Most audio interfaces sold today have no MIDI ports at all. The Scarlett 2i2, the SSL 2 MKII and the Audient iD4 are USB audio converters first and foremost, and the round 5-pin jacks that MIDI-equipped boxes used to carry are now the exception rather than the rule.
An audio interface with MIDI ports is a single box that does two separate jobs. It runs analogue audio through preamps and AD/DA converters so microphones, guitars and line-level synths can reach your computer, and it carries note and controller data through physical MIDI in, MIDI out and sometimes MIDI thru jacks. That MIDI half is what lets a hardware keyboard, pad controller or drum pad talk to Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase or FL Studio without a dongle in the chain.
That is why this guide exists. After comparing the current crop of boxes, these six are the ones that still carry confirmed 5-pin MIDI input and output, and they cover everything from a bus-powered 2×2 that fits in a jacket pocket to an 18-input desk piece for full band sessions. Our shortlist was also built around the models real buyers argue about: the MiniFuse and the Mackie Onyx come up constantly on r/MusicGear, the UMC404HD is the standard r/synthesizers pairing with a desktop module, and the UMC1820 has a strong following on r/linuxaudio.
If you are still working out which general-purpose box to buy, start with our complete audio interface guide, then come back here once you have confirmed you need physical MIDI. If your gear list is short and desk-bound, our 2-channel interface picks narrow the field further.
Top 3 Audio Interface Picks With MIDI Ports (October 2026)
The Arturia MiniFuse 2 leads because it pairs real 5-pin MIDI in and out with a class-A converter stage, a loopback for streaming, and a five-year warranty. The PreSonus AudioBox 96 takes the value slot, and the Behringer UMC404HD is the pick for anyone who needs four physical inputs rather than two.
Arturia MiniFuse 2
- 5-pin MIDI in and out
- 2 combo XLR inputs
- 192 kHz converters
- Loopback capture
PreSonus AudioBox 96 25th Anniversary
- 24-bit/96 kHz converters
- 2 Class-A preamps
- MIDI in and out
- Bus-powered USB
Every Pick Compared Side by Side in 2026
All six units below carry at least one MIDI input and one MIDI output, which is the filter most “best audio interface” lists skip entirely. Scanning the Key Features column is the fastest way to see which box matches your gear count before you read the full write-ups.
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1. Arturia MiniFuse 2 – Compact 5-Pin MIDI With Loopback and a 5-Year Warranty
Arturia MiniFuse USB Audio & MIDI Interface, MiniFuse 2
5-pin MIDI in and out
2 combo XLR plus 2 TRS inputs
192 kHz converters
Loopback
Pros
- Highest average rating in this group at 4.7
- 5-pin MIDI in and out as standard
- Loopback for voiceover over app audio
- USB type-A hub port supplies 250mA
- 5-year manufacturer warranty
Cons
- Only 2 physical input channels for multi-mic sessions
- Bundled Ableton Live Lite is track-limited
This is the box I keep coming back to for small desks. It weighs 1.1 pounds, measures 3.9 by 7.9 inches, and puts a 5-pin MIDI input and output on the rear panel next to two combo XLR mic/instrument/line inputs, two TRS instrument inputs, balanced line outputs and a headphone jack with its own volume control. Everything a one-person studio needs, in a footprint smaller than a paperback.
The converters run at up to 192 kHz, and the preamps carry 48V phantom power on the combo inputs. For MIDI work specifically, the DIN jacks mean a hardware module with no USB port can be sequenced straight from your DAW, and the front-panel MIDI activity LEDs make it obvious when a controller is actually transmitting. The loopback function captures your voice alongside in-app or in-game audio, which turns the same box into a streaming and podcast interface.
