Black Friday audio interface deals 2024: Get the best early deals on an audio interface
Black Friday hasn't arrived just yet, but there's still plenty of deals you can get your hands on right now
1. Quick links
2. Editor's picks
3. FAQ
4. Shopping tips
5. How we choose
6. Why trust us
7. Last year's deals
If you're looking for the best Black Friday audio interface deals, you're in the right place. I've reviewed 15 audio interfaces in the past year alone, and conducted extensive latency testing on many more for our best audio interfaces guide. It puts me in a great position to recommend the best deals this Cyber Weekend, combining real-world experience with more than 20 years in the home recording game.
There's not loads of audio interface deals available just yet, despite many retailers having gone early with their Black Friday sales. Some great sales are going though, like Sweetwater's early Black Friday sale which features a massive up to 60% off music gear. I've spotted deals on Universal Audio and Antelope Audio there already, and I expect more to arrive the closer we get to Black Friday itself.
Over at Guitar Center, there are savings to be made of up to 40% off with their early sale, and I spotted some excellent deals on PreSonus interfaces there. If you head over to Musician's Friend, you'll find up to 50% off gear, with some savings on more premium interfaces like those from Apogee available right now.
Below, you'll find links to all the sales where you can pick up an audio interface cheaper, separated by US and UK deals so you can get the retailer that's right for you. I've also included some handpicked deals further down the page, including a saving on one of my favorite budget audio interfaces of the year.
Black Friday audio interface deals: Quick links
Here you'll find all the latest audio interface sales from the biggest and best Black Friday sales that are live right now:
Amazon: Save big on home recording
B&H Photo: Save on pro audio
Guitar Center: Up to 40% off interfaces
Reverb: Up to 82% off Black Friday sale
Musician's Friend: Up to 50% off sale
Sweetwater: Save up to 75% on recording
Andertons: Epic deals on interfaces
Gear 4 Music: Clearance deals
PMT: Save with pre-owned
Thomann: 70th Anniversary Sale
Editor's picks
A lot of early Black Friday sales have launched now, so you can pick up some fantastic deals well before the official Black Friday sales launch. Whether it's wise to wait or not I'll leave to you, but here are the best deals I've seen so far:
With a massive $200 discount, this is one of the cheapest prices I've ever seen an Apollo Twin X going for, most likely due to the fact that Gen 2 recently launched. Don't let that put you off if your budget can't stretch to the latest model, this is still a phenomenally good audio interface for home recording.
Perfect for those making their first steps into the world of music production. This bundle features everything you need to get up and recording immediately - apart from a computer. The AudioBox USB 96 is a great first-time audio interface, while the inclusion of studio monitors, condenser mic, headphones, and cables makes this a brilliant gift for the budding musician. Now even cheaper with a $50 discount at Guitar Center!
It does have its flaws, particularly if you're a Windows user, but there's no denying the Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 is unbelievable value for money. Already the cheapest decent audio interface you can buy, an extra $30 discount at Musician's Friend makes it even more of a bargain. I reviewed this model personally, and it absolutely does the job if you're recording on a shoestring budget.
Black Friday audio interface deals FAQ
When do the Black Friday audio interface deals start?
For 2024, the Black Friday audio interface deals will officially arrive on Friday, November 29 - less than a month before Christmas Day. As always, the deals will extend across that weekend (also known as Cyber Weekend), before finishing with a final flurry of Cyber Monday music deals on Monday 2 December.
Deals are launched at all sorts of random times – sometimes in the middle of the night – so savvy shoppers will need to keep a close eye on their favorite retailers to ensure they grab the bargains they're after. Some Black Friday audio interface deals may stick around for the whole of Cyber Weekend, while others may only be live for a matter of hours, or could be stock-limited. So, if you're looking for a bargain, you need to be ready to pull the trigger.
If you're using Black Friday to save money on Christmas gifts, our guide to the best Christmas gifts for musicians is great for inspiration.
How long do Black Friday sales last?
Whilst Black Friday is traditionally limited to one weekend, the deals won't be isolated to this concentrated four-day period. Many of the best Black Friday audio interface deals will emerge in the weeks leading up to the big day and many deals stick around well after the event and into December.
What deals should I expect?
We’ll be keeping a close eye on the big music retailers throughout October and November. Based on last year's evidence, the Guitar Center Black Friday deals, Sweetwater Black Friday sales, Musician's Friend Black Friday deals, and Thomann Black Friday deals will be the place to find the very best Black Friday audio interface deals.
