If Your Mixer Does Not Have USB Audio

Lots of DJ mixers do not have USB audio output. Older Pioneer gear, the Rane TTM and Sixty series, Vestax, Allen & Heath Xone:23 and Xone:43, most budget controllers — none send audio over USB in a format an iPhone can read.

If yours is one of those, you need an external USB audio interface: a box that takes the analogue output from your mixer, converts it to digital, and sends it to your iPhone over USB.

This guide is for those setups. If you own a Pioneer DJM-900NXS2, a DJM-750MK2, an Allen & Heath XONE:96, or a Rane MP2015 — those mixers connect directly to Ohm via USB, no interface needed. The direct USB mixer connection guide covers that path in full. This article is for everyone else.

Class Compliance: The One Requirement You Cannot Skip

iOS does not install audio device drivers. On a Mac or PC, a manufacturer can ship a custom driver that unlocks proprietary features. On iPhone, there is no driver stack available for third-party code. Full stop.

The solution is built into the hardware itself. A class-compliant device carries the USB Audio Class standard inside it — a description of its own capabilities that any host device can read without needing additional software installed. The iPhone reads that description and starts routing audio. No class compliance, no signal.

No workaround exists.

How to check before buying: the manufacturer’s product page should say “class-compliant”, “works with iOS”, or list iOS under supported operating systems. If the product page mentions a required software installer or download, that device will not work with iPhone.

Connecting Your Mixer to the Interface

Which output you use on your mixer determines the cable you need and where to set the gain on your interface.

Booth output (XLR or balanced TRS) is the right choice where it exists. Balanced, +4dBu — exactly what a combo input is built to receive. Run it into the XLR/TRS combo input with a balanced cable and your gain structure is solid from the start.

RCA record output covers most budget and mid-range mixers. Unbalanced, -10dBV — lower than booth level. Interfaces with combo inputs take it via an RCA to TRS (6.35mm) adapter. That means pushing the gain further than a booth output. Watch the input meter; it clips earlier than you’d expect.

Do not use the headphone output for recording. The level moves with the volume knob, a separate amplifier stage drives it, and it introduces more noise than either line output. Not a valid recording tap.

For more detail on setting levels at the source, Gain Structure for DJ Recording is worth reading before your first session with a new interface.

Specs That Matter — and the Ones That Do Not

24-bit depth. Not a decision point — every interface at this price ships with it. The noise floor sits well below anything audible in a mix.

48kHz is Ohm’s default recording format — above CD quality, matching broadcast and streaming standards. Every modern interface does this.

96kHz is the ceiling in Ohm’s Best recording mode. Ohm negotiates the highest sample rate the connected interface supports, so if you want Best mode to run at 96kHz, the interface needs to reach it. All three in this guide do.

Stereo inputs — two channels, left and right. A DJ mixer output is stereo. This is the floor, not a differentiator.

Bus power matters more than the spec sheet makes it sound. A free wall socket in a DJ booth is never guaranteed — the one behind the decks is often already claimed. An interface that runs from USB power alone means one less cable, one less adapter, one less thing to forget.

What you do not need: 192kHz sample rate support (Ohm’s ceiling is 96kHz, and streaming platforms cap at 48kHz regardless), multiple mic preamps, MIDI ports, onboard DSP, or multiple outputs. These features increase the price tag with no benefit for recording a mixer’s stereo output.

Three Class-Compliant Interfaces That Work With iPhone

Audient iD4 MkII (~€149)

The iD4 MkII is the confirmed iOS choice. Audient’s product page says it gives “the ability to record high resolution audio straight to your phone” and lists iOS as a supported platform — a direct manufacturer statement, not retailer guesswork.

24-bit, up to 96kHz per Audient’s spec — matching Ohm’s Best recording mode ceiling exactly. Zero-latency direct monitoring so you hear the mix with no digital delay. Bus-powered, USB-C.

