M-Audio M-Track Duo HD Producer Pack review: Best beginner recording bundle?

The M-Audio M-Track Duo HD Producer Pack is an affordable way to kickstart your home studio. Whether you’re recording your first demo or leveling up your content creation setup, it offers an easy way in with a mic, a pair of over-ear headphones, an interface that promises to keep things simple, and more. But is this the right bundle to let you focus on creating without the hassle? Let us plug in, tune up, and find out in this M-Audio M-Track Duo HD Producer Pack review.

What I like about the M-Audio M-Track Duo HD Producer Pack

The M-Audio M-Track Duo HD Producer Pack includes just about everything you need to start recording at home: the Duo HD 2-channel interface, M100 large-diaphragm condenser mic with cardioid pickup pattern, a pair of HDH41 headphones, and an XLR cable, complete with zippered case and XLR cable. Just add a microphone stand (not included) and you’re good to go.

The Duo HD interface connects to your computer via USB-C. It offers two channels with dual 1/4″ / XLR input jacks, complete with phantom power, some output options for your monitoring source, and two 1/4″ outputs on the back to connect to a set of monitors. The top plate is metal, which is nice, and that’s where you’ll find your gain knobs and volume controls. The rest of the housing? It’s plastic, but it feels sturdy enough for a desk setup.

There’s no plastic on the included M100 condenser mic, though; it’s got a full metal chassis, which gives it a nice, solid feel. Once you’ve connected the XLR cable, make sure to hit the phantom power button on the front of the interface so the mic gets the power it needs. The included HDH41 headphones aren’t anything fancy, but they’ll get the job done, especially if you don’t have a set of monitors yet. Fire up your favorite DAW, and you’re ready to start setting your levels.

I recorded a few demos using the M-Track Duo HD Producer Pack and my MacBook Air in a small, untreated home office. It’s just a regular bedroom setup. I tracked everything in Reaper, my go-to DAW, with the included M100 pointed at the 12th fret of my acoustic guitar.

Audio recordings

Acoustic Guitars Demo:

For this track, I used my trusty Yamaha FS830 acoustic guitar. It’s a relatively affordable, smaller-bodied acoustic, costing less than $400. There are three tracks in total: two rhythm parts panned hard left and right, and a “lead” acoustic that enters near the end, panned straight down the center. I didn’t apply any processing to the rhythm tracks; you’re hearing straight from the microphone, but I added a touch of reverb from a stock Reaper plug-in to the centre lead track for some added texture. Sounding pretty good!

Vocals and Acoustic Guitars Demo:

Here’s a quick take of one of my favorite Johnny Cash songs, “So Doggone Lonesome”. The acoustic guitars are panned hard left and right, while the vocals sit straight down the center. As before, the acoustic guitars have no additional processing, but I added some reverb to the vocals, which is fairly standard practice. Again, I have no issues with the quality of the recording. The M100 can handle some vocals no problem.

Speaking Voice Demo (for podcasting, streaming, etc.):

Lastly, the M100 performs well for capturing speech, and while it handles sibilance without issue, you’ll notice some popping on my P’s when I say “podcast” and “producer pack.” This wasn’t a problem when recording vocals, but I’d recommend using an external pop filter if you plan to use the M100 as a dedicated microphone for podcasting or voice-over work.

What I don’t like about the M-Audio M-Track Duo HD Producer Pack

The Duo HD interface is about as basic as it gets, which I understand is part of its appeal for new recording artists. Sometimes, less knobs and switches is the way to go when you just want to get your musical ideas down.

That said, your input meter is essentially a tiny white LED light that flashes at you when you have a signal and then turns red when you start to clip. I would much prefer a VU meter that shows your gain levels gradually as you adjust. It’s a helpful way to set your levels before firing up your interface, ensuring you’re starting your recording with a healthy signal.

Additionally, having a simple LED to indicate that the interface is powered on would have been nice. You do get one that shows when phantom power is engaged, but right now, there is no easy way to tell at a glance if it even has power. Lastly, while the faceplate is metal, the rest of the enclosure is plastic. It is not the most exciting design, especially compared to something like the Scarlett series with its brushed aluminum red finish. But as long as it sounds good and works, that’s what really matters, right?

Should you buy the M-Audio M-Track Duo HD Producer Pack?

The M-Audio M-Track Duo HD Producer Pack is a solid starting point for anyone testing the waters of home recording. It is easy to use, includes just about everything you need to get going right away, and I was satisfied with the results of my recordings. That said, some components, especially the headphones and the mostly plastic interface, are not built for the long haul. They are designed to keep costs low.

If you are serious about music production or ready to invest a bit more upfront, you might want to consider something more robust. A larger interface with more I/Os like the Focusrite Scarlett 4i4, a dedicated condenser microphone, and a higher-quality pair of headphones will take you further. But if you just want to get your ideas down and have some fun tracking guitars and vocals, the M-Audio M-Track Duo HD Producer Pack is a reliable and affordable way to start.

M-Audio M-Track Duo HD review: FAQs