Home Recording

Audio interfaces, mics, monitors and setup guides for recording real music at home on a real budget.

• Do You Need an Audio Interface If You Have a USB Mic?

  Short answer: no, and you usually can't use one with it anyway. Here's what a USB mic already does, its real ceiling, and when an interface makes sense.

• Behringer UMC22 vs Focusrite Scarlett Solo: The $40 Question

  Behringer's ultra-cheap UMC22 against the Scarlett Solo: preamp noise, driver reality on Windows, and when the cheap one is the smart buy.

• The Budget Home Studio Guide: What You Actually Need (and What Can Wait)

  A complete home recording setup for under $500, chosen by what actually affects your recordings, not by what looks good on a desk.

• Focusrite Scarlett Solo vs M-Audio M-Track Solo: Is the Cheap One Good Enough?

  The $140 Scarlett Solo against the $50 M-Track Solo, compared on the things that matter: preamps, recording quality, drivers, and who each one is actually for.