Regardless of the genre of music, whether you work in the box or record a whole band, the one constant every modern studio needs is an audio interface. But with so many on the market – some focusing on excellent converters and minimal inputs, some providing lots of I/O on a budget – it’s hard to know which interface suits your needs and budget best. We’ve gathered together the top five interfaces for all bank balances, whether you’re looking for your first soundcard or upgrading your current one, we’re confident you’ll find what you need in our list. Happy music making!
Universal Audio Apollo – from £1,699
Universal Audio has built an enviable reputation straddling both the ‘heritage’ world of signal processing and the cutting-edge domain of digital signal processing. The company’s success is easy to explain, using a mix of ‘old and new’ to inform many of its products, whether it’s the growing collection of UAD plug-ins modelled on vintage gear or hardware products like the 4-710d that marry tone-bending preamps with 1176-style compression and built-in A/D conversion. UA’s latest product – the Apollo audio interface – is an exciting evolution of this concept, featuring real-time UAD processing, Universal Audio preamps and upcoming Thunderbolt connectivity.
It would be easy to see Apollo as ‘just another FireWire interface’, but it’s worth noting the unique proposition Universal Audio is offering here. Primarily, the appeal of the Apollo centres around the built-in SHARC processors, which are the same chips used to power Universal Audio’s UAD-2 system. By being an integrated part of the interface, the DSP processing can be used directly in the input path. For example, drums can be ‘printed’ to virtual Ampex tape, vocals recorded through a classic Neve 1073 EQ, or an acoustic guitar gently squashed by a LA-2A optical compressor. Once mixing begins, the same SHARC processors can be used just like a UAD card, adding compression, equalization and a range of other signal-processing activities via the Apollo. Read the full review here.
Apogee Duet 2 – £449
Apogee is a company with a reputation for taking audio very seriously. In the past it’s created high-end converters, digital clocking systems and the UV22 dither system, while more recently the company made a move into the portable interface market.
The debut product was the first Duet. This was also a compact and minimalist interface, looking more like a monitoring control than an audio interface. What’s more, Apogee’s Mac-only policy coupled with the brushed aluminium finish appealed to those wanting to marry their Mac with stylish hardware.
Both the old and new Duets are aimed at recording and music- appreciating audiophiles. But beyond the even sleeker-looking case revision of the Duet 2 are notable improvements under the hood. Let’s have a look at what you get for your money. Read the full review here.
MOTU Audio Express – £329
MOTU’s pedigree when it comes to audio interfaces is among the best around, with its 828 series sitting at the heart of many pro studios. For those with less space and a tighter budget (or for anyone making music on the move) the company also offers smaller solutions, its latest being the Audio Express, a hybrid FireWire/USB 2.0 multi-channel audio and MIDI device with some interesting features. Lightweight yet very solidly built, it would slip easily into a backpack but also comes with a half-rack mounting kit for securing it into a rack module.
One of the things the Audio Express can claim that is rather unusual – especially in a portable unit – is hybrid connectivity. There’s FireWire 400 (over which the unit can also draw power) and USB 2.0. A power supply is provided too, and the dual protocols give you the choice of the rather quicker FireWire or the more widely used USB 2.0. It’s a six-in, six-out device, so you’re not going to run into any real bandwidth limits even when using USB 2.0. On the rear panel you will find dual hybrid XLR/jack inputs, two 1/4-inch line ins and S/PDIF I/O as well as four independent 1/4-inch line-out jacks, a footswitch input and MIDI I/O ports. All of the physical audio I/O channels are available at the same time and operate independently, so there’s no need to choose whether to use it in one mode or another as there is with many other compact units. Read the full review here.
RME Fireface UCX – £849
RME’s Fireface UCX is a compact audio interface designed to provide a wealth of I/O options in a portable unit. RME claims that the new interface has been inspired by combining features from the company’s most successful products: Fireface UFX, Fireface UC, Fireface 400 and the Babyface.
Of these, it is the Fireface UC and Fireface 400 that the new Fireface UCX most closely resembles. The unit retains the same half-rack design and the same analogue and digital I/O options – even on close inspection it is almost impossible to tell the two apart. So,on the surface, the Fireface UCX differs very little from the Fireface UC/400, the Remote DIN providing the only clue as to how this new model has taken inspiration from the Babyface. Bundled with the Fireface UCX is a Remote Control that looks almost the same as the Babyface, with a large rotary encoder and two control buttons. Sadly, the Remote Control does not feature the dual LED level meters, meaning your only level metering on the Fireface UCX are provided by the Sig and Clip LEDs on the main unit. Read the full review here.
Apogee Symphony I/O – from £2,049
Building on the success of the original Symphony, Apogee has had a rather radical rethink across the entirety of its product range, arguably in response to the growing number of users working with computer-based DAWs. In particular, Symphony I/O represents a radical reimagining of Apogee’s top-flight solution, centred on a ‘modular’ multi-channel converter (the Symphony I/O, in other words) and a variety of different connection protocols, including the aforementioned Symphony 64 PCIe Card and Pro Tools HD, USB and standalone operation, plus an upcoming Symphony 64 | ThunderBridge for Thunderbolt connection. In short, Symphony I/O is a next-generation solution for multi-channel audio. Read the full review here.
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