One constraint worth knowing: the iD4 MkII requires a USB 3.0 host port. iPhone 15 and later’s USB-C port meets that requirement. Lightning users need the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter — the model with a Lightning charging port on the side — not the simpler USB 2.0 version.

Retail price at time of writing: around €149 at Thomann (September 2026), against a standard RRP closer to €189.

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen (~€189)

The Scarlett 2i2 is the most widely stocked interface in this category. The 4th generation runs at 24-bit, 44.1kHz up to 192kHz — well above what Ohm uses. USB-C, bus-powered.

iOS compatibility: a German retailer specification lists iOS as a supported OS. Focusrite’s own product page does not confirm iOS compatibility, and their knowledge base article on Scarlett 4th gen iOS support requires authentication to access. The retailer data may come from a Focusrite spec sheet, but that’s not a direct manufacturer confirmation.

Before buying the Scarlett 2i2 for iPhone recording, check with Focusrite support or their current knowledge base.

One hardware note: the Scarlett 2i2 4th gen draws 900mA from USB. On a Lightning iPhone, connect a power source to the Camera Connection Kit’s charging port rather than relying on the iPhone’s Lightning bus alone — the extra current headroom avoids brownout warnings or the iPhone refusing to power the device.

If Focusrite’s iOS compatibility is confirmed, the Scarlett 2i2 is the one to buy — easy to find at a fair price. Until then, the iD4 MkII is the safer call.

SSL 2 MKII

SSL’s own documentation calls the 2 MKII ‘class-compliant and plug-and-play’ on Mac OS 12 and later — no driver required. 32-bit, up to 192kHz, USB-C, bus-powered. The direct monitoring circuit includes SSL’s Legacy 4K analogue enhancement — a hardware signal path feature.

iOS is not listed in SSL’s official system requirements. The device implements the USB audio class standard — the same class descriptors the iPhone reads on Mac — so it should work. SSL just hasn’t confirmed it.

EUR retail pricing was not confirmed at research time. Check current European retailer listings.

If you already own an SSL 2 MKII, test it with your iPhone before buying anything else. If you’re purchasing new and iPhone recording is the priority, the iD4 MkII’s confirmed iOS support removes the uncertainty.

Power and iPhone Connection

iPhone 15 and later use USB-C. Connect the interface directly with a USB-C cable — no adapter, nothing extra. All three interfaces reviewed here have USB-C ports.

iPhone 14 and earlier use Lightning. You need Apple’s Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter: the one with a Lightning charging socket on its side (Apple MFi designation MUQX3ZM or equivalent). Do not buy the simpler single-port version — it is USB 2.0 and will not satisfy the iD4 MkII’s USB 3.0 requirement.

Plug the adapter into your iPhone. Connect the interface’s USB cable to the adapter’s USB-A port (using a USB-C to USB-A adapter if needed), then connect a power source — a mains charger or a power bank — to the adapter’s Lightning port. That supplies power to the connected USB device, keeps the iPhone battery intact, and gives high-draw interfaces the current they need.

More steps than a direct USB-C connection. If you’re on a Lightning iPhone and recording regularly, this cable chain is part of the booth setup — just account for it.

If Your Mixer Already Connects Directly

Before purchasing an interface, confirm your mixer’s USB audio capability. The Pioneer DJM-900NXS2 and DJM-750MK2 have built-in USB soundcards. Ohm connects to these directly and records the post-fader stereo mix, with no external interface in the chain.

Fewer components, one fewer conversion stage. If your mixer has the capability, the direct connection is the cleaner path. See How to Connect Your DJ Mixer to an iPhone Using Ohm for the setup steps.

The iD4 MkII is the one to buy. Audient has confirmed the iOS compatibility, the 96kHz ceiling matches Ohm’s maximum exactly, and it runs bus-powered. At €149, it undercuts the Scarlett. Get the right adapter or cable for your iPhone, connect the booth output, and you’re recording.