Audient iD14

Audient makes the large-format mixing consoles found in professional studios worldwide, and the iD14 MKII packs their Class-A mic preamp design into a $300 desktop interface. The preamps have more headroom and a more natural, open sound than anything else at this price. JFET instrument input, optical ADAT expansion for adding eight more channels later, and a scroll-wheel monitor controller that feels premium. Engineers upgrading from a Scarlett usually land here.