Recording Interfaces in 2020: converters, preamps, I/O… what matters!?? Part 1

Universal Audio x8p

SO, this is the first “real” blog post… and I’ve been thinking about what to write about. There is so much to write about in the audio world that it was kind of hard to decide what to do first. There is analog gear, microphones, plugins, mic techniques, mixing techniques, and so on. Im sure I will touch on all of it eventually, but I want this blog to help fellow recording and mixing enthusiasts - I want to write about stuff I have significant experience with, and I want to write content that I would appreciate reading on my audio Journey. So here we go:

INTERFACES: My experience and recommendations

So many people just getting into the audio recording world ask about interfaces - which sounds best, has the best preamps, which connection type do i need, what about converters? etc. I want to share my experience and what I’ve learned, what I think are the most important things to consider when choosing an interface, and share a few general rules I have learned by trying and owning many different interfaces. This article will be a general overview of my thoughts about interfaces, and is called part 1 because I plan on getting into more specifics in another post. This particular article will be geared towards the guys and gals looking for their first interface, or want to upgrade from a cheaper entry level unit. It will also focus on interfaces with built in preamps and not stand alone converters. EVERYTHING about audio is subjective, so all of this is my opinion, and if you can, try any and all pieces of gear before you buy!

Oh how far we’ve come….

I remember my first interface, it was a Presonus Firebox (it cost about $150 or so) - it worked, but it was noisy in that it didn’t have a ton of clean gain. The preamps sounded a little thin, but it was comparable to other interfaces in its price range at the time (…2008 ish?). I was in college for music engineering/production at that time I owned it, so I was able to compare the Firebox directly to the audio coming out of a top-of-the-line (at the time) recording environment using a protools HD setup. It was night and day, the sound I was able to achieve at school absolutely DESTROYED the firebox.

Fast Forward to today…

The difference is not so drastic anymore. I still have all of the audio I recorded at school, I even have a couple of the same microphones, and to my ears - in 10 years, your average interface has gotten WAY BETTER. Can trained ears hear the difference between, say, a Focusrite Scarlett and a new Avid HD rig? Of course. But the difference now compared to 12 years ago is night and day, even entry level interfaces are capable of AMAZING recordings now - if you have a bit of creativity and skill. Blind tests have shown time and time again that even a Focusrite Scarlett sounds close enough to high end interfaces and preamps (on certain sources) that sometimes even the best ears cant tell the difference.

The moral of the story: Even mid tier interfaces today rival what some of the best stuff could achieve 10-15 years ago in terms of digital recording - think of how many great records were recorded on early digital interfaces! I am sure lots of your favourite records were recorded with roughly the same quality (in terms of digital conversion) you can find in many common interfaces today!

Bang for your Buck

In my experience, the biggest upgrade in audio quality (when speaking only about interfaces) you can make costs about $300-$500. What I mean by that is: you are going to hear a much more drastic change in sound quality going from a $100-$200 ish interface to an interface that is $500-$800 ish, than you will going from an $800 interface to a $4000 interface. As soon as you get into the mid-tier range of interfaces (think Focusrite Clarett, Audient Id22 or Id44, UA twin, RME products ect.), you should be confident you have a quality piece of equipment! Go create some amazing sounding records and be happy! That isn’t to say there are not sonic upgrades to be had beyond mid-tier (there definitely are!) but the law of diminishing returns applies, and you can absolutely record pro sounding tracks on these types of interfaces. So my advice is, if you can, jump right in to an interface around the $400-$500 and up mark and you should be able to find something that you can use confidently for a long time. THAT BEING SAID, the new Focusrite Scarlett interfaces sound fantastic, and if you own one, or you are looking for more inputs for your money, do not hesitate. I see many people on the audio forums worried that they cant get a “pro sound” unless they have interfaces/converters like an apogee symphony, a Universal Audio X 16, a Lynx Aurora, Burl etc. Its just not true, make the best out of what you have/can afford, and if you have the skill, it will show.

I often see people ask about converters, and the truth is that AD/DA Converter technology has come such a long way in such a short time that these new, pro-sumer interfaces are sounding better than ever. Many competing brands even use the same converter chips. The sound of an interface has much more to do with the preamps, clocking, and quality of components in the entire signal path than it does the converter chips used. If you are buying your first interface, or are looking to step up to a better interface, don’t worry too much about “how good are the converters?”.

