In this article, we are going to discuss some of the best audio interfaces under $500. These audio interfaces range from being portable to not being so portable; some can manage a whole band & others great for beginners, solo artists, or making music while touring.
Whatever be the case, I am sure about one thing. The list you are going to see will provide any producer with enough budget-friendly audio interfaces under $500.
But, in the first place itself, how’d you pick up an audio interface that fits your requirements? It’s easy! Answering the below questions might help. So let’s start.
- Are you more of a person that works best when others are around?
- Do you aim to become a one-person army?
- Are you always collaborating or not?
- Do you have a lot of instruments?
- What types of instruments you have?
- Do they need Hi-Z or line-level inputs?
- Are you sure that you want one of the Best audio Interfaces under $500 and want no compromises?
After you have answered these questions, it is time to move with our list of top-rated audio interfaces that are budget-friendly.
Related: Best budget audio interfaces!
Best Audio Interfaces Under $500
Let’s talk about the audio interfaces that deliver much more than what it is priced. In particular, the first section is all about the Best audio Interfaces under $500.
1) PreSonus Studio 1824C – Is it the Best audio Interfaces under $500?
PRODUCT FEATURES
- 18 Inputs / 20 Outputs,
- 10 ladder-style 8-LED level meters,
- 2 mic/instrument/line inputs with XMAX Class A mic preamps,
- 6 mic/line inputs with XMAX Class A mic preamps,
- 8 channels of ADAT Optical I/O,
- Mono and Mute buttons for the main outputs,
- 2 balanced ¼” TRS main outputs,
- 8 balanced ¼” TRS line outputs for monitor mixing,
- MIDI In/Out,
- 2 Headphone o/p,
- 24-bit resolution,
- Sampling rates at 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz,
- Windows/Mac Compatible.
DESCRIPTION
The Presonus Studio 1824C comes with a lot of many features. Let’s see some of the worthy ones. In some instances during sales, you can find this one of the best audio interfaces under $500. As of now, we dive again into discussing its features. The Interface looks quite sturdy and matches most of the studio desks. The built quality is good enough made up of high-grade plastic.
The microphone gain range goes up to 80dB and the dynamic gain range up to 110 dB.
A Deeper Analysis
As you look through the interface itself, there are many knobs, different types of inputs, and one LCD meter used mainly to monitor the input and output gains. In particular, there are a whopping amount of 18 inputs. These are divided into two mic levels, instrument level, and line-level inputs, with class-A mic preamps supporting two Hi-Z instruments like an electric or bass guitar at the moment.
Next, there are six mic/line level inputs to connect any Microphone or Line level instrument easily. This means that there is much room for you as a producer to record a band. It makes the Presonus Studio 1824C a very versatile and easy to handle interface.
There is one MIDI I/O to connect a single MIDI instrument such as a keyboard or a sampler. You can also individually mute and monitor main outputs and analyze what a particular input is doing. The Audio Quality remains intact and quite good at 24-bit resolution giving you a huge choice of the sampling rate.
Coming to the outputs, there are six line levels outputs and two headphone outputs with a dedicated control knob. Using the ten ladder-style LED Meters, you can easily observe which input is clipping and which one is underperforming. Same way, using the LED display, you can monitor the main outputs. This, in my opinion, is a quite handy feature when working with a whole crew.
The Presonus Studio 1824C is what I recommend to anyone looking to upgrade to a new great audio interface for under $500. It is great for producers with low to medium crew members or co-artists/co-producers. Lastly, the great thing is that the Presonus Studio 1824C is compatible with both Windows and MACOS, with almost all the DAWs.
DRAWBACKS
However, one disadvantage that I see is that it is not a compatible audio interface. Ensure you are not always on the run or touring as you cannot carry such a huge interface everywhere. For that, I would suggest you pick one of these top-rated portable audio interfaces.
FINAL WORDS!
The PreSonus Studio 1824C provides a well-rounded performance. It contains every feature that an upcoming producer wishes for, in an audio interface. It is equipped with many I/Os, LCD metering display, multi-headphone channels, a MIDI port, and SPDIF port.
All these features are what make PreSonus 1824C special.
2) Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 (3rd Gen) USB Audio Interface
PRODUCT FEATURES
- USB-C Compatible,
- 18 Inputs / 8 Outputs,
- 4 mic inputs with mic preamps,
- 8 balanced line inputs,
- 4 Line ¼” TRS Inputs,
- 2 Hi-Z balanced inputs,
- 4 monitor outputs with anti-thump technology,
- 4 balanced ¼” TRS main outputs,
- Air Mode,
- 24-bit resolution,
- Sampling rates at 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz,
- MIDI In/Out,
- 2 Headphone o/p,
- SPDIF I/O,
- Windows/Mac Compatible.
DESCRIPTION
The Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 is what I used for a very long time in my music production journey. It was very durable and matched well with my studio theme. My reason for switching to 18i8 was very simple. Firstly, I was not exposed to different Audio Interfaces. Secondly, I was very impressed with the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2, a great audio interface for a beginner like me.
Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 is a compact and handy interface. But this does not mean in any way that it misses any of the crucial features. In total, it has got eighteen inputs and eight outputs, as the name suggests. It is another one of Best audio Interfaces under $500.
A Deeper Analysis
The inputs vary from Mic to line to Hi-Z and instrument inputs. There are four Mic inputs, eight balanced line inputs, of which four are ¼” TRS Inputs. At the front, you can see different input types. All four can be used to plug in mics and line-level inputs and two of the four slots can handle Hi-Z inputs.
The Air Mode feature allows you to give the lead vocals a bit of air. This makes vocals airy wherever required. If you don’t know what airy means, then listen to Room For Squares by John Mayer. It was the time when his voice was most airy and bright.
Next, at the back of the interface, you can see four more line inputs. These can be used to record line-level instruments, of which one example is synthesizers and keyboards. There is one MIDI I/O available to connect your favorite MIDI device straight to the interface.
Read the full focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio interface Review.
Alongside the line inputs, there are four Line levels outputs. These can be connected to external speakers to hear what is coming out of the interface. Furthermore, you can hear the sound coming out of the interface by connecting headphones. There are two headphone inputs given with dedicated control knobs. You can locate it on the front side of the interface.
The audio quality is very good and comparable to what you get on some of the best high-end audio interfaces. Sampling is also very at par with what you expect from a $500 interface.
DRAWBACKS
The drawback that I feel is that the volume knob on the front makes it a little less accessible. Maybe having the volume knobs on the top of the interface would have been good. The second drawback is that there is no display to see what your gain levels are. However, the colors on the gain knobs try to tackle the same problem in a cheap and not so informative way.
Final words!
Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 is a good interface to a bigger and expansive upgrade. Knowing how many inputs and outputs you require and what type of environment you work in is, in turn, a great factor to consider. But for solo artists and for artists who collaborate on a small scale or once in a while, it is a great purchase.
Best Audio Interfaces Under $400
Finally, it time to talk about the best audio interfaces under $400.
3) PreSonus Studio 68c
PRODUCT FEATURES
- 6 inputs/6 outputs,
- 2 mic/instrument/line inputs with XMAX Class A mic preamps,
- 2 mic/line inputs with XMAX Class A mic preamps,
- 1 stereo headphone output,
- 2 balanced ¼” TRS main outputs,
- 2 balanced ¼” TRS line outputs for monitor mixing,
- MIDI In/Out,
- Stereo SPDIF digital I/O,
- Direct monitoring,
- 2 headphone outputs,
- Front-panel level controls for main outputs,
- True +48V phantom power for condenser microphones,
- 6 ladder-style LED level meters,
- USB-C compatible,
- 24-bit resolution,
- 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 and 192 kHz sampling rates,
- Windows/MAC compatible.
DESCRIPTION
PreSonus Studio 68c can make your life a little easier when you start collaborating on a small scale. There is everything in this little audio interface.
A Deeper Analysis
There are two mics/line/ instrument inputs on the front panel of the PreSonus Studio 64C. These inputs are great for recording anything: vocals, Hi-Z instruments, simple line level instruments, or your favorite samplers. To drive the point home, you can plug any microphone or instrument like bass guitar or keyboard into these inputs.
