In this article we’re going to be discussing the best audio interfaces for mac that exist in October 2023.
If you are willing to chase your dream and create some great music, keep in mind that you will need more things than just talent. You will need a lot of pieces of gear and besides microphones and instruments, we also think of an audio interface.
Without this unit, you will hardly be able to make your music sound good because sound quality is equally important as your musical skills. Thankfully, today’s market is full of these products, which come in a broad price range, so even if you are a beginner on a limited budget, you can get a quality interface and make your notes sound great.
What is an Audio Interface?
This is one of the most essential tools for music production. It is a piece of hardware that connects your instrument or microphone with your computer and DAW software. Its function is to catch the signal of your instrument or microphone and convert it into a digital format that can be recognized by your computer.
To connect your music with a computer, an audio interface needs to have inputs and outputs and most of today’s products are pretty flexible in this aspect and come with several ins and outs, so you can record more channels at once. Also, these units usually feature additional controls that allow you do some final sound tweaks before recording.
As we are talking about the best audio interfaces for Mac, this tool converts the signal into a format that every Mac unit can recognize. In today’s market, the number of products that support Mac devices is pretty big. Some are designed for these units on purpose, while others work great not just with Mac devices, but with Windows products as well.
Audio Interfaces For Mac
Apogee Duet 3 – 2 Channel USB Audio Interface
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It’s been more than 15 years since the first Apogee Duet was introduced and the current unit doesn’t have many things in common with the original. It has been upgraded in so many ways and it’s arguably one of the best compact audio interface products you can find on the market.
There are so many great features to like in this small unit. First of all, it features excellent analog circuity, along with the company’s well-known AD/DA conversion and digital clocking. Furthermore, the product features two impressive built-in microphones with +65dB of gain, +48V phantom power and the company’s well-known Advanced Stepped Gain Architecture.
The Duet 3 looks really fancy but at the same time, it is pretty flexible. It comes with 2 instrument inputs, 2 mic/line inputs and 2 balanced outputs, as well as with a headphones output, which sounds incredible. The onboard hardware DSP gives you the opportunity to shape the sound with zero latency, while you may also count on an updated and upgraded version of Apogee’s ECS Channel Strip. It’s also worth mentioning that the body is topped with scratch-resistant gorilla glass, so even though the product looks really stylish, it is also a pretty durable thing.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
Although pretty compact and with a simplistic design, this is a top-tier product that offers exceptional sound quality in a combination with easiness of use. The price speaks for itself, so it’s quite obvious that Apogee Duet 3 is primarily used by professionals and tone purists.
Universal Audio Apollo Twin X DUO
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It may look compact and simple, but this is arguably one of the most impressive products of this type you can find on the market. It has everything you need for professional studio recording, including 10 inputs and 6 outputs and the unit is powered by a super-capable UAD-2 DUO Core processing, which makes this product capable enough to deal with any situation.
The Apollo Twin X DUO is one of the most refined audio interfaces around, thanks to the ultra-pristine signal path with a 127dB dynamic range. Also, it features 2 preamps, as well as an integrated talkback and an ultra-fast Thunderbolt 3 connectivity with less than 2ms of latency.
Still, the thing we like most about this product is that it comes with a complete package of fantastic plug-ins, including 5 award-winning UAD plug-ins and Realtime Analog Classics plug-ins. Thanks to these plug-ins, you may count on fantastic emulation of legendary hardware, of legendary units like UA 610-B, UA 1176LN Legacy, UA 1176SE Legacy, Ampeg SVT-VR Classic, Marshall Plexi Classic, Precision Channel Strip and many more. Finally, Mac users will be glad to know that this unit is backward compatible with Thunderbolt 1 and 2.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
This is a high-end product that’s great for professionals who need not just exceptional sound quality, but also the level of flexibility that allows them to adapt to any situation. It is perfect for tone enthusiasts who look for super-realistic emulations of vintage gear. All these amazing features cost, so we hope your pocket is deep enough for the Apollo Twin X DUO.
M-Audio AIR 192|14 – USB Audio Interface
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The M-Audio AIR 192|14 combines great sound quality with an impressive level of functionality and the best thing is that all that comes at a pretty competitive price. There are eight channels in total and all of them feature a pretty impressive 24-bit/192kHz converter. The unit also comes equipped with four low-noise preamps with +62dB of gain, as well as two TRS and two hi-Z inputs, so you can use this unit successfully with microphones, guitars and keyboards.
Moreover, this interface also features MIDI ins and outs, so you can connect it with electronic drums, controllers and other units that allow you to implement your virtual instruments library into your recording as well.
