Most first interfaces get bought to record a voice, a guitar, or both at once. That's why the used market is full of two-input boxes from Focusrite, MOTU and PreSonus, and why good ones are easy to find. Picking one comes down to how many things you'll record at the same time, how much gain your mic needs, and whether the box still gets drivers for your computer. Get those right and the rest is reading the listing carefully.
Count what you'll record at once
Count the sources you record at the same moment, not everything you own. A mic and a guitar recorded on separate takes fit a box with one mic preamp. A singer who plays guitar live, two people on a podcast, or a stereo pair of mics on an acoustic guitar all need two mic preamps.
The Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen has one mic preamp and one line or instrument input, with two outputs. The Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen, MOTU M2, PreSonus Studio 24c and PreSonus AudioBox USB 96 each have two combo inputs that take a mic, a line source or a guitar. If you can already picture a drum machine or synth wired in next to two mics, look one size up at the Scarlett 4i4 3rd Gen, which adds two fixed line inputs, four outputs and MIDI.
How much gain your mic needs
Condenser mics are fairly loud and run on 48 V phantom power, which every box in this guide supplies. Dynamic mics are quieter and ask more of the preamp. The Shure SM7B is the famous example. Shure now sells the SM7dB, a version with up to 28 dB of built-in boost, and PreSonus suggests an inline preamp when a bus-powered interface runs short of gain with a dynamic mic.
Here's the published mic gain for each candidate, from the makers' own specs.
- PreSonus Studio 24c, 50 dB
- Focusrite Scarlett Solo and 2i2 3rd Gen, 56 dB
- MOTU M2, 60 dB
- PreSonus AudioBox USB 96, 60 dB
- Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen, 69 dB
With a condenser, any of them has plenty. With an SM7B or another low-output dynamic, the boxes at the top of that list leave the least room, and an inline booster is the usual fix. If you'd rather skip the extra box, the Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen has the most gain of the group, plus Auto Gain to set your level and Clip Safe to pull it back if you get too loud.
The shortlist, box by box
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen. One mic preamp with Focusrite's Air mode, an instrument input, USB-C and bus power. Air is an analogue circuit that recreates the lift of Focusrite's transformer-based ISA preamps, and it's a button press, so you can try it on every source. The Solo suits a singer-songwriter who records one part at a time.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen. The same preamp twice, each switchable to line or Hi-Z instrument, with Air, Gain Halo level rings around the knobs, USB-C and bus power. If recording two sources at once is even a maybe, buy this over the Solo.
MOTU M2. Two mic, line or guitar inputs with 60 dB of gain and independent 48 V phantom power on each, a colour LCD with proper level meters, MIDI in and out, and loopback for streaming. MOTU quotes 120 dB of dynamic range on the outputs and -129 dBu EIN on the mic inputs. It's class compliant on a Mac, so it works without a driver.
PreSonus Studio 24c. Two XMAX-L preamps designed for bus power, MIDI in and out, USB-C, and sample rates up to 192 kHz. It's class compliant on macOS too. Older units shipped with a Studio One Artist licence, but PreSonus doesn't transfer software it gave away with hardware, so treat any licence in the listing as a bonus you probably won't get.
PreSonus AudioBox USB 96. Two combo inputs with 60 dB of mic gain, MIDI in and out, sample rates up to 96 kHz and bus power over USB 2.0. One 48 V button feeds both inputs at once, which is fine for two condensers and something to think about if you also use a ribbon mic.
Generation and drivers
On a Scarlett, the generation tells you more than the condition. Focusrite lists every Scarlett from the 1st Gen on as working with macOS Tahoe 26 on Intel and Apple silicon, and with Windows 11, but the features changed a lot. A 1st Gen 2i2 tops out at 96 kHz. The 2nd Gen went to 192 kHz, the 3rd Gen moved to USB-C and added Air, and the 4th Gen added Auto Gain and Clip Safe. The serial number prefix on the underside tells you which one you're looking at, and our Scarlett generation guide walks through the other tells.
The others are in good shape too. MOTU's current M-series installer supports macOS 12 through 26 and Windows 11, with firmware updates from 2026. PreSonus's Universal Control supports the AudioBox USB 96 and Studio 24c on macOS Tahoe. As of October 2026, Focusrite and UA were still testing macOS 27, so check the maker's page before you update your Mac. The driver reality check covers every brand in more detail.
Bus power and your laptop
All five of these run on USB bus power, so one cable carries both audio and power. Focusrite notes that some laptops deliver less current to USB devices when running on battery, and recommends plugging the laptop into the wall while you record. If a box drops out on a hub or dock, try a port on the computer itself. Our bus power guide explains when one cable stops being enough.
Which one we'd buy
For most people starting out, the 2i2 3rd Gen is the safe pick. It has two inputs, Air, USB-C and current drivers on both Mac and Windows. If you want proper metering and MIDI in a metal case, the M2 is the one to hunt. If you only ever record one thing at a time and want the smallest footprint, the Solo 3rd Gen does the job. If you use an SM7B, either budget for an inline booster or step up to the 2i2 4th Gen for its extra gain.
What to check in the listing
- Generation. Match the title to the photos. USB-C on a Scarlett means 3rd or 4th Gen, and the serial prefix settles which.
- Gain knobs. Ask for a short video turning each knob end to end with a mic plugged in. It should rise smoothly, with no crackle.
- Phantom power. Ask the seller to test 48 V with a condenser on each input, since some boxes switch it per input and some for both.
- Outputs. Headphones and both main outputs should be clean, with sound in both channels.
- USB socket. The cable should sit firmly without wiggling or cutting out.
- Software. Bundled codes usually stay with the first owner. Ableton lets a secondhand buyer request a Live Lite serial if the hardware qualified for one.
When you're ready, start with the entry interfaces, the Focusrite range, or everything on the browse page.
