

[@dmedeiros81]

Preach brother!!!! "Work on you're craft." Love it!!

[@calebbilti538]

The motu is a great futureproof pick if you want to expand your inputs with ADAT. Surprisingly great advice from an Eagles fan :)

[@serfasleep]

Haha GIANTS

[@dexondabeat]

UAD is amazing , the apollos are awesome !! even if you buy an old one you will get better pricing then the crazy new price range.Amazing preamps, great dsp and considering how heavy they are to the CPU on Spark i love that i have extra 4 cores for plugins, Zero latency and all. I agree its horrible for PC but its awesome on MAC . And finally yes the Antelope is a great hardware terrible software solution

[@mrfuzztone]

Why do you say UAD is horrible for PC? What is bad about it? I have an X4 with Windows 10. Seems to work well.

[@dexondabeat]

@@mrfuzztone if its stable and doesnt crash or mess up audio drivers youre lucky . seems to not work stable for me

[@Mope333]

But do you have to buy those plug-ins?

[@dexondabeat]

@@Mope333 yes but you keep them for life in any updates i had an old card and all my plugins work in the new one as well as in the new spark and they are worth every penny

[@Mope333]

@@dexondabeat let’s say if I wanted to crack plugins (money reasons), could I use some UHD plugins with my Apollo interface?

[@jonkthompson]

Im on PC and have had a Motu M2 the same month they were released. The preamps are great, also a very clear and consistent sound for mixing without any coloration.

[@sikwitit773]

Yeah but the 2021 version has been moved to China to save money now all you get pops clicks and whistles plus the Lcd screen creates unnecessary noise.

[@jonkthompson]

@@sikwitit773 That's too bad, because the original unit is awesome. I know/read a few folks had some issues in the beginning, I was lucky enough to not be one of them. The zero latency is the real deal!

[@lance134679]

Good point about the constant hardware upgrade cycle. I was doing that quite a few years, but finally settled on an RME PCIe interface about a decade ago. The Windows drivers have always been excellent and you can't really beat the latency performance for those rare occasions you need ultra-low latency. Thanks.

[@thatchinaboi1]

Actually you can beat the latency performance. The Presonus Quantum 2626 is the World's Fastest. If you really care about the lowest latency possible use ASIO rather than Core Audio. 🙂

[@thatchinaboi1]

In case you didn't get it the first time around, all things being equal, Windows has BETTER ultra low latency performance than MacOS. Check out the extensive test demonstrating this on DAWBENCH. 🙂

[@thatchinaboi1]

The reason for this is how each operating system "calls" for each block of samples. Steinberg's implementation is more efficient compared to Apple's, but Apple refuses to support ASIO.

[@lance134679]

@@thatchinaboi1 That's impressive to beat the PCIe card's latency, but I shouldn't be surprised since the RME card came out in the 2000s. 😄

[@TheHalfmanofOz]

If you don't need DSP, there are heaps of good options. The Audient Evo 4, SSL 2 and Motu M2 are all excellent at affordable prices. If you need DSP on a budget, the Presonus Revelator IO24 is decent. Anything better will cost you significantly more and often comes with additional complications (Zen Go) and Apollo (on windows).

[@Fiveash-Art]

My SSL2 is a piece of garbage ... That interface is all gimmick but poorly made .. The hype is crazy over those SSLs and it's completely unwarranted ... mine buzzes, the buttons are fuzzy and is pretty much unusable although it sounded great the first month. People should stay away from that model ... they're junk.

[@TheHalfmanofOz]

@@Fiveash-ArtI wonder how widespread the issues you are having with it are. Unlucky, all the same.

[@Fiveash-Art]

@@TheHalfmanofOz I've talked to more than a few people who've experienced the same sort of thing. Either that or it just completely stopped working ... If you put your hands on one, you'll see what I'm talking about. People talk about how well made they are, but they're just light weight cheap plastic .. Mine sounded great the first month .. I noticed a drastic price drop on it at Sweetwater .. I'm thinking these issues might have something to do with it. Maybe I got a dud .. but who knows? I'm going with the Focusrite Clarett .. hope it works better. I can't wait to throw the SSL2 in the trash.

[@henrikpetersson3463]

The Revelator looks amazing on paper for the price. I honestly didn't understand how they could make it so cheap.. until I tried one. Horrible experience. They could have made it three times the price and it could be a really attractive product.

