Published on this page in the GuitarFella archive — what our editors chose at the time, not a lab test.
Last Updated: November-12-2018
As we move closer to winter, we decided to refresh our sub-$200 audio interface article. We tweaked the content of our buyer’s guide, as well as added two new models well worth your attention – there’s our new chart leader, the Audient iD4, and the versatile Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD.
Whatever level you are at in your production career, having an audio interface in your home studio is a must. It’s the easiest way to plug in a guitar and mic, and record music and vocals without spending a large amount of money on equipment.
Having a good interface is even more important. In this article we are taking a look at the best audio interfaces you can find for under $200. We have put together a chart of our favorite models that cost less than two hundred bucks, as well as a brief buyer’s guide, to show you what you can expect from a
good audio interface in this range. Let’s get started!
8 Best Audio Interfaces Under $200
What to Expect from Audio Interfaces Under $200
While the differences between
budget audio interfaces (those under $100) and the sub-$200 models on this page may be very subtle, there certainly is a difference. This difference can mean a lot if you are serious about recording good music.
Entry-level models have their advantages (mainly the fact that they are cheap!), but let’s take a look at some of the benefits of moving up to this slightly higher price range:
Better Connectivity
One of the first improvements you will see in this segment of the market is connectivity. In most circumstances, cheaper interfaces will offer a basic selection of inputs and outputs. This usually translates to just one or two inputs, paired with a single output.
As you move into the $200 range, this tends to change. Two inputs are standard while you will often see additional dedicated inputs for microphone and instrument lines (sometimes up to four). This is also the price range where you will find MIDI connections allowing you to easily connect
MIDI keyboard controllers and other gear with no fuss.
There will usually also be a slightly wider selection of output options. Some brands offer quad TRS outputs divided into stereo mode, some offer a complement of RCA outputs, while some offer both. Depending on how elaborate your recording rig is, having a variety of outputs can make a real difference.
Better Preamps
The quality of the vocals you record more or less depends on how good the microphone preamps in your interface are. The good news is that the preamps in units found in the $200 segment of the market are much more comparable to higher-end
$500 audio interfaces than they are to $100 devices.
From this, you are looking at a much higher level of sound quality as well as more transparency. Transparency can be explained as the ability of a preamp to have zero influence on the sound of a microphone. Whether or not completely transparent preamps exist is a topic of discussion for another day, but the preamps in the models on our chart offer a higher level of transparency compared to budget interfaces.
Improved Software Support
One of the more underestimated aspects of shopping for an audio interface is the software that comes with the device. Needless to say, software and software integration is crucial if you want everything to run smoothly. Even the most affordable interfaces come with some kind of DAW. These are usually the most basic versions (sometimes demos, sometimes ‘lite’ versions) but they tend to get the job done, at least for new users.
As you approach the $200 mark, that choice of software tends to become much more intricate. For starters, you get a very decent selection of DAWs in this range, while some models will come with more than one DAW (choice is good!). You will also find more supporting content that features a plethora of plug-ins, effects and other goodies to help you make good music. The benefits of this is that you won’t have to deal with integration and compatibility issues down the line.
The Final Word
There we have it – you should now be more clued up on what a $200 audio interface can offer you and what some of the best models in this range are. Of course, there are many others available on the market so have a browse, but our chart represents the best of the best (in our opinion).
Whatever you settle for, good luck with your new audio interface – may it lead to many years of happy recording!