Don't buy these audio interfaces. Get these instead.
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the speaker reviews various audio interfaces, recommending some while advising against others based on factors like noise levels, build quality, and value for money. Interfaces like the Behringer UM2 and Audient EVO4 are discouraged due to issues with noise and functionality, respectively. Instead, alternatives such as the MRA Solo and Focusrite Scarlett series are suggested. The video also highlights the importance of considering individual needs when choosing an audio interface, with a focus on user experience and practicality.
Takeaways
- 🚫 The Behringer UM2 is not recommended due to its noise issues, lack of driver support, and poor build quality.
- 🔍 As an alternative to the UM2, the MRA Solo is suggested for its better performance.
- ⚠️ Avoid the first and second generation Focusrite Scarlett Solo interfaces; opt for the third or fourth generation instead.
- 🔄 The Scarlett Solo has a single knob that controls multiple functions, which can be inconvenient for some users.
- 💰 The Scarlett 2i2 is not recommended due to its high price relative to other high-quality interfaces like the ID4 Mark I and SSL 2.
- ❌ The Audient EVO4 is not recommended because of EMI issues and a single knob that controls all functions, leading to confusion and slower operation.
- 🔊 The AudiBox Go has issues with stepping and weak headphone amps, making it less desirable.
- 📱 The Sure MVI is not practical with its phone-like interface and heavy weight, not recommended for most users.
- 🔌 Interfaces like the ID4 Mark II, Baby Face Pro, SSL2, and M2 are recommended for their quality and features.
- 🚫 The Zoom AM22 is a good travel interface but may not be suitable for everyone due to its preamps similar to the Zoom H5 and H6.
- 💻 If you own a PC, avoid the Apollo Twin due to compatibility and driver issues; for Mac users, consider the cost of additional plugins before purchasing.
Q & A
Which audio interface does the speaker not recommend and why?
-The speaker does not recommend the Behringer UM2 due to its noise issues, lack of driver support, and poor build quality.
What is suggested as an alternative to the Behringer UM2?
-The MRA Solo is suggested as an alternative to the Behringer UM2.
What are the issues with the Focusrite Solo and 2i2 according to the speaker?
-The speaker advises avoiding the first and second generations of the Focusrite Solo and 2i2 due to unspecified issues, and recommends considering other interfaces due to their pricing and features.
Why does the speaker find the Scarlet Solo's design annoying?
-The speaker finds the Scarlet Solo's design annoying because the same knob controls both headphone volume and monitor output, which they find inconvenient.
What are the recommended alternatives to the Scarlet 2i2?
-The recommended alternatives to the Scarlet 2i2 are the ID4 Mark I, the SSL 2, the Volt 276, the Volt 2, and the M2m2.
What issues does the speaker have with the Audient EVO4?
-The speaker has issues with the Audient EVO4 due to EMI problems and a single knob that controls all volume levels, which they find confusing and slow.
Why is the AudioBox Go not recommended by the speaker?
-The AudioBox Go is not recommended due to stepping issues with dynamic microphones and weak headphone amps.
What is the main issue with the Sure MVI according to the speaker?
-The main issue with the Sure MVI is its deceptive weight and impractical design for adjusting gain.
Which interfaces does the speaker recommend for those looking for a good audio interface?
-The speaker recommends interfaces such as the ID4 Mark II, Baby Face Pro, SSL2, M2, Zoom F3, Zoom F6, and Motu M2.
Why does the speaker advise against purchasing the Apollo Twin for PC users?
-The speaker advises against the Apollo Twin for PC users due to compatibility and driver support issues, suggesting that the manufacturers do not prioritize Windows users.
What is the speaker's view on the value of the Apollo Twin for Mac users?
-The speaker believes that the Apollo Twin is not worth the investment for Mac users due to the continuous need to purchase additional plugins, which can significantly increase the overall cost.
Outlines
🔊 Audio Interface Recommendations and Cautions
The speaker discusses various audio interfaces, recommending some and advising against others based on their features and performance. The Behringer UM2 is not recommended due to its noise, lack of driver support, and poor build quality, with the MRA Solo suggested as a better alternative. The Focusrite Solo is praised but with a warning to avoid the first two generations. The Scarlet Solo 2i2 is criticized for its high price relative to better options like the ID4 Mark I, SSL 2, and the Volt 276. The Audient EVO4 is not recommended due to EMI issues and a confusing single-knob control system.