[@dmp4096]

The logic you give for not upgrading your audio interface every 5 minutes (sometimes sooner!!!) is why I am still rocking a 2017 vintage Lenovo Yoga 920 laptop. It is still running fine. Are there newer laptops? Sure. Do they have any advantages over mine (i7, 16gb, 512gb SSD and a great screen)? Not any worth the nearly $2000 I'd be spending to get them. If you don't chase shiny stuff you will keep more coin in your pocket... Great video.

[@chrisandrew_tv]

Thanks for the video, Jacob. Is it not true that the Audient interface relies on software to fully utilise its advertised features? I'm thinking of pulling the trigger as a complete newbie, but reliance on software gives me pause, given that the iD14 has already been out for quite some time now.

[@shannonadkinsmusic5767]

Any particular reason one of the SSL interfaces wasn't on your list? I know you picked the SSL2 over the id14 at one point. Reason I'm asking is I just got an RME Babyface to replace my very old UR44. I'm now feeling like the RME costs a bit much and am thinking of returning it and getting the SSL12. My main concern is reliability and sound.

[@arupsircar4855]

Is behringer ADA 8200 worth to plug adat with Audient id 14 mk2 as.. ASP 800 is expensive.. What ill be the difference in sound quality.. Waiting 4 ur reply.. Sir.

[@mikesmith1290]

I love my UAD Apollo X Twin. Even though today’s computers are powerful enough to run many amp sims with virtually no latency, I prefer to use the UA DSP plugins on the device.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

If you're happy that's what matters, I just bought a Native bundle from UA on sale for $250 excited to try them out!

[@henrikpetersson3463]

I agree. Using the Console when shaping your sounds before recording or just fooling around being creative is a much more pleasant experience than using the DAW. My Apollos has been some of my absolute best investments in terms of audio equipment.

[@eyecandy-gaming]

How do you think the new Solid State Logic SSL 12 USB Audio Interface stacks up?

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

I'm sure it's a fantastic interface as the SSL2 was already good and will be more than good enough to get the job done. If you decide to order I'd super appreciate you using my Sweetwater link

[@joeyvpoisonfree]

Good video man, people need to remember that you can get great recordings with almost anything these days...

[@danielguimaraes8705]

Hi, great video! What's your opinion about de ssl 2 plus? I'm considering buying one.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

@@danielguimaraes8705 I have 2 recent videos on the new SSL2+ models you’ll find very helpful!

[@LaidbackSounds]

I have the id22 and the id14 mk2, i prefer how the id22 sounds on the outputs going to speakers, also like the volume knob better

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

I did this video just a tad too soon as I now use the iD24 and would recommend that

[@LaidbackSounds]

@@JacobDarkOfficial I dont like their infinite volume knob it is not practical compared to the volume knob of the id24. I wonder how the audio is too for the outputs cause i didnt like the id14 mk2 output sound it was inferior to the id22. Im interested as well by the new ssl 12.

[@sikwitit773]

​@@LaidbackSoundsI hear the ID22 goes out in 3 years and you have to send it back or replace the capacitor for $60

[@LaidbackSounds]

@@sikwitit773 i had two none broke one is 7 years old.

[@sikwitit773]

​@@LaidbackSoundsSo the id14 mkii sound quality doesn't match up to the ID22? Because I see a id22 and it's even cheaper than id14 mkii and Id rather get that

[@fatihakturko]

Friend thanks for the video... I think this interface has no On/Off button ? and without talking you get any static or white noise ? and This on video setup you were using with Cloudlifter too ?

[@sheshehang]

Skillz and knowlege is the key. Some people with knowledge can make a good sounding track with budget audio interfaces.

[@truthtorpedo99]

You make a good point about driver reliability. Is there a ranking table anywhere to help the consumer make an informed buying decision.

[@IntheDAW]

I would love to know what PC issues you have come across? I own 2 x8p's and a x twin in PC and have had no issues.

[@dadricriggs]

I love your videos and I need some helping picking an audio interface with a budget of $300. I'm a 3D animator and I was using a Motu m4, but It has too much "drop outs." The interface I want has to have at least 2 XLR inputs for mics, Analog Outputs: 2 x Stereo (RCA), 2 x 1/4"(for my studio monitors), 1 x 1/4" (Headphones Out). The main use is running a lot of 3D software like Unreal Engine 5, and I want to record myself with zero "drop outs" from all of the running programs. Thank you so much. :)

[@jameswallace5967]

Good common sense video! I use the MOTU M4 in my home studio and have been extremely happy with it.

