My first interface (which I still use for a lot of stuff - I've got two or three and there are a couple at my church) was the $30 Behringer UCA-202. Eh, it got the job done. I've since migrated to an M-Audio Fast Track 8 rackmount for home use.
lexicon alpha 1 mic and one instrument input, monitor mix knob. $50 bucks 7 years ago. i'm only now considering something more sophisticated. can you use the loopback to run pedals into tracks on your daw?
My first recordings where with a tascam 4 tracks cassette recorder. By pingponging the tracks, while recording, I was able to get a max of 10 mono tracks! There was no room for errors! But hey, I made songs!! Later I used a plain mixer into the audio of my mac, now I use the U-Phoria UMC404HD
1960's Lafayette portable reel to reel... last analog was 1/2" 8trk (still works) then PCI cards, FireWire and now USB. Anybody need an optical SCSI 128MB external drive?🤪
The MiniFuse is just freaking beautiful, similarly to most Arturia hardware. I literally replaced my Focusrite because of aesthetic reasons (everything else is basically identical between the two).
They really do a great job with their product design - having gear that just looks nice/inspiring is such a big part of maintaining a creative mindset IMO. Plus they do a good job of keeping knobs/buttons/etc in the right places, it just always feels very well thought out to use when messing with their hardware products.
Coming back to tell you you basically sealed the deal for me here in getting this one as my first interface, so thanks for that! I agree with every point you make, the effects alone are probably worth the money even if the interface was bad. But it absolutely is not. Plus, with Arturia I always get the impression of a good-hearted grounded company that prevents any controversy through its' practices and presentation and their quality products. Big part of that might just be great marketing but with that much positivity surrounding the company I optimistically believe these are just people being passionate towards their profession in the best way possible.
Cameron... I'm waaay older than you & your dad too. My first recording rig was 2 Radio Shack reel-to-reels with 1/4 inch tape. Being on the cusp of buying a more expensive Scarlett 18i8, it's sh*t like this that makes me think I'm TFN to drop my social security check on the higher end box. Love your videos!!!
Definitely an old school approach there haha! I actually need to buy some new tape for the little Sony RTR I have (seen in the video in a few spots) to mess around with that more. The Scarlett series is really nice, don't get me wrong, but Arturia really heated up the competition at that price point with this release.
@@VenusTheory At that price point, heck yeah. A Scarlett wouldn't be my 1st or 2nd visit to the Interface Rodeo, having moved from to tape digital in the early 2000s with an Echo Layla. Being an old fashioned guy, I tend to look for lots of ins & outs. Thanks!
I bought a MiniFuse1 the day before this clip landed in my 'watch this' pane and Cameron speaks the truth. The output difference between your PC sound card and this little dynamo is quite remarkable. If you do not have an audio interface, you really need to add it to your purchase list, as it will bring the missing enhancement to your speakers / headphones. Think Mario hitting a super mushroom :)
please make that budget producer setup video if you're willing and find the time! I've learned about a few plugins from this channel that I never knew existed until you made a video about it
A whole year after this review I'm researching and am after a 4 channel portable audio interface. I was almost sure I'll be buying it anyway since I'm also a happy owner of the Arturia AudionFuse Studio, but still it's good to watch reviews and sometimes differing thaughts about the same product. The only thing I needed to accept is that it just can't connect to an iPad, feed two condensers and a line input -and also provide the current for the Midi controller. Too optimistic of course. Cheers!
Thanx for the nice video. I just ordered my copy of the MiniFuse 2 three days ago before I discovered your video. Seem that my choice was not that bad.I‘ll use it mostly with a couple of hardware synths like the MicroFreak, the drumBrute impact, the Behringer MS 101 and the Microkorg XL, so MIDI In and Out were essential to me. I‘ll, to a lesser extent, might record Sax, trumpet, guitar and a little bass. And since I don’t have a fortune to spend, the MiniFuse was the thing for me. I hope it‘ll arrive in time for X-Mas...! Peace and stay safe, everybody...!
I was surprised with the amount of bundled software. You basically buy bunch of plugins and receive awesome interface for free. USB Hub functionality is awesome, especially if you are using laptop with limited amount of USB ports. I wish I had this intefrace 5 years ago. Now I have my Steinberg UR 242, it checks all the boxes for me, but if I will look for replacement, I will definetly buy one of Arturia interfaces (probably audio fuse 4 will be my choice, according to specs).
Actually a good way of looking at it I suppose haha. Arturia killed it on the included software bundle, but I suppose being a software maker themselves they can really toss in quite a bit without a loss for licensing costs. So glad they tossed the USB hub in this series as well - that's one of my favorite features of my AudioFuse Studio weirdly enough haha. Being able to toss on an extra external storage thing, plug in my camera for streaming, etc without eating up another port on my PC is awesome.
Great video as always. I agree with the thought that the tech that we have now is just mind-blowing - I remember recording on a cassette player hacking it to get 2 independent channels - and then recording over and over until the sound was so degraded but I finally got the piano, guitar, drums, and bass all onto the tape. So I am super grateful for the modern tech that we can get nowadays. As far as other interfaces that might be in this class - I have a Audient iD4 which is one of the best audio interfaces - that i ever had (it just got ruined in a flood!!! I am super bummed). I have had a Presonus Audiobox, a Sterling H224, and a Scarlet 2i2 gen 2 but the Audient is just so QUIET that it truly sets itself apart. Also the latency is awesome, for whatever reason I get amazing latency with this interface, it is completely imperceptible when playing, period. It is an amazing interface, but as great as it is I can't say that I am not tempted to "try" something else... But I don't think anything is going to be better so I may just replace it with the same unit, just a bit short on cash at the moment... so probably the Audient Evo 4. But seriously folks, you can't lose with any of these, and that is not a cheeze out statement, they are so good that even the not best ones are completely adequate. I have an Arturia Keylab 48 key Midi Controller and I love that thing! I like it so much that my son "borrowed" it so I bought another... and my other son "borrowed" that one... but I am super happy to help my sons with music and whatever really so no big deal. I think Arturia is a very solid brand. So I have wondered if the Audient Evo 4 would be as good and from what I have read and heard it really is. Also the Universal Audio Volt is a decent unit... again we are truly spoiled with this many awesome choices not to mention the software that comes with these purchases.