Similarly, on the backside of the interface, two Mic/Line inputs can be located. These two inputs are not suitable for your Hi-Z inputs. But, they serve the purpose of connecting two more mics and line-level instruments. In addition, all four of the Mic inputs are phantom powered(+48V). It means you can record any type of microphone(condenser or dynamic) on it.
Related: Best audio interfaces for Shure SM7B!
Next, the output ports are kind of basic audio interface stuff, but they are enough. They serve the purpose of connecting to your studio monitors. There are also two line-outs for the same purpose. In addition, you will find a single headphone input to get the audio output of the tracks you have just made. And that too with a dedicated control knob.
Another handy feature is the LCD metering Display. It serves the same purpose as the LCD meter display of PreSonus Studio 1824c. And shows which of your signals are clipping and checks if anyone is under the radar. Based on these readings, you can easily switch the gain up or down.
The recording and sound quality are crystal clear as the interface operates at 192 kHz. Not to forget, professional-grade XMAX mic preamps make sure that every harmonic is recorded in utmost detail. Actually, to be honest, I am impressed with the PreSonus Preamps.
The XMAS Preamps make this interface a very good deal in the price range of slightly over $300.
DRAWBACKS
- The built quality is not the greatest of all especially when you compare it with that of MOTU M4.
- The mixes can be monitored only in Mono and not in Stereo(Big drawback).
- The drivers may cause issues, sometimes.
FINAL WORDS!
The PreSonus Studio 68c provides well-rounded performance. The audio interface is made of good quality and firm plastic. The sound card and the mic preamps deliver exceptional quality. Lastly, the monitoring metering makes a recording for solo artists a hell lot smooth.
[Also check: Top 7 best Audio Interfaces Under $400 – The only List you need to see!]
Best Audio Interfaces Under $300
Now, under a $300 dollars budget, you can still find some feature-loaded audio interfaces. Here are some of them.
4) Roland Rubix 44 USB Audio Interface
PRODUCT FEATURES
- inputs-4,outputs-4,
- 4 Mic/line inputs,
- 2 Hi-Z Guitar inputs,
- 4 Mic Pre-amps,
- One MIDI I/O available,
- 4 Stereo Speaker/Monitor o/p,
- 1 headphone output,
- Dedicated Monitor Controls,
- +48V phantom power for condenser microphones,
- 24-bit resolution,
- 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 96 kHz, 192 kHz sampling rate,
- Adapter powered,
- Windows/MAC compatible.
click to view price of Roland Rubix 44 USB Audio Interface on amazon
DESCRIPTION
You are getting sure short of after getting the Roland Rubix 44 assurance of great quality audio interface. The Rubix 44 is made up of superior-grade metal and a matt finish front panel. The interface is quite handy to use with a small to medium-sized band.
Now, let’s dive a little deeper.
A Deeper Analysis
There are four Mic/line inputs, out of which two are Hi-Z inputs. There is enough headroom space to capture any instrument with great sound quality, harmonic retention, and utmost precision. Also, a MIDI I/O port is available at the back of this budget audio interface to plug one of your MIDI instruments. The phantom power makes sure that the interface can adapt to any interface, be it condenser or dynamic.
Furthermore, the mic preamps make less to no distortion or noise. The audio quality is quite warm and of high definition at 24 bits and 192KHz sampling rate. Rubix 44 is equipped with compressor/limiters on inputs 1/2 and 3/4, ensuring signals do not clip and ensure no distortion.
There is no LCD to monitor gain level, but the colored strips and knobs let you know when the signal is clipping. Red means the signal is clipping, while the green color indicates everything is good.
Lastly, the interface contains all the basic features like one headphone port, different sampling rates, windows/ Mac/ Ipad compatible, and dedicated monitor controls.
DRAWBACKS
- The size and weight makes the Rubix 44 not so portable.
- Less inputs available.
- No LCD for input gain monitoring.
FINAL WORDS!
There is nothing fancy about Rubix 44. It is just a regular budget audio interface with four inputs and four outputs. But what makes it different is the manner in which everything is done. Be it design, color, or adding compressors. However, a heavyweight and not so compact dimension makes it a little less portable. In this case, it is best to rest it on your studio desk.
5) MOTU M4 USB-C Audio Interface
Now, it is time to discuss my all-time favorite Motu M4.
