So, aside from the drivers and their stability, is there any real difference in the CLARITY of the recordings from the major manufacturers? If you were to compare a recording from the Scarlett to that of the MOTU or RME interfaces, would the latter two provide a clearer, better recording? Or, are they all generally about the same? This is assuming that you were using the same room treatment and same microphones.
When the latest shiny gizwhijit is reviewed in isolation you tend to get remarks like "deep, muscular bass, analytically clear midrange but NOT harsh. airy, smooth highs and great image precision and depth"* "They" have to say SOMETHING!
When I have read the very few, very careful COMPARATIVE tests the results are more in the manner of. "The X unit was perhaps slightly harder sounding on the clarinet but had maybe a tiny bit more weight on the double bass?" The reviewer was always though at pains to point out that levels had to be set to match within a fraction of a dB and that a change of musical genre could change the preference entirely.
*Something which they all say about monitors but in fact is acoustically impossible. Left and right yes. near and far no. Might as well talk about "above and below" but for some reason they never do! But then, stereo is all smoke and mirrors!
Dave.