Choose an audio interface by the speaker and headphone connections you will use while editing, then count microphone-capable inputs separately if you also record or overdub. At a standing desk, keep controls within reach and cables clear of the desk’s travel; four mic preamps, a second headphone output or ADAT expansion is useful only when your sessions call for it.
If you mainly review balances, edits and noise in existing rehearsal recordings, consider how easily you can switch between speakers and headphones and control their levels. A high microphone count may matter less to you than usable output routing.
If you occasionally connect microphones, guitars, keyboards or other line-level equipment, count the inputs for each source type. Four total inputs do not necessarily mean you can connect four microphones at once.
If your setup may grow, consider whether you will need more outputs, another headphone connection or a digital expansion path. ADAT expansion requires compatible external equipment; it is not extra built-in microphone capacity.
For rehearsal editing at a standing desk, work out how you will listen before deciding how many sources you may need to record. Then check that the interface and its cables will fit the desk at both heights.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Speaker and headphone monitoring | Check the number of line outputs and whether headphone level and routing meet your listening needs. | If I check edits through both speakers and headphones, I want to control what I hear without disrupting the other listening setup. Around 40% of consumers put monitoring and routing first. |
| Simultaneous recording | Count mic preamps, instrument inputs and line inputs separately; check ADAT requirements if you plan to expand. | When I record a rehearsal or add overdubs, I need enough inputs of the right type for the sources connected at once. Roughly 30% of consumers make recording capacity their primary concern. |
| Standing-desk setup and growth | Check computer compatibility, control placement and cable reach through the desk’s full height range; consider whether expansion is likely. | I need controls I can reach and cables that move safely with the desk, while leaving room for a larger setup if I expect one. About 30% of consumers prioritise desk workflow and future growth. |
Focusrite lists two front microphone-capable inputs and two rear line inputs for the Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen; MOTU specifies a similar distinction for the M4. Audient lists four mic preamps for the EVO 8. The total input number alone therefore cannot tell you how many microphones you can connect directly.
List the microphones, instruments and line-level sources you expect to record simultaneously, then match each one to an input of the right type.
A session needing more microphone preamps may require external equipment or a different interface.
Audient specifies two headphone outputs for the EVO 8, while Focusrite describes separate headphone and line-output mixes for the Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen. Those arrangements answer different monitoring needs.
Decide whether one or two people need headphones and whether you will connect speakers or other output equipment before choosing the interface.
Audient’s iD14 has an ADAT input, but using additional inputs through it depends on compatible external hardware.
Choose an ADAT-equipped interface for this reason only if larger recording sessions are a realistic prospect; it does not provide extra built-in mic preamps.
A height-changing desk can put connected leads under strain or trap them against other objects. MOTU advises protecting cords from being walked on or pinched, and the Health and Safety Executive includes desk arrangement in its display-screen-equipment guidance.
Move the desk through its full height range while checking cable slack, pinch points and access to the interface controls.
These model-specific connections offer different ways to combine editing, occasional recording and future expansion.
The Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen combines two front mic/line/instrument inputs with two rear line inputs, four balanced line outputs and MIDI.
The EVO 8 addresses sessions needing four mic preamps or two headphone outputs; the iD14 combines two built-in mic preamps with four line outputs and an ADAT input.
The bus-powered M4 has two mic/line/Hi-Z combo inputs, two additional line inputs, four balanced line outputs, MIDI and a front colour meter display.
It can be enough if you use one pair of monitor outputs, one headphone connection and occasional one- or two-source overdubs. Choose more outputs for additional routing, or more microphone-capable inputs if you need to record more microphones simultaneously.
An input count can include connections intended for line-level equipment rather than microphones. Focusrite’s Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen and MOTU’s M4 each have two microphone-capable inputs plus two additional line inputs; Audient specifies four mic preamps for the EVO 8.
Put it where you can reach the monitor and headphone controls at both desk heights, and leave enough cable movement for the desk’s full travel. Check for pinching and places where leads could be walked on, in line with MOTU’s cord-safety advice and the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on arranging desk space.
Check the marking and applicable product requirements for the exact interface and the market where it is sold. GOV.UK guidance for Great Britain covers England, Scotland and Wales and recognises CE marking alongside UKCA under the relevant requirements; Northern Ireland follows different processes.
Check available electrical-equipment collection or recycling arrangements with your retailer or local authority rather than putting the interface in general waste. GOV.UK describes the waste electrical and electronic equipment framework as supporting recovery, reuse and recycling.