PreSonus AudioBox vs Arturia MiniFuse 2 Canada 2026
The PreSonus AudioBox USB 96 (25th Anniversary) is $149 CAD. It is for a first home studio or a podcast that wants two mics, a MIDI keyboard, and Studio One Artist in the box. The Arturia MiniFuse 2 OTG is $299.99 CAD. It is for someone who records on a computer and also on a phone or tablet, and who needs loopback when they stream.
Quick Verdict
Buy the AudioBox USB 96 if you want the lower price and Studio One Artist in the box. At $149 CAD it is the pick for a first studio or a two-mic podcast. Buy the MiniFuse 2 OTG if the take has to run on a phone or tablet, or if a stream needs virtual loopback. At $299.99 CAD you are paying for USB-C and that mobile port, not for software. The carton is the interface and two cables.
Spec Comparison
| Spec | AudioBox USB 96 (25th Anniversary) | MiniFuse 2 OTG |
|---|---|---|
| Street price | $149 CAD | $299.99 CAD |
| Preamps | 2 Class A mic preamps, 48V, gain 0 to 35 dB | 2 combo inputs with 48V. Gain range not listed |
| Sample rate | Up to 96 kHz, 24-bit | Up to 192 kHz, 24-bit |
| Dynamic range | 105 dB | 110 dB |
| Computer connection | USB 2.0, bus-powered. No phone or tablet mode listed | Dual USB-C (computer plus OTG), USB-A hub at 200 mA, bus-powered. Class-compliant with iOS, Android, and iPadOS |
| Loopback | Not in the listing | Virtual loopback |
| Monitoring | Internal analog mixer, zero-latency | Headphone and balanced line outputs. No direct-monitor control listed |
| Software in the box | Studio One Artist | None listed |
Sound and Performance
What you notice in a session is the preamp and the monitoring path. The AudioBox gives you two Class A mic preamps with 48V phantom power, so a condenser and a dynamic mic both work, including two vocalists at the same time. Gain is listed as 0 to 35 dB. That ceiling is the catch. A healthy condenser has enough level. A quiet dynamic can run out of gain before the vocal feels loud in the headphones. An analog mixer in the box monitors with zero latency, so you hear the input while you track, and two balanced 1/4 inch outputs feed your speakers.
The MiniFuse 2 OTG is the higher-resolution converter. It is specified at 24-bit, up to 192 kHz, with 110 dB of dynamic range, against the AudioBox ceiling of 96 kHz and 105 dB. Both combo inputs supply 48V. Virtual loopback lets computer audio come back into the recording for a stream. The second USB-C port is class-compliant with iOS, Android, and iPadOS. The OTG listing never describes a direct-monitor switch. The AudioBox states zero-latency monitoring. So does the champagne MiniFuse 2. This OTG listing does not.
Design and Build
The AudioBox is a small steel box, all black, in a 1/3U chassis you can rack. It measures about 5.5 inches square and 1.75 inches deep, at 1.3 lb. Two combo mic/instrument jacks, two balanced 1/4 inch outputs, a headphone jack with its own level, and 5-pin MIDI sit on the panel. The computer port is USB 2.0. The carton includes a 6 foot USB cable and a Studio One Artist license. There is no USB-C socket.
MiniFuse 2 OTG weighs 0.44 kg, in a 43 by 200 by 100 mm shell. Two USB-C jacks decide the purchase: one for the computer, one for a phone or tablet, plus a USB-A hub at 200 mA. It is bus-powered. The carton holds a USB-A to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-C cable, with no power supply and no DAW. Line outputs, a 6.35 mm headphone jack, and 5-pin MIDI cover the rest.
Who Should Buy Each
PreSonus AudioBox USB 96
At $149 CAD, this is the box for a first studio or a two-person podcast on a computer with USB-A. You get two mics at once, MIDI, zero-latency monitoring, and Studio One Artist. It sits under the $199 CAD free-shipping line, so the interface alone does not ship free.
Arturia MiniFuse 2 OTG
At $299.99 CAD, this is the box when the take moves to a phone or tablet, or when a stream needs loopback. You want USB-C and the 192 kHz option, and you already own a DAW. The Analog Lab and Ableton bundle on the other MiniFuse models is not in this carton.
Other Models in This Roundup
The fight above is the anniversary AudioBox against the MiniFuse 2 OTG. These three do a different job.
AudioBox 96K Complete
The PreSonus AudioBox 96K Complete Recording Bundle is $499 CAD. It is for a singer or podcaster who wants the starter studio in one order: the same AudioBox USB 96, an M7 MKII large-diaphragm condenser, HD7 headphones, and a pair of Eris 3.5 monitors. The license in this carton is Studio One Pro, a step past the Artist license in the interface-only box. Cables for the interface and the speakers are included, so you can record a song or a podcast without a second shopping trip.
MiniFuse 2 Champagne
The Arturia MiniFuse 2 in champagne is $219.99 CAD. It is for a desktop studio that wants direct monitoring and a software bundle, and that does not need a phone port. Two combo inputs carry 48V, the direct monitor switch tracks with zero latency, and virtual loopback covers a stream. Licenses listed are Analog Lab Intro, Ableton Live Lite, the Arturia FX bundle, and Guitar Rig 6 LE. Converters run 24-bit up to 192 kHz, dynamic range is 110 dB, and the USB-A hub is rated 250 mA. Same two-input USB-C idea as a desktop MiniFuse, at a lower price than the OTG, without the second USB-C port for a phone.
MiniFuse 1
The Arturia MiniFuse 1 in black is $139.99 CAD. It is for solo tracking, one performance at a time. A single combo input takes a microphone or an instrument, not both in one pass, and a second vocal is an overdub. You still get two balanced outputs, a headphone jack, a direct monitor switch, loopback, and the same Analog Lab, Ableton, Arturia FX, and Guitar Rig licenses. If the session is you and one mic, this is the MiniFuse that matches a tight budget.
Alternatives Worth Considering
The PreSonus Studio 24c is $249 CAD. It is for a PreSonus user who wants USB-C and converters that reach 24-bit/192 kHz. Two XMAX-L preamps, dynamic range listed at 115 dB, ladder-style LED metering, and low-latency direct monitoring put it past the anniversary AudioBox on conversion. MIDI is 5-pin DIN, and the interface is bus-powered. No DAW license is listed, so plan on software the same way you would with the OTG.
The Arturia MiniFuse 4 in black is $299.99 CAD, the same street price as the MiniFuse 2 OTG. It is for a hybrid desk that has to capture a fuller setup in one pass: three combo inputs that each take mic, instrument, or line, all with 48V, plus two line inputs and four line outputs, two of them DC-coupled. Two headphone outs have independent volume, an internal digital mixer handles the cue, and the carton includes a power supply plus Analog Lab Intro, Ableton Live Lite, the Arturia FX bundle, and Guitar Rig 6 LE. Take this over the OTG when those extra inputs matter more than recording on a phone.
Browse Speakers
Main outputs on these interfaces are there for studio monitors. Once headphones are not enough, browse the speaker collection and match a pair to the room.