🚫 Interfaces to Avoid and Portable Options
The script continues with a list of interfaces not recommended for purchase, including the Audibox Go for its stepping issues and weak headphone amps, and the Sure MVI for its deceptive weight and impractical controls. The Zoom AM22 is presented as a potentially good travel interface despite some noise concerns, but it's noted that personal preference may vary. The speaker also recommends several interfaces such as the ID4 Mark II, Baby Face Pro, SSL2, M2, and the Zoom F3 and F6, while advising against the Apollo Twin, especially for PC users due to compatibility issues and the cost of additional plugins.
💰 The Cost of Audio Interfaces and Value for Money
The final paragraph emphasizes the importance of considering the total cost of ownership when choosing an audio interface, particularly criticizing the Apollo Twin for its high price and the need to continually purchase plugins. The speaker suggests that the value of money is not well-spent on the Apollo Twin and recommends looking into other interfaces that offer a complete package without additional costs. The summary concludes by reiterating the importance of narrowing down the options to find the best fit for one's needs and budget.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Audio Interface
💡Behringer UM2
💡Focusrite
💡Preamps
💡EMI Issues
💡AudioBox Go
💡Sure MVI
💡Zoom AM22
💡Apollo Twin
💡Plugins
💡Baby Face Pro
Highlights
Behringer UM2 is not recommended due to its noise, lack of driver support, and poor build quality.
MRA Solo is suggested as an alternative to the Behringer UM2.
Focusrite Solo is a good interface but avoid the first and second generations.
Scarlet Solo is recommended over the Scarlet 2i2 due to price competition with other interfaces.
Scarlet 2i2 is not recommended because of its high price compared to other superior interfaces.
Audient EVO4 is not recommended due to EMI issues and a single knob controlling multiple functions.
AudioBox Go is not recommended because of its stepping issues and weak headphone amps.
Sure MVI is not recommended due to its deceptive weight and impractical gain adjustment.
Interfaces such as the ID4 Mark II, Baby Face Pro, SSL2, and M2 are recommended.
Zoom AM22 is a great travel interface despite concerns about noise.
Apollo Twin is not recommended for PC users due to compatibility and driver issues.
Apollo Twin's continuous need for purchasing plugins makes it an unfavorable choice.
SSL2 is a viable alternative to the Apollo Twin for Mac users without the need for additional plugins.
Interfaces like the Volt 276, ID4 Mark II, Baby Face Pro, Zoom F3, Zoom F6, and Motu M2 are recommended.
Scarlet Solo's single knob for headphone and monitor volume is a potential annoyance.
Scarlet Solo 2i2's price is dangerously close to other superior interfaces, making it a poor choice.
Zoom AM22's preamps are similar to the Zoom H5 and H6, but the interface is still recommended for travel.
