I'm looking for good bang for the buck USB interfaces in 2021

[youngthrasher9]

I've been using a 2nd gen Scarlett 2i4 for the past couple of years, but in the past couple of months I've been diving headfirst into mic'ing my cabinet as opposed to direct recording. I need low or no latency, 4 XLR inputs minum, and decent durability. It's going to be used with a Dell i5 machine for the time being, into reaper. I have a reamp box, SM57's and I'm hoping to grab a few other mics at some point down the line.

 

[bigswifty]

If any 2 of those 4 inputs you need can be line inputs instead, then I can highly recommend the Motu M4.

 

[maggotspawn]

Behringer UMC404HD. I'm able to get lower latencies then my Focusrite Clarret 8Pre USB.
Built like a tank and sounds killer.

 

[binz]

Can also recommend the behringer umc ones, much lower noise compared to the steinberg (the only one I can compare to) and no complaints or anything! Defo best bang for buck among the low tier interfaces. Probably the same if not better than the others in the same price realm, but cheaper because less to no marketing and advertisement. (don't have any proficiency to say that's actually true though).

 

[Lukhas]

My UMC404HD has been a better performer than my previous Steinberg UR22 MKII. Sure it doesn't come with fancy software, but it's been solid for me, with a lot of hardware features you don't tend to find on other 4 channel interfaces, like a pad or a choice for Line or Inst level for every input. Go figure.

 

[youngthrasher9]

I actually forgot I posted this thread. Thank you for the replies! I checked out the Behringer UMC404HD and I think that takes the trophy. Who knows how long it’ll take to save the money on my super tight budget but I’m determined to make it happen.

 

[tyketheelephant]

There is a chart of the Round Trip Latency of most of the driver families available right now if you just google "round trip latency round up". The website is kailua music school and it documents several examples.
Drivers with lower round trip latency also tend to be much more stable at any given buffer size vs the slower drivers. They also eat less CPU and other resources, and are MUCH less prone to crashing and if you check DAWbench you will see that they can safely run many many more plugins at any given buffer size.The Motu M2/M4 are not on there yet but do use the same driver as the 896 MK3 that is listed.Regarding the Behringer stuff and interfaces in general: DO NOT EVER buy an interface without its own ASIO driver. If it says "ASIO4ALL" skip it. If it has no ASIO driver prominently listed and easily findable in their download section, skip it!Many of the Behringer interfaces work great (and use the same general drivers as the SSLs and Audients) HOWEVER you will often see people recommending the UMC22. DO NOT BUY THIS!!! It has no ASIO driver and shows ASIO4ALL on its download page. Spend the extra 20 dollars and get one of the units with an ASIO driver like the UMC202HDIf you want Focusrite, those are cool and lately are running around the same price as the similar Behringer units.If you want the very best performance under USB, as the chart shows, and as DAWBench shows with every test they do, its going to be RME.

 

[MrWulf]

I'd suggest Audient ID4 tbh. The Behringer is meh. The Audient ID4 has better converter, better mic pres, better software and support.

 

[ThisBrokenMachine]

Audient ID4 or ID14, it's the best choice at the moment imho

 

[nickgray]

There is a chart of the Round Trip Latency of most of the driver families available right now if you just google "round trip latency round up". The website is kailua music school and it documents several examples.

Hmm, seems like a crappy chart tbh. Doesn't even say if it's MacOS or Windows, plus most of the interfaces are old.

This is a way better source, for Windows at least:

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/mus...erface-low-latency-performance-data-base.html

Also, RTL alone is not the whole story, at low buffer sizes different cards can handle different amount of plugins before they start to crackle. Look at the RXC, CV, NCV benchmarks in the above link.

 

[pipelineaudio]

I'd suggest Audient ID4 tbh. The Behringer is meh. The Audient ID4 has better converter, better mic pres, better software and support.

Audient uses the same TheSycon.de drivers as behringer does. I wouldn't be surprised if it had better converters and mic pres though. But without any data backing it up, there's no reason to believe its true.

 

[pipelineaudio]

Hmm, seems like a crappy chart tbh. Doesn't even say if it's MacOS or Windows, plus most of the interfaces are old.

This is a way better source, for Windows at least:

https://www.gearslutz.com/board/mus...erface-low-latency-performance-data-base.html

Also, RTL alone is not the whole story, at low buffer sizes different cards can handle different amount of plugins before they start to crackle. Look at the RXC, CV, NCV benchmarks in the above link.

As stated in the chart, RTL is not the whole story nor did anyone claim it, HOWEVER, if you read the link you posted, or talk to Vin, or Jim Roseberry, there is an inescapable conclusion: The lower the RTL at a given buffer size, the more plugins that interface can handle before it starts to crackle. That's how the drivers shake out. The lower the RTL, the better written the drivers, the more plugins they can handle

Also, the Vin's forum posts (at least until they do the new 2021 site they alluded to on the last DAWBench podcast) requires a bit of digging, while my chart has stood there since forever and is easy and plain to see. While the interfaces are older, the driver families are kept up to date and new ones are added all the time when information actually changes.

If you ask Jim or Vin I would bet they will back me up on everything I said here

 

[ibenhad]

Probably more than you want to spend but this stuff is world class on all fronts IMHO.

https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/discrete-4-synergy-core/