Looking for USB Audio Interface w/4 XLR inputs.

[Daniel Grenier]

Title says it all and the smaller the footprint the better and the higher the quality the better too. Thanks for your suggestions.

[nostatic]

Motu M6 is reasonably compact and my M4 sounds good.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...udio-interface

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Daniel Grenier

Title says it all and the smaller the footprint the better and the higher the quality the better too. Thanks for your suggestions.

Hi Daniel…
Behringer UMC-404HD with Midas preamps - CliCk

Don't know how small a footprint you expect, but this is a really great (and quiet) preamp with high quality. It also has 48V phantom.

I love my M-Audio M2, because of the more definitive input/output meters. The M4 was tempting, but it only has 2 XLR inputs.

The Behringer UMC-404 has 4 XLR inputs. They also make an 8 - XLR with Midas designed preamps and phantom power.

You can spend more money on a higher priced, higher spec unit, but you won't likely be able to hear the difference in the end. When interfaces have specs which exceed human hearing, they will not add anything to the 'mix'.

[YamahaGuy]

How about a Yamaha MG10XU. USB. 4 XLR channels. 2 with compression. Effects. For my preferences, having a good mix pre- recording makes the post- recording process a lot less time consuming.

[wood nacho]

M-Audio M-track 8x4m
Zoom h6

[shufflebeat]

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

How about a Yamaha MG10XU. USB. 4 XLR channels. 2 with compression. Effects. For my preferences, having a good mix pre- recording makes the post- recording process a lot less time consuming.

If memory serves the MG series only allow 2trk recording rather than multitrack.

I should stop recommending the Behringer Flow 8 as I haven't actually bought one myself yet but the spec says multitrack and friends say it's very good, albeit at the lower (and cheaper) end of the Christmas list.

[craigs63]

I have the 2nd gen version of this one, I probably could've gotten by with 2 inputs (these are combination XLR and 1/4"), but thought I'd be prepared for a "real band" recording if necessary. No complaints, and Focusrite puts you in a program to download free plugins/software every month or two:

https://focusrite.com/en/usb-audio-i.../scarlett-18i8

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Daniel Grenier

Title says it all and the smaller the footprint the better and the higher the quality the better too. Thanks for your suggestions.

Budget range ?????????????????????????????????

For upper end budget
RME Fireface UFX+ USB 3.0 & Thunderbolt Audio Interface and has the USB3/Thunderbolt connection for high speed data transfer
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...udio-interface
Hard to get better quality conversion and pre amps and only a 1U rack space

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Budget range ?????????????????????????????????

For upper end budget
RME Fireface UFX+ USB 3.0 & Thunderbolt Audio Interface and has the USB3/Thunderbolt connection for high speed data transfer
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...udio-interface
Hard to get better quality conversion and pre amps and only a 1U rack space

I was assuming he didn't want to get to that end of the spectrum, but I'll concur with RME interfaces. My Babyface Pro FS is fantastic, though doesn't have four inputs.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by nostatic

I was assuming he didn't want to get to that end of the spectrum, but I'll concur with RME interfaces. My Babyface Pro FS is fantastic, though doesn't have four inputs.

Indeed but of course we assume at own risk and why I asked about budget ..
And interestingly enough at the more modest price point I agree the MOTU is a great option ...

[Daniel Grenier]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Budget range ?????????????????????????????????

For upper end budget
RME Fireface UFX+ USB 3.0 & Thunderbolt Audio Interface and has the USB3/Thunderbolt connection for high speed data transfer
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...udio-interface
Hard to get better quality conversion and pre amps and only a 1U rack space

The rack-type footprint is way too big in my case (small, very small space). Budget? I was thinking more along the "usual" $400 range for a small-ish desktop unit.

[Monsum]

Audient iD44 might be a good option. It's got 4 quality mic preamps, a good software driver, costs $479.
I have had the iD4 interface (smaller than the iD44) for a few years and I'm still happy with it.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Daniel Grenier

The rack-type footprint is way too big in my case (small, very small space). Budget? I was thinking more along the "usual" $400 range for a small-ish desktop unit.

In that CASE probably can't go wrong with either The Audient iD44 on sale at Sweetwater for $479 or the MOTU M6 at $399

[keith.rogers]

I would want to count additional line inputs, outside of the combo jacks, one or two of those can be handy if you add something like an external preamp. Also, the ability to toggle an input to DI use on the front panel (vs. software, say) can be handy if you need to plug in an electric guitar/bass/whatever. Think you'll need MIDI inputs? They are not ubiquitous. Even [optical] ADAT connectivity might be something that keeps it useful down the road.

And, don't forget outputs - at least 2 stereo pairs, and one of those should be independent of that big output control on the front, in case you want to drive a separate headphone amp. (And, I'm thinking that with 4 inputs, you might want a 4x headphone amp - always handy IMO.)

The short answer is that these are mostly commodity products these days if you are in the consumer/pro-sumer area. So, read reviews, and check videos by Julian Krause, for some more technical deep dives. "You pays your money..."

MOTU seems to be racking up points these days. I have not read any bad things about them. For home recording, there's not a lot of advantage in spending a great deal more, again IMO. Over about a dozen years, I've gone from a small Roland (still works AFAIK - gave to a friend), M-Audio (not recommended based on my experience where it cooked itself twice - 2nd time out of warranty so into the trash), Focusrite (very solid, just passed utility point with the FireWire connectivity), and now Steinberg UR44C. The last was literally the only thing I could find when I needed a new 4x and it's served me well, though the lack of switchable DI would bother me if I didn't have an external preamp with DI that plugs into a separate channel line-in on the back panel.

p.s. (edit) this is probably more appropriate in the Recording sub-forum, and there's a long list of equipment folks there are using, though its distribution plot leans to the higher end.

[Daniel Grenier]

Thanks for the replies, folks. Turns out I ordered an Audient interface. As mentioned, a small footprint is a major consideration in my recent (major) downsizing so I went with the EVO 8 into which I will feed an MS-2, small IR loader and a Neunaber Immerse - all very small pedals. Interesting little unit this EVO 8 with very decent reviews. It should, I hope, tick all the right boxes. Cheers!