As someone whose laptop only has two USB ports because companies are obsessed with making thinner and thinner products, the USB on the back seems like a super nice bonus.
i agree with this, the usb hub is the main reason why i ended up getting the arturia, even considering the fact that my computer has three usb type a ports and one usb type c port, its super nice to be able to plug in, a midi keyboard , a drum pad, a hard drive and my phone at the same time
I use the Motu M2 since a year and its just awesome. It is possibel to hear the difference and the latency is in that class by far the best. Best in class and never disapointed me.
@@cheynobi The Motu M2 is by far the best for narrations and VO work. I have a degree in audio engineering and I do VOs and I can tell you that it is the best in that price range, simply because it has the lowest latency while still capturing everything with perfect accuracy. It also has more than strong enough mic preamps to even bring an SM7 up to level. You want lower latency for VOs since you need to record while also watching the clip and listening to the other sound cues.
when he showed the 3 comparisons of takes, you could see there was more distinction in the wave form in the motu, considering that was an expensive mic, that should say something.
@@pathnativejam i used the same mic for testing + direct input line signals. The comparsion was between between Motu M2 ,Scarlet 212, Steinberg UR 22 mk2, native instrument komplete audio 2. Arturia Microfuse was not out back then. There was the Motu clear the Winner
YES! I'm so happy with mine as well. Previously owned a Komplete Audio 6 Mk1 but it was due for an upgrade plus the latency sucked and I had audio clipping every now and then...
@@natevirtual This is my first interface, running on an ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo and using Reaper 64bit. DT770 Pros are really nice with it and the 250-ohm drivers offer enough volume. No real monitors yet but they make a pair of Edifier R1280DB speakers sound pretty good too.
MOTU is incredible hardware in my experience. Love my M4. My main complaint about the MOTU M2 and the new Scarletts is the lack of the "system audio / direct monitor" fader that the Scarlett 2i4 2nd Gen and the MOTU M4 have. I'm definitely impressed by the Arturia though... might be a game changer compared to Scarletts.
@@elikamin5678 I had issues when I first set it up. It turned out that my issue was actually just the USB extension cable I was running it over. They have instructions for setting up on Windows and if you follow them carefully you should have no issues at all.
I personally tried both the Arturia and Motu and both were impressive to me. I landed on the M2 because of some of the specs and the nice screen, but the Minifuse 2 left an impressive mark. It really boils down to the subtle differences in specs, features, and price point, and what you value. BTW @Sanjay C Very nice vocals!
Get the one best suited to you needs, budget, and what you can work with. You can always upgrade. Excellent video. Clear, precise, realistic, and unbiased. I shared this in my Flipboard ezine, Axes, Etc. Nicely done!
Do a blind test, you will struggle to tell the difference. Also the AIR feature on the Scarlett can lift the sound. The truth is , technology is so good now and has been for a while that trying to decide on the sound quality is like splitting hairs. Its more likely you would choose one for a feature you want rather than not liking the sound of another. Another crutial aspect of these interfaces is the stability of and latency of the ASIO drivers. The Scarlett has been rock solid on this front and can get very low buffer and latency.
@@clickbaitpro it is noticeable and this guy is probably focusrite fanboy which is not that bad but hey! we have motu m2 and roland rubix 24 out there which is far more great than focusrite in terms of quality/price ratio
Wayne Brown Still. Nobody listening to your mixes would give a shit about which interface you used... And after mixing and eq nobody would be able to tell a difference anyways.
i'm amazed by seeing how good the new arturia minifuse is able to compete with the most popular audio interfaces sir, especially it was able to rival the focusrite scarlett 2i2 sir, thanks for the review sir.😀😃😄😁😊☺️😌🙂
Some food for thought: If you collborate with vocalists & instrumentalists, having a monitor mix knob enables them to readily adjust their input relative to the bed tracks/full mix to suit their comfort level, their style of singing/playing, and the type of music in each particular track WITHOUT having to ask the recording engineer/tech (i.e. you!) to make the adjustments (and go back & forth - perhaps communicating from one room to another - until the headphone mix has been optimized). If they are recording on more than one song for you, they can make adjustments on the fly more quickly. So, IMHO, the fact that the Arturia interface has the mix knob can be a big plus for many with home studios. Of course, if you use a quality studio headphone amp, it may have a mix knob, and my point becomes moot. Last, the monitor mix knob also can be useful in the same way if you use in-ears when you're doing a gig.
