The best audio interfaces, according to hackers
3 audio interfaces were recommended on Hacker News between November 2025 and November 2026. We rank them by how many separate people recommend each one, and 1 earns the Hacker Approved badge.
Top pick
The most recommended audio interface with the badge. Each figure is one person. RecommendsCriticizes One comment
Big jump in PC game audio
Early PC sound card that made games and music sound far better. Common caveat: setup and compatibility often took days or months of troubleshooting.
We may earn a commission. It never changes the order.
We may earn a commission. It never changes the order.
All 3 audio interfaces, ranked
Select a column heading to sort. Approval share is recommenders out of everyone who gave an opinion; the tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs. Months counts the months, out of 13, in which someone recommended it.
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ETH-68 Ethernet Audio Interface | 12 | 3 | 80% | 1 | — | — |
| 2 | Creative Sound Blaster | 10 | 5 | 67% | 7 | — | Approved |
| 3 | Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 | 9 | 1 | 90% | 5 | — | — |
How we rank
Rank is the number of separate people who recommend a product in a Hacker News comment over the past year. Someone who praises the same audio interface in five threads counts once.
The badge goes to audio interfaces that at least 10 people recommend, with recommenders outnumbering critics at least 2 to 1, recommended in at least 4 of the 13 months.
Rankings are never for sale. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes the order.