Transcripts
hey guys wanted to go ahead and do a
variation of a video I did earlier but
this is going to be but these are
there's a lot of good interfaces here
and interfaces I don't recommend but
what I'm going to do is just narrow it
down so it's a lot easier for anyone
who's looking to check out an interface
all right so let's narrow it down this
is the baringer um2 um people are
attracted to this because they like the
price of it uh go ahead and cross this
out of your list because this is not a
good interface and I'll talk about why
so the first reason is that it's B
basically it's very noisy very noisy the
second is that the drivers are not
supported third the build quality is
very bad on this interface so instead of
getting the Behringer um2 what you
should get instead is actually the MRA
solo which I would recommend so that
narrows down and removes one audio
interface out of your search okay the
next interface I want to talk about and
uh I'm just going to say this uh but
just note just hear me out before I
actually point this out this is the
Focus right solo so I want to talk about
a few things this is a good interface
however you do need to know a few things
you want to avoid the well in my opinion
I think you should but it's all up to
you the first gen you want to avoid the
first generation and the second
generation I don't think is as good so
you want to go for the third or fourth
generation so why that's the first thing
I want to say now P you might ask what
is the difference between the solo and
and the 2i2 well the solo has one it's
the preamps are the same between both of
them but there is one small little
difference that might um be an issue for
you uh aside from the fact that it's one
input or two input you should know that
with the Scarlet solo this knob here on
the solo is the same knob that changes
your headphone volume and your monitors
that for me is kind of like annoying so
that's just something you should
consider um but aside from that the solo
is solid what I don't recommend is
getting the Scarlet solo 2i2 and I'll
explain the problem with the Scarlet
solo 2i2 is that it's pretty dangerously
priced to a lot of other great
interfaces things like the id4 Mark I
the SSL 2 The Volt 276 The Volt 2 the M
2m2 which is recording right now so I
don't recommend the Scarlet 2i2 instead
I recommend getting those interfaces
instead because the price is so close to
those and you're better off spending
that extra $3 $40 that get those
interfaces instead so that basically so
I'm not saying you shouldn't get a
Scarlet solo tour to I'm just saying
avoid this and consider the parameters
regarding that which will narrow down
your search a little bit and perhaps
consider you for these other interfaces
instead all right next interface I want
to talk about um for me this is a
crossout I don't recommend this
interface this is the audient evo4 um I
used to love this interface until it's
let me down many times so the first
issue is that it has Emi issues
and this is a
mouse this is Wi-Fi access
point what that means is if you have a
cell phone or anything with Bluetooth
around it you're going to get a lot of
noise on it um yes the answer might be
well just don't have that around your
interface that's true but most most
other well bit interfaces don't have
that issue but the the most glaring
problem for me is just more of a problem
a me problem not a you problem but it's
something you should know the problem is
that this one interface this one knob
controls everything this one knob
controls your microphone volume your
headphone volume your transition from
Daw to um you know microphone your it
controls everything and that's actually
really bad because when it's actually
well it's bad because it's this one
thing and it'll confuse you but second
of all it's not faster right so because
you're literally going through kind of
like a menu system here and then you
you're kind of going like this and
you're kind of changing that you're
going like this and it's a menu it's
slower it's much faster in my opinion if
you have individual knobs sorry where
you have an individual knob for you know
your your volume for your microphone for
the speakers for your headphones this is
faster so I'd argue that this just is
this just has problems in that this one
knob has problems and I have a much more
extensive detailed review on why I don't
like like this interface in another
review in my one of my videos but uh I
don't recommend the Evo for so to me in
a way um you can actually crosses out of
your search in my opinion I wouldn't get
this so that narrows it down the
interfaces are getting better or or I
think so okay next interface I would
cross out this is the audio box go uh I
bought this because when it first came
out it was actually super portable
that's why it was called Audi box go it
was actually really portable at the size
and at the time that it was released it
was one of the smallest interfaces I've
ever seen I was like oh my God I get got
to get that until just a few few months
later they came out with zoom came out
with the zoom
am22 but in my opinion this interface
has some issues um the first is it has
stepping issues that means if you use so
I don't recommend using a dynamic
microphone with this um with this
particular uh audio interface that means
if you use something like an
xm8500 um your volume will be really low
from all the way up and then when you
get to around 10 your volume will crank
up so you're in a situation where your
volume is too quiet or it's too loud
there's no in between no transition
whereas other interfaces don't have that
issue the other problem too is that if
you use something like an hd6xx and
you're listening with headphones the
volume is very low on this very very
very low so the headphone amps are
pretty weak on this so I don't recommend