PRODUCT FEATURES
- Inputs-4,Outputs-4,
- 2 Mic/line/Hi-Z inputs,
- 4 Mic Pre-amps,
- 2 Balanced 1/4-inch line inputs,
- 4x balanced 1/4-inch TRS out
- One MIDI I/O available,
- 4 Stereo balanced Speaker/Monitor o/p,
- 1 headphone output with a gain knob,
- LCD Display for metering,
- Dedicated Monitor Controls,
- +48V phantom power for condenser microphones,
- 24-bit resolution,
- 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 96 kHz, 192 kHz sampling rate,
- USB-C powered,
- Windows/MAC compatible.
click to view price of MOTU M4 on amazon
DESCRIPTION
The MOTU M4 is what a premium interface looks like. Being premium, it also feels a lot strong in terms of its built quality. Trust me when I say it is not of your standard audio interface. The Audio quality remains clear, and speed & metering levels fast.
Notable features include high sampling rates, a well-defined dynamic range, and compatibility with most of the DAWs. The mic gain range goes to 115 dB and the dynamic range till 120 dB.
A Deeper Analysis
The Motu M4 has a clean and top-class audio quality for a price under $300. It feels rugged while still managing to look great. The latency is quite low & audio, metering, and speed levels are great. It is actually one of the best audio interfaces for home studio setups as it requires less space and can fit most of your instruments.
It is certainly one of the Best Audio Interfaces under $500.
The preamps recordings are quite clear and without any slightest distortion. The latency is quite low and you can immediately monitor your inputs with high precision. The MOTU M4 is the only audio interface in its class with a full-color LCD. It features a clear, detailed level meter for all inputs and outputs.
In addition, you will see a lot of buttons, ports, and gain knobs on the MOTU M4.
On the front panel of the interface, there are two mic/line/Hi-Z inputs. I have tested them myself & let me tell you, they sound amazing. Take it from me; they are the best among all the top budget audio interfaces you’ll come across. There are two buttons that you’ll see. These are for turning on/off either the direct monitoring feature or the phantom power. Direct monitoring lets you listen to your sound while you are singing in a microphone. And the phantom power gives you enough variety on which type of microphone you sing in. In short, phantom power is used to power condenser microphones.
A quite useful feature that most of the best budget interfaces lack is the LCD display for metering the input gain levels. It makes life so much easier. It is simply because you don’t have to go to your daw to check for individual inputs and see which one is clipping.
Selecting one of the best audio interfaces under $500 is a tough decision to make but not when there are competitors like MOTU M4.
DRAWBACKS
The downside of the MOTU M4 is that it may cause certain systems to crash, sometimes. Another pitfall I read on Amazon was that the output signals may fall. In this case, you need to reset the whole device and connect again with your DAW. A very bad thing to happen when you are in the studio wanting to make music.
FINAL WORDS!
M4 is a great interface for anyone looking for supreme built quality under $500. It has got everything that one can expect from a budget interface. It is portable, has LCD metering, enough ports to fit all your home studio equipment of a solo artist who collaborates once in a while.
6) Audient EVO 8
PRODUCT FEATURES
- 4 inputs/4 outputs,
- 4 Mic/line/instrument inputs,
- 1 Hi-Z Guitar ¼” TRS input,
- 2 Stereo Speaker/Monitor o/p,
- 4 EVO Pre-amps,
- 2 headphone outputs,
- Smart Gain(automatic gain setting),
- Direct monitoring,
- +48V phantom power for condenser microphones,
- USB-C compatible,
- 24-bit resolution,
- 96 kHz sampling rate,
- Windows/MAC compatible.
click to view price of Audient EVO 8 on amazon
DESCRIPTION
Looking for a small and portable audio interface that has every modern feature. One such interface is the EVO 8. The EVO 8 is among the list of top-rated audio interfaces under 20000INR. You can certainly do many things on this little piece of budget audio interface for under $200. Be it recording vocals, connecting line level and Hi-Z inputs, headphones, or studio monitors, the EVO 8 can handle it all.