What sets it apart from the others here is the warranty and the bundle rather than the headline specs. Arturia backs it for five years, and the package includes Ableton Live Lite, Analog Lab Intro, Arturia FX, NI Guitar Rig 6 LE, Auto-Tune Unlimited and a Splice Creator plan. The USB type-A port on the back hands out 250mA, so you can keep a small controller powered without a second adapter. On r/MusicGear, the MiniFuse line keeps surfacing as the answer when someone asks for one box that does both audio and MIDI.
Who the MiniFuse 2 suits
It suits the bedroom producer with one controller and maybe one microphone, and it suits anyone moving between a laptop and a desktop setup. If your only MIDI need is a single 61-key controller feeding virtual instruments, a MIDI in and MIDI out pair is exactly right, and the loopback opens up a second use case for content work. The bundled software is genuinely usable for a beginner rather than a demo.
Where it falls short
Two physical input channels is the hard limit. Record a vocal and a guitar at the same time and you are done, which is fine for most people and wrong for anyone layering an acoustic and two mics. The bundled Ableton Live Lite is also track-limited, so serious users will move to a full DAW. Neither issue is a dealbreaker at this size, but both are upgrade prompts.
2. PreSonus AudioBox 96 25th Anniversary – The Most Reviewed Bus-Powered Box on This List
PreSonus AudioBox 96 25th Anniversary USB Audio Interface
24-bit/96 kHz converters
2 Class-A preamps
MIDI in and out
USB bus power
Pros
- MIDI in and out integrated with two combo inputs
- Plug-and-play USB bus power with no external supply
- Solid metal chassis with responsive controls
- Bundled Studio One Artist and Ableton Live Lite
- Zero-latency direct monitoring mixer control
Cons
- Input signal bleeds into monitor outputs and cannot be fully muted
- Noticeable monitor delay in live or DJ use
- Small volume knobs that sit close together
The AudioBox 96 is the straightforward answer to a very common question: how do I get audio and MIDI in one small box without a power brick? It draws everything it needs from USB 2.0 bus power, measures 5.5 inches square, weighs 2 pounds, and ships with two Class-A microphone preamps, two high-headroom instrument inputs, MIDI I/O, global 48V phantom power and a monitoring mixer you can blend between input and playback.
Converters run at 24-bit and up to 96 kHz, which is below the 192 kHz ceiling on the Behringers and the MiniFuse, but for tracking instruments and vocals in a home room the difference is largely academic. Buyers consistently treat it as a dependable beginner interface, and the 3160 reviews behind its 4.3 average make it the most proven unit in this group by a wide margin. It also runs on Windows and macOS, and PreSonus lists compatibility with Studio One Pro, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Cubase, Pro Tools, Logic Pro and Reaper.
Two details deserve attention before you settle. The bundled software is unusually generous for this tier, with Studio One Artist, Ableton Live Lite and the Studio Magic plug-in suite, though the plug-ins arrive as a digital download on registration. The monitoring mixer, meanwhile, cannot fully mute the inputs, so input signal bleeds into the monitor outputs even when the mixer is pushed all the way to playback. That is fine for tracking and awkward for live monitoring. Some users also report monitor delay that becomes noticeable in live or DJ use, and reviewers have criticised the latency handling relative to older Roland interfaces.
Who the AudioBox 96 suits
It suits a singer-songwriter who wants to plug a laptop straight in with no adapter, a keyboard player who needs MIDI in and out for hardware or virtual instruments, and anyone who values a solid metal chassis over a pocketable one. If your only two requirements are bus power and physical MIDI, this is the shortest path to both.
Where it falls short
Two inputs and two outputs cap every session. The input bleed in monitor mode is the most common complaint among owners, and the 96 kHz ceiling rules out any high-resolution session. The small, closely spaced volume knobs are also a recurring irritation for live use, where you are adjusting levels with one hand.
