The 8 Best Audio Interfaces for Audacity in 2022 (2023)

FAQs

What audio interface works with Audacity? ›

The perfect choice that you can make regarding audio interfaces for Audacity is Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd, Gen. Audio interfaces are primarily used with microphones, but you can also use them with other audio equipment. The Audacity software works perfectly with any platform or system you work with.

Many professional studios and live sound setups use larger Focusrite Pro units as audio interfaces. The two distinct divisions (Focusrite and Focusrite Pro) produce superb audio interfaces for the hobbyist/amateur and the professional, respectively.

In short, you can use your Focusrite interface with Audacity, but you will only be able to use the first two inputs and outputs. As OS X's inbuilt audio driver (Core Audio) is able to support multichannel input/output, Audacity will see all inputs and outputs of any Scarlett / Saffire / Clarett interface.

Audacity includes support for Microsoft's Windows DirectSound interface protocol. To use it, select "Windows DirectSound" as host in Device Toolbar. This will give support for multi-channel recording on some sound devices, but not the very low latencies that are possible on ASIO.

Direct Stream Digital is an uncompressed, high-resolution audio format. These files encode sound using pulse-density modulation. They are very large, with a sample rate as much as 64 times that of a regular audio CD, so they require top-of-the-line audio systems.

Build quality is an important factor when it comes to choosing an audio interface and Durability, reliability and feel are the key elements that people often look for in an interface. Interfaces with a metal chassis and knobs are ideal as they stand up better to knocks and bumps.

How much is a good audio interface? ›

Audio Interfaces Between $50 – $200

That being said, you'll often find these interfaces in small project studios of musicians and hobbyists and not necessarily in high-end professional studios.

The cheaper interfaces are going to provide you with more of the natural tone of your voice or instrument/amp. The more expensive interfaces are going to add more of what was described above… color, warmth, depth, etc. Another major difference is the number of inputs and outputs the interface has.

24-bit is the industry standard, although some audio interfaces still record at 16-bit. The higher the bit depth, the more accurate the digital recreation of the original analog source.

Audio interfaces do make a difference in the resulting audio. The quality of the converters is paramount for the final sound to be closer to the original analog waveform. There are many tricks you can pull off to make it sound decent, but there are no shortcuts you can take to bypass low-quality converters.

When push comes to shove, the Clarett beats the Scarlett with higher quality mic pres, expandability and audio specs. However, the Scarlett comes at a much cheaper price point.

With an Aggregate Device, you can use audio inputs and outputs from different devices at the same time with Logic Pro, GarageBand, MainStage, and most other Core Audio-compliant applications.

What audio plugins do professionals use? ›

It depends on what you are recording. If you are recording from a single microphone, that is a mono source, so there is not much point in recording a stereo track (unless you have some overriding reason to do so). If you are recording from a stereo cassette player then you will probably want to record in stereo.

If Audacity does not recognize the device, try exiting Audacity and relaunching it, or in current Audacity choose Transport > Rescan Audio Devices.

If you're looking to get started in podcasting or recording music, it's tough to go wrong with Audacity. A powerful, free, open-source audio editor that's been available for years, Audacity is still the go-to choice for quick-and-dirty audio work.

Do I need a mixer if I have an audio interface? Generally, you do not need a mixer if you already have an audio interface. The interface connects your microphones and instruments to your computer for recording. This way, you don't need any additional devices to connect your studio's components.

Playback support in Audacity is currently limited to stereo (2 channels), so all multi-channel recordings will be sent to your sound device in stereo.

What is the best audio format for sound quality? A lossless audio file format is the best format for sound quality. These include FLAC, WAV, or AIFF. These types of files are considered “hi-res” because they are better or equal to CD-quality.

What format do audiophiles use? ›

FLAC is long considered a standard by many audiophiles and is probably the most common of the lossless formats.

AVI (Audio Video Interleave) works with nearly every web browser on Windows, Mac, and Linux machines. Developed by Microsoft, AVI offers the highest quality but also large file sizes.

Only a 1-input audio interface is needed for recording one sound source at a time. For one musician but two sources e.g. vocals and guitar, 2 inputs are required. For a drum set, a minimum of 8 is recommended. A full band requires at least 8, going up to 16 if the band has a full drum set.

To sum up the article above, the average lifespan of the audio interface is 5 to 10 years. If you go for super cheap products, you may end up with less lifespan and the same rule goes vice versa where high-end products last approximately 10 years.

Having enough inputs and outputs for a recording session can be vital. Waiting to track something because you don't have an extra I/O can be killer when it comes to the momentum of the recording. So if you're recording drums for the first time and need more than your 4 mic preamps, it might be a good time to upgrade.

A professional interface is a highly specialised tool designed to help the user solve tasks as efficiently and productively as possible. Let's talk about the differences between professional tools and mass-use services in terms of UI design.

When it comes to audio interfaces, Universal Audio Apollo 8 is the one Billie prefers. It features a built-in digital signal processing (DSP), premium analog to digital conversion, and almost no latency when tracking. Thus, this audio interface was essential in the production process of her albums.

Expensive interfaces are better than cheap, yes. There are many reasons and it's not the thing that they "sound better". They have better converters = more detailed sound and more realistic sound = better processing, more revealing on monitors = better mixing...etc...

When it comes to audio interfaces, Universal Audio Apollo 8 is the one Billie prefers. It features a built-in digital signal processing (DSP), premium analog to digital conversion, and almost no latency when tracking. Thus, this audio interface was essential in the production process of her albums.

Are high-end audio interfaces worth it? ›

Expensive interfaces are better than cheap, yes. There are many reasons and it's not the thing that they "sound better". They have better converters = more detailed sound and more realistic sound = better processing, more revealing on monitors = better mixing...etc...

You'll seldom see the master mixer without his Sennheiser HD 660s headphones‎. He has an audio interface from Universal Audio, a brand he calls “one of the companies that allowed a lot of us to do things on the run.” Lil Wayne's productivity has become the thing of legend.

While Ariana also uses the Atlas MS-12 mic stand, this one has the tip that slims down at the top to fit her Shure microphone mic clip.

Of the three types of microphone designs, condenser mics generally offer the best high-frequency audio reproduction, which makes them the most common choice for capturing the nuances of voices. Their high-end response also allows them to better reproduce transients, the peaks at the beginning of a sound wave.

Build quality is an important factor when it comes to choosing an audio interface and Durability, reliability and feel are the key elements that people often look for in an interface. Interfaces with a metal chassis and knobs are ideal as they stand up better to knocks and bumps.

The cost of an audio interface depends on your needs. For beginner setup, you can find an interface below $200. An interface with advanced functions costs between $200 to $500.