Best 4 Channel Audio Interfaces
Updated How we research
MOTU M4 4x4 USB-C Audio Interface
MOTU's M4 is a 4x4 USB-C audio interface with clear metering, a studio-grade two-mic interface for podcasters and producers.
Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen USB Audio Interface
Focusrite's Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen is a USB audio interface with two mic inputs and extra I/O for co-host podcasts and music.
A four-channel audio interface is the sweet spot for podcasts and studios that have grown beyond one or two mics. With four inputs, you can record every host or guest on a separate track, which makes editing, leveling, and cleanup dramatically easier later. Instead of wrestling one shared recording, you get clean control over each voice. These interfaces also give you room for instruments, so the same rig handles a round-table podcast one day and a music session the next. The key factors are preamp quality, connectivity, and how smoothly it routes multiple tracks to your software. In this guide we cover the four-channel interfaces that deliver clean, flexible, multi-mic recording for serious creators.
The short version
We compared 9 picks. Our scores range from 7.6 to 9.0 out of 10.
- Best overall:MOTU M4 4x4 USB-C Audio Interface. Highest overall score in this guide at 9.0/10.
- Also great value:Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD Audiophile 4x4 USB Audio/MIDI Interface. Value score of 10/10, overall 8.8/10.
- Solid build:Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen USB Audio Interface. Build and materials score of 9/10, overall 8.8/10.
- Feature-rich:TOPPING E4X4 Pre USB Audio Interface - Dual USB-C Ports, 24bit/192kHz, 4IN/4OUT, Dual Headphone Outputs, Low Noise, Real-Time Monitoring, Mixer, for PC, Mac, iPhone, Professional Recording(Black). Features score of 9/10, overall 8.4/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
- 1.MOTU M4 4x4 USB-C Audio Interface9.0/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 2.Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen USB Audio Interface8.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 3.Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD Audiophile 4x4 USB Audio/MIDI Interface8.8/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 4.Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD 4x4 USB Audio Interface, 24-Bit/192kHz, with 4 Midas Mic Preamps8.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 5.Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD USB Audio Interface, Audiophile 4x48.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 6.TOPPING E4X4 Pre USB Audio Interface - Dual USB-C Ports, 24bit/192kHz, 4IN/4OUT, Dual Headphone Outputs, Low Noise, Real-Time Monitoring, Mixer, for PC, Mac, iPhone, Professional Recording(Black)8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 7.PreSonus Quantum ES 4 4 x 4, 24-bit / 192 kHz USB-C Audio Interface with Fender Studio Pro Software8.4/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 8.Behringer Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD Audiophile 4x4, USB Audio/MIDI Interface with MIDAS Mic Preamplifiers Bundle With 2x 25' HA XLR M to F Professional Microphone Cables8.1/10See on AmazonCheck price
- 9.Fender Quantum LT 4 | 4x2 USB-C Audio Interface for Music Production, Dual MAX-HD Mic Preamps, Dual Instrument Inputs, Low-Latency Drivers, Loopback, Balanced Outputs, Headphone Amp, Mac & PC7.6/10See on AmazonCheck price
#1MOTU's M4 is a 4x4 USB-C audio interface with clear metering, a studio-grade two-mic interface for podcasters and producers.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 9/10
- + Large level meters make it easy to spot clipping during recording
- + USB-C connection works well with modern laptops and desktops
- + 4x4 I/O includes loopback and routing handy for streams and calls
- - Two mic inputs only, which limits in-person panel recordings
- - Front panel has many controls that can feel busy for beginners
#2Focusrite's Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen is a USB audio interface with two mic inputs and extra I/O for co-host podcasts and music.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 9/10 · Value 8/10
- + Two quality mic preamps record a host and guest on separate channels
- + Extra inputs and outputs route a mixer, phone or monitor setup cleanly
- + Latest generation brings refined preamps and auto-gain style conveniences
- - Only two mic preamps despite the 4-in name, so panels need more channels
- - Costs more than the previous generation, which still does the basics well
#3Behringer's U-PHORIA UMC404HD is a 4x4 USB audio/MIDI interface with four mic preamps, a budget hub for multi-host podcasts.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 10/10
- + Four mic preamps let four people record on separate tracks at low cost
- + MIDI ports add flexibility for music-focused shows and producers
- + Rugged metal chassis handles moving between desks and venues
- - Preamps are less quiet than premium interfaces with low-output mics
- - Driver setup on Windows can take more effort than class-compliant rivals
#4Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD is a 4-in, 4-out USB audio interface with four Midas mic preamps and MIDI I/O, recording at up to 24-bit/192kHz. A budget route to multi-mic podcast recording.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + Four Midas mic preamps cover a multi-guest podcast table or a mic plus instruments without adding a mixer.
- + 4-in/4-out routing with 24-bit/192kHz recording gives room for separate tracks, headphone feeds and monitor outputs.
- + MIDI I/O and macOS and Windows support make it useful beyond voice work if the studio expands.
- - The listing is the interface alone, so cables, mics and a power or USB setup are bought separately.