😵🔥It just amazes me how you make every song a Sanjay C song and WOW!!!! The beat and then the beat drop?! Hooow do you hear these beats in your head?! You’re soooooo good! People need to hear and realize your genius more and more! 😬💋😇
@@Only1Dharti I love the fact that you live with such a musical genius and talk to him everyday and yet appreciate him and ask him questions in the comments of the video hahaha
@@this.is.shashwat 😄 Thank you! I love to support him in any way I can! Plus often I’m working myself and we may not be in the same place so I can tell him directly! All forms of communication are positive✨ and ♥️
I’m just glad I followed Sanjay C’s advice and picked up the Motu M2 last year. Best investment ever 🔥 the thing’s built like a tank and the sound is beauttt!
Same for me, i will clear stay with Motu, driver makes insane fast latency possibel, pre amps are by far the best under 200€ inclusive headphones. And phantom power knob per channel is a must have. i have nothing to complain. Only think about to upgrade somewhen.
Sanjay, I know it's been 2-years since you made this vid, but wanted to say Thanks! Starting my musical journey and super appreciate your videos. This one helped me pick an AI and I really enjoyed your song. Nicely done - thanks for sharing your passion and talent!
Except their Keylab mk2s. I've gone through 4 of them, each time suffering from fader knobs sending erratic CC values. I believe they are incredible sensitive to even minor dust. The last one that I'm using, I've used with a dust cover, and it's still performing well. The other 2 that I use have issues. Blowing compressed air on them helps from time to time.
Those Arturias look very nice especially in white I have to admit. I like that they have a 5 year warranty and USB-MIDI in/out. Can't remember the last time I used a MIDI cable. It has all been USB for a while now. I think the MOTU M4 is still top dog for low priced audio interfaces though. Low Latency. Phantom power on each channel. Input Monitor Mix. Loud headphones.
this was awesome. I have the 2nd gen Scarlett 2i2. Looking forward to you trying out the newer UAD interfaces when they release. in mix you vocals sound crisp all around! 808s were super crunchy and beautifully distorted. the M2 looks great and sounds awesome. For the price, if you can get one, seems like a steal. I luckily have a headphone amp for my 990 Pros so that's not an issue here.
This showed me that Motu is really a monster. It feels like Arturia has a bit warmer sound and I liked it but Motu is quite neutral to me which is great for production. Of course it would require further tests other than vocals to find out. I think Focusrite is really out of the game after Motu.
It really is. I was thinking about getting a Focusrite 2i2 3rd gen until I discovered comparisons to the Motu M2. It basically has all the specs maxed out for the price range and a nice set of features. It does not have a hardware knob for mixing the playback but it does have buttons for monitoring the inputs - individually or both inputs in stereo if you hold it longer. So it is more of an on/off type of deal but works well for me. I really like the phantom-power button per input, the power switch in the back and the great volume display. According to reviews, it also supports demanding headphones (with 300Ω or even 600Ω when maxed out) and damanding microphones (like the Shure SM7B without cloud-lifter, although maxed out with 60 dBA gain, so you may want the Go XLR Mini for its 72 dBA if you are not able to boost the signal in post-processing, e.g. for Discord or Zoom instead of recording with a DAW or streaming with OBS). Can't go wrong with MOTU. However, the Arturia MiniFuse is a bit cheaper so it may be good value for a good audio quality.
