Accessory 7 of 9

Audio interfaces — the box between your mic and your computer

An audio interface is what turns “professional microphone” into “recording.” It powers the mic, boosts the signal, converts it to digital, and feeds your computer.

Typical price$110–$1,500

Most popularFocusrite Scarlett 2i2

Critical specPreamp gain (for SM7B-style mics)

What they are

The box that connects your XLR mic to your computer

Your computer’s built-in audio input is a tiny 3.5mm jack designed for headset mics — fine for Zoom, useless for serious recording. An audio interface is a small external box that takes professional XLR microphone signals, converts them to digital, and sends them to your computer over USB (or Thunderbolt, or USB-C).

An interface gives you: a real preamp with gain control, +48V phantom power for condensers, a headphone jack for monitoring, and clean digital conversion at proper studio quality.

How many inputs do you need?

One mic input. Solo voice, single guitar, simple podcast. Focusrite Scarlett Solo, MOTU M2, Audient EVO 4.
Two mic inputs. Two-person podcast or vocal + acoustic guitar. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (the world’s best-selling interface), Audient iD4, MOTU M2.
Four mic inputs. Round-table podcast, small band tracking. Focusrite Scarlett 4i4, MOTU UltraLite, Behringer UMC404.
Eight or more. Full band, drum tracking. Focusrite Scarlett 18i20, MOTU 828, Universal Audio Apollo.

Brands worth knowing

Focusrite Scarlett — the bestselling line for a reason. Solid, predictable, the safe first interface.
MOTU — premium American interfaces, M-series is excellent value.
Audient — UK-built, beautiful preamps, great value.
Universal Audio Apollo — premium, runs UA’s plug-in suite. Studio territory.
RME — German precision, rock-solid drivers, premium price.
Behringer / PreSonus — budget options that work fine.

A note on the SM7B

Most cheap interfaces don’t have enough gain

ImportantThe Shure SM7B is famously quiet — it needs a lot of clean preamp gain. The Focusrite Scarlett Solo has 56dB max, which is borderline. The MOTU M2, Audient EVO 4, and RME Babyface have more headroom and are better SM7B partners. Or use a Cloudlifter in front of any interface.