[@RealFitchEmerson]

Same!

[@donvittoriosierra]

I saw your video comparing the audient id14 ii to the ssl 2+ and preferring the ssl. What made you change your mind?

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

I now prefer the iD24 because of its connectivity allowing you to connect outboard gear bypassing the preamps

[@hl8405]

Wow, short, honest, and I’ve learnt something.

[@shashanksharma17]

Very well explained... thanks for such detailed information

[@charambas]

The kind of talk I've been looking for.

[@Berus7777]

Great video, and thanks for putting it up. I'm currently trying to decide between the new Arturia 16 Rig and the RME Fireface. My "special need" is for LOTS of connections. (I have G.A.S., and I have a lot of synths, so I need like... 24 channels of input. If I get the Arturia, I would likely not need an additional ADAT besides the 8 channel one I have, and if I get the RME, I would use the ADAT I currently have PLUS add another one. The Arturia would end up being a little cheaper, but not THAT much cheaper (basically the price of an ADAT), and I know that RME's drivers are supposedly fantastic. So... would you advise going for the RME and its legendary drivers, or would you go with the Arturia? Is there some advantage to either of those I'm not thinking of? Thanks!

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

If it were me I'd go RME simply because Arturia interfaces are an unknown to me. Never used one, I don't know how good they sound, how stable drivers are, I'd rather go with what I know will be solid. I'd appreciate you using my link if you buy.

[@SaccoBelmonte]

TASCAM 16x08 here. Unassuming, made for live band recording but rock solid in the studio, great clean preamps and has DSP and a mixer (compressor, EQ, Volume, Phase). The only thing is that its ASIO while good, has a bug and increases the latency so I use ASIO4all and have zero issues.

[@stevekirkby6570]

So true. And same applies to most consumer products in life :)

[@relaxmax6808]

Well , well ... Looks like I'm one of the few who had no problem with Thunderbolt and UAD apollo X on PC. Well, it s true , I had calculated the PC config for this interface .. Lol Besides that, for me it was their very expensive plugins that made me leave them and the aging Vst 2 system as well as its weak dsp chips for the price. But she has a good sound, that's for sure. I agree with you: UAD will be releasing new high-end models soon (before the end of the year) my nose tells me so. At that time, I will see if one of this new series interests me. I'm looking for interface with audio at the top and minimum latency, line in (8 or 16) 2 microphones input minimum. I'm thinking of one of the latest RME or Lynx Aurora latest version. Are you talking about M2 chips? It's what ? THANKS

[@tdkvevo]

Such an honest review,he was absolutely right 🎉✨

[@digitalmarketinghumans]

At the time of this message and recording. I do believe UAD will come out with a new Apollo updated version of their Apollo's. NAMM this up coming spring. They have their youtube page about transfering licences with comment disabled. I just bought the UAD Apollo Twin X and to be honest for my MBP, I am still going to be keep it. It sounds amazing. I don't think it's worth it unless they give out unlimited DSP/plugins for a much much lower price. I agree with you on the Antelope Audio. I believe it is one of the reasons why Sweetwater dropped working/selling for them. There were just too many issues and it sucks because they sound amazing. This could be said the same for someone who just bought M1 Pro or Max MBP and then M2 came out. It's still going to be really good. I know I plan on keeping mine for at least over 4 years.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

Right on

[@CalebxRashad]

What interface are you using to power that mic?

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

Right here! imp.i114863.net/a11qQQ I keep the full list of everything I use in the description

[@marcelbrown5308]

What changed your pick to the audient from you sticking with the ssl 2+ a couple years ago?

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

My pick now is the Audient iD24 because of the connectivity that allows you to connect outboard gear to a portable interface

[@TrevonJamar]

First off I gotta say shout out to the Eagles man, they played a very good game on Sunday. Secondly thank you for this video it was very informative for new home studio users. Not mad at the UA comment and I can see why you would not recommend that to some one just starting out. I myself have spent years recording on anything that would play back lol. Stressing the talent first is so important. I now run out board gear with a x6 and twin x but that's me personally. My vocal chain is entirely analog now and I mix in the box using mostly UA plug ins. I love videos like this that really help people starting out! got my sub!

