The Best USB Audio Interface (2024) work like a pro

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If you’re serious about making music, you need a best USB audio interface to turn analog sounds into digital ones and digital ones into analog ones. It lets you finish setting up your studio and let your ideas flow. There are USB audio interfaces for everyone, whether you are a beginner or a worker with a lot of experience. There’s something for everyone on the market, whether you want something portable, studio-quality, or cheap.

We’ve put together a list of the best USB audio ports available in 2023 to help you decide which one to buy. These interfaces are easy to use, portable, and get power from the USB port on your computer, so you don’t need an extra power source. As a singer/songwriter, DJ, or producer, you can depend on these platforms.

We’ve given you a lot of information about each system, like its price, what it does, what it’s good at, and what it’s bad at. This thorough overview will give you the information you need to choose the most important piece of equipment for your trip into music production. You can find the right USB audio interface for your needs, whether you want to make recordings that sound like they came from a professional studio or you need a small device for creative work on the go.

Best USB Audio Interface Comparison Table

Product	Connectivity	Analog Inputs	Analog Outputs	Digital Inputs	Digital Outputs	Preamps	AD/DA Conversion	Monitor Control	DSP Effects	Synergy Core FX Library	Phantom Power	Air Mode
Cranborne Audio 500R8	USB, ADAT, Dante	8 x XLR/TRS Combo	8 x TRS	2 x ADAT, 2 x S/PDIF	2 x ADAT, 2 x S/PDIF	8 x Discrete	32-bit/768 kHz	Yes	No	No	No	No
Antelope Audio Zen Tour Synergy Core	USB, Thunderbolt, ADAT	4 x XLR/TRS Combo	8 x TRS, 2 x Monitor	2 x ADAT, S/PDIF, AES	2 x ADAT, S/PDIF, AES	4 x Discrete	24-bit/192 kHz	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Universal Audio Apollo Twin USB	USB 3.0	2 x XLR/TRS Combo	2 x TRS, 1 x Monitor	S/PDIF, ADAT	S/PDIF, ADAT	2 x Unison	24-bit/192 kHz	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Behringer U-Phoria UMC22	USB 2.0	2 x XLR/TRS Combo	2 x TRS	None	None	1 x MIDAS	48 kHz	Yes	No	No	+48V	No
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen	USB 2.0	2 x XLR/TRS Combo	2 x TRS	None	None	2 x Focusrite	24-bit/192 kHz	Yes	No	No	No	Yes

Cranborne Audio 500R8

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Specification	Details
Connectivity	USB, ADAT, Dante
Analog Inputs	8 x XLR/TRS Combo
Analog Outputs	8 x TRS
Digital Inputs	2 x ADAT, 2 x S/PDIF
Digital Outputs	2 x ADAT, 2 x S/PDIF
Headphone Outputs	2
Preamps	8 x Discrete
AD/DA Conversion	32-bit/768 kHz
Monitor Control	Yes
Mixer Software Control	Yes

Cranborne music is a Best USB Audio Interface music company based in the UK. The company didn’t want to just make another studio-quality USB audio interface, so they made the product you didn’t even know you needed. The end result is the 500R8, which is both the best interface and a 500 Series module rack. What comes first? Describe a 500 Series rack. API made the 500 Series in the 1970s. It is a modular format for audio devices.

Think about mic preamplifiers, compressors, and equalizers that are all 3U high (5.25 inches) and one spot wide (1.5 inches). They aren’t cheap, but they might be less expensive than getting full-size versions of the same thing. Most stories in the 500 Series can stand on their own. Cranborne took this idea and combined it with a USB port and a 500 Series case. Brilliant.

