The “just buy the 2i2” advice is older than my dog, and it’s still wrong
Related: Best Audio Interface With MIDI: Keyboards and Synths, Connected
Focusrite’s marketing will tell you the Scarlett Solo is the perfect first interface. I bought that lie in 2019, returned it within a month, and I’ve been telling everyone the same thing ever since: just buy the 2i2. I’ve been recording for ten years now, through four interfaces and one very patient 65-pound lab mix named Gus who sleeps on my cable bin while I fight with drivers. The Solo taught me the most important lesson in this whole hobby, and it wasn’t about gain staging.
Here’s the short version before I get into the weeds: most audio interface buying mistakes are not about specs. They’re about inputs, drivers, and honest expectations. I’ve made all of them so you don’t have to.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen
Check price
The 3rd Gen is the default recommendation for a reason.
The headphone amp still won’t drive 250-ohm cans
Audient iD14 MkII
Check price
The preamps on the Audient are the cleanest at this price.
Clunky software you’ll touch once
Behringer UMC204HD
~$97.98
At ~$79, the Behringer costs less than a pizza with delivery.
Plastic build, wobbly knobs, feels disposable
Universal Audio Volt 2
Check price
The 3rd Gen is the default recommendation for a reason.
The headphone amp still won’t drive 250-ohm cans
How I test, and what I won’t pretend to know
I’ve been recording for ten years. My current setup is a 4th Gen Scarlett Solo with an SM7B, and yes, I need the Cloudlifter, and yes, it annoys me every single day. I test the way sessions demand: 40-plus hours of recording, preamp gain staging against a real ribbon mic, latency checks on a 2019 laptop that’s seen better days, and round-trip tests with actual plugins. Not spec sheets.
I don’t track prices day to day, so I won’t pretend to know next week’s Amazon deals. The prices I quote are what I paid or what buyers reported in the last few months. If a sale changes things by ~$20, that’s on you to catch.
The mistake that costs everyone ~$120: buying the Solo when you need the 2i2
I bought the Solo because I thought one input was enough. I was recording vocals and acoustic guitar, one mic at a time. A month later I was returning it for a 2i2. Why? Because I wanted to record guitar and vocals at the same time, which is a completely normal thing to want to do. The Solo physically cannot do it.
The 3rd Gen runs ~$120. The 4th Gen is ~$160 to ~$180. The 2i2 4th Gen is ~$199. The extra ~$50 to ~$80 gets you two inputs, better converters, and a nicer preamp. If you think you might ever want to record anything simultaneously, skip the Solo entirely. I should have listened to everyone who told me this. I didn’t. Now you don’t have to.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen : the default, and the flaws nobody mentions
The 3rd Gen is the default recommendation for a reason. It just works. No driver hell, decent preamps for the price. But the complaints are real: same drivers for years, same issues as the 2nd Gen. The 4th Gen is a genuine step up. The gain is actually usable now, and the build feels more solid. I’ve had my 4th Gen for about 18 months, and it hasn’t crackled once. That’s more than I can say for any other interface I’ve owned.
Here’s the flaw nobody puts in the marketing: the headphone amp is weak. My 250-ohm DT 990s need the volume at 3 o’clock to get to a comfortable level. That’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s the most ignored spec in the industry, and it’s the most common source of “why does this sound bad?” If you’re using high-impedance headphones, budget for a separate headphone amp or pick a different interface.
The 4th Gen is better than the 3rd, but is it ~$50 better for everyone? For a beginner, no. The 3rd Gen is fine, and you can find it for ~$120. For someone who’s already hit the 3rd’s ceiling, yes. The converters are cleaner, the gain is more usable, and the build feels like it won’t die in a year.
Choose the 2i2 if you want something that just works, has two inputs, and won’t require a forum post to function. It’s the safest ~$199 you can spend in this category.
Audient iD14 MkII : the one I’d buy if I recorded guitar
The preamps on the Audient are the cleanest at this price. That’s not marketing talk, that’s the noise floor. I borrowed one from a friend for a week and ran a ribbon mic through it without a Cloudlifter. The gain stage at 2 o’clock was clean, no hiss, no struggle. The Scarlett needs the Cloudlifter for the same mic. That’s the difference, and you’ll hear it in the tail of a reverb.