Preamps and Components

The preamps in most entry to mid level interfaces are similar in that they are made to be transparent or “clean” sounding. They don’t add a ton of “color” to the sources you are recording (most “warmth” or “weight” in audio gear comes from harmonic distortion that components like tubes and transformer circuit’s provide, components that most interfaces do not employ). This can be both a blessing, and something you have to work around at the mix stage by adding saturation plugins, plugins that emulate analog gear, or ideally running your audio through real analog gear to give it that “color” or “warmth” that is missing in the preamps themselves. Certain types of music will work well with a “clean” sounding preamp, and certain types will need a little more mojo.

While many interfaces do have a similar approach to preamps in that they are meant to be transparent sounding, there are a few modern interfaces I have used that do have some very cool features, and a sound of their own:

Universal Audio’s Apollo interfaces use something called Unison Technology. Unison essentially emulates classic and modern analog preamps using both hardware and software technology. On the hardware side, the interface will switch the impedance of its preamp to match that of the real preamp it is emulating. This allows the preamp to interact with the microphone that is connected in the same way that the real unit would. On the software side, Universal Audio has emulated the circuitry of the real preamps, and along with it the harmonic distortion/saturation, frequency response, and general character of the real gear. The result is a convincing recreation of classic preamps, and with so many to choose from (purchase!), the Apollo’s are probably the most versatile interfaces on the market in terms of sound variety.

Focusrite’s Clarett interfaces are generally pretty clean, but they have an “AIR” function that also switches the impedance on the preamp, and adds some harmonic saturation. On certain sources I have loved the “AIR” sound - Drums (especially toms and snare), certain vocals, and acoustic guitar. Other sources I prefer it turned off, but It is a great addition to an already excellent sounding interface.

Audient preamps, to me, seem to have a certain weight and punch to them that is unique compared to most interface preamps. Definitely a pleasing sound. They seem to sound a bit more “analog” than most of the “clean” interface preamps you hear. Overall I loved the sound of my Audient interface!

What Should I Buy?

Honestly, buy any modern interface from a reputable company and you will be fine. Universal Audio, Focusrite, Audient, RME, Motu, Presonus etc. They all make good interfaces - especially the newest ones. The biggest things to consider are:

Connector: does my computer have a USB or Thunderbolt port, or both? This alone will limit your selection. If you have Thunderbolt, go for a Thunderbolt Interface for the best possible latency!

I/O: how many mic preamps will i need? how many line level inputs will i need for external preamps, compressors, EQ’s etc? how many outputs do I need for driving things like headphone amps, and sending audio to external gear? Do i want to expand my interface eventually through ADAT?

I think these should be the top priorities when considering an interface. If you are new to recording, or are about to buy your first interface, here are some recommendations. These are interfaces that I have experience with, will give you a great, professional sound, and that I can recommend without hesitation:

Focusrite Clarett Interfaces

Many people look at the Focusrite Scarlett when buying their first interface, and for good reason. The price is right, and the current versions sound better than ever. They are capable of great sounding audio. However, if you can save a bit of extra cash and make the jump to a Clarett, I highly recommend it! The reason being is that, to my ears, the step up in audio quality is noticeable enough to warrant the modest price difference. You get the AIR preamp switch, which adds a nice sheen and presence to the sound - essentially a slight boost to the high end and subtle saturation that can sound pleasing on certain sources. The Software that ships with the Clarett is very stable and I have never had an issue with it. The other reason I would try to save for a Clarett if possible, is that It Has great options for expanding your setup down the road. The conversion and preamps will fit right in to any new setup you get if you ever decide to upgrade, and with an ADAT port, you have options. I personally jumped into the Universal Audio X series and my Clarett still gets used all of the time when I need extra channels. The preamps stack up very nicely with the Apollo x8p preamps and my outboard pres as well. Take a look at the many versions of the Clarett series and find which one suits your needs best!

Audient Interfaces

Audient preamps sound great. The Company says that they use the same preamps in their interfaces as they do in their consoles, and after hearing them I believe it. For all of the same reasons I recommend saving a little extra for the boost in sound quality with the Clarett, the same can be applied to the Audient. The sound of Audient pres is a different color compared to the Clarett. I would describe it as a little punchier in the transients with a little more low mid heft. You cant go wrong with an Audient Interface.

Universal Audio

I currently run an x8p as my main I/O, and I couldn’t be happier. The versatility you get with the Unison models is unmatched. Even the stock preamps with no unison activated sound great. UA’s Twin and x4 interfaces use the same preamps as their rack mount counterparts, which is why I would recommend the UA twin or x4 as an amazing first interface, and the Rack mount units if you are looking for an upgrade. There are a lot of other bells and whistles that come with UA interfaces, but we’ll save that for another post. Just trust if you decide to go the UA route, you will not be disappointed.

Well that’s it for now, thanks for reading. If anyone has any questions regarding anything I write about feel free to shoot me an E-mail on my contact page. Thanks!