Embarking on a sonic journey from the friendly confines of your home? Our quick and easy buying guide for home guitar recording audio interfaces is here to amplify your musical aspirations. Crafting the perfect guitar tone demands the right tools. A quality audio interface is your gateway to achieving studio-level sound quality. Whether you’re a shredder, strummer, or fingerstyle aficionado, this guide will navigate the intricate landscape of features, compatibility, and essential considerations. Get ready to transform your home recordings as we dive into the world of audio interfaces tailored for capturing the intricate melodies and raw power of your guitar. Not quite ready for a buying guide? Then check out my introductory article on recording guitar at home for quick tips and techniques.
Recommended Audio Interfaces for Recording Guitar at Home
 |  |  | |
| Quality | Good | Better | Best |
| Brand | Focusrite | MOTU | Universal Audio |
| Model (w/ Amazon Link) | Scarlett Solo | M2 | Apollo Solo |
| Analog Inputs | 1: XLR 1: TRS | 2: XLR/TRS combo | 2: XLR-1/4″ combo 1: 1/4″ (Hi-Z) |
| Analog Outputs | 1: 1/4″ | 1: 1/4″ 1: RCA | 2: 1/4″ |
| Number of Preamps | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Analog/Digital Resolution | 24-bit / 192kHz | 24-bit / 192kHz | 24-bit / 192kHz |
| Phantom Power | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Compatability | PC, Mac, iOS | PC, Mac, iOS | PC, Mac |
| Software | Ableton Live Lite | Ableton Live Lite Performer Lite | Luna (Mac Only) |
| Computer Connectivity | USB Type-C | USB Type-C | Thunderbolt 3 |
| Headphone Output | Yes | Yes: 1/4″ TRS | Yes: 1/4″ TRS |
Good – Focusrite Scarlett Solo Audio Interface
- The Scarlett line of audio interfaces from Focusrite is by far the most used around the world. Literally millions of users from newbies in their bedroom the biggest names in music history trust Scarlett from Focusrite.
- It’s hard to imagine a better bang-for-the-buck that this particular model. While other more expensive units offer additional inputs, outputs and some extra bells and whistles, this audio interface provides everything you need. And not much that you don’t.
- The included DAW software, Ableton Live Lite, is like the Scarlett itself in that it offers everything you need to get started recording guitar in your home!
Better – MOTU M2 Audio Interface
- This is simply a great mid-level audio interface for beginner, intermediate and advanced guitarists. It has more features than the Scarlett, such as dual inputs and outputs, and is generally on par with the UA Apollo unit below. And the price is affordable for most guitarists who are wanting to make high-quality recordings of their guitar at home.
- Other ways in which this unit is a step up from the Scarlett are the broad 120 dB dynamic range of the preamps, the ultra-low 2.5 millisecond round trip latency for improved live monitoring and the full-color LCD level meters for all inputs and outputs.
- In addition to Ableton Live Lite software, this model also comes with MOTU’s Performer Light DAW software. So you can experiment with two different DAWS and choose whichever one you prefer.
Best – Universal Audio Apollo Solo Audio Interface
- Yes, this unit is pricey. But as the saying goes, “You get what you pay for.” Universal Audio is a giant in the high-end professional music recording studio world. So when this unit launched at a price that many non-professionals can afford, rave reviews started pouring in.
- In my opinion, the best feature of this audio interface is the quality of the preamps. I upgraded from a Focusrite Scarlett to an Apollo Solo in recent years. And I was able to record my acoustic guitar while playing finger style with much-improved definition and clarity. And the amazing this is that it’s not like my recordings with the Scarlett sounded bad. I just couldn’t believe how great my guitar sounded when I recorded it through the Apollo!
- I’ve also become a big fan of the Luna Recording System software. It was designed to fully integrate the UA Apollo audio interface. So there is near zero-latency between your playing, the application of plug-in effects, and the software doing the recording. And the included bundle of plug-ins mimic some of the most legendary rack-mounted units in the history of recorded music. Compressors, equalizers, tape machines and more are available in the free software package.
Summary of Audio Interfaces for Recording Guitar at Home
The ability to make high-quality digital recordings of your guitar in the comfort of your home has come very far in recent years. All three of these recommended audio interfaces will get you on your way. From listening to yourself play for more rapid advancement to learning about audio mixing/mastering and sharing your progress with friends and family. It’s a very rewarding process that I highly recommend for all guitar players!