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SONAR Platinum was Cakewalk’s last paid boxed release before Gibson shut the company down in 2017; it lives on today as the free Cakewalk by BandLab and, since 2024, the relaunched Cakewalk Sonar, both built on the same core engine. The good news for hardware shopping: SONAR Platinum and its successors talk to interfaces through the standard Windows ASIO driver model, so any interface with a current, manufacturer-supplied ASIO driver for Windows 10/11 will work — you are not locked into old or discontinued hardware. What actually varies between brands is driver stability under an aging host application, buffer-size flexibility, and whether the manufacturer still ships fresh Windows drivers years after a model’s release. The picks below span that range, from budget class-compliant units to RME, the brand most often cited for rock-solid Windows ASIO drivers.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Behringer UMC202HD | $80-$99 | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | PreSonus AudioBox USB 96 | $100-$150 | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen | $130-$180 | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen | $166-$225 | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | MOTU M2 | $180-$200 | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | Universal Audio Volt 2 | $199 | Amazon · eBay |
| 7 | Steinberg UR22C | $150-$180 | Amazon · eBay |
| 8 | Zoom UAC-2 | $230-$250 | Amazon · eBay |
| 9 | MOTU M4 | $270-$280 | Amazon · eBay |
| 10 | RME Babyface Pro FS | $699-$999 | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
Behringer UMC202HD
The cheapest way into a real Midas-designed mic preamp with a dedicated ASIO driver — a common recommendation for SONAR/Cakewalk users on a tight budget.
- 2 Midas-designed mic preamps
- 24-bit/192kHz
- Dedicated Behringer ASIO driver for Windows
- MIDAS-designed preamp circuitry
- Lowest price of any interface with a proper manufacturer ASIO driver here
- Widely used and documented in Cakewalk/SONAR forum threads
- Driver updates are less frequent than Focusrite or RME
- Basic build quality next to pricier options
PreSonus AudioBox USB 96
A long-running, class-compliant-plus-ASIO interface that bundles a full DAW (Studio One) if you ever want a second production environment alongside Cakewalk.
- 2 combo mic/line/instrument inputs
- 24-bit/96kHz
- PreSonus Universal Control ASIO driver
- Bundled Studio One Artist software
- Mature, well-tested Windows driver with a long track record
- Bundled DAW software adds value beyond the interface itself
- 96kHz max sample rate is behind newer competitors’ 192kHz
- Increasingly hard to find in stock at some retailers
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen
Focusrite’s entry-level single-input interface, backed by what’s generally considered the most actively maintained and widely compatible ASIO driver in the budget tier.
- 1 mic preamp with Focusrite Air mode
- 24-bit/192kHz
- Focusrite USB ASIO driver, regularly updated
- Auto Gain and Clip Safe
- Focusrite’s ASIO driver has an unusually strong reputation for stability across older and newer DAWs alike
- Simple, low-latency setup
- Single input limits you to one mic or instrument at a time
- Bundled software focuses on newer DAWs, not SONAR/Cakewalk specifically
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen
The two-input step up from the Solo, useful if you record a stereo source or two mono inputs at once, with the same well-supported Focusrite driver.
- 2 mic preamps with Air mode
- 24-bit/192kHz, 120dB dynamic range
- Focusrite USB ASIO driver
- Auto Gain, Clip Safe
- Same driver reliability as the Solo, with a second input
- Very well documented in DAW compatibility guides, including legacy Windows setups
- Costs more than the Solo for a feature most solo musicians won’t use daily
- No MIDI I/O built in
MOTU M2
Studio-grade converters at a budget price, from a brand whose Windows ASIO drivers are frequently cited as the runner-up to RME for stability.
- 2 mic/line/instrument inputs
- 24-bit/192kHz, 120dB dynamic range
- MOTU ASIO driver for Windows
- Built-in LCD metering
- Converter quality punches above its price point
- MOTU’s driver reputation trails only RME for reliability
- No onboard DSP/loopback mixing found on pricier MOTU models
- Fewer preset scenes than some competitors
Universal Audio Volt 2
A modern 2-in/2-out interface with a switchable vintage-preamp mode, aimed at musicians who want character options beyond a clean signal path.