[@StephanPaul]

Wise advice concerning Antelope Audio interfaces. Bought a Zen Go for Christmas ... really bad idea.

[@jeffshirkey3085]

Do you have any experience with the Audient iD24? Seems perfect for my needs.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

It's what I use now and would be my number one choice. Bonus points of you use my link

[@jeffshirkey3085]

@@JacobDarkOfficial Thank you! It's definitely what I was leaning toward anyway, but your no-nonsense approach pretty much confirmed that I don't need to spend several hundred more on an Apollo Twin X, for instance. My old MOTU interface is now obsolete with my new Mac Studio, so I'm shopping around. I don't see a direct link to the iD24 in your links above, but if I use the iD14 link to get to Sweetwater (my go-to anyway), and then choose the iD24, do you still get a percentage?

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

@@jeffshirkey3085 I added the link to the top of the description. You're correct though, you don't need an Apollo, the iD24 is my top choice

[@henrikpetersson3463]

I don't think (and hope not) that DSP is going away anytime soon. While it's perhaps not needed that much in the mixing stage these days (although I've had good use of it despite having an M1 Pro), it still absolutely rocks when recording.

[@DjEd69]

I’m about to buy Apollo but I have a MacBook pro 13 ,do you think I should buy one

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

An Apollo is fine performance wise I just feel for the money you could buy an Audient iD24 and buy a Native plugin bundle from UA and save a lot of money, especially if the bundle is on sale.

[@DjEd69]

@@JacobDarkOfficialwhy I need a native plugin bundle for

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

@@DjEd69 Ijs if you don't buy an Apollo interface you can still use their plugins if you buy a native bundle with any interface and save money

[@DjEd69]

@@JacobDarkOfficial ok now understand,but what about the quality is still the same as Apollo

[@thomascoolberth2648]

Thanks for the video. I have the Audient iD4 .. I just need more speaker out puts and more mic ins .

[@tiantpassmore937]

Great content Bro. Just got back into recording. No need for a lot of outboard gear. I need to upgrade my current interface to something 4 mics or better with the option to connect 2 sets of monitors. What's your opinion on the Presonus with an older Imac running Catalina?

[@jjrusy7438]

Check out the M6 as a possible option. 6ins each with a nice meter on the led screen, with 4 of them set up for mics with dedicated controls on the front. Also 2 sets of monitors with an A-B option, playback/input mix knob and 2 separate headphone outs. Fwiw, I replaced an old 1st gen 2i4 which was kind of noisy on the USB, and the ring leds are really hard to actually use. It literally wore out and the USB connector fell apart. M6 feels posh and wow is it quiet. Watch the sweetwater M6 vid for a nice feature description. $400us.

[@JakeSweeper]

Have a Scarlett 2i2 2nd gen that I've had for a few years and it still runs like a champ. Now I just need some better monitors as my Mackie 3s are starting to wear out.

[@bassmonk2920]

Do i need to wait for a new Apollo hybrid for home studio? I want to switch from a legacy PT10 Black Lion 002 to an Apollo 4x and Luna with all the UAD plugins being offered and that I already have...

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

I mean you don't HAVE to, there's no telling how long it'll be til UA actually drops something new. That said I'd hate to buy one then a month later a new line drops lol, whatever you decide I'd super appreciate if you use my link

[@TheDavidfallon]

Considering how many home studio musicians use a Linux operating system and considering how many interfaces DON'T WORK with Linux, or have problems, someone should make a video on which interfaces work do with Linux, and/or how to get them to work with Linux. (It's a driver/kernel problem, apparently.) Most DAWS work with Linux. The interface manufacturers stubbornly refuse to deal with the problem or pretend it doesn't exist. Now, I would watch that.

[@nomadptgalexandrecarvalho2133]

Linux and Professional Audio in the same sentence, Just no, sorry mate,Windows or Mac.

[@tinylittlefilms3043]

Hi Jacob, Can you review the Sound Devices MixPre 3 II as an audio interface? The preamps are supposed to rival the top interfaces.

[@tideschanged]

You like the audient over the ssl 2 + now?

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

I like the iD24 as the best portable interface period. If you can afford it, get it. If you do, I'd super appreciate you using my link!

[@mermaidengine]

Are you saying anything with thunderbolt, stay away from it if you're using a PC?

