There are any number of "best of" equipment guides available. All have the same limitation, how well do they zero in and connect with your expectation of what you want to do both now and in the future. For that reason I do not pay much attention to them and did not click on the link you provided.

Instead I rely on reading reviews, visiting local brick and mortar retail music stores and talking through e-mail with a sales advisor at an online music store like Sweetwater or AMS.

Audio interfaces perform multiple functions: communicate with a computer through a common computer port such as USB2, USB3, Thunderbolt or Firewire. Convert audio into an analog electrical signal. Convert an analog electrical signal to digital data. Convert digital data into an analog electrical signal. Mix and amplify the incoming and outgoing analog electrical signals into a stereo signal suitable for headphones. Optionally provide a pathway for midi data to enter and leave the computer. It is the most complicated device in your studio next to the computer itself.

The most important question is how many microphone or instrument connections do you presently need or anticipate needing in the future? The answer guides the rest of your research.


Jim Fogle - 2025 BiaB (Build 1128) RB (Build 5) - Ultra+ PAK
DAWs: Cakewalk Sonar - Standalone: Zoom MRS-8
Laptop: i3 Win 10, 8GB ram 500GB HDD
Desktop: i7 Win 11, 12GB ram 256GB SSD, 4 TB HDD
Music at: https://fogle622.wix.com/fogle622-audio-home