Behringer UMC404HD

So, I wanted a 4 input USB interface that could record at 48Khz/24bit 4 tracks at the same time without issues in order for me to digitize my master tapes from my 4 channel analoge track recorder.

Mind that I used to have a Scarlette 4i4 1st generation which I never had any issues but I sold it long time ago. I was just about to pull the trigger and buy the Scarlette 4i4 3st gen which costs more or less double the money, until I noticed that not only it had only two line ins (at the back) but since the 1st generation they removed 2 of the front preamps. So, I would have to connect 2 channels to the preamps and 2 channels to the line ins. These two groups of connections have different specs (impedence) so I didn't want to mess around and waist time with any of this.

I read a ton of revivews and although I had never bought any Behringer device worth of 15 euros or more, I pulled the trigger and bought one.

It looks sturdy enough, the manual contains only the basic information but apart from the routins, it is a simple device.

No problems with the Win10 drivers (built 1909) which is always a good thing. That's the only thing I downloaded from the Behringer site, by the way, I don't need anything else. One thing I am already missing is the Control/Mixing Panel of the Focusrite. Don't get me wrong, it's not something you must have, but it was a very good and useful thing to have and the Behringer software is kinda of poor gut it does the job (and when it doesn't do it, you can always set a few things from within the DAWs).

The interface got paired with my Presonus Eris E5, no problems, the E5's have been set to unity (half their volume) and the Behringer takes care of the rest.

I also use the AKG271's and this soundcard can drive'em without any problems (no need for headphone amp in this case).

Now, the important stuff.

The card is dead silent, its convertors "sound" great, I've already digitize quite a few of my material without any issues.

The Mix pot was a little bit odd to me at first (mixes the input sound and playback sound) but that's alright.

Line/Instrument and Pad buttons are very useful, no problems with the quality of the pots etc except that the Volume is way too close to the Mix and if you have big hands/fingers it might be a problem (well, not a problem but maybe a mild inconvinience).

All in all, at that price and with these specs, this might be one of the best purchases I've ever made. the price is ridiculous for what you get, absolutely ridiculous!

So, yeah, I am gonna go ahead and recommend this interface as if you are looking for a card with the specs it packs, you really can't go wrong with the 404HD.

4 channel input/output USB Audio interface that is cheap in price but quite nice in quality, additionally it is plug and play for Linux (tested with Ubuntu 20.04).

The good:
The microphone inputs are quite clean, at least when using condenser microphones with phantom power (slightly more noise than in a SSL2 interface).
The headphone output has more than enough power to drive 250 Ohm headphones (tested Beyer Dynamic DT 990 Pro and DT 297 PV)
The knobs feel really nice, time will tell, but they feel a grade above the ones used in other Behringer consoles.

The quirks:
When monitoring, you can mix the inputs and the outputs with the MIX knob.
For the inputs you can listen to all of them at the same time, and stereo mix them as well by pressing the Stereo/Mono button.
However when monitoring the outputs for channels 3-4 (by depressing the Monitor A/B button) they are completely separated from the rest, including the inputs.

The less good:
The CLIP and SIG LEDs are useful guides, but you need to monitor your levels through software to set the microphones gain (at least until you know how they behave with the interface).
Line level inputs start distorting before clipping, make sure your signals are not too hot (even though they are not clipping distortion will happen), this seems to be more evident at higher frequencies.

The bad:
The line outputs are low, if you are connecting to a pro line level you might find the output insufficient, if you are connecting it to a PA or a mixer down the line, make sure you can pick something with a -10dB option for the level (and even then they might be a bit on the low side with the MAIN OUT at maximum level).

Overall the price leaves little to complain about.

Behringer killed it with this one. It is truly a one-time purchase.
For studio and live use, I'd throw this thing in those scenarios and it'd probably work out because of how versatile this thing is.