The smallest Scarlett with loopback is the 4i4 for about 220$ The Arturia mini ist the better choice for people who need the loopback but have no need for all the connectors. BTW I really like your gear porn Videos.
Nice to know you are slowly getting into the ASMR realm =D I'm older than you and my first audio interface was indeed the TASCAM US-224. We all had to start from somewhere =]
Haha maybe one day we'll go full ASMR with a synth manual reading or something. The old Tascam interfaces were definitely not a good time - I can't remember exactly what mine was but man the drivers would BSOD my PC every couple hours of use and it would even have a weird 'warble' to the incoming audio at times! Super glad that budget interfaces these days are actually extremely good quality so that music making is more accessible for everyone!
Dude I played guitar in the 80's and we used to record on cassette tapes and I had the use of a Copycat delay, with a tape! What you can do these days is freaking unbelievable! Old? Lmao! ;D Great videos Bro, always appreciated.
Glad you enjoyed it! And sounds like a good time haha, I think new producers these days really have no idea how much farther things have come really in only a few short decades. One of these days I'd love to do a like '80s home production setup' video or maybe some kind of 90s production setup video for a fun challenge!
@@VenusTheory If you want a good example of early 80's production 16 track bargain basement heaven check out The Cure's first album, a lot of bands recorded like that, I was into rock music because of the musicianship, Motorheads early albums sound like kinda crazy hippie stuff compared to the metal later but eh have a listen to the space in the sound, it's an experience! ;D If I think of anything else I'll leave you a comment and again thanks for your reply, have a great week, oh and Happy Thanksgiving is it? I'm in Somerset UK but I know it's before Black Friday! ;D Oh yeh, check out The Chameleons and The Wedding Present, a couple of bands that you may never get to hear of but eh quality madness!
@@VenusTheory I bought an old iphone 4s so that I could put Positive Grid BIAS on it , you know the valve modelling app? Yeh, music has definately come a long way, when your phone is more powerful than a studio if you get me ;D
I am interested in Minifuse 4. I need 4 outputs to play live. Two outs to mixer and two outs for personal monitoring. If Minifuse4 will allow a simple way to drive volume independently, I will buy it. Currently I am using an Audient Evo8 and it works tremendously well
Depending on how this video does I may check out the 4 once it releases. Definitely seems like a good setup for a small home studio with all the available I/O - will be curious what kind of price they release it at!
Interestingly, I'd like to hear a shootout between the MiniFuse and the UA Volt series. Perhaps some strange embargo or unsaid rule that many channels aren't willing to do a shoot out between these two. My Behringere UMC404 seems to be on the edge of failing as my DAW is having issues with the drivers lately and it's down to those two lines. What makes it hard to decide between these two is the hardware from the Volt x76 series hardware compressor and long history of support vs Arturia and the quality of their plugins being perceptively higher than UA's.
It's probably not a huge change but the USB hub is different and rare in budget interfaces. I am expecting to see that appear in more new models over the next year or two.
Thanks for the review. I am pretty sure I will buy a Arturia Minifuse 2, because of the USB hub in the back so I can plug in my midi keyboard and hopefully my iPhone will provide enough power in combination with the Apple camera connection kit and a charger. Fingers crossed.
The budget interface I'd like to hear a shootout with the Arturia Mini Fuse is the UA Volt and the Volt (1/2/4)76 series. I know the Volt x76 series is $100 dollars more but it comes with a hardware emulation of their 1176 compressor built in though you can't alter the attack, release, and threshold, so meh?
I’d love to see the budget producer thingy you were talking about, I started out production and being a jobless literal kid I need to invest into music gear, both as a tool and as a sort of commitment. And while I can easily just get anything cheap, sometimes spending more goes a long way and I since you have experience I’m much more inclined to believe you on these subjects than my own self. (Ps I’m the complaining kid in your discord lol)
The Focusrite Scarlett Solo seems to kind of fall in between the Mini Fuse 1 and 2 I think. Single set of line outs, direct monitoring (can't adjust the level, though), and individual XLR and line inputs on the front. Can be picked up for $120 I basically got it to use as a sound card for my office machine.
I brought this interface after this review, and I must say it sounds very good, the only downside for me, is some noise interferens on the headphone output.
Bought the Minifuse 1 through Amazon. Immediately returned it because both the main and headphone outputs are still just audible at minimum volumes. I’ve had a lot of audio interfaces and gear and can’t say any of it has had this issue. Amazon immediately sent a replacement the next day however, it still does it. Does this happen on your Minifuse 1 or 2?
I purchased a Zoom L8 for basic music making and podcasting. While it is a wonderful gadget in theory, the L8 driver often just stops working a random times, which is not ideal. So I am in market for a new audio interface with loopback. I have been eyeing the Scarlett for Black Friday. So your video hit the mark for me.
In 2003 My Dell desktop computer could run Reason 2 perfectly and in 2005 to 2007 was getting some nice sound out of it. I still have that Dell that's 18 years old, it works but the bios battery is long dead so any software that requires clocking dont work. Reason doesn't work on it anymore possibly due to that issue.
That BIOS battery is most likely a CR2032 "button" battery, and it can be switched out. Have a look at the motherboard and you will most likely see it. You will see the back of the battery with the name on it, so you can make sure it's a CR2032. Whatever it says, you can get a replacement at your local store or hardware store. I have dealt with some old pcs myself over the years and had to to that on a couple of occasions.
