The MOTU M4 is the best interface with MIDI: 60 dB of published mic gain, -129 dBu EIN and a 120 dB ESS Sabre32 converter, plus 5-pin MIDI in and out and full-color metering. The Scarlett 4i4 is the pick if you need more gain — 69 dB — and loopback as well.
If you do need DIN, it is worth knowing that MIDI is one of the few features where the cheap implementation is the same as the expensive one. MIDI is a low-bandwidth serial protocol; a $150 interface's MIDI ports do exactly what a $500 interface's do. So this page ranks on everything else — the audio specifications you are buying alongside the ports.
Three of the six publish no maximum gain figure, which matters if you pair one with a low-output dynamic — see how much clean gain do you need. If your microphone is a condenser, gain is a non-issue and you can choose purely on the extras column.
The six interfaces with MIDI, ranked
MOTU M4
Top pickMOTU · Four channels, MIDI and the best converters here
The pick if you want MOTU's conversion plus MIDI and a couple of extra line inputs. If you only ever record one or two microphones and do not need MIDI, the M2 does the same job for less.
Why it is here
- 60 dB of published gain and `-129 dBu` EIN is a genuinely quiet channel, and unlike the M2 the figure is published
- MIDI in and out on a box this size saves a separate interface if you play keys
- Full-color LCD metering for all four channels, which is more useful daily than any software mixer
What it costs you
- 60 dB is enough for an SM7B but without much headroom to spare
- Two of the four inputs are line-only, so it is not a four-microphone box
- No onboard voicing or DSP at all
Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 (4th Gen)
Focusrite · The most gain, plus MIDI and loopback
The most complete interface under $500 for someone who records voice and plays keys and streams. If you do none of those extra things, the 2i2 has identical gain for less money.
Why it is here
- `69 dB` of gain, the same as the 2i2, so no microphone on this site needs a booster
- MIDI and loopback in one box — the two features that usually force a second purchase
- Four line outputs, so monitors and a separate headphone amp can both be fed
What it costs you
- Costs meaningfully more than the 2i2 for features a solo voice recordist may never touch
- Still only two mic preamps despite the four-in name
- Larger footprint than the desktop boxes
Arturia MiniFuse 2
Arturia · Mic inputs plus MIDI in one small box
The right buy if you record voice and play keys and want one box for both. If voice is the only job and the mic is low-output, the gain ceiling makes it the wrong tool.
Why it is here
- MIDI I/O at this price is rare and saves a separate interface
- The USB passthrough port is a genuinely thoughtful touch on a crowded laptop
- Two combo inputs
What it costs you
- 56 dB is not SM7B territory
- 110 dB input dynamic range is the lowest here
- Bundle software is less useful than UA's
Steinberg UR22C
Steinberg · Windows driver quality and a hardware loopback switch
The pick on Windows if driver stability and a physical loopback switch matter to you. The missing gain figure makes it a gamble with a low-output broadcast dynamic — pair it with a hot microphone.
Why it is here
- A hardware loopback switch rather than a software setting, which is the difference between streaming working and streaming needing a manual
- Yamaha-lineage Windows drivers, historically the most stable in this price band
- MIDI in and out plus onboard DSP monitoring FX
What it costs you
- Steinberg does not publish a maximum mic-gain figure, so you cannot plan a gain budget for a quiet dynamic
- The DSP FX are monitoring-only and add nothing to the recording
- 32-bit conversion is a headline number rather than an audible advantage
Universal Audio Volt 276
Universal Audio · Analog compression on the way in
Worth it if you record your own voice, know you want compression on the way in, and your microphone is hot enough for 55 dB. For anything else, record clean and compress in the DAW where you can change your mind.
Why it is here
- A real analog compressor on the input, which no other interface at this price includes
- Vintage preamp mode plus MIDI I/O in a bus-powered box
- The three compressor presets are genuinely usable rather than decorative
What it costs you
- `55 dB` of gain is the lowest of the interfaces we recommend and rules out an SM7B without a booster
- Analog compression is printed into the recording and cannot be undone
- You are paying for two color options a clean recording does not need
PreSonus Studio 24c
PreSonus · MIDI I/O at the low end of the price range
A sensible budget route to MIDI I/O if your microphone is a condenser or a hot dynamic. If you need a published gain figure for a broadcast dynamic, the Scarlett 4i4 is the safer MIDI-equipped choice.
Why it is here
- MIDI in and out at a price where most boxes omit it
- Two combo inputs with independent gain and phantom
- `115 dB` dynamic range is respectable for the money
What it costs you
- PreSonus does not publish a maximum mic-gain figure, so a quiet dynamic is a gamble
- Driver experience has historically trailed Focusrite and Steinberg on Windows
- No loopback switch
What we did not pick, and why
- Interfaces with no MIDI ports. The Scarlett 2i2, MOTU M2, SSL 2+ MKII and the Audient boxes are all excellent and none has MIDI DIN. If you need DIN they are simply not candidates.
- Standalone USB-MIDI interfaces. A separate two-port MIDI box plus any interface is a perfectly good solution and often cheaper than upgrading. Worth knowing if you already own an interface you like.
- MIDI-over-USB-only controllers. Not a criticism — most modern gear is this, and it is why the note above exists.
- Interfaces with MIDI in but no MIDI out. Half a feature. You need out to drive external hardware or to send clock.
Pair it with
- A pair of MIDI cables. They are rarely included, and you need two for in and out.
- A microphone matched to the gain figure. Best XLR microphones.
- Monitoring over the balanced outputs. Best studio monitors under $500.
How to choose
- Check your controller first. USB-only means you do not need this page.
- Best all-round audio alongside the MIDI: MOTU M4.
- Most gain, plus loopback for streaming: Scarlett 4i4.
- Smallest and cheapest with a USB passthrough: MiniFuse 2.
- Analog compression and character as well: Volt 276 — but 55 dB is the lowest gain here.
