We tend to think of computers as instantaneous, but they're not. In other words, latency is the gap between pressing a key and hearing a sound. “Latency is the delay before the transfer of data begins following an instruction of its transfer”. Manufacturer after manufacturer plasters this term in their advertising with complete disregard for their actual latency.įirst, let's understand what “latency” is. There are few terms more misused in the audio world than “low latency”.

Best Thunderbolt Interface: RME Babyface Pro FS.

Best Audio Interface for Windows: Focusrite Clarett 2Pre.

Best Professional Zero Latency Audio Interface: Antelope Zen Tour Thunderbolt.

Best Audio Interface for Mac OS: Apogee Duet.

Best Audio Interface With Multiple Outputs: Mackie BIG KNOB Studio Plus.

Cheapest Low Latency Audio Interface: Audient iD4 USB.

Best Low Latency Audio Interface in 2020.

Understanding Latency and “Low Latency”.

While we've talked about audio interfaces for Ableton and USB audio interfaces in the past, but in this guide, we'll look only at the fastest and the best low latency audio interface across categories.īut first, let's define what qualifies as “low latency”.Ĭlick here to jump straight to the reviews They also use better drivers (usually ASIO) which radically improves latency compared to most computers' built-in sound cards ( Macs fare better than Windows in this regard).

The best low latency audio interfaces provide a faster, higher bandwidth I/O channel to your computer. Which is where audio interfaces come into the picture. Anyone who has ever tried producing a track on their computer's built-in sound drivers knows how even the smallest of lags can make production impossible. Press a key and if the sound isn't produced immediately (or what feels like ‘immediately') and you'll have a bad time. Latency is the music producer's kryptonite.

And you want quick access to volume, gain, and basic EQ settings.īut the biggest reason to buy an audio interface is latency. You want to connect multiple instruments to your computer. You buy an audio interface for a lot of reasons.

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