@@hjvarfjell Yes I replaced the battery a few months back, those batteries are cheap and widely available in the uk but only in packs of 10 so got 9 of them unused lol. Cant find the cables for the computer so cant turn it on.
It is compatible with any DAW. I can attest that it works with Cubase, FL Studio, Bitwig and Ableton for sure so no reason it shouldn't also work with Studio One.
I use the output meter a lot on my AudioFuse - How is the experience of using the MiniFuse meter since it's located on the side panel and not the top? I'm considering the Komplete Audio 1 just because it has an output meter on top.
Hasn't bothered me too much as long as it's in a visible location on your desk/setup. Definitely not as fun/exciting as the big AudioFuse, but still useful.
I personally think Native Instruments is a competitor with their komplete audio lineup. I personally use a komplete audio 6(ver 2) which is very close to the mini fuse 4 in features but I have a feeling Arturia is going to be priced more competitively. Not a big fan of the white colour but at this price point I would not choose based on colour but how much I would get for my money.
Definitely want to try the new NI interfaces. I've heard some good things about their controllers and I'd be curious to see how their budget interfaces stack up since they have a pretty good pedigree with everything. Worth noting - these do come in black, I sorta forgot to mention that in the video haha.
@@VenusTheory I have a Komplete Audio 2 and 6 MK2. The 2 feels a bit more budgety, being plastic and all but still sturdy, but the 6 is a nice metal and glass combination. They come with a good amount of software as well. I'd definitely place them in the same price/quality bracket with the new Arturias, at least on paper (not having tried the Arturia interfaces).
I have a Komplete Audio 2 and am only mostly happy with it. I struggle to get enough gain out of the mic inputs with a dynamic mic for streaming. But the bundled NI software did mean I got a big discount on NI software when they had a sale a few months ago.
Will this capture Polybrute well you think? I just got Polybrute (which sounds stunning to my ears - especially for ambient/long reverb tails when I plug in headphones directly to it. Not so great when sending mono from left output to scarlet solo second gen) I am looking for 4input audio interface to accommodate Polybrute and subsequent 25. Did you try to record Polybrute on it?
Presonus are going to be pretty competitive ;-) would love to see the shootout with those as well. One of the things I didn't realize, no balanced XLR outputs on these. That is an odd choice.
I was all set to transcribe Cameron's reading of the word poop in every possible human intonation. Then I discovered they are lyrics to a Kanye West song. Now it all makes sense.
Also you didn't mention my FAV feature....USB-C. that should be industry standard at this point and for whatever reason, it isn't....having USB-C is such an advantage for portable use.
What are your thoughts on the PreSonus AudioBox USB 96? it has the same features as the MiniFuse 1, comes with 2 inputs, and the software bundle mirrors the one that comes with the MiniFuse plus adds Studio One (currently version 5) Artist, which seems to be a more complete DAW than Ableton Live Lite (also included).
You know I said I was going to steal that chord progression from your last video and you mentioned making some 'Red Bull Step'? Well I thought I'd also tell you I'm going to steal all your 'whoop diddy scoop' talk, combine it with that chord progression and invent the PoopStep genre! :)
Hi, newbie here. Will I be able to plug in my native kontrol s-49 into aruturia mini fuse 1 via usb? If that is possible, will same be possible for arturia mini fuse 2, to plug in my midi keyboard only via usb? If so why does anyone need midi ports?
I never record anything ! I use VSTs in Cubase, no audio. I basically only have a soundcard to reduce latency. Mine is dying, need a new one. did you check latency on the minifuse? What about drivers? Nothing to declare? Merci !
I'm always confused when someone says "this is the best hardware, because it comes with software". Especially if said software is nothing I couldn't get without the hardware just as easy. So that's not really an argument for me. Regarding comparison, I would have loved to see a comparison with real budget interfaces, like the U-Phoria UMC204HD, which feature-wise clearly battles the Minifuse 2, but at only (almost) half the price (€79). I really don't think the Minifuse stands alone without competition, but without comparison, we'll never know.
I mean in fairness, we're talking about someone just getting started with recording here. This is quite a significant amount of software to include that buying on it's own would set you back well more than the cost of the interface. Depending on how the video does, I'll definitely look into a budget interface shootout. I'd love to try some of the real weird budget options from Amazon as well to see how they stack up!
@@VenusTheory First paragraph: Let me play the devil's advocate. Live Lite < Cakewalk (free), Guitar Rig 6 LE < Komplete Start (free, incl Guitar Rig 6 Player), or Amplitube 5 CS (free), Analog Lab Intro = free, etc. Second paragraph: That would be awesome! I hope it does good!
Looks cool, but after my stupid move with buying EMU 02|04 back in a days, today I'm ready to trash out credit card on RME just for their longtime driver support. Honestly, all budget interfaces nowadays are realy close to each other in terms of functionality and sound quality.
I am really thinking of getting Mini fuse 2 or 4 when it be available, but at the same time I am much tempted by MOTU M4. It might be priced little bit more then Arturia but maybe it's worth it. Or maybe a UA Volts?
Thanks for your opinion, Cameron - I do have right now an Apogee Duet cause of the headphone output. Have you ever mastered / mixed with the head out on the audiofuse? Can you recommend the MiniFuse as well? Oh, and a simple question: Does the Arturia Mac implementation support the Output Volume via the Magic Keyboard? The duet drivers lack since Big Sur this option - and nobody knows if it's implemented again ...
