VO Gear: Audio Interface Features & Options

Because Audio Interfaces in the voiceover studio connect microphones to recording computers, they must have cables attached to them. And, since we will be always be adjusting settings, controls need to be easily accessible.

As basic as that sounds, the manufacturer’s choices of where to locate those controls and how to attach cables can make a noticeable difference in studio workflow. Directly moving knobs, sliders or buttons remains the most common method of adjusting settings. Having a clean and simple control panel with easy-to-adjust settings lets you focus upon the performance with no fumbling.

For home-based voiceover studios, the most common Audio Interfaces are desktop models laid out in one of two ways:

• Front Panel Designs: (as in the Scarlett 2i2 in the top image above) Audio cables attach and settings are adjusted on the face of the unit.
• Back Panel Cable Routing: (like the SSL 2 Plus shown below) Audio cables attach at the back and controls are on the top of the interface. This similar to mixers and consoles typically found in more complex studios.

In some cases interfaces are controlled by software through the computer. If that is the case, the interface manufacturer will supply the control app, typically available to you via download when you register the device. Usually, the software “console” app provides access to deeper settings and more complex setup items.

Location, Location, Location… Where to put the Audio Interface

My recommendation is generally to leave the interface out of the booth – for two reasons. First – USB, USB-C, or Lightning data cables generally need to be shorter than XLR audio cables. You could easily run an XLR cable 50 – 100 feet without having noticeable degradation of the audio signal, but there are specific length limits for digital cables. Long data cables introduce the possibility of dropouts and glitches. Second – and this is more of an aesthetic bias – for most voiceover work, there’s little reason to have the interface nearby. If you are setting appropriate input levels, there’s no need to be actively tweaking input knobs when recording.

Laying Things Out – Cable routing and control surfaces

Consider the physical layout of your interface. While I’m incredibly happy with the amount of hours my Gen1 Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 provided, the control panel layout caused the microphone cables to jut out to the front of the unit. That meant I sacrificed a bit of desktop real estate to the connections and cable loops. It also made it slightly fiddly to get at the input knobs for each channel. The rear panel routing and more separated controls of the SSL 2+ cleaned things up significantly.

How Many Inputs?

Most home-based VO studios have only a single microphone, and an interface with a single input lets you happily get to work. However, for a few dollars more, there typically exists a two input model. If you ever want to add another mic, having that second input simplifies things. Also – since the second input has its own separate preamp, that provides a backup if the first one fails. The minor increase in price is cheap insurance. It also lets you have a second microphone at your desk if you are doing Remote Connected sessions.

Plug This Into That – current Audio Interface connectors

Most interfaces now use a USB-C connection – the smaller plug design that supports higher data transfer speeds. In order to accommodate older computers, some interface models ship with a cable that goes from USB-C on the interface to a USB 2.0 connector (the older, rectangular-shaped connector) on the other end. If not, converters are readily available. Note that USB-C actually has the same connector shape as Thunderbolt – so sometimes it gets a little confusing. You can plug a USB-C device into a Thunderbolt port, but it won’t be able to use the faster data rates that Thunderbolt supports. (More about Thunderbolt here.)

Will It Work Tomorrow?

These days, electronic devices are typically built by manufacturing contractors. That’s why we can get amazing products for very low cost. The downside is that maintaining consistency, controlling the variables of components, and keeping quality high can be difficult. If some subcontractor supplies a sub-spec part or the manufacturing tolerances are not met, the result is often bad production runs of certain makes and models. While no company is immune, some do seem to have more of an issue with this than others.

Reliability is a key feature in your studio.

NEXT: My specific Audio Interface model recommendations for your home VO recording studio.

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