The EVO software mixer is clear and simple, but gives access to some surprisingly deep functionality. As with the smaller EVO products, EVO 16 comes with the Smartgain feature, which automatically sets the gain with the touch of a button. “The added bonus with EVO 16, is that it can automatically set the gain for all 8 channels at once, ideal for drummers who have multiple mic inputs and synth players needing lots of line inputs,” explains Andy. “Smartgain has been designed to take the guesswork out of setting gain. Not only does it save time for the user, but it eliminates the hassle for those working on their own, which means users can spend less time figuring out the tech and more time recording.” The core of the EVO range’s ease of use is Smartgain, a system that analyses the incoming signal and sets the ideal input gain for it. With the EVO 16, Smartgain can set the gain for all eight analogue inputs simultaneously, a massive time-saver especially if you’re a self-recording band or drummer. Just get connected, activate Smartgain, play for 20 seconds and you’re ready to record. There is also room for expansion with plenty of optical inputs and outputs, making it possible to record anything from just drums to a full band. Ensuring the studio can grow with time, there are both ADAT and SPDIF options to add up to 16 extra channels of mic preamps. I like the flexibility of the software and the fact that it can easily be driven from the front panel. My daily driver is a (distinctly premium) Focusrite Red4Pre and I control that almost exclusively front the front panel. Having an easy to use interface with a clear and informative front panel display in a unit at this price is great.

Smartest Audio Interface? EVO 4 - Audient Worlds Smartest Audio Interface? EVO 4 - Audient

The Production Expert team are first and foremost professionals working daily in music and post-production. Our content is informed by a team who are practitioners, meaning our tutorials are devised to help those working in real-world scenarios.The Monitor Mix switch allows you to easily blend your input signal with your DAW output so you can play along and record with your songs A series of smart systems enhance the EVO 8 further - making the recording process a fun and headache-free process. For example, Smartgain mode sets the levels of your inputs automatically while you sing or play. This helps to prevent clipping and distortion and stops your performances from being too quiet. It's also possible to adjust the gain of every channel at once, resulting in a perfect auditory match. When all you want is to record your band’s latest jam, lay down a beat or capture the chord sequence you just dreamed up before you forget it, the last thing you need is to get bogged down with preamps and gain levels. It was with this in mind that, in 2020, British pro-audio manufacturer Audient launched their easy-to-use EVO range. The much touted Smartgain feature has not previously interested me on their smaller interfaces for a simple guitar or vocal, but on an 8-channel device, for setting multiple levels like with a drum kit or small ensemble, it makes more sense. I am yet to test it but I assume/hope it leaves enough headroom on super-fast HF sources like ride cymbals and tambourines. For musicians who don’t want to faff around doing boring tech stuff, this can get you sorted in seconds, and you always have the option to manually tweak anything if you choose. Needed more inputs (stereo for acoustic guitar and another input for vocal mic) and this did the job perfectly. This is the ideal solution for this scenario as ADAT is a bit glitchy in my experience

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In its default state, EVO seems designed to present the simplest and least intimidating array of controls possible, presumably so as not to put off newcomers. Delve a little deeper, however, and you’ll find that it offers a surprisingly comprehensive level of control, including a number of features that are more typical of expensive ‘professional’ interfaces. I’ve already mentioned the ability to apply a level offset to the Alt Speaker mix, for level‑matched speaker switching. That and all the other possible function button settings are all available simultaneously from the right‑hand side of the EVO panel, and many are further configurable from the Settings window. A particularly great feature is that you can choose whether you want the mono fold‑down to be routed to the left, right, or both speakers — single‑speaker mono is incredibly useful, and I can’t think of many other interfaces that make it easily accessible at a single button press. Routing is as flexible as you’re ever likely to need it to be, and unless you wanted to use the EVO 16 to drive a surround speaker setup, I can’t imagine feeling limited by its capabilities. MusicRadar verdict: We’re seeing bigger recording names on cheaper and cheaper interfaces, and Audient’s is a great entry to the market. The web saysEVO by Audient announces the arrival of EVO SP8, an eight channel Smart Preamp with AD/DA. Billed as the perfect expander for your audio interface, SP8 is the newest addition to the EVO range. The Audient Evo 4 is one of the best audio interfaces for someone starting out in home recording, podcasting or content creation. The total gain range on the mic preamps is 58dB, and the alignment is quite nicely judged. At one end of the scale, you can get a healthy level from close‑miked speech with a moving‑coil dynamic mic, and on the other, you can record drums without clipping. Equivalent Input Noise is less than ‑127.5dB (presumably A‑weighted, though this is not stated) and the A‑D converters deliver a dynamic range of 112.5dB A‑weighted; the practical upshot is that even with the headroom that Smartgain leaves, the noise floor of the EVO 16 itself is always going to be way, way below that of your source. Input impedance in high‑impedance mode is 500kΩ, which is on the low side, but of course you can easily attach a DI box if you feel this is loading down your electric guitar. Input recording is also exemplary, helped a little with a Smart Gain feature that helps you set levels, although to be fair you don’t really need it as such (see below for more on this).

Audient EVO 16 - Sound On Sound Audient EVO 16 - Sound On Sound

The market for budget, entry‑level interfaces is mostly made up of newcomers to recording. These customers, on the one hand, benefit from designs that present the easiest possible learning curve; but on the other, they’re also unburdened by preconceptions as to how an audio interface should work. Consequently, Audient have put a lot of work into the usability and ergonomics of the EVO series, and they’ve not been afraid to depart from established convention. The EVO 4 and EVO 8 look nothing like any other audio interface I’ve ever seen, and present a refreshingly minimal and friendly user interface.As well as the EVO 8 itself, you'll also get access to a library of industry-standard software, providing you the essential tools needed to get recording from the outset. Features At first, it seems simplicity is the sole hook. The Audient Evo 4 is light on dials and knobs, is small, and has a neat feature that sets you levels automatically to avoid clipping – brilliant for beginners. I’m a big fan of Audient gear. I own a Gen 1 iD14 and I used to teach at a college that had both an ASP8024 and an ASP4816. They all work and sound great. Take that as a brand endorsement before we even start. EVO 16’s 8 EVO Preamps provide 58dB Mic Gain, while its advanced converter technology offers a staggering 121dB dynamic range, providing professional grade audio performance across the board.