- 2 mic/instrument inputs
- Vintage 610 mode (tube-preamp emulation)
- 24-bit/192kHz
- Dedicated UA ASIO driver
- Vintage mode adds real tonal flexibility not found on cleaner-only interfaces
- Solid mid-range build quality
- UA’s driver ecosystem is newer and less battle-tested against a 2016-era host like SONAR Platinum than Focusrite/RME
- USB 2.0 connection, not the newest USB-C spec
Steinberg UR22C
A rugged, metal-chassis interface from Yamaha’s Steinberg brand, with USB 3.0 connectivity and drivers Steinberg maintains specifically for DAW compatibility.
- 2 combo inputs
- 24-bit/192kHz over USB 3.0
- Steinberg/Yamaha ASIO driver
- Rugged metal housing
- USB 3.0 headroom keeps latency low even at high buffer counts
- Durable build for a interface that travels
- USB 3.0 port requirement can complicate use with older USB 2.0-only PCs some SONAR Platinum users still run
- Bundled Cubase AI software is redundant if you’re staying in Cakewalk/SONAR
Zoom UAC-2
A USB 3.0 SuperSpeed interface built around class-compliant operation plus a dedicated ASIO driver, popular with users who move a rig between multiple computers.
- 2 combo inputs
- 24-bit/192kHz over USB 3.0
- Class-compliant + dedicated Zoom ASIO driver
- Rotary gain controls with LED metering
- Class-compliant mode works even without installing drivers, useful as a fallback if the ASIO driver ever misbehaves
- Compact, road-ready design
- Fewer routing options than MOTU or RME at a similar price
- Zoom’s driver update cadence is slower than Focusrite’s
MOTU M4
MOTU’s 4-in/4-out step-up from the M2, for users who need to track a full band or multiple instruments at once through the same reliable driver.
- 4 mic/line/instrument inputs, 4 outputs
- 24-bit/192kHz
- MOTU ASIO driver for Windows
- Onboard LCD metering
- Same trusted MOTU driver as the M2, with double the I/O
- Good headroom for growing a home setup beyond one or two mics
- Overkill if you only ever record one source at a time
- Larger desk footprint than the 2-input models here
RME Babyface Pro FS
The interface most frequently recommended specifically for driver stability with older or unusual DAW setups — RME’s Windows ASIO drivers are the industry benchmark, and the company still supports very old hardware.
- 12 inputs / 12 outputs (via breakout cable)
- 24-bit/192kHz, ultra-low jitter clock
- RME’s own ASIO/TotalMix driver suite
- Bus-powered USB operation
- Widely regarded as having the most stable, lowest-latency ASIO drivers of any consumer/prosumer interface, exactly the trait that matters most running a 2016-era host
- RME’s driver support famously outlives the hardware itself by many years
- Roughly 3-5x the price of the budget options on this list
- Overkill I/O count for a simple vocal-and-guitar home setup
Buying tips
- Always install the manufacturer’s current ASIO driver, never rely on Windows’s generic USB audio driver or a third-party wrapper like ASIO4ALL for a dedicated interface — the real driver is what gives you low, stable latency in Cakewalk/SONAR.
- Confirm you’re running Cakewalk by BandLab or Cakewalk Sonar as a 64-bit application on 64-bit Windows 10/11; the free rebuilds dropped 32-bit OS support, though most 32-bit VST plug-ins still load via the built-in bit-bridging.
- If you’re still running the original 2016 SONAR Platinum installer rather than the free Cakewalk rebuild, test the interface’s ASIO driver install before buying anything expensive — driver installers occasionally check for a specific supported Windows version and it’s worth confirming compatibility with your exact OS build first.
- Start with a higher buffer size (256-512 samples) when first connecting a new interface to an older host, then work it down; a host this old can be pickier about very low buffer settings than a modern DAW.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.