Best MIDI Interfaces for Your Home Recording Gear
Are you looking for a Midi interface for your home recording setup? Every serious home producer finds a MIDI interface as an integral part of their setup. The equipment is a standard now and if you are making music on PC or Mac you would need to get one. Most live music producers have the best MIDI interfaces that help them efficiently control their hardware.
MIDI devices help you get high-quality audio in and out of your computer. It allows you to connect other essential studio gear and instrument during your recording sessions. MIDI interfaces are best suited for producers with external synthesizers with MIDI capability and you want to route them all to a single location. This device is also good for individuals who have multiple MIDI controllers and they want to free up the USB ports from the back of their computer.
The market is filled with numerous MIDI controllers for Macs and PCS, packing tons of exciting features. Once you have chosen the right audio interface, you will be able to record electric and acoustic guitars, microphones, synths and any other musical equipment with an output, straight into a DAW of your choice. We have complied a list of five best MIDI interfaces for PC, Mac and iOS systems that can give an edge to your music production.
Best MIDI Interfaces for PC/Mac/iOS: Comparative Table
| Product | Features | Latest Price |
|---|---|---|
mioXL |
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Roland UM-ONE-MK2 One in Two Out Midi Cable |
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Miditech MIDIFACE – 4×4 |
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Buy on Amazon |
Audient iD4 MKII |
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Buy on Amazon |
Camola MIDI Interface |
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Buy on Amazon |
Focusrite Scarlett 3rd Gen |
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Buy on Amazon |
Best MIDI Interfaces for PC/Mac/iOS – Our Reviews & Comparisons
1 – mioXL – iConnectivity Interface with 8 in x 12 Out 5-pin DIN-MIDI Ports
Features
mioXL is a powerful MIDi interface from iConnectivity featuring rock solid performance. It features 8 MIDI inputs and 12 MIDI outputs via the 5-pin DIN connector. It can connect all your MIDI devices (USB-MIDI, DIN-MIDI, RTP/Network-MIDI) and Mac, PC, and iOS computing devices efficiently. The RTP/Network-MIDI capability means that you are not restricted by cable length or limited USB ports. This allows you to stack multiple interfaces and computers on a network for ultimate scalability and flexibility.
Network/Ethernet connectivity will give you up to 100m connection between the computing device and the interface. This means that you can place a mioXL in every room of your studio, or anywhere in a venue.
What We Like About mioXL
This device allows you to connect multiple MIDI devices using the DIN 5 pin connection, and also USB MIDI devices, if you use a powered USB hub.
What We Don’t Like About mioXL
Troubleshooting with the current software is hard.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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2 – Roland UM-ONE-MK2 One in Two Out Midi Cable
The Roland MIDI interface features high performance. It can work with either Mac or Windows operating systems. It comes with an FPT processing feature which makes it one of the unique MIDI interfaces in the market.
If you have two operating systems on different computers, you can use them interchangeably so you don’t have to get another MIDI interface for every differing usage. In case you use iPad for your music production you can use the Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit to make use of the MIDI interface. There are also data indicators in the device that allows both the MIDI input and output.
What We like About Roland UM-ONE-MK2 One in Two Out Midi Cable
The Roland Midi cable is budget friendly and quite easy to use.
What We Don’t like About Roland UM-ONE-MK2 One in Two Out Midi Cable
The Mode Switch should be placed in a better manner so that it could be easier to see and use.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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3 – Miditech MIDIFACE – 4×4
If you are looking for a MIDI interface with multiple ports, the Miditech MIDIFACE 4 x 4 is a great choice. The simplistic design of the interface implies that it is a great hub for more complex midi routing. The device is class compliant indicating compatibility with multiple operating systems.
This interface is a straightforward 4 in/4 out device that will work with most major operating systems. Its configuration allows up to 64 channels of MIDI via the included USB Cable. There is also the USB connection which allows you to use any other USB plugged in keyboard as your controller. This is a great entry level device for basic MIDI control, CC messages and keys.
What We Like About Miditech MIDIFACE – 4×4
The device will work regardless of the cable connection sequence.
What We Don’t Like About Miditech MIDIFACE – 4×4
Synth data updates are hard.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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4 – Audient iD4 MKII
This is one of the best audio interfaces you can buy for under $200. The Audient iD4 MkII is a simple two-input/two-output equipped with a mic preamp. Complete with phantom power for using condenser mics, it comes with an instrument level DI for plugging in your guitar or bass. The device also features a smart scroll wheel enabling you to tweak settings in your software. The iD4 MkII has a main output for speakers and dual headphone outputs. Powered via USB-C, it can work with an iPhone/iPad with the help of Apple’s camera connection kit.
The top panel of the device features two preamp gain controls and hardware monitoring via a simple balance control (Input/DAW). Output level can be set using the large push button volume encoder. The push action fades both headphones and main outputs. You can choose to mute just the speaker outputs using the speaker button.
What We Like About Audient iD4 MKII
iD button activates encoder mode which enables the use of the main knob to adjust DAW plugin parameters.
What We Don’t Like About Audient iD4 MKII
USB 3.0 connection could be introduced to the device.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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5 – Camola MIDI Interface
Camola MIDI Interface is one of the best MIDI interfaces with the ability to connect a total of six devices to your MIDI controller or synths. It features a USB power supply that can hold enough power and eliminates the need for extra batteries or external AC power cables. It has a MIDI 5-pin interface with standard MIDI 16 channels. It can communicate all standard MIDI commands.
The most important feature of the device is its flawless signal quality with almost zero latency contributing to uninterrupted professional sound recording. This MIDI interface is one of the top gadgets on the list for its impressive sound quality and battery life.
What We Like About Camola MIDI Interface
If you have a midi sequencer and need to send information to 6 destinations this is the best device.
What We Don’t Like About Camola MIDI Interface
There is no instruction manual included.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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6 – Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 3rd Gen
This machine is known for excellent sonics and audio flexibility at an affordable price point. Fitted with a set of improved preamps and Focusrite’s ISA transformer preamp emulation option, the system can give up to 56dB gain. This bus-powered device features two mic/line/instrument inputs with gain, two line-level TRS inputs and four TRS outputs.
The 4i4 supports Focusrite’s Control application, which means that some of the settings can only be made in the software. The app also handles low-latency monitoring. The device also supports Focusrite’s Loopback feature, whereby a further mix panel allows you to quickly route inputs, DAW outputs or a custom blend of both back into the DAW.
What We Like About Focusrite Scarlett 3rd Gen
The monitor mix system allows easy creation of low latency mixes for each output stream.
What We Don’t Like About Focusrite Scarlett 3rd Gen
Could increase the number of combination inputs.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
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We recommend Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 3rd Gen for home producers as the best MIDI interface from our list. This is not only a budget-friendly option but also highlights best features at the price point. With improved preamps, balanced connectivity throughout, and the inclusion of Focusrite’s ISA transformer preamp emulation option, this is one of the best options for serious home record producer.
Focusrite has also installed a slicker front panel with LEDs and the halo-style input level meters sitting below a shiny surface for convenience. This device will help you get a clean recording even without a cloud booster for your mic.
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The post Best MIDI Interfaces for PC/Mac/iOS and More appeared first on Music Authority.
Best MIDI Interfaces for PC/Mac/iOS and More was first posted on December 16, 2022 at 9:20 am.
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