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

From my experience (and countless others who've commented on my videos) yes. I'm not saying it's impossible to have a great experience but there are a large amount of PC users who have issues with TB interfaces. I'd play it safe and stick to USB

[@nelsonmaciel7611]

I just order a uad Apollo Twin X, I plan to have for many years so I preferred have it now, is fine for me

[@ahfimiwonawun]

For you to be that far from the sm7b and still be coming through so loud and clear makes me think you must have an excellent audio interface.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

No Cloudlifter either 😁

[@davidhoward8951]

I just need one so I can go on GarageBand and practice music the reason why I want to use GarageBand that have all the apps I don't have to go out and buy app for my guitar which one would you use

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

In that case I would go budget and recommend this sweetwater.sjv.io/GmgQm6

[@hosdrummer6735]

Thanks for the well presented video and information. Question - our band needs are relatively simple and we like to do recordings in our jam space. We are looking for a recommendation for a near zero latency affordable interface for patching a guitar into a pc and running plugins such Neural Amp Modeler. Real-time modeling that is very low or zero latency is what we are shooting for. Does either the iD14 MKII or the MOTU perform well from that perspective? Would we be better served by something like the Focusrite 4i4 3rd gen? Also curious about products such as the Axe I/O which seems really tailored toward guitarists. Appreciate your thoughts. regards, Craig

[@robinlavender2501]

Some great advice in that video... Thanks!

[@thedeadxtras9927]

Nice one really glad you brought up this subject and people thinking if they buy the newer, more expensive interfaces with slight technical specification improvements will make their recordings, tracks and mixes much better. As you say if you don’t have the knowledge and skills in sound engineering and production, good, catchy, well written songs and good creativity etc, then your recordings will sound just as crap. Myself having good recording, engineering, production, technical, musicianship, songwriting, creative skills that I’ve worked on developing and years of experience is the biggest primary contributing factor in producing a great track, and knowing your gear, what is achievable with the gear you have is for me the telling factor. I stopped buying and upgrading a lot of gear a few years ago and realising the gear I have although a bit older is more than adequate for 99% of the recording & productions I do, and I’m a few cases I’ve actually gone back to basics saving me a shit load of cash and getting just a decent really good sounding tunes. Thanks for a good, enjoyable, very true and relevant points in a great video. Cheers Steve @thedeadxtras

[@rickstones1956]

I saw a new audio interface that auto-filters FedEx deliveries and most associated dog reactions. Should I upgrade?

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

No, in my experience FedEx definitely has driver issues

[@rickstones1956]

@@JacobDarkOfficial I see what you did here…

[@AwarSurrect]

Hello, wanted to ask if audient id4 will be a good choice for beyerdynamic dt 770 pro 250 ohm headphones?

[@anthonyrubio1194]

I’m looking for audio interface which do you recommend for mac

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

My Audient iD24 has been super solid, props if you use my link!

[@anthonyrubio1194]

@@JacobDarkOfficial do you think its better than the UA Volt 476P

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

@@anthonyrubio1194 I haven't used the Volt but either one should be fine, go with whichever you prefer, you won't be able to tell a difference in day to day usage

[@dericklatouche2399]

Which computer should I use with the motu ultralite mark v

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

I use Mac and PC and am fine with both, your preference

[@pearlmossberg]

I got the Volt 276, Im just an artist. I dont make beats yet. love it.

[@teddym2808]

Great vid. I ended up choosing the just released new MOTU 828 USB3 model, which I am *hoping* is just a bigger version of the Ultralite mk5 with more inputs.. It was 1700 AUD vs 1100 AUD for the ultralite, so with 2 extra line inputs, word clock, a colour display (but Ultralite is OLED) and an extra adat port, that feels about right for $600 difference. It should be the same quality. I say this because the Ultralite is the best sound quality vs input count vs price point by far. It's like a jack of all trades and master of them too. It's amazing. Check out Julian's incredible review of the UL MKV. Anyway, I will know tomorrow when the 828 arrives. I really needed those extra analog ins.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

Nice!! I was hoping to get one in for review but haven't heard back from MOTU so don't think it's gonna happen. Either way that 828 should serve you well.

[@teddym2808]

@@JacobDarkOfficial Doorbell literally just rang so I'll put it through its paces re latency/performance etc and let you know in a couple of days if still interested.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

Absolutely thanks

[@tejeguitar]

Amen to that brother. Thanks for speaking about it.