this um interface so obviously we're
narrowing narrowing it down next
interface I don't recommend is the sure
mvi I don't think this is a problem for
most people cuz I don't think anybody's
going to buy this in fact I bought this
used uh because it was just on a deal it
was like someone sold it for really
really cheap the problem with this
interface well the reason I bought it
was I like the portability of it but the
problem is this is actually pretty heavy
it's deceptively heavy like weighs very
like a brick the other thing too is if
you want to adjust gain or anything like
that you're doing it like this like a
phone and this is unnatural I just don't
think this is actually very practical so
to me this is out so we were really
cutting down the interfaces down um
where and the truth is these these are
all good these are the interface I
recommend which are the id4 Mark II the
baby face Pro the ssl2 the M M2 things
like that um but let's just keep going
down we'll talk about the zoom am22 I
love this interface but you might not
love it so when people review this
interface they're going to say oh it's
like noisy because it's just like cuz
this has the same preamps as the zoom H5
or the zoom H6 but I want to say
something it's not that bad very it's
honestly it's when you look at boot
Junk's old videos he's been doing fine
with the zoom H5 and zoom H6 and I
honestly think those are perfectly fine
you know there's no issues there but it
has those same preamps that being said I
love how this has a a gain knob for it
has a gain knob it has headphone volume
you have monitor infut outs it's one
input and it's very very lightweight and
portable if you want a travel interface
this is the way to go there are obvious
obviously questions saying the sure MV
2xu might be even better for the
interface I haven't checked that one out
but this is a really great travel
interface but this is kind of in the
yellow category where I like this but
you might not like it okay so that
narrows it down we're almost done um so
all of these interfaces I actually do
recommend which are the volt 276 the
ssl2 the id4 Mark II the baby face Pro
the zoom F3 the zoom F6 and the Motu M2
so where does that leave us well there's
one interface that's not here that I
don't have that I personally don't
recommend and uh you probably guessed it
it's the Apollo twin and let me explain
the and again this entire video is just
narrow things down for you let me make
it easy for you ask yourself a question
do you own a PC or do you own a Mac if
you own a PC the process is simple don't
buy an Apollo twin it won't work on your
computer or it's going to have or it'll
work it'll work but it won't work right
so that makes it very simple for you if
you own a PC don't get an Apollo twin
period trust me just if you have
questions just look online just type in
go on Discord you're going to find so
many people having problems with the
windows and Apollo twin they don't for
some reason the makers of the Apollo
twin they don't care about Windows
people that's just they're not like rme
who actually cares these guys when they
make drivers they actually care okay so
um if you own a PC and you want to go
endgame it's the baby face Pro or
honestly and this is a hot take just
stick with what you have you know like
your SSL 2 is fine for all professional
recordings that's perfectly fine you can
stop right there and you're done right
okay so but what if you do have a Mac
what if you do have a Mac should you
consider the Apollo twin honestly I'm
going to be honest with you no you
shouldn't buy it because you know what
you know how much an Apollo twin really
is worth it's actually really $2,000 or
more because what happens is most people
buy the Apollo twin but they don't just
stop there there's these plugins that
you have to keep buying they're about
$150 or
$300 and people just keep buying these
plugins it's kind of like DLC SE on
video games you know how people hate
that or like um subscriptions like like
uh where you got to keep buying and
buying I don't like that I don't like
where I have to keep buying and buying
and buying I want a oneandone interface
I buy it once and I'm done you know what
I mean so in my opinion that's a problem
the other issue is that and here's a hot
take you're screwed either way and let
me let me explain so you could say well
I'm not going to use any um I'm not
going to use any plugins I'm just going
to use it as it is well if you're not
going to use any plugins on your Apollo
twin you're no better off using an ssl2
in audio quality they're about the same
and we just extensive tests showing this
and I I've known this firsthand just
testing it out it's like it's not better
but if you get plugins you're screwed
because you're basically buying more
more and more you never see people stop
at one plugin they keep buying more and
more so either you're spending a lot of
money and you're wasting a lot of money
or you can afford to waste that amount
of money but in general like you never
see someone just buy one plugin and in
the end it's a $2,000 interface and I
would argue you'd get your dollar would
go much higher just buying a oneandone
deal so yeah that hopefully that narrows
it down and you get a sense of which
interfaces to avoid which ones to check
out and that narrows the pull down at
least up to as of today
Weitere ähnliche Videos ansehen
I Tested Best TWS Earbuds - Under 2000/- For You !
2 Best Wireless Earbuds under Rs.5000 ? OnePlus Buds 3 & Samsung Buds FE
A MELHOR BICICLETA ERGOMÉTRICA PARA USO DOMÉSTICO? GUIA COMPLETO DE COMPRA
What is the BEST TAPE SIMULATION PLUGIN?
ESP32 Audio Input Showdown: INMP441 vs SPH0645 MEMS I2S Microphones!
Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 & 250 Ohm Headphones
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)