I replaced my long-time Apogee Duet 2 with a Mini-fuse 2 and think the Mini-Fuse is better; its Audio In & Out Connectors are part of the unit, instead of part of a stupid proprietary connector that Apogee calls a ‘Breakout Cable’ (which could break), I really appreciate its USB port for other devices like say a MIDI Controller and has not only saved me from spending more money on a regular USB Hub, but has given me back my Apple Corded Mouse to plug directly into the Mac! Lastly the Sound Quality is VERY clean all-round - even at higher volume levels. However there is some Hiss on the Headphone Out that gets louder when turning it up (something which was very minimal on the Duet throughout the range), but that really doesn’t bother me at all because the sound quality is just as good, (probably better I’d say because the Mini-Fuse tends to reveal even more detail) through my KZ-ZS10 Pro IEMS 🎧. I absolutely love this thing!!
Hi, how you toggle the audio output (headhpone vs speakers) on MiniFuse 1? Is there a way to do it without unplugging the headphones every time? Thanks.
Very nice video. I have a question. I am not a producer but I want a good output quality on my headphones (Earbuds/IEM). There is a headphone port on the right side of Minifuse1. Is it only for direct monitor? or can I use it for listening music that I play on my PC.
got it days ago, and a absolute banger hardware, sound clear and powerful wwith good drivers and never forgget a thing about focusrite ..... gen 3 ! lol so gen 4 will coming soon and ur previous gen will be obsolete quickly
Arturia turning into Oprah with all the bundled software. I have some of the ones mentioned that are included. Is it possible to give away the licenses bundled to a friend if I buy this? Edite/Update to those that were wondering like me: TLDR no, the Arturia software cannot be transferred to another user. The non-Arturia software codes can be however. Also, when ordering the mini fuse, they have shipping speed options. Choose the STANDARD delivery time for free and they'll still send it to you in two days at no extra cost-- Happy holidays everyone!
@@VenusTheory I think Arturia's policy is that any software licenses are tied to the hardware. Which is why I bought a Keylab with broken keys - to land an Analog Lab license for under a hundred clams :D
@@mrz80 Yea-- I asked support; and a team member got back to me. No, I cannot transfer the Arturia software bundled with it. It's pretty silly if you ask me. The one I wanted to gift away is Analog Lab intro-- I own Analog Labs V. Intro is a downgrade and now is just gonna collect dust. The other stuff, like Splice, Abelton, Autotune, Guitar Rig, etc. Yes, you can give away. They give you access codesd to download those. So those you can gift. Writing this incase someone else was wondering--stay safe everyone!
I did some more research and I think the audient id4 mk2 is actually better in line output quality and headphone drive gain. Uses more up to date dac chips then this device. Looks very ugly though.
Check multitone distortion. It is -80dB in mkii... So real music will never achive these "wonderful" thd+n and dynamic range. Mki was -110 and the sound was more pleasant but measured worse at 1khz test tone :) we don't record sine waves in reality but many frequencies together.
What turned me off in the meantime from the Moto is that some people have had issues with the drivers currently being wonky, but since it's just drivers, that can be eventually patched out and corrected. But once my UMC404 finally dies, I'll revisit it mostly because the hardware looks pretty promising.
What was your first interface? 🤔
Get A MiniFuse:
► MF1: bit.ly/3qXbcSm
► MF2: bit.ly/3nDv4rC
My first interface (which I still use for a lot of stuff - I've got two or three and there are a couple at my church) was the $30 Behringer UCA-202. Eh, it got the job done. I've since migrated to an M-Audio Fast Track 8 rackmount for home use.
lexicon alpha 1 mic and one instrument input, monitor mix knob. $50 bucks 7 years ago. i'm only now considering something more sophisticated. can you use the loopback to run pedals into tracks on your daw?
My first recordings where with a tascam 4 tracks cassette recorder. By pingponging the tracks, while recording, I was able to get a max of 10 mono tracks! There was no room for errors! But hey, I made songs!! Later I used a plain mixer into the audio of my mac, now I use the U-Phoria UMC404HD
1960's Lafayette portable reel to reel... last analog was 1/2" 8trk (still works) then PCI cards, FireWire and now USB. Anybody need an optical SCSI 128MB external drive?🤪
Lines Toneport2. Still using it but it's time for a change.
The MiniFuse is just freaking beautiful, similarly to most Arturia hardware. I literally replaced my Focusrite because of aesthetic reasons (everything else is basically identical between the two).
They really do a great job with their product design - having gear that just looks nice/inspiring is such a big part of maintaining a creative mindset IMO. Plus they do a good job of keeping knobs/buttons/etc in the right places, it just always feels very well thought out to use when messing with their hardware products.
@@VenusTheory 100% agreed. Strangely enough, visual environment is important in music production (for me).
I really want to get the white
True, and the white color is awesome
Beside the color, I found that Arturia have lower noise than scarlett gen 2. 😀
Coming back to tell you you basically sealed the deal for me here in getting this one as my first interface, so thanks for that! I agree with every point you make, the effects alone are probably worth the money even if the interface was bad. But it absolutely is not. Plus, with Arturia I always get the impression of a good-hearted grounded company that prevents any controversy through its' practices and presentation and their quality products. Big part of that might just be great marketing but with that much positivity surrounding the company I optimistically believe these are just people being passionate towards their profession in the best way possible.
Cameron... I'm waaay older than you & your dad too. My first recording rig was 2 Radio Shack reel-to-reels with 1/4 inch tape. Being on the cusp of buying a more expensive Scarlett 18i8, it's sh*t like this that makes me think I'm TFN to drop my social security check on the higher end box. Love your videos!!!
Definitely an old school approach there haha! I actually need to buy some new tape for the little Sony RTR I have (seen in the video in a few spots) to mess around with that more.
The Scarlett series is really nice, don't get me wrong, but Arturia really heated up the competition at that price point with this release.
@@VenusTheory At that price point, heck yeah. A Scarlett wouldn't be my 1st or 2nd visit to the Interface Rodeo, having moved from to tape digital in the early 2000s with an Echo Layla. Being an old fashioned guy, I tend to look for lots of ins & outs. Thanks!
