How much of a difference does a high-end audio interface really make?

[corbinfavmusic]

How much of a difference does a high-end audio interface really make if you’re using budget studio monitors or headphones? At what point does it stop being worth upgrading your interface unless you’re also upgrading the rest of your gear?

I’ve got a home studio setup with:
Studio monitors: Presonus Eris E3.5
Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M40x
Audio interface: Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2nd Gen

[flugel45]

For the average home studio, it makes very little difference in the end.

[cryophonik]

If your interface is working for you, has enough ins/outs, and isn’t giving you any problems, then that would be the last thing I’d upgrade. The Focusrite interfaces are usually more than adequate for most home studio producers and upgrading it will give you a very marginal return on your investment and might not even be noticeable tbh. A lot of people would recommend first treating the acoustics in your studio, but that’s not always possible or pragmatic for home studio hobbyists. So, in that case, the next logical place to look for improvements would be in your monitors and/or headphones, probably prioritized by which ones you use the most.

The one caveat I would add, however, is that when upgrading your headphones, be aware that some higher end models have higher impedances, which require a pretty good headphone amp in your interface. From what I recall (someone please correct me if I’m wrong), some of the Scarlett interfaces’ headphone amps are not designed for high impedance loads, so you’ll either want to look for headphones with a low impedance (e.g., 70 ohms or less), or plan on adding a headphone amp (or upgrading your interface to one with a better headphone amp).

[mixyguy2]

A lot of people would recommend first treating the acoustics in your studio, but that’s not always possible or pragmatic for home studio hobbyists.

Rarely if ever is that true IMO...even one of those 3-panel folding dividers (like you seen in old movies where people are changing clothes behind) with some heavy blankets draped over them can make a real difference, for ex.

But you're both right; it would be a waste of money to upgrade the AI. Then again, that's true of most gear in most cases, really. Even budget gear now is very good.

[vurt]

about 4.8%

[BertKoor]

Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M40x
Audio interface: Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2nd Gen

You plug in your headphones directly into the interface?

I've got a 3rd gen Scarlett 4i4 (I hope your 2nd gen Solo is different) and the headphone amp is the only thing which needs improvement, since it distorts. Very mildly, but still... I've got a budget 1980 hifi amp driving my passive monitors, and the headphone output of that is crystal clear.

So maybe you want to look into a simple headphone amp. Don't ever pay silly money for it, the electronics in the really expensive models are worth $10 at most.

[tehlord]

In terms of what you hear affecting mix decisions, almost zero.

While room treatment makes a huge difference, a very good pair of monitors close up can also work very well. I've had both (£10k monitoring setup) vs now using a very decent pair of Genelec 8040A's with no treatment and both work equally as well.....for me.

Technically monitor speakers close up are a no go, but I like mixing that way.

[corbinfavmusic]

If your interface is working for you, has enough ins/outs, and isn’t giving you any problems, then that would be the last thing I’d upgrade. The Focusrite interfaces are usually more than adequate for most home studio producers and upgrading it will give you a very marginal return on your investment and might not even be noticeable tbh. A lot of people would recommend first treating the acoustics in your studio, but that’s not always possible or pragmatic for home studio hobbyists. So, in that case, the next logical place to look for improvements would be in your monitors and/or headphones, probably prioritized by which ones you use the most.

The one caveat I would add, however, is that when upgrading your headphones, be aware that some higher end models have higher impedances, which require a pretty good headphone amp in your interface. From what I recall (someone please correct me if I’m wrong), some of the Scarlett interfaces’ headphone amps are not designed for high impedance loads, so you’ll either want to look for headphones with a low impedance (e.g., 70 ohms or less), or plan on adding a headphone amp (or upgrading your interface to one with a better headphone amp).

In that case I would upgrade my headphones because I rarely use monitors. What upgrade would make sense? What next level headphones would be to feel the difference from my M40x? I need closed-back headphones

[cryophonik]

Good question, and hopefully someone else here can offer some advice on closed back headphones for mixing. You may also want to search the forum - there are a LOT of threads discussing headphone recommendations for mixing. Personally, I have 7 pairs of headphones from AKG, BeyerDynamic, Sennheiser, and Slate, but the ones I use for mixing are all open or semi-open designs. My closed back headphones are great for recording vocals because they reduce bleed back into the mic, but I wouldn't use any of them for mixing - they're too boxy, have a lot of coloration, and don't give a good representation of stereo width, etc. However, some people have closed back headphones that they swear by for mixing, so hopefully some of them will reply.

[mixyguy2]

In that case I would upgrade my headphones because I rarely use monitors. What upgrade would make sense?

None. The M40s are of a fine quality.

What is it about your recordings makes you think you need an upgrade? Don't upgrade just for the sake of an upgrade. It will likely be money pissed away for nothing.

[Uncle E]

In that case I would upgrade my headphones because I rarely use monitors. What upgrade would make sense? What next level headphones would be to feel the difference from my M40x? I need closed-back headphones

Try Space Replicator or Realphones. Both work with the M40x's so you wouldn't even need to buy new hardware.

[corbinfavmusic]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and answers to my possibly stupid questions. I'll hold off on upgrading for now, because if upgrading doesn't open up any new possibilities, there are no objective reasons for it

[Uncle E]

They weren’t stupid questions. The original Scarlett’s headphone amp was bad enough that it would be worth upgrading. I don’t if the Gen2’s is any different.

[jlgrimes11]

How much of a difference does a high-end audio interface really make if you’re using budget studio monitors or headphones? At what point does it stop being worth upgrading your interface unless you’re also upgrading the rest of your gear?

I’ve got a home studio setup with:
Studio monitors: Presonus Eris E3.5
Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M40x
Audio interface: Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2nd Gen

It depends on what you are doing. For mixing there usually isn't a big difference that said, I remember a time in the distant past where audio Interfaces did have a sound. I remember the Digi 001 having a particular sound and when we went to an Echo Layla 24, I noticed a drastic change. To me the Layla sounded more natural. That said since about then the differences in sound quality have been miniscule or even unnoticeable. The last time I noticed a difference was when I was troubleshooting a connection. I was playing out a basic sine wave out of a UAD Apollo and then for some reason I played it out of an older Focusrite Scarlett I had laying around. I could hear the THD of the Scarlett. This was an earlier model and I didn't keep too much track of gain structure. That said I have a Focusrite Scarlett 3rd Gen 1820i that I am perfectly happy with the sound quality of for mixing and the occasional times I hear different interfaces I no longer notice much difference.

That said a more drastic area in quality is probably Preamps. But then again if you are using a basic condenser even this might not be too noticeable until you start using Dynamic or Ribbon mics on fairly quiet sources.


Another possibly drastic area is latency performance although everyone will have much different needs here and if you are just mixing only, latency won't play much part there.

[HAL76]

Lower latency and no driver trouble = big difference.

Good interface with good software (e. g. RME Total Mix) = big difference

Recording with a HQ interface = lesse noise, THD, more clarity, just better sound

just monitoring? difference depends on your ears, perception and requirements.

I started with a Yamaha AG02 and was really sursprised about the difference when I bought the Babyface.