One of the reasons why this unit stands out from the crowd is the super-fast USB-C connection, which is incredibly fast and minimizes round-trip latency significantly. At the same time, the unit is also compatible with A-type USB 2.0 ports. Another very useful feature is the USB/Direct knob that’s great for live-monitoring applications, as well as for mixing.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
The M-Audio AIR 192|14 is a perfect choice for everyone who needs a super capable audio interface that doesn’t cost a fortune. This unit is perfect for bands or anyone who uses a variety of instruments in the production process. It’s primarily for enthusiasts, but professionals may find it quite useful as well.
Focusrite Scarlett Solo
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The award-winning Focusrite Scarlett Solo is primarily a home-recording unit but the audio quality it provides goes way beyond that. This is a pretty capable little unit that remains super simple and very intuitive at the same time. Despite the simple layout, it comes with lots of useful extra features.
The Scarlett Solo comes equipped with pretty capable 24-bit/192kHz converters, while the recent update has brought the new generation of preamps. Once again, there is one mic preamp and one instrument preamp. Also, you may count on the Switchable Air mode, which can bring your production to the next level if you’re someone who prefers brighter, open sound. The unit comes with a Direct Monitor circuit, so you can monitor your input with minimal latency. Finally, this audio interface also comes with a bundle of high-quality plug-ins.
The company offers a three-year warranty on this product, which supports iPad Pro as well. The Scarlett Solo features balanced TRS L/R monitor outputs with level control, as well as a quality headphones output. Another thing we like very much is the pair of interesting halo level indicators for better gain control.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
The Focusrite Scarlett Solo has been one of the favorites among beginners for years and even today, it’s hard to find a product with such quality and such an affordable price. If you are new to home recording and music production in general, this audio interface is definitely a product to get.
PreSonus Studio 24c 2×2
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This is the smallest audio interface on the company’s offer but that doesn’t mean it’s less capable than its bigger sibling. The PreSonus Studio 24c 2×2 is a compact and portable audio interface with two inputs and two outputs, which features a fast USB-C connection, which minimizes latency almost entirely. It offers a high-quality 24-bit/192kHz resolution, which is something you usually don’t get from products at this price range. In other words, this unit is capable of catching so many nuances, thanks to the impressive 115dB of dynamic range.
This small PreSonus audio interface comes equipped with a couple of quality XMAX-L solid-state microphone preamplifiers. When it comes to controls, things are super simple, with just a couple of knobs. Also, we like those old-school ladder-type indicators because they don’t just look cool, but also provide excellent transparency.
Among useful features, you can also find MIDI in and out, so you can connect this small unit with drums or keyboard controllers as well. When you buy this product, you also get PreSonus Studio One Artist DAW software, which is another essential tool for quality recording. Moreover, you may also account on Studio Magic Plug-in Suite, which brings a pretty nice collection of emulations of old studio gear.
Who Should Buy This Pedal?
The PreSonus Studio 24c 2×2 is affordable and easy to use, while it also comes equipped with the necessary software. This makes it perfect for beginners. However, the sound quality and overall functionality also make it a great piece of equipment for professional musicians who are often on the move.
Our Number One Choice
The M-Audio AIR 192|14 is our first choice for many reasons. It comes with a pretty competitive price tag but with a full load of great features. Besides high-quality processing, it features 8 channels and all kinds of controls and connectivity features, including MIDI connectors. Such diversity means that you can record pretty much every instrument with this unit, which also features a fast USB-C connection that minimizes latency.
Buy On AmazonOur Premium Choice
This elegantly designed unit looks pretty luxurious and works even better. Considering the processing quality and the number of features, it definitely justifies its price. We like it because even though it features pretty compact dimensions, it offers four inputs, balanced outputs and many more connectivity features. Of course, zero latency is something you would expect from a product in this price range but what really amazes us is how the interface is so intuitive and easy to use.
Buy On AmazonBest Value For Money
Whether you’re a bedroom enthusiast or a pro, you will find this small unit extremely useful. Don’t be fooled by the affordable price, this is a quality product with great processing quality and a lot of useful features. It operates smoothly, with zero latency, while the fact that DAW software and various quality plug-ins are also included adds extra value to this well-designed audio interface.
That concludes this full buyers guide on the best best audio interfaces for mac. Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions regarding the products you have seen in this article. Check out our other buyers guide on the best thunderbolt audio interfaces.
Here at Guitar Effects Pedalz we also provide full reviews of the best online guitar services so you can learn guitar online with our Guitar Tricks Review.
Last update on 2023-10-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API