@@BaerentoeterLP Definately upto 300 ohms. Can't say about 600 ohms, depends upon the sensitivity of the headphones. Even focusrite scarlett drives my 250 ohm dt770 fine. I use it at 25 to 50% volume most of the time, they become too loud after that. If you want power, definately go with audient id4 mkii or id14 mkii. They have 3 times more power than motu m2. They can easily drive 600 ohms headphones but hit or miss for lower impedance below 80 ohms
I really like how you compared these. I don’t think I have seen much of that before for audio interfaces. Had a conversation with a friend on his need for an audio interface and was able to pass along your video! :)
Love your take on The Cure... In my Audiotechnica M50x, the Arturia and Focusrite sounded almost identical but the Motu was less sibilant with more body. I like them all but Arturia meets my needs the best as it allows me to control my hardware synths :D
Thank you for this video - appreciated. It is almost impossible to understand quality difference between these interfaces in RU-vid video, since the audio in RU-vid is highly compressed and cutted. But even in such circumstances, it is evident Motu has much better sound than other two participants. This is proved by technical characteristics: Motu dynamic range is much higher and own noise level in Motu is much lower, than any other interface. The only one cons, which I've observed in Motu - poor of bundle SW (you've mentioned that in your video). So, my choose is Motu.
The mini fuse 2 looks just stunning. It holds a USB port which is great because my laptop is full of usbs. I own the Scarlett 2i2 but now I’m thinking for the mini fuse GREAT VIDEO ONCE AGAIN 🏆🆙🔥💯💙👍
I got the Motu M4 and I think right now is one of the best interface on the market, low latency, 60dB gain on pre-amps, -129 dB EIN and 120 dB dynamic range in outputs (Including Headphones) beautiful LCD meters, Loopback, MIDI outputs, On-Off switch, separate phantom power for each channel, direct monitor for each channel and playback/monitor mix knob. If Motu can bring the same M4 with ADAT to expand that interface, the others interfaces are doomed.
For anyone wondering: i tried HD 650 on motu M2 and it was quite loud enough for me around 60% knob. Maybe it was just me but I didn't like it enough compared to HD 598CS, so returned it back. Currently testing the Beyer DT1990s and they're awesome too around 50-60% volume level on motu M2 (loving the punch /kicks on this one) BTW - Awesome video Sanjay!! Was waiting for this one from some time 🤘😁
@@SanjayC update on experience of dt1990: Liked it better than HD 650. I was able to hear stuff which didn't hear earlier ever from mixes (specially the spitfire's samples and even in RU-vid videos) . Lows were adequate for me. That piercing high? Not experienced it yet, as i haven't used it in long sessions and have recreated only a single piece until now with it. Still have a month for return window (mind says yes for return but my heart says no 😁) Ughh the G.A.S. is real in this one (as I was also eyeing some orchestral libraries for black Friday 😂)
Downgraded from the Audiofuse rev 2.,very happy with the minifuse 2 , has all the features I need and sounds as good as its big brother. Midi a necessity, machine micro in the usb hub, mix control button used all the time, always stable. a great interface and not just for the price.Excellent review as ever, love your channel.
Always love watching Sanjay C Studio Gear reviews, excellent HD quality videos in attractive environments, he finds the best & highly comparable gear that's at reasonable prices. Totally gives a buyer the edge on the latest most sought after gear. A very decent and kind presentation, always. Thank you Sanjay, we really appreciate what you do. My Roland Duo Capture gave up, so based on this review I'm sold on the Arturia MiniFuse 2 and I'm getting it here in South Africa.
For me it was MOTU pretty closely followed by the Arturia, with the Focusrite in third. I own the M4 which has the mix knob that the M2 lacks, So if the additional cost isn't an issue for someone, You get that feature plus the additional I/O. my church had the 4 channel Focusrite, and we were never fully impressed with the sound quality at least through our A&H DLive and EAW PA. So we started using someone's Presonus until we switched over to MOTU's M4's which was an additional step up in sound quality from the Presonus, which was a step up from the Focusrite to begin with. and in regards to MOTU's warranty and reliability Our church also has two MOTU 24 I/O's that have been going strong since 2009, and still sound excellent, So the shorter warranty would probably be a non-issue for me. I also appreciate MOTU not skimping on their preamps in their lower end models, and essentially just opting for less features for their cheaper products without sacrificing sound quality. Great video! I appreciated the unbiased review of the gear.
How trippy!!! I’ve thought about band 311 several times earlier today, and happen to be watching this video leading up to 3:11 PM, and exactly at 3:11, the bass/synth laying down the iconic riff started. Oh boy, Sanjay, did I get goosebumps, Universally Fate Endorsed Goosepumps! :)
This is what i'm waiting for! Thanks for the awesome review and comparison sanjay. The MiniFuse can compete as well! But i'm not happy with the MiniFuse1, it's only 1 input atleast they've add 1 instrument input.