This thing is crazy good for its price tag. It is packed with features that can only be found on higher-end audio interfaces like the Arturia Audiofuse.
For one thing, it has 4 inputs at a price tag of only around a hundred bucks with individual gain control and pad buttons.
The pre-amps are very good and low-noise, even a tad better than the 2i2's I've noticed, though a bit less good than the Komplete Audio.
The build quality is phenomenal. This thing is built to last forever. That's what I meant by a one-time purchase. If you buy this thing, you won't have to upgrade in a while given its amazing build quality and its versatility.
The monitoring system is amazing and opens up a world of possibilities in the studio in terms of hot-switching between different sources of audio monitoring.

That being said, it does have a few drawbacks. Notably the drivers.
I don't know if it's just the experience I had with my computer but on a Windows 10 it was a nightmare to get the drivers to work properly without interfering with my native audio drivers. I've seen people say the exact opposite of that and that it's a plug & play interface, but I've also seen people say otherwise on the internet.
It also doesn't look the best and it isn't very portable, but that's obviously not what it was made for.

Overall, if you want a very versatile audio interface that is packed with features and that will probably last you forever and are ready to go through a hassle of installing and uninstalling the drivers numerous times to get them to work and aren't concerned with the looks and portability, this is just the best that you can get at this price range. A one-time purchase indeed.

This isn't the first Audio Interface that I have bought. I have owned several over the years from companies such as Focusrite, M-audio, Line 6, Roland Etc. It is however the first Behringer Interface I have bought.

I use a focusrite Scarlette 18i20 in my Studio and I bought this UMC404HD for doing some video recording and also to act as a secondary device for home. I wasn't expecting this to be that great to be honest, having seen some Behringer products in the past that were less than outstanding. However, I am completely blown away for the quality of the unit especially for how little it costs.

This is a very solidly built device, it feels pretty rugged and made out of metal, though I wouldn't want to go throwing it about, I suspect it would survive a few drops. The knobs are very satisfying and the whole thing does not seem cheap at all.

Sound wise i was pretty impressed. The pre-amps are pretty clean, certainly not 'the best' but they are not bad and I have honestly heard much worse at higher price points. There is easily enough clean headroom on the preamps to get you where you need to be. I have heard that the noise floor on this device is slightly higher than the UMC204HD, this apparently down to this having an extra 2 preamps. You can record at 192khz with this device and there is a mix control for zero latency monitoring which is very handy.

I am very happy with this unit. As I said before for the money I don't think there is a better audio interface by a country mile. 4 ins, 4 outs, solid contruction, pads on each pre-amp. Possibly the only thing I could gripe about is the fact the phantom power switch is on the back, this isn't really a problem for me but it may be for someone else. All in all I don't think anyone would be disappointed with this unit. Behringer have built a solid unit and for very little money. A great bit of kit.

Excellent service by Thomann as usual as well. Very quick delivery to N. Ireland.

I've had this interface for around 7 months now, and have used it for recording, as well as for multitracks on the road. Mostly good, just keep in some sort of case!

Pros:
+ amazing value for the feature set
+ drivers on windows seem fairly stable- haven't BSOD's the PC yet
+ has XLR, TRS and Phono output connections
+ has XLR-jack combi input sockets
+ has a useful knob for fading between playback and input for monitoring
+ headphone output goes loud enough

Cons:
- Durability: the black paint can be scratched off by things like plugs, so protect with at least a soft case or something!
- Some of the output potentiometers (knobs) have started cracking when you turn them now. Not too much of a problem when recording, but more if you were using it live.
- The output levels are quite low, it doesn't match professional line level. This could be a problem if you don't have much gain on the output device.
- The pad switches noticably increases the noise in the input stage! Use as a last resort, on a very hot input signal.
- There have been issues where the pitch of the output has been lower than the actual pitch recorded in the sound file. Possible due to needing the AC adatper plugged in- I didn't have one plugged in at the time.
- The switch from USB power to AC isn't graceful- it makes a pop.

CONS: The only Issue I found is the buzz noise, I can't remove even with power supply, maybe my guitar is the problem. I already use the PAD, the good thing is it minimize it.
The front of Casing has a lot of scratches but there is plastic on it.
Edit: (Mic does not affect ground noise. Make sure you have good electricity connection to avoid ground noise, which in fault in my part.)