A Deeper Analysis
One great feature of EVO 8 is the smart gain control which sits right on the top of the interface. It analyses input signals and assigns proper gain levels so that input doesn’t clip or underperform. A very useful feature when you’re in a rocking mood. It sets gain automatically and avoids clipping.
The four EVO mic preamps offer you a gain range of 58dB. On the other hand, the high-performance converters offer a range up to 113 dB. There are four Mic/line/instrument inputs & one Hi-Z input. The size of the Evo 8 makes it portable enough to carry it on tours. I read on amazon that it is not a great interface for live performance. But in your home studio, you can definitely have a chance to sit.
The sound quality is where it lacks. The difference is not huge but enough while comparison. I have compared it to multiple audio interfaces and the audio quality seems a bit off.
DRAWBACKS
- The body is not made up of very high grade plastic. You can feel it and thats the problem.
- Audio quality lacks when compared to MOTU M2, Focusrite Scarlett or Presonus audio interfaces.
FINAL WORDS!
The Audient EVO 8 is an audio interface suited best for beginners and in some cases solo artists. I don’t think it is what I will purchase given the range of options I have. However, some of the features and its portability makes Audient EVO 8 an attractive catch.
Also check: Hand-picked audio interfaces under $200 great in sound quality and overall features.
7) Focusrite SCARLETT 2I2 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface
it’s finally time to have a look at the one of the most successful audio interface.
PRODUCT FEATURES
- Inputs-2,Outputs-2,
- 2 Mic/line/Hi-Z/instrument inputs,
- 2 Mic Pre-amps,
- One MIDI I/O available,
- 2 Stereo Speaker/Monitor o/p,
- 1 headphone output,
- No LCD Display for metering,
- Direct Monitoring Available,
- +48V phantom power for condenser microphones,
- 24-bit resolution,
- 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 96 kHz, 192 kHz sampling rate,
- USB-C powered,
- Windows/MAC compatible.
click to view price of Focusrite SCARLETT 2I2 3rd Gen on amazon
DESCRIPTION
Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 was the first-ever audio interface that I bought. It had been an awesome interface throughout my early years of music production. I still think that it is one of the best audio interfaces under $100. I am not the only one saying this, but millions of producers who have used 2i2 in their music journey would agree.
INPUTS & OUTPUTS
First of all, it has got everything that a new music producer would require. There are 2 Mic/Line/Hi-Z inputs on the front side of the audio interface. Both are phantom power as well as suitable for playing Hi-Z instruments like bass guitars or electric guitars. Next, you have a direct monitoring feature to listen to what goes into the microphones. Since the inputs are phantom powered, you can use any microphone of your choice. It can be any condenser or dynamic microphone.
Furthermore, there is one headphone o/p to listen to what comes out of the instrument with a dedicated volume control knob. The design is very well thought of and portable making it very good for tours. Make music while you tour. Perfect!
On the rear side, there are not much to it. You can see only two Line outputs to hear the audio coming out of the audio interface on a speaker or professional studio monitor.
Read the full Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd gen Review Here.
One of the feature that you see in Focusrite Scarlett is the Air Mode. Focusrite mentioned that the Air Mode gives your vocal recording a space to breath and adds roominess. Is it true? Well, Yes. After trying it myself, I do find it a cool effects that a music producer can sprinkle here and there in the mix.
FINAL WORDS!
All in all, Focusrite 2i2 is a small, compact and portable audio interface while still being loaded with enough features that make life easier for Beginner artists or producers.
For whom is the Focusrite 2i2 best suited?
My answer: For anyone who is starting on their music journey/career. And someone ready for tiny collabs!
DRAWBACKS
One thing that could have been better is the placement of knobs. For better accessibilty, I think, having knobs on the top side of the interface would have been better like M-audio has.
Second drawback there is no display that tells you what your gain levels are. One can observe the gain levels in DAW, but having a display can make things quicker when working with a band.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, these were the best audio interfaces under $500. All these audio interfaces are great in their own ways. While some of the audio interfaces can get the whole band together, other simply are portable & aimed towards solo artists.
Which interface is best suited for you depends solely on your work environment and future aims. Now is the time; choose wisely. Lastly, I’d love to hear recommendations from you. Please drop a comment suggesting your list of Best audio Interfaces under $500 or above it.
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