Best USB Audio Interfaces Under £100 2019
24th May 2019
Discover Music Matter's Top Picks of PC & Mac USB Audio Interfaces for Under £100 2019, ideal for Musicians, Producers & Guitarists alike.
A USB audio interface is great for recording multiple tracks simultaneously and will generally have input connections for microphones, instrument level signal & line level equipment such as keyboards and synths.
Most of the interfaces listed below do supply +48v phantom power, all the interfaces below are USB bus-powered which means they draw the power they need from the computer rather than requiring a sepearate power supply. This makes them an ideal choice for portable audio recording.
Here Are Our Best USB Audio Interfaces Under £100 For 2019:
Key Points To Consider Before Buying A USB Audio Interface
USB
Bit Depth
Sample Rate
Phantom Power
Input / Output
Software
Compatibility
Audio Interface Connection Speed Comparison
1. Mackie Onyx Artist 1-2 USB Audio Interface
Mackie Onyx Artist 1-2 Overview
The Onyx microphone preamps have been meticulously researched and designed to ensure that they deliver studio-quality audio fidelity with superior headroom and transparency. By combining the boutique-quality preamps with Mackie's premium circuitry, the Onyx Artist 1.2 interface ensures that everything from instruments to synths to vocals is captured with outstanding sonic accuracy and warmth.
Mackie Onyx Artist 1-2 Key Features
Music Matter Recommends:
The big winner for the Mackie Onyx Artist 1-2 is the boutique style mic preamp giving any musician or producer clarity in their recordings. The included tracktion T7 producer software give this little box amazing value.
2. Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 USB Audio Interface
Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 Overview
Perfect for solo musicians, the KOMPLETE AUDIO 1 provides two individual different inputs – XLR for vocals and jack for guitar or other line instruments. It’s also ideal for podcasters, vloggers, and other creators who want to capture speech. As well providing high quality audio, it also comes with all the software needed to bring ideas to life, including MASCHINE Essentials, Ableton Live Lite, MONARK, and top NI effects for polishing recordings.
Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 Key Features
Music Matter Recommends:
The Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 USB Audio Interface boast a huge array of included software for the price with Ableton Live Lite, Komplete Start, Maschine Essentials & More. It's high quality rate of 24/192 makes this a must for under £100.
3. Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface
Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) Overview
With the Scarlett Solo USB audio interface, your recordings will sound just how you want them to. Plug straight in to record your guitar and vocal simultaneously on independent channels so they can be mixed separately. The super-low latency* brings confidence to your performance, letting you record and monitor with software effects in real time. Connect your headphones and home speakers or studio monitors, turn up the volume and totally immerse yourself in sound.
Focusrite Scarlett Solo Key Features
Music Matter Recommends:
Focsurite are considered one of the go-to brands for audio interfaces & with the Scarlett Solo it's the perfect way into owning a piece of Focusrite equipment. When you become a Focusrite owner you are immediately eligible to be part of the plugin collective with every month Focusrite bringing you a free software.
4. M-Audio M-Track 2X2M USB Audio Interface
M-Audio M-Track 2X2M Overview
With the M-Track 2X2M, you can create 24-bit/192kHz studio-quality recordings with an intuitive and easy-to-use audio interface. Boasting an elegant pro-grade metal chassis with a large central volume knob, the M-Track 2X2M features all-new transparent low-noise pre-amps and pristine A/D converters that deliver the highest audio performance in its class.
M-Audio M-Track 2X2M Key Features
Music Matter Recommends:
The M-Audio M-Track 2X2M provides incredible build quality for its price range, with a higher rate of 192 kHz and a MIDI in/out you'd usually be paying much more for an interface with this feature set.