Antelope Audio Zen Tour Synergy Core

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Specification	Details
Connectivity	USB, Thunderbolt, ADAT
Analog Inputs	4 x XLR/TRS Combo
Analog Outputs	8 x TRS, 2 x Monitor
Digital Inputs	2 x ADAT, S/PDIF, AES
Digital Outputs	2 x ADAT, S/PDIF, AES
Headphone Outputs	2
Preamps	4 x Discrete
AD/DA Conversion	24-bit/192 kHz
Monitor Control	Yes
DSP Effects	Yes
Synergy Core FX Library	Yes

Most of the time, if you want a Best USB Audio Interface to work like a pro, you’ll need a rackmount unit (like the Cranborne or Focusrite interfaces mentioned above). But rackmount connections aren’t always the best option. They can’t be moved, and you might need to buy a rack to store them. We suggest Antelope Audio’s Zen Tour Synergy Core because it is small and has great sound quality.

The 24-bit/192kHz Zen Tour Synergy Core looks great. It’s a sleek box with a touch screen and a big volume button. It also has a well-thought-out layout, with four handy instrument/line-in jacks on the front and two transformer-based re-amping outs for sending signal to a guitar amp or other hardware. Two headphone amps finish off the set.

Universal Audio Apollo Twin USB

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Specification	Details
Connectivity	USB 3.0
Analog Inputs	2 x XLR/TRS Combo
Analog Outputs	2 x TRS, 1 x Monitor
Digital Inputs	S/PDIF, ADAT
Digital Outputs	S/PDIF, ADAT
Headphone Outputs	1
Preamps	2 x Unison
AD/DA Conversion	24-bit/192 kHz
Realtime UAD Processing	Yes
Monitor Control	Yes

The Mac has two mic preamps that can work with Unison, as well as a guitar input on the front and a headphone output. The main benefit of the Apollo Twin USB Heritage Edition is access to Universal Audio’s world-class effects library. Unlike other software-based options that can slow down your computer’s processing power, the Apollo Twin USB Heritage Edition has its own processor to relieve your RAM and CPU.

This cuts down on delay, so you don’t have to add effects after the fact. Instead, you can hear how the sound will sound with effects while tracking. It’s also not too big, so moving it won’t take much work. Again, this shouldn’t be your first (or even your second) interface, but if you want to switch to something as professional as you can get, this is worth checking out.

Behringer U-Phoria UMC22

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Specification	Details
Connectivity	USB 2.0
Analog Inputs	2 x XLR/TRS Combo
Analog Outputs	2 x TRS
Digital Outputs	None
Headphone Outputs	1
Preamps	1 x MIDAS
AD/DA Conversion	48 kHz
Phantom Power	+48V
Monitor Control	Yes

You can connect a pair of speakers to the two outputs on the back, and just like with the Scarlett 2i2, you can always plug a pair of headphones into the front. Again, there aren’t any cool bells and whistles here, but if you want a USB port that won’t break the bank, you don’t need to look any further.

The Focusrite Scarlett line is so popular in the low-cost audio interface market that it’s hard to say it enough. The Universal Audio Volt line has a lot to offer if you want to try something new, but just as good. The Universal Audio Volt 2, which costs less than $200 USD and has improved preamps and two XLR inputs, is our top pick.

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen

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Specification	Details
Connectivity	USB 2.0
Analog Inputs	2 x XLR/TRS Combo
Analog Outputs	2 x TRS
Digital Outputs	None
Headphone Outputs	1
Preamps	2 x Focusrite
AD/DA Conversion	24-bit/192 kHz
Air Mode	Yes
Monitor Control	Yes

The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen is at the Best USB Audio Interface of my list. It has become a regular part of most home recording setups. It’s small enough to be easy to carry around, but it’s also just heavy enough to be stable on a desk. The buttons, jacks, and control knobs are placed in a way that makes them easy to use, and once you get used to it, the whole thing feels natural.

I love how the gain level (also called the record or input level) is shown on it. The “just right” spot is where it’s low enough so that the singing and instruments don’t get distorted and high enough to cut down on noise. On the 212, green LED rings light up when the gain level is safe, red when it’s too high, and yellow when it’s close to the danger zone. This is a great feature for both newbies and experts.

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