M-Audio M-Track Duo

So many artists are busy self-producing right now since it's so easy to set up a comprehensive home studio for such little cash. Offering budget-conscious beginner producers a solid foot in the door, the M-Audio M-Track Duo audio interface sets you up with two XLR/jack inputs that can take both microphones or line inputs like a synthesizer or electric guitar, and since the input is able to provide phantom power, a studio-grade condenser microphone can even be hooked up. To make sure that you really do have everything you need, this interface comes complete with a tight little stack of software, including a DAW (recording software) and a bunch of effect plug-ins. While it's not unusual for an interface to come bundled up with software, what is unusual is the budget-friendly price it all comes at.