3. Behringer UMC404HD – Four Inputs and Four Outputs With MIDAS Preamps
Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD Audiophile 4×4, 24-Bit/192 kHz USB Audio/MIDI Interface with Midas Mic Preamplifiers
4x4 USB 2.0 at 192 kHz
4 MIDAS preamps with 48V
1 MIDI in and 1 out
Metal chassis
Pros
- 4 MIDAS-designed preamps with switchable 48V
- 24-bit/192 kHz resolution
- 4 inputs and 4 outputs plus dedicated MIDI I/O
- Compact metal chassis for mobile rigs
Cons
- Requires an external power supply rather than bus power
- No bundled software with the purchase
Where the 2×2 boxes run out of inputs, the UMC404HD opens up. It streams four inputs and four outputs over USB 2.0 at up to 24-bit/192 kHz, with one MIDI input and one MIDI output, four MIDAS-designed preamps with switchable 48V phantom power, and an impact-resistant metal chassis engineered in Germany. At 2.7 pounds and 11.5 inches deep it is a desktop unit, not a laptop accessory, but it is still small enough to move.
For a synth or module owner, four inputs is the difference between tracking one hardware source or tracking two plus a DI. Reviewers describe it as a dependable, tank-like workhorse with clean MIDAS preamps, and its 4.6 average across 1397 reviews is the second highest here. Compatibility is broad: Avid Pro Tools, Ableton Live and Steinberg Cubase are all named in the product data, and the streaming is described as ultra-low latency on macOS and Windows.
The trade-offs are physical and practical. It needs an external power supply, so it will not run from a laptop’s USB bus the way the AudioBox 96 or the Onyx 2X2 do, and there is no bundled software at all, which means the plugin budget is entirely yours. On r/synthesizers, the UMC404HD is a recurring recommendation when someone pairs a hardware module such as a Minilogue XD with a first interface, and that use case is exactly what the four inputs serve. Weighing it against bus-powered convenience, this is the right pick if you have more than one sound source to capture.
Who the UMC404HD suits
It suits players running a hardware module and a mic at the same time, small ensembles tracking two sources, and anyone with a permanently desk-bound studio who does not care about laptop mobility. The 192 kHz ceiling and the MIDAS preamp quality make it a step up in signal chain, not just a step up in input count.
Where it falls short
The external power supply is a genuine inconvenience for mobile work, and one MIDI in and one out means a second controller needs a thru chain or an external splitter. Shipping without software is a real cost once you start needing EQ and compression plugins. It is also a deep box, so it will not sit neatly beside a laptop stand.
4. Behringer UMC1820 – 18 Inputs and 20 Outputs With ADAT Expansion
Behringer UMC1820 Audiophile 18×20 USB Audio/MIDI Interface with Midas Mic Preamplifiers and ADAT I/O | For Recording Microphones and Instruments
18x20 USB 2.0
8 MIDAS preamps with 48V
MIDI I/O
ADAT and S/PDIF
Pros
- 18 inputs and 20 outputs for band and drum sessions
- 8 MIDAS preamps with 48V
- ADAT optical and S/PDIF digital expansion
- Drivers work across Windows versions and Linux
Cons
- Outputs are not all independently routable to the host
- Weak built-in preamp gain needs software gain
- Documentation and forum support widely criticised
This is the channel-count specialist, and nothing else on this list comes close. Eighteen inputs and twenty outputs of ultra-low latency USB 2.0 audio at 24-bit/96 kHz, eight MIDAS-designed mic preamps with 48V phantom power, MIDI I/O, optical ADAT expansion and S/PDIF digital I/O, all in a rack-mountable chassis with removable rubber feet. It weighs 4 pounds and measures 24.35 inches wide, so it lives on a desk or in a rack and never in a bag.
Owners running one-man-band or full-drum sessions are the core audience, and they praise the connectivity and the clean, neutral MIDAS preamps with very low internal noise. Conversion is genuinely 24-bit, and the added post gain does not introduce a noise floor or change the EQ. For MIDI work it is simply another 1-in/1-out port, which is more than most owners need once they are tracking a whole room at once. The 4.5 average sits across 482 reviews, with 82 percent of them at five stars.