5. Presonus Audiobox iTwo USB Audio Interface
Presonus Audiobox iTwo Overview
Excellent choices for mobile musicians, sound designers, and podcasters, the USB 2.0 bus-powered AudioBox iOne and iTwo provide high-quality audio I/O for Mac®, PC, and Apple iPad®. These compact, ruggedly built interfaces offer high-performance Class A mic preamplifiers, record 24-bit audio at up to 96 kHz, and include powerful, easy-to-use Studio One® Artist DAW for Mac and Windows and Capture™ Duo recording software for iPad.
Presonus Audiobox iTwo Key Features
Music Matter Recommends:
The Presonus Audiobox iTwo provides excellent quality audio with up to 96K plus some newly designed high quality Mic preamps in a really well thought out compact design & at such a low price this represents fantastic value.
6. Steinberg UR-12 USB Audio Interface
Steinberg UR-12 Overview
Combining an extremely compact design, extraordinary build quality, full iPad connectivity and the outstanding D-PRE mic preamp, the UR12 redefines quality for its class of 2-in 2-out USB interfaces. 24/192 converters offer you outstanding levels of audio fidelity, while the D-PRE gives your microphone recordings incredible detail, depth and dynamics.
Steinberg UR-12 Key Features:
Music Matter Recommends:
The Steinberg UR12 features 24-bit/192kHz with phenomenal analog and digital circuitry. Coupled with 1 x Steinberg's D-Pre Class A discrete mic preamp with +48V phantom power and latency-free hardware monitoring for perfect audio recreation.
7. Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD USB Audio Interface
Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD Overview
The incredible U-PHORIA UMC204HD bridges the gap between your creativity and your fans. This blazingly fast USB 2.0 studio in a box will have you recording your next masterpiece in minutes with all the connectivity required for your microphones, guitars, keyboards and even MIDI devices.
Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD Key Features:
Music Matter Recommends:
Record the perfect vocal right to your computer-based DAW thanks to the 4 Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD's astonishingly pure, world-class MIDAS-designed mic preamps
8. M-Audio M-Track 2x2 USB Audio Interface
M-Audio M-Track 2X2 Overview
Featuring a 2x2 configuration allows you to connect your external devices quickly and easily to this all-in-one audio interface. The M-Track 22 features two XLR/TRS combo inputs and two instrument inputs, making it ideal for recording vocal and instrument pieces. The USB-C high-speed audio interface features zero-latency montoring with USB/Direct Balance control.
M-Audio M-Track 2X2 Key Features:
Music Matter Recommends:
The M-Audio M-Track 2X2 USB Audio Interface is the same as the M-Audio M-Track 2x2M so still that same quality but without MIDI connection.
9. Apogee Jam 96K USB Audio Interface
Apogee Jam 96K Overview
JAM is a premium digital converter and instrument preamp featuring Apogee’s PureDIGITAL technology. PureDIGITAL means no noise, just great guitar tone. Its special circuitry is optimised to make the amps and effects in any guitar or music creation app sound their best. You will notice the sonic difference between JAM and other similar products immediately.
Apogee Jam 96K Key Features:
Music Matter Recommends:
The Apogee Jam 96K is the easiest and quickest way to get your guitar playing down onto a computer, exteremely straightforward set-up & premium audio quality for its price bracket. Its discrete, Class A input delivers punchy, tube amp tone.
10. Behringer U-Phoria UM2 USB Audio Interface
Behringer U-Phoria UM2 Overview
When it’s time to make recording history, you need the best audio interface you can get – and you need one you can count on. That’s why we’re kicking it up a notch with the amazing UM2, an ultra-compact 2 x 2, 48 kHz USB audio interface with a studio-grade XENYX Mic Preamp, combination XLR/TRS input for your vocal and direct instrument input (no DI required) and an additional 1⁄4" Instrument Input. The rich feature-set, which also boasts a powerful Phones Output for the Direct Monitoring of your session, plus 2 Outputs and USB-supplied power – makes the UM2 the best, and most-portable recording interface in its class!
Behringer U-Phoria UM2 Key Features:
Music Matter Recommends:
Behringer U-Phoria UM2 is extremely inexpensive for a 2 in 2 out USB audio interface. Ideal for musicians who want to get ideas down on a budget, comes with tracktion daw software.