The DI is incredible. If you record electric guitar, this is the one. I spent an afternoon A/B-ing my Strat through the iD14 and my 4th Gen Scarlett. The Audient was clearer, more defined, less mud in the low end. It’s not night and day, but it’s there, and guitarists will hear it.
The software is clunky. You’ll touch it once to set up the mix knob and then never open it again. That’s fine. The build is solid metal, and the monitor knob doesn’t crackle, which is a genuine compliment from me.
The input situation is a bit weird. It’s two inputs, but one is a combo jack that shares with the DI. If you want to record two mics simultaneously, you can’t with the iD14. That’s a real limitation. The iD44 solves that, but it’s ~$300 more.
Choose the iD14 if you’re recording electric guitar or want the cleanest preamps under ~$500. Choose the Scarlett if you need two mic inputs and want the safest bet.
Behringer UMC204HD: the ~$79 interface that won’t betray you
At ~$79, the Behringer costs less than a pizza with delivery. If it dies in a year, you got your money’s worth. But here’s the thing: it probably won’t die. I’ve had mine for two years as a backup, and it still works. The build is plastic, the knobs feel wobbly, and it gets warm after an hour. But it never crackles, never drops out, and the preamps are clean enough at normal gain levels.
The MIDAS-designed preamps are genuinely fine. Not great, but fine. The noise floor is higher than the Scarlett or Audient, but you won’t notice it unless you’re cranking the gain on a quiet ribbon mic. The headphone amp is also weak, but at this price, you get what you pay for.
I recommend the Behringer to people who aren’t sure they’ll stick with recording. If you’re testing the waters, this is the one. If it ends up in a drawer in six months, you lost less than a night out. If you’re tracking a client, don’t. The plastic build and wobbly knobs just don’t inspire confidence in a professional setting.
Choose the UMC204HD if you want to find out if recording is for you. Choose the Scarlett if you already know it is..
MAONO MA-2: the disposable king
The MAONO has insane gain for the price. I’m talking drive a ribbon mic without a Cloudlifter, which is almost unheard of under ~$100. The preamps are clean at high gain, and the noise floor is respectably low. For ~$49, that’s impressive. I tested it against my Scarlett with an SM7B, and the MAONO actually did better. No Cloudlifter needed, no hiss, no struggle. That’s not supposed to happen at this price.
The build feels like a cheap toy. The knobs are wobbly, the case is light plastic, and the USB port feels like it might snap off if you look at it wrong. It will probably die in a year. That’s the trade-off. You’re buying a disposable tool, not an heirloom.
If you’re testing the waters and your budget is tight, the MAONO is fine. If you’re tracking a client, don’t. The Scarlett or Audient will last longer and look more professional on a desk. But for ~$49, the MAONO punches way above its weight. I just wouldn’t trust it for anything important..
Universal Audio Volt 2: the one I wanted to hate
I wanted to hate the Volt. It’s ~$269, and I assumed the markup was for the name and the software bundle. I was half right. The vintage mode sounds genuinely good. It adds a subtle saturation that makes vocals sit nicer in a mix. It’s not magic, but it’s real, and you’ll hear it.
The build is next level. This thing is built like a brick shithouse. Metal case, solid knobs, a USB cable that’s actually long enough. UA clearly spent money on the physical product, and it shows.
The preamps are clean, but they’re not magic. For ~$269, an Audient will give you cleaner preamps and a better DI. The Volt’s vintage mode is the differentiator, and it’s worth ~$50 to ~$70 of the premium. The rest is the name and the software bundle you’ll never open.
Choose the Volt if you want the vintage mode and the build quality. Choose the Audient if you want cleaner preamps and a better DI for the same money..
The bottom line
Buy the 2i2 from the start. That’s the advice I wish someone had given me before I wasted ~$120 on the Solo. If you’re recording electric guitar, save up for the Audient. If you’re not sure you’ll stick with this hobby, buy the Behringer and don’t look back. And if you’re using an SM7B, budget for a Cloudlifter or pick a different mic. You’ll thank me later.