I bought a MiniFuse1 the day before this clip landed in my 'watch this' pane and Cameron speaks the truth. The output difference between your PC sound card and this little dynamo is quite remarkable. If you do not have an audio interface, you really need to add it to your purchase list, as it will bring the missing enhancement to your speakers / headphones. Think Mario hitting a super mushroom :)
please make that budget producer setup video if you're willing and find the time! I've learned about a few plugins from this channel that I never knew existed until you made a video about it
I second this
Def. do this. It'll be interesting to compare your recommendations with, say Sanjay_C's and a couple others'.
Came for the review, stayed for the fire lyrics.
Face it Cameron, Korn is now dad rock.
Glad to see Arturia making affordable hardware! Might pick one up for a friend.
I find My self scratching My head as to how your voice sounds like that. Nice vid.
A whole year after this review I'm researching and am after a 4 channel portable audio interface. I was almost sure I'll be buying it anyway since I'm also a happy owner of the Arturia AudionFuse Studio, but still it's good to watch reviews and sometimes differing thaughts about the same product. The only thing I needed to accept is that it just can't connect to an iPad, feed two condensers and a line input -and also provide the current for the Midi controller. Too optimistic of course.
Cheers!
Thanx for the nice video. I just ordered my copy of the MiniFuse 2 three days ago before I discovered your video. Seem that my choice was not that bad.I‘ll use it mostly with a couple of hardware synths like the MicroFreak, the drumBrute impact, the Behringer MS 101 and the Microkorg XL, so MIDI In and Out were essential to me. I‘ll, to a lesser extent, might record Sax, trumpet, guitar and a little bass. And since I don’t have a fortune to spend, the MiniFuse was the thing for me. I hope it‘ll arrive in time for X-Mas...! Peace and stay safe, everybody...!
I was surprised with the amount of bundled software. You basically buy bunch of plugins and receive awesome interface for free. USB Hub functionality is awesome, especially if you are using laptop with limited amount of USB ports.
I wish I had this intefrace 5 years ago.
Now I have my Steinberg UR 242, it checks all the boxes for me, but if I will look for replacement, I will definetly buy one of Arturia interfaces (probably audio fuse 4 will be my choice, according to specs).
Actually a good way of looking at it I suppose haha. Arturia killed it on the included software bundle, but I suppose being a software maker themselves they can really toss in quite a bit without a loss for licensing costs.
So glad they tossed the USB hub in this series as well - that's one of my favorite features of my AudioFuse Studio weirdly enough haha. Being able to toss on an extra external storage thing, plug in my camera for streaming, etc without eating up another port on my PC is awesome.
I have Ableton but I can't shake off my Cubase. I love my Cubase.
OMG. Cameron hittin the frets. 😱
Great video as always. I agree with the thought that the tech that we have now is just mind-blowing - I remember recording on a cassette player hacking it to get 2 independent channels - and then recording over and over until the sound was so degraded but I finally got the piano, guitar, drums, and bass all onto the tape. So I am super grateful for the modern tech that we can get nowadays.
As far as other interfaces that might be in this class - I have a Audient iD4 which is one of the best audio interfaces - that i ever had (it just got ruined in a flood!!! I am super bummed). I have had a Presonus Audiobox, a Sterling H224, and a Scarlet 2i2 gen 2 but the Audient is just so QUIET that it truly sets itself apart.
Also the latency is awesome, for whatever reason I get amazing latency with this interface, it is completely imperceptible when playing, period. It is an amazing interface, but as great as it is I can't say that I am not tempted to "try" something else... But I don't think anything is going to be better so I may just replace it with the same unit, just a bit short on cash at the moment... so probably the Audient Evo 4. But seriously folks, you can't lose with any of these, and that is not a cheeze out statement, they are so good that even the not best ones are completely adequate. I have an Arturia Keylab 48 key Midi Controller and I love that thing! I like it so much that my son "borrowed" it so I bought another... and my other son "borrowed" that one... but I am super happy to help my sons with music and whatever really so no big deal. I think Arturia is a very solid brand.
So I have wondered if the Audient Evo 4 would be as good and from what I have read and heard it really is. Also the Universal Audio Volt is a decent unit... again we are truly spoiled with this many awesome choices not to mention the software that comes with these purchases.
The smallest Scarlett with loopback is the 4i4 for about 220$ The Arturia mini ist the better choice for people who need the loopback but have no need for all the connectors. BTW I really like your gear porn Videos.
Nice to know you are slowly getting into the ASMR realm =D
I'm older than you and my first audio interface was indeed the TASCAM US-224. We all had to start from somewhere =]
Haha maybe one day we'll go full ASMR with a synth manual reading or something. The old Tascam interfaces were definitely not a good time - I can't remember exactly what mine was but man the drivers would BSOD my PC every couple hours of use and it would even have a weird 'warble' to the incoming audio at times! Super glad that budget interfaces these days are actually extremely good quality so that music making is more accessible for everyone!
Dude I played guitar in the 80's and we used to record on cassette tapes and I had the use of a Copycat delay, with a tape! What you can do these days is freaking unbelievable! Old? Lmao! ;D
Great videos Bro, always appreciated.
Glad you enjoyed it! And sounds like a good time haha, I think new producers these days really have no idea how much farther things have come really in only a few short decades. One of these days I'd love to do a like '80s home production setup' video or maybe some kind of 90s production setup video for a fun challenge!
@@VenusTheory If you want a good example of early 80's production 16 track bargain basement heaven check out The Cure's first album, a lot of bands recorded like that, I was into rock music because of the musicianship, Motorheads early albums sound like kinda crazy hippie stuff compared to the metal later but eh have a listen to the space in the sound, it's an experience! ;D
If I think of anything else I'll leave you a comment and again thanks for your reply, have a great week, oh and Happy Thanksgiving is it? I'm in Somerset UK but I know it's before Black Friday! ;D
Oh yeh, check out The Chameleons and The Wedding Present, a couple of bands that you may never get to hear of but eh quality madness!
