There once was a time when music recording was synonymous with pricey studio rates, gigantic mixing consoles, and finicky tape machines, but those days are long gone. It’s now easier and more affordable than ever to record a full band or ensemble at home. The prevalence of computers and the rise of microprocessing technology have ushered in a musical renaissance, and at the center of it all is a treasure trove of compact, capable, and affordable all-in-one recording devices that anyone can use from home. While great recording products on the market today come in many forms, choosing an interface with four or more inputs can make a world of difference when inspiration strikes, saving you precious time and focusing your creative energy. Whether you’re recording acoustic demos in the bedroom, a fully loaded drum kit in the garage, or an eight-piece salsa band out on the sidewalk, these products have everything you’ll need to record your next opus.
Here are six of our favorite recording interfaces currently on the market.
The latest iteration of Universal Audio’s flagship interface Apollo is an 18-input/24-output behemoth that sports Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, two Hi-Z instrument inputs, and four Unison microphone preamps. A standout feature of Apollo ownership is that it enables access to Universal Audio’s enormous library of proprietary plugins, which run directly on board the Apollo’s six DSP chips, saving you precious computer processing power for other tasks. Best of all, it comes with the Analog Classics Plug-In bundle out of the box so you can instantly apply timeless character to your projects.
If you have a recording project that requires quick cable swaps and the ability to accommodate spur-of-the-moment inspiration, this interface will help you get from point A to point B without slowing you down. The ADA8200 boasts eight MIDAS microphone preamps and line-level inputs on an easy-access front panel, complete with individual volume controls. The analog-to-digital conversion is where this unit shines, and you can use the onboard preamps or hook up your own to take advantage of its world-class converters. You’ll need an existing interface to add this to your rig using the industry-standard ADAT connector.
This interface packs four microphone preamps, four line outputs, and a headphone output into a discreet and space-saving box. The smallest of our choices here, it plugs into your computer using a USB-C connector and is ideal for mobile recording rigs or small apartment studios where every square inch is valuable. The PreSonus Studio 68c is the mid-sized model in the entire family of Presonus c series interfaces, which includes a 2-input and an 8-input version if you need a little more or a little less.
This stylish 16-input USB interface is a surefire ticket to streamlining your home recording workflow. It features eight Ultra-HDDA microphone inputs on the front panel and eight line inputs on the rear, two of which are switchable to instrument level so you can record bass and guitar directly. It also features a monitoring mixer complete with EQ so you can monitor your inputs without pesky delays in your audio. It does it all (and looks cool doing it), but that’s not even the best part—it’s also our value pick for those on a budget.
M-Audio is a long-time player in the home recording market, and the newest incarnation of their 8-channel interface shows that they’ve got usability down to a science. This USB interface comes with XLR-¼-inch combo inputs to accommodate any microphone, guitar or keyboard you throw at it. Use the front-panel direct monitoring knob to quickly toggle between computer playback or real-time input monitoring and use its two headphone outputs to share with a friend. As an added bonus, they’ll throw in a vast selection of software and plug-ins that take any recording experience to the next level.
This USB interface has arguably the most bells and whistles of the bunch, and sports thoughtfully-crafted features that would be welcome in any pro studio. An onboard talkback mic allows communication between artists and the control room and a speaker switcher offers the ability to check your mixes between multiple sets of speakers without the hassle of plugs. Hit the “air” button for a high-end lift on your inputs and give your recordings a pro-studio quality sheen.
from Popular Science | RSS https://www.popsci.com/best-home-recording-audio-interfaces/
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