[@Jensen871]

I just need an audio interface to run my Presonus Eris 3.5s. Any recommendations?

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

I like the Audient iD24, it's my favorite interface with what's out right now. If you buy I'd super appreciate using my link

[@Jensen871]

@@JacobDarkOfficial Perfect thanks. I'm not buying just yet. Thank you!

[@Barnsey87]

Ur spot on about ABCD on music technology in general. Esp with DJ controllers that's a mess rn.

[@sm-journey8281]

Tnx. Can you please help to connect Audient ID14 with Android mobile (Samsung S series)

[@almir0079]

Can you please help me which one to choose over the id24 ssl2+ and blacklion 2x2 i realy need to get one of these but i don't realy know which one should i buy.. ?

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

The iD24 is the only one with dedicated send/returns allowing you to add outboard gear, it's my choice. Big thanks if you use my link

[@almir0079]

Thank you.. 🙂

[@BeHeardStudio]

Great video Jacob! I've been using the Antelope Zen Go for the past year and had zero issues with either the hardware and software. Which other interface would you recommend beside UAD that provide real time monitoring using Amp Sim for guitars, mainly Rock and Metal? That is what made me go with Antelope. And to clarify, I don't record their plugin, I just monitor realtime and record the DI wich I process in my DAW. Thanks!

[@hackapump]

I’m not Jacob, but I’ve been buying audio interfaces since 1995. Thing is, any interface with a reasonably performant driver can be used for tracking with amp sims, (and most other plugins you want to track with). Latency is not really an issue with today’s computers. Of course there is SOME latency, there always will be, but it is not noticeable by humans. Ergo: You don’t need DSP power on the interface. In fact, the trend is moving away from those, because those DSP chips are very weak compared to modern CPUs. It’s a legacy from when computers were not really up to the task of the in-the-box workflow. My only caveat is I have no personal experience with Antelope’s product line - they may have something no one else has, I don’t know. I know they use FPGA chips for DSP processing in their interfaces, and those are supposedly more powerful than traditional DSP. In short, I think you’re good with what you have - unless you need more inputs or outputs. One more thing: Plugins that run on the interface are not necessarily any better than what you can run natively in the DAW. Some of the best plugins in the world run native only. For example, I would strongly suspect that IK Multimedia’s amp sim TONEX sounds way better than what Antelope offers for your interface.

[@BeHeardStudio]

​@@hackapump Hey Hack! I get your point when you say that latency is not a problem today, but our projects runs entirely In the Box, and I can have more than 10-20+ guitars VSTs running at the same time in some projects and this is without counting the other track's/Busses VSTs and I confirm that it's impossible to track real time with any Audio interface when it comes to record new guitars tracks, some projects are to VSTs heavy. Yes I'm aware I can freeze/print audio to get rid of some VSTs to save CPU, but hey, that's how we're use to work :) So when I tried the Antelope Zen Go, I didn't had to turn off any of the DAW FX and reduce the buffer from 512 to 64 or128 to reduce latency when tracking new guitars, as I use the Antelope real-time DSP amp sims, which is a game changer! And like I mentioned in my previous post, I never record with the Antelopes plugins, I monitor realtime through them and then use my DAW ones (Neural, Softubes, Plugin Alliance, IK Multimedia Etc...) I hope it's clearer now! :) I'ved searched the internet, I can't find any other audio interface that offers what Antelope does right now, beside UAD and Audient Sono (which don't dont have Hard Rock/Metal amp sim real time DSP).

[@hackapump]