@@VenusTheory I bought an old iphone 4s so that I could put Positive Grid BIAS on it , you know the valve modelling app? Yeh, music has definately come a long way, when your phone is more powerful than a studio if you get me ;D
You can do more on an iphone or ipad than you could do on a 4 track from back in the day.
@@VenusTheory Remember Dance EJ lol that was the pinnacle of most peoples music making.
Finally some competition in Behringer's price range. Keep it up Arturia!
Thanks for the review
Case 4 for Minifuse 2 (or any multi-input interface) - if you want to jam with a buddy.
Best Lift Yourself cover I've ever seen. Ever consider dropping a mixtape?
I am interested in Minifuse 4.
I need 4 outputs to play live. Two outs to mixer and two outs for personal monitoring.
If Minifuse4 will allow a simple way to drive volume independently, I will buy it.
Currently I am using an Audient Evo8 and it works tremendously well
Depending on how this video does I may check out the 4 once it releases. Definitely seems like a good setup for a small home studio with all the available I/O - will be curious what kind of price they release it at!
Interestingly, I'd like to hear a shootout between the MiniFuse and the UA Volt series. Perhaps some strange embargo or unsaid rule that many channels aren't willing to do a shoot out between these two. My Behringere UMC404 seems to be on the edge of failing as my DAW is having issues with the drivers lately and it's down to those two lines.
What makes it hard to decide between these two is the hardware from the Volt x76 series hardware compressor and long history of support vs Arturia and the quality of their plugins being perceptively higher than UA's.
Looking sharp Mr VT, thanks for the rundown. I am looking for a new device, was thinking about the Audient ID14 mkII
Audients are on my list to try in the future! Heard some pretty good things about those.
It's probably not a huge change but the USB hub is different and rare in budget interfaces. I am expecting to see that appear in more new models over the next year or two.
Nice poem, I like that style of creative literature ;D
I would love to see the Mini Fuse 1 and 2 compared o other interfaces in the same price ranges.
Thanks for the review. I am pretty sure I will buy a Arturia Minifuse 2, because of the USB hub in the back so I can plug in my midi keyboard and hopefully my iPhone will provide enough power in combination with the Apple camera connection kit and a charger. Fingers crossed.
I was not ready for some iconic kanye lyrics.. VT is officially cultured
Couldn't think of a more appropriate dialog demo.
VT .. just like fine yoghurt ... =)
I would be interested in budget producer setup video.
Noted!
The budget interface I'd like to hear a shootout with the Arturia Mini Fuse is the UA Volt and the Volt (1/2/4)76 series. I know the Volt x76 series is $100 dollars more but it comes with a hardware emulation of their 1176 compressor built in though you can't alter the attack, release, and threshold, so meh?
u cant tweak the internal dsp ? pretty useless so ....
That scorpion is cool
I’d love to see the budget producer thingy you were talking about, I started out production and being a jobless literal kid I need to invest into music gear, both as a tool and as a sort of commitment. And while I can easily just get anything cheap, sometimes spending more goes a long way and I since you have experience I’m much more inclined to believe you on these subjects than my own self.
(Ps I’m the complaining kid in your discord lol)
That lewitt wow.
I guess if you do an interface shoot-out, you should include something from the M-Audio Air 192 range too.
The Focusrite Scarlett Solo seems to kind of fall in between the Mini Fuse 1 and 2 I think. Single set of line outs, direct monitoring (can't adjust the level, though), and individual XLR and line inputs on the front. Can be picked up for $120
I basically got it to use as a sound card for my office machine.
The Scarlett Solo has no loopback.
@@frauldabissen Correct. As I recall it's only the 4i4 and above.
A budget studio video would be cool and what about presonus
I brought this interface after this review, and I must say it sounds very good, the only downside for me, is some noise interferens on the headphone output.
As a member of primate nation I appreciate you listing the banana prices.
Minifuse seems dope as !
Great review, seems like an awesome interface for the price! What do you think about the CAD CX2 Connect II?
Luv u bro
Bought the Minifuse 1 through Amazon. Immediately returned it because both the main and headphone outputs are still just audible at minimum volumes. I’ve had a lot of audio interfaces and gear and can’t say any of it has had this issue. Amazon immediately sent a replacement the next day however, it still does it. Does this happen on your Minifuse 1 or 2?
I purchased a Zoom L8 for basic music making and podcasting. While it is a wonderful gadget in theory, the L8 driver often just stops working a random times, which is not ideal. So I am in market for a new audio interface with loopback. I have been eyeing the Scarlett for Black Friday. So your video hit the mark for me.
In 2003 My Dell desktop computer could run Reason 2 perfectly and in 2005 to 2007 was getting some nice sound out of it. I still have that Dell that's 18 years old, it works but the bios battery is long dead so any software that requires clocking dont work. Reason doesn't work on it anymore possibly due to that issue.
That BIOS battery is most likely a CR2032 "button" battery, and it can be switched out. Have a look at the motherboard and you will most likely see it. You will see the back of the battery with the name on it, so you can make sure it's a CR2032. Whatever it says, you can get a replacement at your local store or hardware store. I have dealt with some old pcs myself over the years and had to to that on a couple of occasions.
@@hjvarfjell Yes I replaced the battery a few months back, those batteries are cheap and widely available in the uk but only in packs of 10 so got 9 of them unused lol. Cant find the cables for the computer so cant turn it on.
@@HOLLASOUNDS Glad you figured it out. Sucks that the cables have gone missing. Hope they will show up.
@@hjvarfjell Its kinda annoying because I dont actually know if it will work.
Great vid....is this compatible with studio one DAW ?
It is compatible with any DAW. I can attest that it works with Cubase, FL Studio, Bitwig and Ableton for sure so no reason it shouldn't also work with Studio One.