Three honest caveats come up repeatedly. The twenty outputs are not all independently routable to the host computer, so the headline output count overstates the flexibility on a software level. Built-in preamp gain is weak, meaning the gain knob sits well past noon or you lean on software gain, and there is a roughly 4 dB bump around 300 to 500 Hz that wants EQ correction. Behringer’s documentation and block diagrams also draw steady criticism. On r/linuxaudio, this is the model people point to when they want high channel counts on a budget, and the driver behaviour across Windows versions and Linux is a genuine part of that reputation.
Who the UMC1820 suits
It suits a drummer or small band tracking multiple mics at once, a producer running two ADAT-equipped outboard preamp stacks, and a Linux user who wants a large channel count without a driver hunt. The ADAT optical input is the real expansion story: pairing it with a Behringer ADA8200 adds eight inputs and ten outputs.
Where it falls short
It is far too large and far too dependent on mains power for any mobile use. The output routing limitation and the modest factory gain staging mean you will spend real time on gain and EQ before you get a usable signal. Anyone buying this for a single keyboard and one microphone is paying for channels they will never touch.
5. Mackie Onyx Producer 2X2 – Bus-Powered 2×2 With Onyx Preamps
Mackie Audio Interface, Onyx Producer 2X2 USB Audio Interface with MIDI (Onyx Producer 2-2)
24-bit/192 kHz 2x2
MIDI I/O
2 Onyx preamps
USB 2.0 bus power
Pros
- Boutique Onyx preamps with 48V phantom power
- 192 kHz in a bus-powered travel box
- MIDI I/O alongside two XLR/TRS combo inputs
- Zero-latency direct monitoring
- 23 bundled plugins and instruments
Cons
- Only two inputs
- so multi-mic sessions need a second box
- Legacy 1-year nontransferable warranty
- Highest 1-star share in this group at 11 percent
The Onyx Producer 2X2 is one of the few boxes still combining two inputs, two outputs, MIDI I/O and no external power supply. It records at 24-bit/192 kHz, carries two boutique-quality Onyx mic preamps with 48V phantom power, accepts mic, line and Hi-Z instrument sources through XLR/TRS combo inputs, and offers zero-latency direct monitoring of the analogue inputs alongside dedicated stereo monitor outputs and a headphone amp. It weighs 1.3 pounds and runs entirely on USB 2.0 bus power.
It is the model the top-ranking r/MusicGear thread narrowed to alongside the Arturia MiniFuse when someone asked for a single box doing both audio and MIDI, and that tells you the audience better than any spec sheet. Buyers describe the Onyx preamps as having class-leading fidelity and dynamic range for the tier, and the 23-piece Musician Collection of plugins and instruments is included. A 4.3 average from 468 reviews is solid rather than exceptional, and the review data shows the highest 1-star share in this group at 11 percent.
The reason for those one-star reviews is structural: two inputs is all you get, so a multi-mic session means buying a second interface. It also carries a legacy one-year nontransferable warranty, which is the thinnest cover here, and there is no modern software bundle beyond the plugin collection. On the MIDI side it is a straightforward 1-in/1-out pair, which covers one controller cleanly. If you want 192 kHz converters, bus power and physical MIDI in a box that survives being moved around, it is still hard to argue with.
Who the Onyx Producer 2X2 suits
It suits a player who wants one controller, one instrument and one microphone, and anyone building a portable rig where bus power is non-negotiable. Owners moving between rehearsal rooms and a home desk will appreciate the tank-like chassis and the absence of a power brick entirely.
Where it falls short
Two inputs is the ceiling, and unlike the UMC404HD there is no headroom to grow into. The one-year warranty and dated software support mean less long-term protection than the MiniFuse 2’s five years. Treat it as a single-source tool rather than a small studio hub.