@@BeHeardStudio Haha, I realise now I need to change my handle. I picked it so long ago I don’t even remember where it comes from - but it sure stinks. Anyhow, if you’re having issues tracking with realtime native FX, amp sims or otherwise, because you have a large session with lots of realtime processing, it could be that your computer system as a whole is not working optimally. Modern CPUs are monsters and can easily handle several hundreds of tracks with realtime processing on them, including virtual instruments rendering MIDI in realtime. Just have a look around KZbin for people trying to choke their M1 Pro/Max Macs - some give up, and the rest end up with ridiculously large sessions before the first stutter. And these days it’s the same for Windows users. Realtime performance, which is what we’re dealing with in a DAW context, is a fickle thing. The mightiest CPU on earth could be idling at 50% and still be unable to maintain your buffer setting, if it is constantly interrupted by other components in the system. It could be your network interface, your graphics card, or any USB peripheral not playing nice. This guy explains it in a very accessible way: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYbWfX97oNiqsKc. It’s a few years old, but it’s still 100% relevant. Every DAW user should watch it. So, if you’re not able to run your sessions 100% natively, I’d look into whether your computer has an issue with realtime performance, as described in the above video. The problems you describe should be a thing of the past, at least with a CPU manufactured in the last couple of years. (Apple made a huge leap in 2020, and Intel followed suit a year or two later). That said, if you’re happy with your current setup and everything works the way you want: Enjoy. Antelope’s interfaces are top notch, premium, and you’d have to really pay up to find anything sounding better. As you say, not too many vendors offer onboard DSP, but Apogee does for some of their products. It’s not as rich an eco-system as Antelope or UA, and it’s Mac only unfortunately, but it’s there. And I don’t see anyone entering that space any time soon. Instead we see more and more things like Slate Digital’s VMS and VRS systems, both entirely based on the mighty capabilities of the modern CPU. Caveat: It is of course impossible for me to know anything for sure about your setup, but these are my best guesses. Best of luck, and remember: Today’s budget converters smack the living daylights out of yesterday’s top of the line converters - which were used to record every pro release of its time. Meaning the interface is rarely the weakest link in music production in 2023 - if ever. :)

[@BeHeardStudio]

@@hackapump I'm actually working on Windows, Intel Core i7 9700K, M.2 disk drives and 32GB Memory. Once I have 12 or more tracks running VSTs, Virtual Instruments, Mix buss VSTs and Master buss (Limiter), it's impossible to track a guitar realtime. I had to bypass all FX, and adjust the buffer from 512 to 128 or 64, to get hit that 2-5ms RTL. So it's tempting to move to a MAC when hearing all those good things it does to music production... In the mean time I'll keep my setup and I thank you very much Hack! Rock on!

[@Musicofjonesey]

Thank you for this. I was just about to go spend absurd money for something I really didn’t need. I’m upgrading from iMac to a Mac Studio using Logic Pro. I’ve used a mbox mini 2 and been very happy with it for over a decade but the hissing has got to go. What do you recommend for me? I do need MIDI btw.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

Volt, SSL, Motu M4, all of these have MIDI and honestly any interface in the $300 price range and up is going to be a vast improvement over your mbox. Props if you use my link!

[@Musicofjonesey]

@@JacobDarkOfficial absolutely will do. Thanks again.

[@garyshirinian]

What about SSL2+ interface.

[@briand7785]

I'm choosing by privacy policy mostly. Here's one I won't get... Ableton live... User generated data legally can mean any music you create they can collect. I'm no lawyer , but I know it "can" mean this. Policy::: 2. Ableton Account User, Ableton Product Customer::: (ii) The processed data are IP address, name and contact data, user name, language settings, data of the registration of the Ableton account, account events, communication data and usage data, content preferences, user generated data.

[@MichaelW.1980]

I have bought a new audio interface 2 times after my very first one. The first upgrade was more of a sidegrade. It gave me better noise performance, but the interface was a rather cheap quality, which became obvious rather quickly. I ended up getting a new interface, that gave me both, another upgrade in noise, much cleaner sound and most importantly the most stable driver yet. Ultimately,this third interface has made any possible upgrade redundant, as we talk about improvements from inaudible noise to even more inaudible noise or from non perceivable distortion to lower distortion. And I noticed, at that point, I trade some improvements for slightly worse numbers on other parts. Because of that, I wholeheartedly agree, upgrades have become questionable at best for the most part.

[@bane8305]

what did you upgrade to and from

[@ChannelForty2]

Awesome video, very informative thank you! I am now subscribed!

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

Nice! Welcome aboard!

[@MichaelSidneyTimpson]

My beatiful Apogee Duet is Firewire, so recent make upgrades make it impossible to you.

[@PurpleMusicProductions]

Very sound advice and the same can also be said about the plugin market as well.