- - The listing gives only brief specs, with little detail on included software or driver support, so check those before buying.
#5The standard Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD Audiophile 4x4 is a USB interface with four mic inputs for budget group podcasts.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 9/10
- + 4x4 design gives four preamps and outputs for monitors and headphones
- + Very low cost per mic input compared with other four-channel interfaces
- + Straightforward front panel is easy for beginners to learn
- - Interface only, so cables and a headphone amp for guests are extra
- - Single headphone output means co-hosts share or need a splitter
#6The TOPPING E4X4 Pre is a 4-in, 4-out USB-C interface with four in-house mic preamps rated at -130.5 dBu EIN and 24-bit/192 kHz conversion. Dual headphone outputs let a host and a guest monitor at once.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Four microphone preamps with phantom power and a stated EIN as low as -130.5 dBu
- + Dual headphone outputs driven by TOPPING's NFCA-LE amp module with 1 ohm output impedance
- + Zero-latency hardware monitoring with mixer control, and dual USB-C ports with Windows, Mac, iOS and Android support
- - Four preamps and a 12-channel input mixer add setup work a simple two-mic show does not need
- - Costs noticeably more than the Behringer 4x4 units in this guide
#7The PreSonus Quantum ES 4 is a 4x4, 24-bit/192 kHz USB-C interface with four MAX-HD mic preamps offering 75 dB of gain. Auto Gain and control from the Universal Control app help when you run a multi-mic show.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Four MAX-HD mic preamps with +75 dB of gain, a useful margin for low-output dynamic mics
- + Auto Gain button sets input levels for microphones and instruments automatically
- + Includes a Studio One Pro perpetual license and preamp control from a phone, tablet or desktop
- - Costs well above budget interfaces, so it only pays off if you use all four preamps
- - Four mic inputs are more than a solo or two-host show needs, where a two-preamp unit costs far less
#8This bundle pairs the Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD, a 4x4 USB audio and MIDI interface with MIDAS mic preamps, with two 25 foot XLR cables. It gets two of the four mic inputs wired up straight out of the box.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Four-input, four-output USB audio and MIDI interface with MIDAS mic preamplifiers
- + Two 25 foot XLR male to female microphone cables are included in the bundle
- + Power adapter and USB cable come in the box, so no extra parts are needed to start recording
- - Only two XLR cables are included, so a four-mic setup still needs two more
- - It is the same interface as the standalone UMC404HD in this guide, so it only pays off if you need the cables
#9The Fender Quantum LT 4 is a 4x2 USB-C interface with two MAX-HD mic preamps and two dedicated instrument inputs. Loopback routing and a headphone amp suit streaming and podcasts, at a lower price than four-preamp units.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Two MAX-HD mic preamps with 75 dB of gain plus two instrument inputs, four inputs in total
- + Loopback audio routing brings computer sound into a stream or podcast recording
- + Balanced TRS outputs, a headphone amp and direct monitoring control via Fender Studio Pro or Universal Control
- - Only two of the four inputs are mic preamps, so it cannot record four XLR microphones at once
- - A 4x2 layout has just two line outputs, limiting it to one pair of monitors
Before you buy: trade-offs we flagged
No pick is perfect. These are the main compromises we noted for the top products in this guide, so you can check they will not matter for you.
- Two mic inputs only, which limits in-person panel recordings (MOTU M4 4x4 USB-C Audio Interface)
- Only two mic preamps despite the 4-in name, so panels need more channels (Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen USB Audio...)
- Preamps are less quiet than premium interfaces with low-output mics (Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD Audiophile 4x4...)
- The listing is the interface alone, so cables, mics and a power or USB setup are bought separately. (Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD 4x4 USB Audio...)
- Interface only, so cables and a headphone amp for guests are extra (Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD USB Audio...)
- Four preamps and a 12-channel input mixer add setup work a simple two-mic show does not need (TOPPING E4X4 Pre USB Audio Interface - Dual...)
Frequently asked questions
›What is the best choice among 4 channel audio interfaces?
MOTU M4 4x4 USB-C Audio Interface is our top overall pick. MOTU's M4 is a 4x4 USB-C audio interface with clear metering, a studio-grade two-mic interface for podcasters and producers. It earns our score of 9.0/10, based on fit for the job, features, build and value.
›What is a good budget option?
Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen USB Audio Interface is the strongest low-cost pick in this guide. Focusrite's Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen is a USB audio interface with two mic inputs and extra I/O for co-host podcasts and music.
›How much should I expect to spend?
Picks in this guide span See on Amazon price bands (roughly: $ = under $30, $$ = $30 to $100, $$$ = over $100). We never display exact prices because they change constantly, so the buttons above always show Amazon's current price.
›How were these products chosen?
We shortlist products that fit the job this guide solves and compare their published specifications, such as size, capacity, materials and what is included. Each pick gets an editorial score out of 10 for fit, features, build and value, and we write the pros and cons from those details. Our score is not an Amazon customer rating. We earn a commission if you buy through our links, which never affects the ranking.
Podcast Gear Hub independently selects every product; we may earn a commission from links above.
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