The best USB audio interfaces/mixers under $400
Bring the recording studio into your home with these fantastic devices that make studio recording possible on your terms.
We’ve brought together the audio interfaces and mixers that plug straight into your computer and offer a full package for recording music and audio that we think top the lot at the best prices available.
PreSonus Studio 1810c – $369.99
The Studio 1810c is the perfect option for bands or if you have lots of devices to record at once.
It can record up to 18 simultaneous inputs with 4 microphone inputs, 4 dedicated ¼” TRS line inputs as well as ADAT and S/PDIF inputs.
The Studio 1810c offers control-room integration with included Studio One Artist music production software and free UC Surface control software and is backward compatible with USB 2.0 and 3.0 connections. Find out more here.
Focusrite Clarett 2Pre USB – $359.99
This is the smallest in the Clarett range but its size doesn’t reflect how much it is capable of.
There are two mic/line/instrument combi inputs with ADAT expandability and four line outs in a package that easily stowed and transported for recording anywhere.
Focusrite claim “the Clarett preamp is the finest we build into a USB audio interface”. There’s a lot of detail in this little box. Find out more here.
M-Audio AIR 192|14 – $299
With M-Audio’s exclusive Crystal low-noise pre-amps, the AIR 192 promises studio-quality recordings.
The AIR 192|14 features eight inputs for simultaneously recording up to eight channels at once to meet all your studio’s recording needs. Crystal preamps provide you with a transparent, low-noise pre-amp that guarantees the best sound from your microphones and captures your input authentically.
There are also five-pin MIDI In and Out connections so that you can record synths, sequencers, and more. Find out more here.
Apogee One – $275
Apogee One for Mac and PC calls itself the “Swiss Army Knife of personal recording and audio production” with the most pocket-friendly choice in our list.
This little USB interface packs some serious quality into it’s tiny body. Their are 2 inputs channels for recording instruments or an external microphone. Apogee’s secret weapon in the One is it’s built-in, studio quality condenser microphone. With an included mic clip you can easily use the One to get professional recordings by just plugging it into your Mac or PC.
The One’s premium D/A conversion means that your recordings sound great going in but it also works as a powerful pre-amp to boost the sound from your headphones or speakers. Find out more here.
Zoom UAC-2 – $249.99
Zoom’s UAC-2 offers an easily portable solution for high-resolution and high-speed audio recording.
It features 2 input channels for recording 24-bit high resolution audio to your computes and even works with your iPad. This device uses USB 3.0 SuperSpeed connections to make sure the latency is low and your recording is lightning fast.
You can also use it for fast low-latency webcasting, podcasting, gaming, and other live streaming applications. Find out more here.