Best USB Audio Interfaces Under £100 2019 Comparison Table:
Focusrite Scarlett Solo | M-Audio M-Track 2X2M | Steinberg UR-12 | Presonus AudioBox iTwo | Apogee Jam 96K | |
Input / Output | 2 in / 2 out | 2 in / 2 out | 2 in / 2 out | 2 in / 2 out | 1 in / 1 out |
Connection | USB 2.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 |
Bit Rate / Res | 24 Bit / 192 kHz | 24 Bit / 192 kHz | 24 Bit / 192 kHz | 24 Bit / 96 kHz | 24 Bit / 96 kHz |
System | Windows PC, Mac OSX | Windows PC, Mac OSX | Windows PC, Mac OSX | Windows PC, Mac OSX | Windows PC, Mac OSX |
Phantom Power | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Mic Inputs | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Analogue Inputs | 1 XLR / TRS Combo | 2 XLR / TRS Combo | 1 XLR / TRS Combo | 2 XLR / TRS Combo | 1 TRS |
Digital Inputs | NA | NA | NA | ios | NA |
MIDI Inputs | NA | 1 x 5 Pin Female | NA | NA | NA |
Analogue Outputs | 2 TRS (Balanced L+R) | 2 TRS (Balanced L+R) | 2 TRS (Balanced L+R) | 2 TRS (Balanced L+R) | NA |
Digital Outputs | NA | NA | NA | ios | NA |
MIDI Outputs | NA | 1 x 5 Pin Female | NA | NA | NA |
Headphone Outputs | 1 x TRS (6.3mm) | 1 x TRS (6.3mm) | 1 x TRS (6.3mm) | 1 x TRS (6.3mm) | 1 x TRS (6.3mm) |
Bus Powered | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
DAW Software | Ableton Live Lite | Steinberg Cubase LE | Steinberg Cubase LE | Presonus Studio One V4 Artist | NA |
Additional Software | Scarlett Plug-in Suite, Softube | Air Music Technology | NA | NA | NA |
Mackie Onyx Artist 1-2 | Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 | Behringer U-Phoria UMC204HD | M-Audio M-Track 2x2 | Behringer U-Phoria UM2 | |
Input / Output | 2 in / 2 out | 2 in / 2 out | 2 in / 4 out | 2 in / 2 out | 2 in / 2 out |
Connection | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 2.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 2.0 |
Bit Rate / Res | 24 Bit / 192 kHz | 24 Bit / 192 kHz | 24 Bit / 192 kHz | 24 Bit / 192 kHz | 24 Bit / 48 kHz |
System | Windows PC, Mac OSX | Windows PC, Mac OSX | Windows PC, Mac OSX | Windows PC, Mac OSX | Windows PC, Mac OSX |
Phantom Power | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Mic Inputs | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Analogue Inputs | 1 XLR / TRS Combo | 1 XLR & 1 TRS | 2 XLR / TRS Combo | 1 XLR / TRS Combo | 1 XLR / TRS Combo |
Digital Inputs | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
MIDI Inputs | NA | NA | 1 x 5 Pin | NA | NA |
Analogue Outputs | 2 TRS (Balanced L+R) | 2 RCA (Balanced L+R) | 4 TRS (Balanced L+R) | 2 TRS (Balanced L+R) | 2 RCA (Balanced L+R) |
Digital Outputs | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
MIDI Outputs | NA | NA | 1 x 5 Pin | NA | NA |
Headphone Outputs | 1 x TRS (6.3mm) | 1 x TRS (6.3mm) | 1 x TRS (6.3mm) | 1 x TRS (6.3mm) | 1 x TRS (6.3mm) |
Bus Powered | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
DAW Software | Tracktion T7 | Komplete Start | NA | Steinberg Cubase LE | Tracktion |
Additional Software | NA | Maschine Essentials | NA | Air Music Technology | NA |