If you’re looking for a compact audio interface for recording solo podcasts or making music a track at a time, the Røde AI-1 is an interface that tends to be overlooked which is a shame as it’s incredibly well-built and includes an excellent microphone preamp.
This professional-grade single-channel audio interface produces excellent audio quality and is ideal for everything from recording music in a bedroom studio to livestreaming or solo podcasting. With its studio-grade preamp and Neutrik combo jack, you can connect a microphone or an instrument such as an electric guitar or keyboard.
A high-powered headphone amplifier provides zero-latency audio monitoring and playback, which means it’s ideal for recording studio-quality audio almost anywhere. As the AI-1 is USB bus-powered, you can record anywhere by connecting to a battery-powered laptop.
The AI-1 is easy to use. Just connect it to a host computer using the supplied USB-C cable and then plug in a microphone or instrument. The AI-1’s ultra-low-noise and high-gain studio-grade preamp has 60dB of gain, enough even to drive a Shure SM7b.
The interface also has balanced ¼-inch outputs for connecting the AI-1 to a pair of powered speakers. The high-power headphone amplifier can also drive demanding high-impedance headphones for monitoring.
To accommodate high-quality condenser microphones, the AI-1 has switchable 48v phantom power with an indicator LED that lets you monitor the input level. Every AI-1 also includes a link to download a free version of Ableton Lite software for recording. To keep the AI-1 up to date, users can download the free RØDE Central software which can access the AI-1 and update it with the latest firmware upgrade.
Verdict: There are plenty of cheaper USB audio interfaces on the market but a lot of them have sub-standard preamps which can introduce noise into the audio. The good thing about the Røde AI-1 is the quality of the preamp and the tank-like build quality. This is a compact audio interface I’d like to take on the road with my favorite microphone for live streaming, recordings and broadcasting. The only thing missing is a mix monitor control for balancing out the volume level between the microphone or instrument input and whatever is coming down the line from the host computer. It’s not a big deal but if that’s something you need, then you might want to look at the Audient iD4 instead. Recommended.
Pricing & Availability: The Røde AI-1 USB Audio Interface is available now and costs $129 / £120 / €129.
Tech Specs:
- Gain range: 60dB (with firmware version 1.3.1).
- Bit depth: 24-bit.
- Sample rates: 44.1kHz / 48kHz / 88.2kHz / 96kHz.
- Phantom power 48V: Yes.
- Simultaneous I/O: 1 x 2.
- Number of preamps: 1.
- Direct monitor: Yes.
- Bus powered: Yes.
- Compatibility: macOS10.10 or later / Windows 7 or later.
- Power: USB bus powered.
- Form Factor
- Analog inputs: 1 x Neutrik XLR-1/4″ combo.
- Analog outputs: 2 x 1/4″ speaker outputs (impedance balanced) and 1 x 1/4″ headphone output.
- USB connectors: 1 x USB-C.
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 124 x 100 x 38mm.
- Weight: 560g.