Legendary Dope Di Boop .. LoOp 👻
Thanks! Where is your mic when recording this video?
A Producers comparison would be good so I can purchase a interface with everything else.
Those bars were crazy though
I use the output meter a lot on my AudioFuse - How is the experience of using the MiniFuse meter since it's located on the side panel and not the top? I'm considering the Komplete Audio 1 just because it has an output meter on top.
Hasn't bothered me too much as long as it's in a visible location on your desk/setup. Definitely not as fun/exciting as the big AudioFuse, but still useful.
Scarlett 2i4 owner here - if anybody could knock FocusRite off their perch, it would be Arturia.
I literally just bought a 2i2 :( damnit arturia why ya gotta make it so sexy in black
Great video, nice sound! Would these still be recommended without the additional software?
I'd say so, pretty hard to beat at the price point overall.
I personally think Native Instruments is a competitor with their komplete audio lineup. I personally use a komplete audio 6(ver 2) which is very close to the mini fuse 4 in features but I have a feeling Arturia is going to be priced more competitively. Not a big fan of the white colour but at this price point I would not choose based on colour but how much I would get for my money.
Definitely want to try the new NI interfaces. I've heard some good things about their controllers and I'd be curious to see how their budget interfaces stack up since they have a pretty good pedigree with everything.
Worth noting - these do come in black, I sorta forgot to mention that in the video haha.
@@VenusTheory I have a Komplete Audio 2 and 6 MK2. The 2 feels a bit more budgety, being plastic and all but still sturdy, but the 6 is a nice metal and glass combination. They come with a good amount of software as well. I'd definitely place them in the same price/quality bracket with the new Arturias, at least on paper (not having tried the Arturia interfaces).
I have a Komplete Audio 2 and am only mostly happy with it. I struggle to get enough gain out of the mic inputs with a dynamic mic for streaming. But the bundled NI software did mean I got a big discount on NI software when they had a sale a few months ago.
Can you use this for live streaming too ( dual Pc Set up)
Hope you are well as usual Cameron lol 😂
your guitar playing here sounds fantastic at 1.75 speed.
Mini fuse 1 can loopback audio in obs?
Any word if these are compatible with iPad for a garage band user?
Will this capture Polybrute well you think? I just got Polybrute (which sounds stunning to my ears - especially for ambient/long reverb tails when I plug in headphones directly to it. Not so great when sending mono from left output to scarlet solo second gen) I am looking for 4input audio interface to accommodate Polybrute and subsequent 25. Did you try to record Polybrute on it?
are there some 2x2 audio interfaces without inputs for DJing?
Presonus are going to be pretty competitive ;-) would love to see the shootout with those as well. One of the things I didn't realize, no balanced XLR outputs on these. That is an odd choice.
I mean, my Scarlett 8i6 doesn't have any XLR outs.
Does have balanced line outs, tho.
Which low-to-moderate-cost digital audio interface has XLR outputs? (The one's I've seen have balanced 1/4-inch.)
I was all set to transcribe Cameron's reading of the word poop in every possible human intonation. Then I discovered they are lyrics to a Kanye West song. Now it all makes sense.
Just ordered the Mini Fuse 2. The specs were just too good at that price point.
Also you didn't mention my FAV feature....USB-C. that should be industry standard at this point and for whatever reason, it isn't....having USB-C is such an advantage for portable use.
What are your thoughts on the PreSonus AudioBox USB 96? it has the same features as the MiniFuse 1, comes with 2 inputs, and the software bundle mirrors the one that comes with the MiniFuse plus adds Studio One (currently version 5) Artist, which seems to be a more complete DAW than Ableton Live Lite (also included).
How different does it sound compare to the motu m2 dac?
What are the technologies used inside the minifuse? F. ex. sabre xyz, that kind of specs ... .
You know I said I was going to steal that chord progression from your last video and you mentioned making some 'Red Bull Step'?
Well I thought I'd also tell you I'm going to steal all your 'whoop diddy scoop' talk, combine it with that chord progression and invent the PoopStep genre! :)
Hi, newbie here. Will I be able to plug in my native kontrol s-49 into aruturia mini fuse 1 via usb? If that is possible, will same be possible for arturia mini fuse 2, to plug in my midi keyboard only via usb? If so why does anyone need midi ports?
I never record anything ! I use VSTs in Cubase, no audio. I basically only have a soundcard to reduce latency. Mine is dying, need a new one. did you check latency on the minifuse? What about drivers? Nothing to declare? Merci !
And about presonus audiobox ?
I beg you to tell me how your audio sounds so hot???
Software and ... compression?
I'm always confused when someone says "this is the best hardware, because it comes with software". Especially if said software is nothing I couldn't get without the hardware just as easy. So that's not really an argument for me. Regarding comparison, I would have loved to see a comparison with real budget interfaces, like the U-Phoria UMC204HD, which feature-wise clearly battles the Minifuse 2, but at only (almost) half the price (€79).
I really don't think the Minifuse stands alone without competition, but without comparison, we'll never know.
I mean in fairness, we're talking about someone just getting started with recording here. This is quite a significant amount of software to include that buying on it's own would set you back well more than the cost of the interface.
Depending on how the video does, I'll definitely look into a budget interface shootout. I'd love to try some of the real weird budget options from Amazon as well to see how they stack up!
@@VenusTheory First paragraph: Let me play the devil's advocate. Live Lite < Cakewalk (free), Guitar Rig 6 LE < Komplete Start (free, incl Guitar Rig 6 Player), or Amplitube 5 CS (free), Analog Lab Intro = free, etc.
Second paragraph: That would be awesome! I hope it does good!
Looks cool, but after my stupid move with buying EMU 02|04 back in a days, today I'm ready to trash out credit card on RME just for their longtime driver support. Honestly, all budget interfaces nowadays are realy close to each other in terms of functionality and sound quality.