This sold me so I got the minifuse and I’m just blown away. Great signal for guitar, the bonus plug-ins are great! First time I ever tried recording a guitar track with so many things going on at 24/96 and 3ms latency (you decide the latency and it figures out the buffer, real easy to adjust in Asio panel). Completely different than the Scarlet Solo, it’s just smoother and nicer sounding.
Arturia’s definitely aiming at the guitar player driven music crowd with the plug-in suite. EMT140, 1073 pre, analog chorus, tape delay (holy smokes the presets are like having an fx rack unit). So much better than the Focusrite/Pro Tools thing we’ve been getting repackaged for years & years.
Hey, are you still satisfied with the Minifuse? I would use it for playing Guitar and plug in a Mic and Headphones for discord mainly. I am currently deciding between the Minifuse 2, Scarlett Solo 3rd, Evo 4 and Audient iD4 MKII (and maybe Native Instruments Komplete Audio 2).
@@TheFruitcube highly satisfied, two of my kids have the Scarlett Solo but I like the preamps in the Arturia for guitar, everything is just smoother and doesn't get nasly sounding when you crank the input gain. I just have the Minifuse 1, but I'd get the 2 for multitracking.
Stuck with this video, been deciding if i'll get focusrite solo 4th gen or minifuse 2. care to help me out? i'll use it mainly for mixing, mastering and recording vocals.
I considered Arturia Minifuse but man, look how bright those leds are, just like in their KeyLab midi I tested last year. It is so annoying during nighttime, I ended up getting different keyboard and kept my Scarlett 2i2 gen1.
I'm waiting for the MiniFuse 4 early next year. Suspecting it might be $199. It just has everything I need, so I've been holding off upgrading my audio interface. So many times I've had a Scarlett in my cart and cancelled, and once these were announced I've been settled on the 4. I tend to get all gear in black but my current black audio interface is in a dark location on my desk and I have problems seeing it very well unless I turn on my desk light, so I'm going for the white version.
It's out and seems about $220! I'm thinking about getting one but now Motu just announced the M6. They're not direct competitors but for my use case they are! Don't need all the inputs of the M6, but want that minimal latency and actual monitoring LCD, and hardware button to turn on direct monitoring! But the Minifuse 4 has 2 USB ports and is a lot more clear and direct about how exactly it can serve two separate mixes to the two different headphone outs. It seems the Motu M6 can kinda do that? But they don't explain it well at all. @SanjayC better clear this up for us 😁
Nice review, Not only specs but we could actually listen to the difference. It would have been nice to include the new Universal Audio Volt which is in the same price range.
I love my Motu M4. It was one of the few interfaces I didn't have issues with on a new Ryzen based system. Just worked unlike Focusrite, Universal Audio, Native Instruments, Steinberger and Audient which all cut out and/or had crackling regardless of buffer size. The screen is stupidly useful and can I also mention how much I love that it has a power switch? WHY DO MOST MANUFACTURERS MISS THIS? Plug it in ONCE then power it off when not in use. How is that a hard concept?
Love mine as well, even the headphone amp is pretty decent. If they threw a 789 thx amp in there it would be over. The VU meter is so damn handy if you're doing mic work.
might u know other interfaces that work well with ryzen systems ?? i recently just ordered a bunch of parts and i was planning to get a focusrite/m-audio interface but this is the first time im finding out theres a difference
@@jwav Really don't know what works well for Ryzen.. All I can say is I had nothing but problems with my Focusrite products. The Motu is very much plug and play
Hello Sanjay C. Thank you for your review on the three audio interfaces, but I like to ask you for help and recommendations. I'm an animator new to audio recordings, and I'm currently looking for an audio interface that I can use to start a gaming channel but do live streaming once in a while. I'm also planning to use it for voice acting and recording acoustic guitar sounds as a hobby. The Focusrite Scarlett Solo, the MOTU M2 and the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 1 sounded high quality from listening to your recordings from your previous RU-vid comparison videos. However, I'm stuck with choosing the suitable interfaces that fit my gaming channel and other hobbies. What do you suggest that I should pick?
