MOTU M2 USB-C Audio Interface

I almost returned this thing when I ran into an issue where apparently each channel only records lift or right, but not both. This wasn't the end of the world and easily fixed in post but I didn't want to deal with that unnecessary step every time. I googled and saw others asking but no one else came up with a good solution. Well here's the fix I did that worked.(This is for Windows only!!!)-Right Click Sound Icon (bottom right)-Select Sounds-Recording Tab-Set Default to "Loopback Mix"And that's it, you should be all set. If it doesn't fix immediately you might have to also disable the other options, but do 1 at a time to make sure you can still record.----REVIEW----I got this to record my mic for voiceovers. I use a Shure SM7B with a cloud lifter. This doesn't need a cloud lifter but I already had one from my previous setup so I decided to use it so it gives me more room for more gain because without the cloud lifter the gain was set all the way to full and it would barely peak. It didn't sound bad but with the cloud lifter I can set the gain more to the 60% full which gives me a lot of room to work with.I tested the mic with and without the cloud lifter, the cloud lifter doesn't hurt the quality at all, it sounds the same with or without but of course with the lifter the extra gain makes it a bit louder. Which sounds good with the SM7B. Maybe another mic would not benefit from this setup the same way. It's important to note that with the sound lifter you need the 48V powered on, without the sound lifter you do not with the SM7B.Once I figured out the fix to make it so the sound records both Left & Right side I have been very happy with the setup. I like the feel of it, it's made of aluminum and the the knobs are tight and feel quality (I saw another review complaining they were loose feeling), theirs must have been broken or something because mine feel very sturdy. I also really like the monitoring screen in the front. It just looks sorta retro but also modern at the same time. It really adds to the look on my desk. The only thing I don't like is that the XLR input is in the front. I hate the look of cables going out the front, you have this beautiful simplistic front fascia and then you stick your inputs there, I can't figure out why they'd do that. It was enough of an annoyance that I almost went with the Scarlett 2i2 4th gen. Because I liked how they had the inputs at the back. I like the meters of the Motu M2 more than those knob lights but not enough to sway me on its own. I really like how the 2i2 has the auto peak protection and air mode which was almost the reason why I ended up buying it instead of the M2. But ultimately the main reason why I chose the Motu M2 > the Scarlett 2i2 is the sound quality.At the end of the day, sound quality is all that matters. I watched a youtube video comparing the 2 and the sound clip of the M2 was much better than the 2i2. The M2 has more bass and a "follow through" when you speak. it sounds nice and is noticeably better.At the end of the day the Motu M2 has a simplistic design retro design that I love, I used 90 degree XLR input adapters to make the cable look better now that it connects torwards the back. I think it looks a little better than a cable just looping around. It's a fantastic sounding audio interface that's absolutely the best at it's price point.

I am a long time Focusrite user but decided to go a different route for my latest audio interfaces. The installation on both Mac OS and Windows 11 was quick and easy (easier on the Mac). There is no perceivable latency, recordings are perfect, no clicks, drop outs, etc. I do miss the Focusrite software, but I have hundreds of plug-ins, so so far I have not missed the Focusrite SW. I would certainly purchase it again.

Just got this device, and my immediate impressions are pretty fantastic. Upgrading from an Audient Evo 4 which had some limitations and annoying driver issues for me as a Windows user. My use case is using it for an xlr mic for Discord and recording, recording electric guitar, and light general music production. I've come to realize that even small annoyances can add up to affect your productivity and workflow, and I wanted something that just works with no fuss. The metal construction of the M2 feels much more professional, and while it lacks "smart gain" of the Evo the clearly labeled knobs on front plus the visual metering display makes setting everything up straightforward compared to a single knob device. After installing drivers first like the instructions say and plugging it in, everything just works. Set itself up nicely, no issues with desynced sample rates like I had with the Evo (I could play audio through my DAW and browser simultaneously). Software is extremely simple with just options to set up sample rate and buffer, as well as the ability to toggle on and off the sample rate sync and enable lowest possible latency if your machine can handle it without hiccups. Loopback is handled through extra audio devices in windows, no software mixer like the Evo, but it seems to just mirror your pc output exactly and leaves little room for confusion. It also has a separate headphone amp, so you can simultaneously play audio through your speakers and headphones or switch at ease (the Evo mutes your speakers if your headphones are plugged in, requiring you to unplug them to switch back)Overall, I'm just impressed about how seamlessly this device just works. I pretty much just installed the drivers, rebooted, plugged the MOTU in, and tested all of my use cases. Got all of my usual levels set and now I'm happy. I feel like I don't have to worry about messing with my interface at all, it just works. If I don't come back and update this review, assume it's doing just fine and I'm not thinking about it too much.