What's a recommended portable and cheap audio interface? Any out there? And I don't mind buying pre-owned.

Is something older like the Steinberg CI2 or PreSonus AudioBox still ok, considering they have 64 bit Windows 11 drivers available?

 

Can you specify your needs

 

Audient - EVO 4 - 115 €
https://evo.audio/products/evo-4/overview/
www.thomann.de/de/audient_evo_4.htm

Audient EVO 4 USB Audio Interface - Review and Measurements (Smart Gain explained)

 

Mainly so I can chuck in a laptop bag to work off my laptop when required is primary need. In terms of performance and features, I mainly use headphones when using my laptop and I mainly work using MIDI, with a max need for 1 guitar input and 1 mic input at a time, so 2 inputs is all I really need.

 

Irig from ik multimedia. But its not cheap

 

used original RME Babyface, hard to find for good price, but totally worth it, RME is literally only company on the market which doesn't make excuses to keep providing driver support for decades

 

Yes, i have my hammerfall multiface since year 2000

 

Audient is the best value for money. Choose the model that fits your price range

 

You can find them for around €200 (what I sold mine for) most of the time. It's a bit overkill if he only needs one TS/XLR input and one headphone out, but it's a great interface.

@Bunford Do you need MIDI I/O? In that case it will be a bit more expensive. Not many portable/small and cheap interfaces have MIDI unfortunately.

You could look at something like the RODE AI-1. Maybe not the best interface, but it's tiny and portable. No MIDI I/O, but if you use a USB MIDI-keyboard it doesn't matter. I would probably just buy a Audient ID4 though. Not the most portable, but great quality and sound for the price.

 

Last edited: Mar 24, 2022

PreSonus's new AudioBox GO. Maybe the smallest 2x2 audio interface and it costs only £66 (B-stock on Thomann from £59 available).

 

This one seems perfect as I am buying an M-Audio Oxygen Mini Pro keybard for the MIDI control, so don't need any MIDI from the interface. The £59 is good, but £8 shipping to UK too, so may as well get it for £66 off Amazon with Prime delivery I guess.

How does this compare to the Audient Evo 4 though, I wonder? Both seem pretty similar feature-wise, apart from the Audient's Smart Gain feature.

 

www.musicradar.com/reviews/audient-evo-4
www.soundonsound.com/reviews/audient-evo-4-evo-8

EVO 4 Audio Interface Review: Should you buy it?

EVO 3 = dimensions: 140 x 55 x 60 mm
AudioBox GO = dimensions 44 x 111 x 86 mm

 

Trying to sucker me in there with Bo Beats, whose reviews I love!

 

One portable interface, with the inputs you've specified, and with a good price/quality ratio, is the Zoom U-44.
You can get it 2nd hand around 100 euros.
I used it as a field recorder but in two occasions it saved the day, when my Motu Ultralite MK3 Hybrid refused to cooperate.

 

Far from it, unless you're only aware of products that are featured in sponsored videos. Also yes, this 4x4 interface is cheaper than the 1x2 iD4, and has onboard MIDI I/O as well.

 

Last edited: Mar 29, 2022

I got the UMC204HD with 2 Inputs, it's USB powered and has no external PSU like the 404. I totally agree with everything the guy in the video is talking about. You won't find anything like this in this price range and it's absolutely usable.

The drivers even support ASIO multi client, so I can run Reaper and Ableton at the same time and also listen to Spotify or YouTube through the standard Windows Sound output.

The only problem indeed is the headphone output which is too low to power my DT880 250 Ohms for example, but it's okay with the HD25 70 Ohms for tracking, but the HD25 is very efficient and very loud with almost every amp.

 

ESI Maya 22 USB - 79 €
USB-Buchse Mini B
www.thomann.de/de/esi_maya_22_usb.htm

ESI U22 XT - 89 €
USB 2.0 Audiointerface
www.thomann.de/de/esi_u22_xt.htm

 

I have owned a Zoom U-44 before, 140€ new on Thomann. Quite happy with it but I needed more XLR ports myself.

https://zoomcorp.com/en/us/audio-interface/audio-interfaces/u-44/

It can run on batteries (2xAA for 4 hours), supports add-ons like microphones or additional XLR-inputs etc. and has other useful features too.

 

Oh god... the worst USB connector there is, just 1 mic input, garbage RCA inputs nobody needs, and then you need to set your gain in software vs being able to see a clear clip LED on the device itself and adjust an actual knob. Guess it's more portable, but you can get an used Presonus Audiobox for $60 while this is ~$75.

You can get 4x XLR/TRS combo inputs at 192kHz, with Hi-Z, insert point, and a -20dB pad on each channel, main output over XLR as well as TRS (so you can use it on stage without a DI box), and MIDI I/O. At the same price as this.

Overall, both meh options from a niche manufacturer which can easily be beated by both brand new and used options... I'd pass.