The Audio Interface: Why You Need One and How Much You Should Pay

The number of audio interfaces on the market right now goes through the roof. Many audio gear manufacturers have their own line-up that includes everything from budget-friendly to high-end models. If you’re thinking about getting into music production or recording, you might be looking to pick up an audio interface. Read on to learn whether you really need one and how much money you should fork out.

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The Audio Interface: Why You Need One and How Much You Should Pay
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Do I Even Need an Audio Interface?

If you’re an in-the-box producer, you might be thinking that, since you don’t use a microphone, you can simply connect your studio monitors to the headphone output of your laptop using an adapter cable and that’s that. While you’re technically correct, it’s important to realise that the motherboard of your laptop or computer has most likely been fitted out with cheap audio components, while purpose-designed audio interfaces are equipped with high-quality components.

Is There Any Difference in Audio Quality Between Different Models?

It’s safe to say that there aren’t really any shabby audio interfaces out there. Granted, higher-end models boast better signal quality (more on this in a bit), more inputs, and advanced features like a DSP (digital sound processor), but any affordable audio interface will still get the most common jobs done. It’s also worth pointing out that some interfaces come with a stack of software while other models don’t. And then there are things like VU meters and displays, which are all about personal preferences. In other words, even a basic-and-compact audio interface will help you start producing music.

The Audio Interface: Why You Need One and How Much You Should Pay

Don’t Worry Too Much About Bit Depth and Sample Rates

Why? Because the quality of the components, like the microphone preamps and the converters that are responsible for analogue-to-digital conversion and vice versa, simply matters more. If you take two audio interfaces equipped with roughly the same features and one costs, say, £100 while the other costs £350, then it’s safe to assume that the more expensive model offers better performance. Either way, as mentioned earlier, that entry-level interface is still going to outperform the audio chips inside your laptop or computer.

Does a Higher-Quality Interface Make My Mixes Sound Better?

If you’re an in-the-box producer who doesn’t use a microphone, the interface won’t directly affect the quality of your mixes, but it will give you clearer sound via your speakers or headphones. Why use an audio interface then? Because that crisper, more detailed sound makes it easier to detect any flaws in your mixes, allowing you to make high-quality mixes. Needless to say, this does go hand in hand with using high-quality headphones and studio monitors.

The Audio Interface: Why You Need One and How Much You Should Pay

How Many Outputs Do I Need?

Audio interface outputs are used to hook up studio monitors, which are so essential for music production that we’re going to assume that you already have a pair or are planning to pick up a couple of studio monitors alongside your audio interface. Some higher-end interfaces are equipped with enough outputs to accommodate two pairs of studio monitors or more (for a surround system). Most producers, beginner and advanced, don’t need more than one set of outputs.

Balanced vs Unbalanced Outputs

A lot of audio interfaces feature balanced jack outputs (unbalanced jack outputs are a thing) or XLR outputs, which are always balanced. This makes them compatible with pretty much every studio monitor out there, since almost every monitor features one or more balanced inputs. Some more compact interfaces might feature RCA outputs (unbalanced) instead. Combined with long cables, unbalanced outputs can result in unwanted noise, so unless your budget restricts your options, it can be worth going for balanced outputs. Just so you know, you can always connect a balanced port to an unbalanced port. In this case, the signal won’t be balanced.

» Learn more about balanced and unbalanced connections here.

The outputs are incompatible with my speakers!

Is there a problem if the audio interface you’re looking at is equipped with jack or RCA ports while your studio monitors have XLR ports? Not at all! This is where adapter cables come in. You can use our Interactive Gear Finder to find what you need.

The Audio Interface: Why You Need One and How Much You Should Pay

How Many Inputs Do I Need?

If you’re not an in-the-box producer, then the main question is: how many tracks do you want to be able to record at the same time? If you’re a solo musician who’s okay with recording one part at a time and layering your sound, then a single microphone input will suffice. If you’re using different microphones to mike up different instruments, you’ll just need to swap microphones.

More Than One Input

If you’re a singer-songwriter who wants to record their singing and guitar-playing at the same time, you’ll want to go for at least two inputs. This way, you can plug in your guitar and your vocal microphone. The same goes for stereo recordings. If you want to record a keyboard, digital piano, acoustic piano, synthesizer or any other stereo instrument, you’ll need at least two inputs to accommodate the left and right channels. In this case, it’s recommended to go for an interface that has been outfitted with two identical inputs (e.g. two XLR inputs instead of one jack and one XLR input).

Drum Kits, Full Bands and Other Big Set-Ups

If you’re a drummer and use four microphones to capture your kit (kick drum microphone, snare drum microphone and a pair of overheads), then you obviously need four microphone inputs. If you’re in a full-size band and you want to record every instrument at once, then the interface you need is probably going to be pricey. If you already have one that has a digital input that can be hooked up to an external microphone preamp that gives you extra inputs, this might be the way to go.

Learn more about expanding the inputs and outputs of an audio interface here.

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