PROS: Multiple Input with lots of features, in my opinion this is good compare to other brand with same price but less input and maybe no MIDI.
Edit: (It drives my dynamic mic SM58 easily at 60-75% without noise. At 75%, It can hear my whisper easily using SM58. I think good in ASMR.)

HANDLING: It takes 5 days to arrive here in PH even if there is outbreak. The packaging is safe, there is small damage on box but not on the item. The only problem is UPS, they didn't update me well in tracking page. But they call me when they arrive here.
Edit: (But in Thomann side, they arranged my order pretty quickly. I understand the delay due to pandemic)

TIPS: I prefer to use WASAPI(Windows7 or 10), the latency around 1-5ms(not roundtrip) with 64-256 samples. That consume less CPU load compare to ASIO which is buggy with loud noise when you select the less than 64 samples.
Edit: (WASAPI can take 2-inputs only, much better to use the driver(ASIO) came from Behringer. IMO, I can't tell the difference from 64-512 samples which is 4-10ms roundtrip. It is sound like direct monitoring)

I was looking for an interface that had at least 2 inputs for instruments and phantom power for a microphone, but did not break the bank. I previously used a POD HD500 + an old Tascam for the mic, but this setup had a lot of downsides.
I expected less, but sound wise it's pretty nice, actually. To my ears, there's maybe a bit less highs when compared to the POD, mid-range is a bit more, and lows I think are identical. Compared to the POD, it has a bit more latency when using identical PC settings, but only "on paper" - it's not noticeable in reality. One star down for these two items, but they are NOT a deal breaker.

It's simple to operate, but could do with better labels on the front panel on the headphones/monitoring part. If I remember correctly, the user manual did not help much, either. One star down here, since removing half a star is not an option.

Feels properly sturdy and solid. Pots are nice.

Overall it's a properly good piece of kit. I would recommend for the bedroom musician with both hands.

I've been creating music for 7 years.Always for my own pleasure,nothing professional.Never had opportunity to try nor could i afford to buy one of recommended audio interfaces
out there.Half a year ago i saw umc404hd and of course first thing that was interesting to me was price and number of inputs/outputs .It was all perfect for my home studio project where i needed 4 inputs for me and my band.Its also bundled with free daw,so i gave it a chance.
And i didn't regret.

Pros :
-On my windows10 pc its plug and play,all works,just set it as recording device and thats it.
-Sound is clear ,neutral,crisp .Loud enough preamps gain on about 60 percent no need to increase at least for me,no noise or artifacts etc.
-Preamp for headphones is also loud and i use it all the time when monitoring vocals and listening to music.
-Its powered via usb and there was no need for plugging in power adapter which also comes with interface.
-its well built,feels expensive and durable,buttons responsive and it has led indicator for when its turned on and another one when phantom power is on
-takes soo little space its almost twice smaller than it seems on pictures and it fits perfectly under my pc monitor

Cons;
- Phantom power button is at the back and it powers all xlr 4 inputs ,it would be perfect if there were separate buttons for inputs but its ok.

All in all :
For the price i just couldnt find anything better and i dont need anything better,it does all i need and i does it well!!.It sits in the corner taking little space and allowes me to record my music effortlessly.I would recommend it to anyone who decides to build affordable small home studio as i did

Behringer's U-Phoria UMC404HD is an interface that can easily beat any competition of the same range of price.

Design-wise, the UMC404HD is easy to figure out. Built of aluminum materials, 4 inputs are placed at the front panel, whereas the outputs are placed at the back.

The 4 aforementioned channels, have the option between XLR and ? jacks. Having an instrument input, the interface has the capacity to connect instruments such as electric guitar or bass directly, without a preamplifier being required.

The performance of the device is wonderful. The interface has amazing built-in preamplifiers (MIDAS) which, being very strongly structured, provide a very clean and clear sound, in particular in the recording scene.

The only real issue would be that, in what concerns Phantom Power, you have only 1 toggle for all 4 channels. This means that it will power all the inputs at once without any chance of powering individual channels.

Considering its price, the UMC404HD is one of the best and most effective tools for the low-budget studio and/or beginner music producer. It can very well handle various instruments and microphones, without any latency or clipping issues.