Audient iD24

A Focusrite Clarett 8PreX has served me well as my interface for almost 10 years. Having recently purchased a newer MacBook Pro, I wanted a second smaller interface to use as part of a portable recording rig.

The iD24 seemed to check off all of the boxes.
Compact: √
Lightweight: √
Rugged all-metal construction: √
USB-C powered: √
Great preamps: √
Two headphone outputs: √
JFET instrument input: √
Flexible routing: √

The ability to use the iD24's scroll wheel to write automation is a big bonus.

Suffice to say, the iD24 has now supplanted the Clarett as my interface of choice for 90% of my work.

The sound is clear and the drivers are well-known for their stability, at least on Windows. The best thing is that the controller, which is not too shabby, is practically integrated with the sound interface - the iD key is a very nice touch, allowing you to control any knob/control under your mouse pointer, in any DAW, and even some other apps.

PROS:
- Good, crystal-clear sound
- Handy DAW controller facilities
- Rock-solid drivers
- Expandable with 8 more I/Os through ADAT
- Rich set of features for its class

CONS:
- A bit of rigidness in the mixer - I'd like to be able to use the knob to control outs of all mixes at once, not only the main mix (link?). This would allow for multichannel workflows (e.g., surround)
- No multichannel audio in the drivers, all channels are stereo (my personal weird requirement)
- The iD feature is great, but it would be even better if you could assign one of the three programmable buttons to remember/recall the control you tweaked last.
- The three programmable buttons are pretty limited to what they can be assigned for. Hopefully, a driver update will make them better.

I can crank up the gain quite a bit using DI for my guitars with this interface and barely get any floor noise.
Weirdly the headphone output does give you a hiss noise when turning up the volume (headphones are DT 770 PRO 80 OHM) Don't have another headphone to test.
The Volume being at 0 every time I turn on my computer is a good thing I suppose but I find it a bit annoying, I can't seem to be able to have the volume on as with my previous interface.
The metering does not measure the input levels, it measures the output level which seems to be the other way around in most interfaces.
The XLR at the back it might be convenient for doing send.return fx, but for day to day plugging mics on and off is a bit inconvenient tbh, I often know the usb off when doing that, if it's something you always have plugged in, so no problem at all with that.
Very happy with this interface, the filter is very handy for recording guitars and the phantom power per channel is another advantage, as the mackie onyx I had before I couldn't have it on for just one channel.
All the freebies are great too, some apogee plugins, 120 trial of strymon reverb
Good stuff, highly recommended!

The Audient iD24 is a stellar audio interface that combines premium components with exceptional build quality. Its full-metal housing ensures durability, while the ESS ES9822PRO AD converter and Cirrus Logic CS43198 DA converter provide pristine audio capture and playback.

With low-noise mic preamps, excellent dynamic range, and flexible I/O, the iD24 excels in clarity and versatility. Features like balanced insert points, ADAT expandability, and the intuitive iD knob make it ideal for both home studios and professional setups.

One minor downside is the lack of visual input level indicators, such as LED meters, for quick monitoring. Despite this, the iD24 delivers pro-level sound and functionality in a robust and intuitive package—an outstanding choice for any serious musician or producer.

Rating: 4.8/5

by AYNC