6. IK Multimedia iRig Pro Duo I/O – 5-Pin MIDI That Follows You to a Phone or Tablet
IK Multimedia iRig Pro Duo I/O USB audio interface, TRS balanced & headphones outputs, audio mixer to 24-bit, midi interface for music studio, recording, podcasting, streaming & social apps
MIDI in/out with breakout cables
2 Neutrik combo inputs
RCA line inputs
Lightning USB-C USB-A cables included
Pros
- Only box here with 5-pin MIDI in a phone or tablet
- Low noise with dynamic mics such as an SM57
- Every cable included with no adapter needed
- Genuinely plug and play with no software install
Cons
- Capped at 48 kHz
- the lowest resolution in the group
- Battery operation drains quickly with cheap cells
- Registration needs a printed serial number card
Every other box on this list needs a computer. The iRig Pro Duo I/O does not. It weighs 7.04 ounces, measures 5 by 2.95 inches, and adds 5-pin MIDI in and out, two Neutrik combo mic/instrument inputs, two line-level RCA inputs and a combo mic/headphone jack with direct monitoring to an iPhone, iPad, Android device, Mac or PC. Lightning, USB-C and USB-A cables are all in the box, so the adapter problem simply disappears.
Power comes from USB, two AA batteries or an optional power supply unit, which is what makes the untethered use possible. The preamps are described as extended-gain Class A with very low noise, and owners report clean, unprocessed recordings even with a dynamic microphone like an SM57. It is genuinely plug and play, with no software installation required, and one owner reports a first unit lasting nearly 11 years. If your music making happens on an iPad with a stand, this is the only sensible answer on the list.
The compromises are real. Maximum sample rate is 48 kHz, the lowest in this group, so it is a sketching and mobile device rather than a production path. Battery life with cheap cells is short, and phantom power sourced from USB or batteries can cause startup instability. The bundled companion apps are iOS-only with no Android equivalent, and the registration process requires a printed serial number card, which owners criticise heavily. Sentiment is more divided than for the desktop units here: 66 percent five-star but 10 percent one-star, with the complaints concentrated on battery drain, resolution, registration and the app gap.
Who the iRig Pro Duo I/O suits
It suits mobile musicians recording demos on a phone or tablet, anyone testing a hardware synth away from a desk, and podcasters who want a mic preamp and MIDI in one bag-friendly object. The included breakout cables for the MIDI jacks are the detail that usually sells people.
Where it falls short
48 kHz is the ceiling, and there is no way around it. The AA battery option is unreliable in practice, so you need USB power or the optional supply unit for anything longer than a sketch. Android users get the hardware compatibility but not the companion apps, and the serial card registration is a genuine friction point.
How Many MIDI Ports Do You Actually Need
Every interface here has one MIDI input and one MIDI output, so the real question is not whether one port is enough but how you expand from there. Do the channel math and it becomes obvious: each 5-pin port carries 16 MIDI channels, so a 1-in/1-out interface gives you one controller and one destination, a 2×2 gives you 32 channels, a 4×4 gives you 64, and an 8×8 gives you 128. Most people never exceed 16 channels, which is why every box in this guide covers a single controller.
The two-controller problem has a standard answer. A MIDI thru port duplicates whatever arrives on the MIDI in port, so you can daisy-chain a second keyboard off the first with a DIN cable and both appear as separate devices in your DAW. Where no thru jack exists, a passive MIDI thru box or a splitter handles the same job, and the DAW’s MIDI merge and filtering settings let you combine several controllers into one virtual device. Ableton Push and Launchpad users who run a keyboard alongside a pad controller fall into exactly this group.
Deciding between MIDI over USB and a 5-pin DIN port is easier than forum threads make it sound. MIDI over USB means the data is already inside the computer and needs no conversion, so the round trip is measured in milliseconds and is rarely the bottleneck. A DIN port earns its place when the target device has no USB port at all, when you want to keep MIDI cables away from the computer, or when you need a hardware break to isolate ground loops between two pieces of gear. If your controller is USB-native, the DIN jacks on these boxes are for the hardware synths, not the keyboard in front of you.