I am really thinking of getting Mini fuse 2 or 4 when it be available, but at the same time I am much tempted by MOTU M4. It might be priced little bit more then Arturia but maybe it's worth it. Or maybe a UA Volts?
I am struggling with the decision between these ones.
Thanks for your opinion, Cameron - I do have right now an Apogee Duet cause of the headphone output. Have you ever mastered / mixed with the head out on the audiofuse? Can you recommend the MiniFuse as well? Oh, and a simple question: Does the Arturia Mac implementation support the Output Volume via the Magic Keyboard? The duet drivers lack since Big Sur this option - and nobody knows if it's implemented again ...
can it connect to iphone?
Can these properly run Kali LP6?
I replaced my long-time Apogee Duet 2 with a Mini-fuse 2 and think the Mini-Fuse is better; its Audio In & Out Connectors are part of the unit, instead of part of a stupid proprietary connector that Apogee calls a ‘Breakout Cable’ (which could break), I really appreciate its USB port for other devices like say a MIDI Controller and has not only saved me from spending more money on a regular USB Hub, but has given me back my Apple Corded Mouse to plug directly into the Mac! Lastly the Sound Quality is VERY clean all-round - even at higher volume levels.
However there is some Hiss on the Headphone Out that gets louder when turning it up (something which was very minimal on the Duet throughout the range), but that really doesn’t bother me at all because the sound quality is just as good, (probably better I’d say because the Mini-Fuse tends to reveal even more detail) through my KZ-ZS10 Pro IEMS 🎧.
I absolutely love this thing!!
How do you feel about the build of that unit?
@@baymax001 Solid. Arturia build these units to last, and with a 5-Year Warranty to boot ;)!
@@paulguy2545awesome, thanks for the reply ❤
@@paulguy2545 I heard a youtuber blown this interface but his scarlett is still fully functional. How could it be?
Hi, how you toggle the audio output (headhpone vs speakers) on MiniFuse 1? Is there a way to do it without unplugging the headphones every time? Thanks.
You should be able to use both Outputs at the same time & even adjust volume independently
Waitwaitwaitwaitwait you're getting bananas for ¢21 each? 512 bananas for $99 is a steal!
What’s up with the combination
Very nice video. I have a question. I am not a producer but I want a good output quality on my headphones (Earbuds/IEM). There is a headphone port on the right side of Minifuse1.
Is it only for direct monitor? or can I use it for listening music that I play on my PC.
You can use it for the pc sounds. I plug in my iems right there with those male to female converter stuff.
Sir does minifuse work with fl studio
Yes
Gee, they look remarkably (exact panel layout) like the Focusrite Scarlette devices. Cheap ripoff?
I mean in their defence, most audio interfaces look pretty similar.
what do you recomment audient id4 mk2 or mini fuse 2 ? in terms of mic quility ?
Can't really say as I've never used the Audient stuff. However, the MiniFuse 2 sounds extremely good in the tests I've done so I can't complain there!
Whats about 250 Oms with? Better than scarlet?
Scarletts have a pretty solid headphone preamp as well, I can't say either one is better than the other with high impedance headphones.
got it days ago, and a absolute banger hardware, sound clear and powerful wwith good drivers
and never forgget a thing about focusrite ..... gen 3 ! lol so gen 4 will coming soon and ur previous gen will be obsolete quickly
2 days
Arturia turning into Oprah with all the bundled software.
I have some of the ones mentioned that are included. Is it possible to give away the licenses bundled to a friend if I buy this?
Edite/Update to those that were wondering like me:
TLDR no, the Arturia software cannot be transferred to another user. The non-Arturia software codes can be however.
Also, when ordering the mini fuse, they have shipping speed options. Choose the STANDARD delivery time for free and they'll still send it to you in two days at no extra cost-- Happy holidays everyone!
I'm actually not sure - I think it may be tied to the email you register the interface with. Might worth asking Arturia's support though?
@@VenusTheory Will do. Thanks dude.
@@VenusTheory I think Arturia's policy is that any software licenses are tied to the hardware. Which is why I bought a Keylab with broken keys - to land an Analog Lab license for under a hundred clams :D
@@mrz80 Yea-- I asked support; and a team member got back to me. No, I cannot transfer the Arturia software bundled with it. It's pretty silly if you ask me. The one I wanted to gift away is Analog Lab intro-- I own Analog Labs V. Intro is a downgrade and now is just gonna collect dust.
The other stuff, like Splice, Abelton, Autotune, Guitar Rig, etc. Yes, you can give away. They give you access codesd to download those. So those you can gift.
Writing this incase someone else was wondering--stay safe everyone!
What controller is that behind you?
That's my trusty Keystep Pro!
I need an interface for my soft synth setup... this may be just the ticket.🤔(; 3=
İ WİSH İ HAD ONE BRO.
Too bad they didn't put MIDI IO on the MF1 even if it utilized TRS jacks.
wow
Okay, I'll bite - hey Cameron, why the scorpion?
Scorpio haha. My uncle actually got it for me when he was serving overseas, it's pretty cool!
Why oh why is it always white? I wish Arturia released everything in black, in parallel.
They do come in black as well actually! I just got some white demo units sent over.
I did some more research and I think the audient id4 mk2 is actually better in line output quality and headphone drive gain. Uses more up to date dac chips then this device. Looks very ugly though.
Check multitone distortion. It is -80dB in mkii... So real music will never achive these "wonderful" thd+n and dynamic range. Mki was -110 and the sound was more pleasant but measured worse at 1khz test tone :) we don't record sine waves in reality but many frequencies together.
I read motu m2 has better sound quality, but wonder if a simple producer can hear the difference.
What turned me off in the meantime from the Moto is that some people have had issues with the drivers currently being wonky, but since it's just drivers, that can be eventually patched out and corrected. But once my UMC404 finally dies, I'll revisit it mostly because the hardware looks pretty promising.