In the past, we've seen offers on killer interfaces from Focusrite's Scarlett and Clarett ranges, and this year we're hoping to see discounts on the brand-new Scarlett 4th Generation. Last year's biggest highlight was money-off bundles, with both PreSonus and Universal Audio delivering fantastic value deals.
Talking of bundles, Black Friday is often the best time of year to save big on collections of recording gear, which usually comprises a quality interface, studio headphones, a condenser microphone, and possibly some software too. This is a really economical way of getting into recording. All you need then is a decent laptop for music production.
We've been covering the Black Friday music deals for years now, so you can rest assured our teams will be hunting down the best offers before anyone else and sharing them with you first.
Can I get free stuff on Black Friday?
Whilst there is unlikely to be any free audio interfaces going, most home recording hardware will come bundled with plugins. As part of the Black Friday deals manufacturers may offer a greater than usual set of free plugins with their interfaces to tempt you into purchasing, as you can see right now with many Universal Audio interfaces.
Retailers may also offer multi-buy deals, where if you add two separate items to your basket and get one of them for free, or at a reduced price.
Shopping tips for Black Friday
1. Make some room - Consider ahead of time whether you have enough space on your desktop to account for additional gear. We're all guilty of hoarding items we never use, and having a clear-out can also open up more funds for a new purchase.
2. Consider your music-making goals - Are you a solo producer making EDM? Do you want to record a rock album with your band? These are all great questions to ask that will inform your purchase, making sure it's the perfect match for your needs.
3. Work out what you actually need - Perhaps you're looking to get your first audio interface, so an all-in-one bundle with an interface, headphones, and microphone might be handy. On the other hand, you might be looking to expand your current setup so an interface with ADAT is a must. By working out what you want beforehand, you'll save yourself time and money when the big day comes.
4. Create a wishlist early - To save you from scrolling endlessly through a list of discounted items, it's important to know what it is you both want and need before the big sales start. Making a list will help keep you focused as there will be so much noise around Black Friday it's easy to get distracted by the next shiny thing that appears on your feed.
How we choose the best Black Friday audio interface deals
I've been using audio interfaces for the last twenty years for my own recordings, so it's fair to say I've got a good overview of what's out there. I review audio interfaces regularly and alongside the MusicRadar team, we've covered all the latest releases of the last 17 years.
When choosing a deal for our readers, it has to meet a few different criteria. The most important is that it's something we'd use ourselves. You won't find any knock-off red boxes from Temu here, because unless something is good enough we wouldn't recommend it.
Next up, the price has to be right. Because I'm constantly immersed in the world of audio interfaces, I know full well the market value of what's out there. This means I can see beyond certain retailers raising the RRP right before a sales event to make the discount look bigger than it actually is.
Finally, I have to be sure that I'm linking to a trusted retailer, someone I know will deliver excellent customer service to our readers. I'd only link to a retailer I would feel comfortable buying from myself, so you can rest assured you'll get your items exactly as described, and on time.
Why you can trust us
Despite Black Friday only happening on a specific weekend, I actually spend all year looking for fantastic deals on audio interfaces, and many other bits of recording hardware and software. It's my job, alongside the MusicRadar team, to research and recommend the best music gear for our reviews but as gear hounds ourselves, we're also always on the lookout for a great deal.
We cover loads of the big sales events throughout the year, including Memorial Day, 4th of July sales, and Amazon Prime Day, so we've got our finger firmly on the pulse of what's going on in the music gear industry. We know the prices they've been in the past too, so we can tell you whether the deals we recommend are genuinely worth it.
Last year's Black Friday audio interface deals
Universal Audio: Bundles deals and money off
Whether you’re a newcomer to the world of home recording, or you’re a pro producer who needs the best of everything, there is something for everyone in the Sweetwater Universal Audio sale. From two-input compact interfaces to studio-grade 18-in monsters there are some amazing bundle deals and select price drops available now that include software and even some select hardware bundles.
Prism Sound Lyra 2: Was $3,104, now $2,399
If you're looking for a premium audio interface for pro-level work, the Prism Sound Lyra 2 is a great choice. With fantastic audio-to-digital conversion and a professional-grade preamp, this is a serious bit of kit that will add a significant boost to your recording work.
Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen: $259.99, $199.99
Despite having only been recently released, the Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 4th Gen is already on sale at Guitar Center, giving you a state-of-the-art audio interface for a little less. It's got a $60 discount which isn't huge, but to be honest we weren't expecting to see this product discounted due to how new it is.