Awesome review and comparison (as always😁). It would be cool to compare those interfaces with the SSL 2 and 2+. Also, have you heard about the new budget Universal Audio Interfaces? Their just 🤯
Great review as always. I just bought the Presonus Studio 24c, per your recommendation in a previous video. Strangely, I completely changed my DAW to Studio One after my purchase. Why aren't more people using this?! It's soooo much better than Ableton and FL Studio.
YES Studio One is great ! i have bought the Studio 68C because of an hardware issue on my brand new Motu M4. Thinking i should buy it directly for the i/O and software package. But Sadly, the level input (even line in) is too low compared to the Motu... i can't keep it after have experiemented the Motu M series.
I got excited about Studio One's potential bc of the things it can do, but when I tried to learn it things were slow going. I went back to my FL Studio. But, getting that DAW with the interface was a nice bonus. I'll give it another try someday. I had just bought FL within the same time period; so may have just not wanted to feel I wasted money!
One think i dont understand is why brands insist on making interfaces with knobs facing foward when they are ment to be used in a desk, it's rack-like format... WHY? As you rotate knobs your finger hit the desk, it's terrible in terms of ergonomics.
The MiniFuse USB-A hub can only provide up to 250mA current with 5V of supply voltage. So if you, like me, want to run the Keylab Essential just know that it requires 500mA so you would need to use an external PSU with it if you want to connect it to the hub on the Minifuse.
you should maybe explain a little more about how are you recording and comparing these. are we listening to the same exact voice track being converted, or are these different performances? if they are different, then the little nuances in each vocal performance is going to also color the sound. so its difficult to asses exactly what has changed
Been looking to start recording my guitar and try putting songs together, I have been really enjoying your videos and have been learning a lot, thank you!
15 days ago I purchased a Scarlett 2i2. After a few hours of use I realized that I could hear a light "click" regularly. So I pushed the volume of the gain to the maximum to hear better. Yes, there was indeed a noise, a regular click, a bit like a metronome. So I asked for the audio interface to be replaced. As soon as the new 2i2 arrived I did the same tests. Same results (click, click, click). I tested both 2i2 with two different computers, a Mac Mini M1 running Monterey and a MacBook Pro 2014 running Big Sur. I used the MacBook Pro on battery power to avoid possible noises that could be caused by problems related to the electrical network (which I don't have anyway). I plugged my headphones into the monitor output, so I could hear the sound directly from the card, without going through the computer. I plugged different cables and different instruments and microphones in the inputs (one at a time) and I pushed the gain to the maximum with and without the activation of the instrument option (inst). The "click" was still very obvious. I contacted Scarlett and the problem was not solved, they totally deny that their product can have this kind of problem (although I found on the internet other users with similar problems). So I returned the second 2i2 and my MOTU M2 is coming tomorrow. I will probably never buy Focusrite products again!
They RU-vid guitar 🎸 community takes money from the makers of Scarlet to promote them and give them praise & worship service . The Internet is so Dame fake …
@@GrandmasterClady I am very satisfied, the quality is excellent, the meters are very useful (more that this simple led of the Focusrite), the loopback feature is a plus.
@Sanjay C & MAC users - Nice overview and comparison... but I miss one important detail: The software driver requirements. I have noticed that the ARTURIA needs audio and midi drivers even on the MAC platform!? Why is this? Isn't it possible todo everything with core MacOS stuff? As far as I know, some other interfaces do not need any extra software, for instance: Behringer, Roland. Any thoughts, pros, cons and experiences are much appreciated.
@Sanjay C came to this video looking for comparison of audio interfaces and am realizing I didn’t even focus on the review because can’t get your voice out of my head. Would love to buy the track if you ever release it. Awesome 👏song and so is your voice.