[@tupapa7230]

Great take on the interface debate. Appreciate the honesty

[@craigjoe8691]

Review the Mackie M-Caster Studio

[@rickymcc9072]

Thanks for your vid Jacob, I'd welcome more detailed advice and reasons why. Can you or anyone else clarify things re UA and Apollo? I'm new to all this, operate a Win desktop and laptop (Dell XPS) and would like to better understand exactly why I shouldn't go with a UA Apollo (which I hear v'good and v'bad things about)? I understand they do a USB version, apparently geared to Win, so presume the USB rather than Thunderbolt version would be better for me? The Scarlet 2i2 also seems highly rated. Ditto Audent iD14. But I'm a sucker for quality and have a prior upgrade history of buying good, better then best, which costs a lot more with upgrades rather than just buying quality high-end kit to start with (which I'm lucky enough to be able to afford). I have made this slow upgrade 'mistake' on tripods, lenses, cameras, microphones etc. So would ideally like to just buy one interface that will do all I'm ever likely to need (well, at least for many years). On Software, whilst I use/love Photoshop (for photography - I'm a long term amateur photographer), I'm against paying $50+ pcm for the full Adobe suite so can't access Adobe's DAW, Audition. Instead I use Audacity as a DAW and just bought a studio license for DaVinci Resolve 18 (to up my video game, but I'm on the 'nursery slopes' learning to 'sweat' that otherwise excellent NLE) which I understand has much improved sound capability within it's Fairlight tab. Aims/Budget:- I want to start doing good VOs for video and AV projects (as an amateur hobbyist). I plan to treat my domestic space (multiple 'Producer' sound blankets - also used for video shoots elsewhere) but I already live in a quiet rural area, so apart from room reflections to treat, my recording space isn't too bad. On field recorders I'm using a Sound Devices MixPre 6ii. On mikes I now use a Sennheiser MKH 416 and have 5-6 other (less revered) choices too). In time I'm not averse to spending $1000+ on a great mike (Senheisser MKH 50 or one of the Neumans) if it will further make a difference. Application of real time effects (compression, EQ etc) with no latency, sounds attractive but I don't know it it's a real benefit in practice. I understand that Audacity in 8.2 mode now has effects which one can experiment with non destructively, so maybe real-time FX is overkill. All in all I'm confused and would welcome a more detailed perspective on AU Apollo USB vs best alternatives on a Win platform.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

Apollo thunderbolt has been a nightmare for some on PC. The USB version is an older version and not their most current technology (X series). Scarlett is entry level, I'm using an iD24 now and it's going to be real hard to tell the difference unless you're buying an interface over $1500. I think an iD24 and a nice preamp would make more difference for the same money. Since you're on PC I recommend checking out Cakewalk by Bandlab, it's an entire professional level DAW and it's FREE

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

BTW, I'd super appreciate you using my link when the time comes, it makes a big difference

[@jordanlmcgrath]

I would like to get your opinion on the SSL 12

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

Haven't personally tried it but if it fits your needs you can't go wrong with it. The SSL2 was already a solid interface, the upgrade will be even better. Big props if you use my link.

[@adr7657]

Great video brother! I recommeded I've never had any problems with my apollo twin x on windows ! Awesome! I don't know why ppl talked sh*t about the thunderbolt connection it's better than regular usb.

[@country_surf]

This sort of feels like an iPhone update. However though you did forget about the Lewitt LCT 1040, subscribed.

[@Denys-zp6ff]

Any advise on below list for home music making guitar/base recording via hi-z? Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 3gen SSL2 VOLT 276 Audient ID14 mk2

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

I don't use Hi z inputs so can't comment on that but I've been super happy with my iD14 Mkii

[@tdkvevo]

What do you think about SSL2 interface?

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

SSL2 is fine but I now prefer the iD24, check the links in the description where I list it all

[@Fourhoursleep]

By the logic of " no need for the top of the line newest thing " I bought a cheap interface since I only need it for streaming not music making. Only to learn it's a ticking time bomb as it will brake from just little use. So now I'm tempted to save up and buy a somewhat expansive interface I don't need . Just so I can be sure that it will last a while .

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

Which did you buy?

[@Fourhoursleep]

@@JacobDarkOfficialThe M-audio M-track solo.

[@JacobDarkOfficial]

@@Fourhoursleep Ah yea I would've advised against anything M Audio, if you don't want to spend a lot and just need the basics grab a Focusrite Scarlet and call it a day

[@Fourhoursleep]

@@JacobDarkOfficial Thanks man.

[@krerkkul]

I will buy SSL2. It's enough for me to work.

[@jameslong9921]

Right on point brother, gonna have to check out some of your music.

[@shadowpapito]

Thank you, this video is greatly appreciated!