Universal Audio Volt 476P: Was $469, now $419
Taking a step away from the expensive, DSP-powered units they're renowned for it was a pleasant surprise to all when UA announced their Volt range of interfaces. With the increase in the availability of processing power and the fact that UA offers its plugins native nowadays, there are even some who say that DSP-based interfaces are becoming redundant.
The Volt 476P is fully USB bus powered with four of UA's famously articulate preamps and a built-in '76' compressor with settings for guitar and vocals. It's well-priced, convenient, and even comes with some free plugins. With a $50 discount over at Guitar Center, we're hard-pressed to find reasons not to get one.
Price check - Sweetwater $419
PreSonus Revelator io24: $199.99, now $149.99
Providing a clear interface design and built-in display, the PreSonus Revelator io24 is geared towards live streaming and podcasting but will certainly do the job as an audio interface for the home studio too. If you like to create other content alongside your music it's a great choice, made ever sweeter with a $50 discount at Sweetwater.
Price check - Guitar Center $149.99
Sterling Audio H224: Was 149.99, now $79.99
If you're after a cheap audio interface then it doesn't get much better than this deal. The Sterling Audio Harmony H224 is a 24-bit, 192kHz audio interface that's perfect for beginners. With a huge $70 reduction it's a fantastic way to get started making your own music.
Lewitt Connect 6: Was $299, now $249
Although it may look like the US military's latest stealth bomber, this is in fact an audio interface that's determined to do things differently. The space-age looks aside, the Lewitt Connect 6 features a whole range of connectivity, flexible internal routing that allows it to play a variety of roles, and a built-in compressor, expander, EQ, and maximizer. With a lovely $50 discount at Sweetwater, it's perfect for those musicians who want something different from your average crimson audio interface.
Focusrite Scarlett 18i20: Was $599.99, now $539.99
Perfect for studios on a budget, the Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 offers some serious features for far less than their similarly spec'd competitors. It's got a $60 discount at Guitar Center in their Black Friday sale, and while it's not huge numbers, we still think it's excellent value even at its full price. The preamps are as high quality as those on bigger name interfaces, and the 18i20 is ideal for the producer looking to take a step up to recording full drum kits and larger groups simultaneously.
Price check - Sweetwater $539.99
RME Fireface UFX II: Was $2,799, now $2,379
If you thought that USB couldn't match Thunderbolt for latency, then the RME Fireface UFX II will make you think differently. The sound quality of this thing is incredible and it has some of the best mic pres we've heard thus far. We love the built-in mixing software too. It's got a huge $420 discount at Sweetwater at the moment, a great opportunity to pick up a professional-level interface for a lot less.
Price check - Guitar Center $2,799
PreSonus AudioBox bundle: $199.99, now $159.99
For those looking for an all-in-one solution to recording, the PreSonus AudioBox 96 bundle represents tremendous value for money, and even more so with a tempting $40 discount at Sweetwater.
Featuring everything you need to get started recording music, podcasts, or audio for YouTube videos, this bundle features an audio interface, a condenser microphone, and a set of studio headphones. It even includes all the cables and stands you need too, so you can start recording from the moment you get it.
Price check - Guitar Center $159.99
More places to shop this Black Friday
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Korg’s PianoRec gives you a simple way to make high-quality recordings of your digital piano, and the built-in mic means that you can capture your voice, too
Calling all recording fanatics, you don't want to miss this epic Black Friday interface deal - bag up to $800 off select Universal Audio devices from Apollo to Volt
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Matt is a Junior Deals Writer here at MusicRadar. He regularly tests and reviews music gear with a focus on audio interfaces, studio headphones, studio monitors, and pretty much anything else home recording-related. Matt worked in music retail for 5 years at Dawsons Music and Northwest Guitars and has written for various music sites including Guitar World, Guitar Player, Guitar.com, Ultimate Guitar, and Thomann’s t.blog. A regularly gigging guitarist with over 20 years of experience playing live and producing bands, he's performed everything from jazz to djent, gigging all over the UK in more dingy venues than you can shake a drop-tuned guitar at.
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Korg’s PianoRec gives you a simple way to make high-quality recordings of your digital piano, and the built-in mic means that you can capture your voice, too
Calling all recording fanatics, you don't want to miss this epic Black Friday interface deal - bag up to $800 off select Universal Audio devices from Apollo to Volt