Hey Sanjay.. I'm stiĺl having a decision to make over the audio interface to get really started. I want to make sure I'm starting out right. I went with the Alesis 25 to begin and I have an old Concertmate 980 with the Roland um one mk2 you suggested. I have 3 guitars, a bass, electric and big bass acoustic and I dont want to be pulling plugs every time so I'm thinking the scarlett 816 is my answer. I dont mind spending the extra, but I would mind buying the 212 and finding out through experience I needed the 816. I like the arturia aud int but it doesn't have the same amount of inputs as the 816. I'm also going to get the Neat Bee Mic for starters, the Arturia 88 essential, a basic mixer, and the Behringer Synth Td-3-88 and the Behringer Rd-6-LM Analog drum machine to play with later but for now am I on the right track so to speak? The keyboards will all go to a USB 3.0 hub to the PC, the guitars go into the audio interface right and I guess I'll learn the rest as I go. Thanks for reading. I'm hoping I'll get the right software from each company with the scarlett aud int and the arturia keyboard and of course once I get my aud int and mic I can start really watching all your vids and stuff and learning how to make my own soundtracks and songs. I wont sub with this account cause I troll a lot of trolls I wouldn't want them following me onto your channel. My new studio, I'm thinking of calling it "Broken Piano Productions".. When you see that channel sub you you'll know it's me lol.
Hi Sanjay audio interfaces...:what do you suggest about these devices_? SSL2 or Connect 6 Dual USB-C - Universal Audio Apollo Solo - Elgato Wave XLR - AUdient ID 14 MKII or Focusrite Scarlett Two?? and what about Rodecaster Pro 1 against the others? thanks for reply ciao Max from Italy
Looks like the MiniFuse has the connectors screwed to the case. This doesn't look as clean as the competitors, but improves durability as there is less stress on the soldering when cables are plugged in. If this kind of quality is applied on the entire design, I believe that it'll last way longer as its competitors.
The Arturia Minifuse sounded the best. I'm trying to decide between buying the Minifuse 2 and the UA Universal Audio Volt 2-476. They both are quality products. I like that they both come bundled with nice plugins. What are you thoughts Sanjay? Thanks :)
High impedence is not a bigger problem than low impedence. Two different problems: High impedence = high power requirement, low impedence = very low output impedence requirement
have seen so many of ur videos Sanjay C. Ur high quality contents are so simple, light hearted and pleasant to hear and watch despite being on such highly technical aspects of music and equipments. A huge credit to just basically ur happy to go lucky personality im guessing. Lots of luck and love from ur ancestral country India..😅😊.. and yes Bdw it was so heartening to see u motivate and comment on the channel of an Indian RU-vidr Darshit who may not be as popular as u internationally today. Just shows ur nature & character. lots more power to u too buddy. 😊
Hey there! So I am torn between the Arturia Minifuse 1 or the Komplete Audio 1, both are equally priced and I plan on using it with ny dynamic mic for streaming. Which one would you recommend? Thanks!
Si quiero la perilla de monitoreo de la motu m4, aqui esta 649 dólares, pero si preordenó la arturia me sale 280 dólares, aunque podía conseguirla más bajo aún, 206 dólares. Definitivamente me voy con arturia, viene con entrada midi, perilla de monitoreo, me viene de 10 la entrada usb, y el color blanco es una jollita! Desafortunadamente por el precio que está la motu m4, tranquilamente me compro la arturia y un bajo eléctrico.
I know this is a really stupid question and he may have answered this in the video. But can I plug my condenser mic (HyperX Quadcaster s) into the minifuse?
What is the big deal about this USB Hub feature that I’m missing? Since you have to use Minifuse 2 connected to a computer anyway, can’t you just simply connect whatever the USB MIDI hardware might be directly to the computer ? It still can then send/receive MIDI to/from the 5 Pin MIDI ports this way.
Hi mates im a begginer, would it be ideal if I want to connect 2 monitor speakers in the back, the mic in the front left and a guitar on the front right as well? Would it work fine? It will only be used for light music recording and some live streaming here and there. Now that being said is the M2 jist okay for that or do i really need the M4? Thank you best regards!
Hi my only issues with your review was your real world latency. Every company can say 2.5 @ 96 k but what were you getting. MY preference right now is to got to Thunderbolt for latency..
Thats a great video Sanjay. I have an iPad Pro for my homestudio, do you know if these three interfaces work with the iPad Pro (2020) USB-C model? My old audio interface stopped working when I upgraded my iPad Pro ti iOS 15.