Class-compliant means no driver install is required, which matters more on Linux than anywhere else. Every unit in this list is USB class-compliant for MIDI, so it will enumerate in a DAW on macOS, Windows and Linux without a proprietary installer, though the UMC1820’s driver package is specifically noted as working across Windows versions and Linux for multi-channel operation. Beyond MIDI, check preamp headroom, phantom power, whether the monitoring mixer can fully mute inputs, and whether loopback and ADAT expansion are present. Our USB interface guide covers converters in more depth, and the multi-channel picks are worth reading if you are heading past four inputs.
One warning worth repeating from the top: several of the most recommended modern 2×2 interfaces have dropped MIDI entirely in their latest revisions. Check the physical port count on the exact model and revision you are buying, not the brand name, because the round jack is the whole reason this guide exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which audio interfaces have MIDI input?
The six interfaces in this guide all carry confirmed 5-pin MIDI input and output: the Arturia MiniFuse 2, PreSonus AudioBox 96, Behringer UMC404HD, Behringer UMC1820, Mackie Onyx Producer 2X2 and IK Multimedia iRig Pro Duo I/O. Many popular modern 2×2 interfaces, including the latest Scarlett 2i2, SSL 2 MKII and Audient iD4, have no MIDI ports, so check the physical jacks on the exact revision before buying.
Do musicians still use MIDI?
Yes, more than ever. MIDI carries note, controller and timing data rather than sound, which is why a single cable can run a full synth, a pad controller and a whole software rig. The difference now is that most modern controllers are USB-native, so MIDI arrives over USB instead of through a 5-pin DIN port, while hardware synths and modules still rely on physical MIDI connections.
Do I need MIDI on an audio interface?
You need it if you play a hardware MIDI keyboard, pad controller, drum pad or Launchpad into Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase or FL Studio, or if you want to sequence external synths and samplers. You do not need it if you record only microphones and guitars, or if every controller you own connects to the computer directly over its own USB cable. Checking this first prevents buying two boxes instead of one.
What is the best midi interface?
For a combined audio and MIDI box, the Arturia MiniFuse 2 leads with 5-pin MIDI in and out, 192 kHz converters, loopback and a five-year warranty. The PreSonus AudioBox 96 is the value answer for bus-powered desktop use, and the Behringer UMC404HD is the choice when you need four physical inputs. A standalone MIDI interface with no audio is only worth buying if you already have good audio converters and no free MIDI port.
How many MIDI ports do I need?
One MIDI input and one output covers a single controller, which is what every interface in this guide offers. Each 5-pin port carries 16 MIDI channels, so 2×2 gives 32 channels, 4×4 gives 64 and 8×8 gives 128. For two controllers, use a MIDI thru port to daisy-chain the second device, or a MIDI splitter, then handle merging in your DAW.
What is MIDI thru for?
MIDI thru duplicates whatever arrives on the MIDI in port and passes it to a second device, so you can chain two keyboards off one input or forward MIDI from a DAW to an external synth. It is the standard fix when you own two controllers and an interface with only one MIDI in. If the interface has no thru jack, a passive MIDI thru box does the same job.
Conclusion
The Arturia MiniFuse 2 is our pick for the best audio interfaces with MIDI ports in 2026, because it is the only box here that combines genuine 5-pin MIDI in and out with a five-year warranty, 192 kHz converters and a loopback stage in a package small enough to travel. If you want the simplest desk setup, take the bus-powered PreSonus AudioBox 96; if you have more than one hardware source, take the Behringer UMC404HD.
Check the physical MIDI jacks on the exact model and revision you are about to buy, plug the box in, and confirm your controller appears as a MIDI port in your DAW before you record anything. That two-minute check avoids the most common and most expensive mistake in this category.