Solid State Logic SSL2+ – KGR Editor’s Choice Mackie Onyx Series – Best Budget OptionUCG102 The Ultimate Guitar-to-USB Interface for Recording and Jamming with your PC/Mac or iOS device GUITAR LINK UCG102 Old School Meets Cutting Edge Link. Focusrite Scarlett Series (3rd Generation) – Our Top PickIK Multimedia iRig HD 2 Guitar Interface for iPhone, iPad, Mac and PC USB Guitar Portable Interface with 24-bit/96kHz A/D Conversion, Preamp Gain Control, Dual-mode Operation Switch, 1/4' Amp Output Jack, and AmpliTube 4 Software - Mac/PC/iOS The successor to IK Multimedia's popular iRig HD, the iRig HD 2 guitar interface demonstrates all. An XLR mic input, separate guitar input and support for 96kHz operation. Now guitarists can have a pocket-sized, plug in and play audio interface at an unprecedented price and capture tThe M4 is a 4-in/4-out USB-C audio interface for Mac, Windows and iOS that. Ultimate guitar tone to-go.Apogee JAM is a USB audio interface that lets you connect a guitar to your iPad, iPhone, Mac or Windows 10 PC and record with Apogees legendary sound quality.All that, at an incredulous price. While it does offer a relatively high (compared to others on this list) round trip latency of 6ms, you get a rugged metal housed interface with good quality preamps, a ton of software, and a price that allows you to comfortably dip your toe in home recording.On the other hand, if you’re more familiar with home recording and want to step up a notch, the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 offers significantly lower latency at under 3ms, excellent preamps and AD/DA converters to get a much cleaner and fuller sound, ISA mic preamp emulation which gives your recordings a bright and airy sound, as well as being an i ncredibly easy to use interface that’s practically plug and play – easily our choice for the Best Value Interface.Finally stepping up all the way to home studio level recording, the SSL2/2+ delivers forty years of audio gear expertise into a desktop-format interface with near-zero latency as 1ms, exceptional mic pres and rugged construction. What to look for in an audio interface when you buy one?If you’re looking to get a starter interface to try out home recording, you can’t go wrong with Mackie’s Onyx Artist interface, which is our pick for Best Budget Interface.They’ll be handy if you are a rank beginner, but they aren’t comparable to a full-featured DAW. It’s a good addition to the spec-list, but it feels a tad gimmicky.Focusrite’s software bundle offers the no-frills version of Pro Tools First and Abelton Live Lite. The AD/DA converters, preamp gain structure, and mic preamps are top notch.Ah, did I mention that the 3 rd offers a mono and stereo summing control-switch and Air Button? The ‘Air mode’ triggers an ISA mic preamp emulation, which makes your recordings sound bright/open. The 3 rd gen also uses Type-C connections with updated drivers/software and significantly better headphone amp performance.Focusrite’s iron grip (in this segment) relies heavily on their generous software bundles and superior preamps. There are tangible improvements in dynamic range, max input level, and gain range. For those reasons, we honor it with the KGR Editor’s Choice.Focusrite Scarlett Series (3 rd Generation) – Our Top PickSuper low-latency, high headroom, optimized gain, and killer preamps!The 3 rd gen is not just a dolled-up version of the previous line.Bundled with Tracktion T7 & FX plug-insIf you are privy to the mixing console grapevine, you might have heard a good deal of praise of Mackie and Onyx preamps. Once you spend some time with it, it’s easy to see why it’s the world’s best-selling audio interface.Onyx preamps, zero-latency direct monitoring at a cut-throat price. The 3 rd gen improvements have made a good thing better. It adds heaps of value to an already reasonably-priced interface.Verdict: It’s hard to go wrong with a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or the more intermediate 4i4 interface. They’ve also thrown in a Plugin Collective monthly giveaway subscription.
Guitar Interface Mac Or IOSYou’ll get a mic/instrument combo input, +48V phantom power, headphone outputs, L/R line out, and a Hi-Z switch.The audio quality and features are excellent if you need an inexpensive interface for recording instruments and voice. It’s the no-frills version. It connects over USB 2.0 and is compatible with both macOS and PC/Windows. ![]() SSL2+ (and SSL2, the no-frills cousin) are excellent choices in the project-studio market. It’s ergonomic, easy to use, and ticks all the well-established expectations from SSL hardware.Verdict: We can only be thankful to Audiotronix for giving home studio owners a shot at the SSL heritage. It also includes Pro Tools First and 23+ production plugins and 1.5GB of samples from Loopcloud.Overall, the SSL2+ poses a formidable challenge to MOTU 2, Focusrite 2i2 and Audient EVO, and other segment leaders. The improvement in tone is similar to the Focusrite ‘Air’ but more useable, at least to my ears.The software bundle includes the SSL production pack, SSL Native Vocalstrip2, Drumstip plugins, and a 6-month free subscription to other SSL Native plugin-ins. They also have MIDI In/Out, a five-pin DIN port, and a five-step LED ladder meter to track input levels.The proprietary “Legacy 4k” circuit brightens up the sound, or as SSL puts it “color enhancement inspired by a 4000-series console”. Histogram in excel for macConstruction-wise, it’s a rugged unit with a black center chassis laid with blue side panels.The front panel features LED indications for the Input and Main, five knobs for parameter changes, and a +48V phantom power toggle button. Plus, it’s compatible with every major DAW. Plus, they ship with C-to-C and C-to-A cables (you hear that MOTU?).Rugged construction and fantastic AD/DA converters at an affordable price.The Presonus 24c is a bus-powered audio interface that connects over a USB-C to PC and MAC laptop/computers. The headroom, gain, and clear metering speaks well of the XMAX-L preamp’s capabilities. VST (fx and instrument) freebies contain some high-end choices for your production projects.Verdict: The PreSonus Studio 24c is worthy of any home studio or desktop-format music production rig. The interface teams up with a generous software bundle that includes the Studio One Artist (limited-version DAW) + Studio Magic suite (Ableton Live Lite included). They boast of an ultra-low roundtrip latency of 3ms, which is effectively zero latency.It’s not common to have MIDI input/output at this price point, so the 24c scores on features and value there. The XMAX-L preamps sound sharp and can handle a hot input with good headroom. We’ll focus on the iD14 with occasional references to iD4, its modest predecessor.The interface looks and feels premium, with ample heft when you hold it and a sturdy all-metal chassis. In January ’21, Audient announced the mkII with updated features and performance markers to continue their reign of popularity in the segment. Bundles with Cubase LE + VST plugin-insAudient’s iD-Series interfaces enjoy the status of the most popular budget-friendly units. Plus, the unit has ADAT expandability and mic preamps inspired by Audient’s ASP8024-HE Console. It’s a 10-in/6-out plug n’ play unit with low distortion and serious clarity.Guitar players will cherish the JFET instrument inputs that replicate classic valve amps.
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