You finally decided to take the plunge and get your home recording studio started. Needless to say, you are probably at a complete loss on how to start and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of available options. And this is going to be the focus of this article.

We start from scratch and we build a system that will meet your budget and personal needs. If you already did some research of your own, you will realize this is not a simple task, and in fact can be quite daunting.

There are so many things to take into consideration and so many different setups and options available that I am going to break up this post in as my different sections as possible for you you keep track and make sense of all the information. Yes, this article will be a bit lengthy, but the aim is to be as thorough as possible and cover all the issues and questions you may have, so bear with me.

I start by mentioning a few things I feel are important for you to keep in mind before moving on to building the actual system.

Important Things To Consider

Keep the following in mind when deciding on what type of home audio system you are going to start off with.

Choosing Your Starter System

There are basically 2 routes you can follow when you start building up your home first recording setup. You can start with:

1. A simple computer based setup
2. A basic professional home setup right from the start which can easily be expanded. 

1. Basic Computer Setup

This setup is the least expensive for anyone on a tight budget. Here too, your system can be divided into 2 categories:

1. You can use a standard desktop or laptop and just add the necessary input and output peripherals. 
2. You can use a desktop computer, customized to handle all the demands of your recording equipment, as well as your DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software. Let's have a closer look at the 2 options:

a) The Standard Computer Setup 

By far the most affordable home audio system you can set up. Built-in sound on motherboards of modern day computers have come a far way from a decade ago and can be considered adequate for recording and outputting sound. Don't expect something of exceptional high quality though.

Make sure your computer have at least: 

• Intel Core i5 or bigger CPU processor. 
• 4Mb of system memory. (Most DAW software require a minimum of 4Mb). 
• 1 Tb hard drive space. Hard drives have become a lot more affordable over the years, so choosing a traditional hard drive no less than 1 Tb is recommended. (You will be surprised how quickly high quality audio files fill up space on your computer.)

Laptop computers are notorious for the bad quality of their built-in microphones and speakers, and most of your average desktop computer does not even come with built-in speakers or microphones.

As a result, at the very least you should invest a in good quality USB condenser microphone and a decent pair of desktop speakers.

Although it's a very basic system, you can actually produce and record quite a decent quality audio that will produce a fairly good representation of your voice or instrument. (I will make some recommendations for you to choose from on the Resources Page for microphones and speakers.) Just remember, this is a starter system, so don't expect professional studio quality sound.

b) The Customized Desktop Computer Setup:

We are now building a system that is fully equipped to handle all the demands of the DAW software. It should also be able to accept and process all the signal inputs from a professional home audio system. (This way you make sure that when upgrading your system and adding professional audio components, your desktop computer is already set up and you don'n need additional upgrades.)

For this reason your computer setup will be a little bit more expensive, but well worth the money.  You must ensure your computer have at least: 

• Intel Core i7 CPU processor (The Core i9 CPU is still fairly new and completely overpriced. Investing in additional system memory will produce better and less expensive results.) 
• 8Mb of system memory. (More than most DAW software require, but necessary to handle all the processing power as well as potentially multiple input signals). 
• 1 Tb hard drive space or more. (Especially when you start recording multiple channels or want to save different edited versions of your recordings, additional storage space will become essential.)

Additionally, I would strongly suggest investing into 2 additional components:

a) External hard drive. Not only important for backing up your valuable recordings, but for providing additional storage space as well. (I will discuss the different options available to you in a futures article.) Additionally, an external hard drive allows you to store data away from your studio for extra security.

b) Large Screen Display. Taking into consideration that so much information needs to fit onto one screen, investing into a monitor with a display size of at least 21 inches (to see the majority of timelines and toolboxes) is a very good investment. Just take into consideration that most DAW software mimic the layout of a mixing console with its overwhelming array of sliders and switches.

As with the you standard PC setup, at the very least you should invest a in good quality USB condenser microphone and a decent pair of desktop speakers.

You should seriously consider investing a little bit extra in a professional condenser microphone, if possible a large diaphragm microphone. (I don't suggest spending hundreds of dollars on a microphone. You can get a good entry level professional microphone for under $100.) The quality of your audio is largely dependent on the quality of your microphone. If you do, make sure its a microphone with both an USB and XLR port for future use in a high end system.

And that takes care of your 2 different computer based setups. There is still a lot more detail to look into, but I've already talked holes in your head. I hope you're keeping up!  

Next we are going to look at a more conventional audio setup that will look very familiar to anyone working in a professional commercial audio studio. But this is specifically aimed at the home user.

2. A Professional Home Setup

There are quite a few scenarios where you might choose to build up a proper audio setup right from the start (apart from having a bigger budget to work worth.)

(You may already be a professional recording artist or podcaster, and need the convenience of a professional recording environment in the comfort of your own home. You may have a very good computer setup,  but now needs to make that step up to take your audio quality to the next level.)

Whichever the case, you are now faced with an abundance of choices which can be a bit intimidating at first. The good news is, despite being more expensive, you can now build up a good quality system that is a fraction of the cost of a professional commercial studio. So good in fact, that most people will not be able to tell the difference between a home and commercially created recording.

To explain things in a way that will make proper sense, we will start from the first component that comes into play during recording. From there we follow the signal and address each component that gets involved along the way.  First in line is obviously:

a) The Microphone

Not only is the microphone the first component the sound reaches, but most probably by far the most important component in your system. If you ever heard the expression, "Garbage In Garbage Out", it applies no more so than to the microphone. The reason for this is simple:

If the quality of sound your microphone picks up is poor, no amount of processing or post-production editing will rectify the problem. (Sure, you my be able to clear up the sound, reduce the background noise and make some other changes in your mixer or DAW software, but the detail lost and clarity of the original sound can never be recovered.)

Exactly for this reason your microphone is that important. If you are ever planning on saving up and wait a bit longer to spend that little extra on a component, your microphone must always take first priority. Whether you choose a condenser or dynamic microphone, please ensure it's the highest quality microphone you can afford. 

There are 2 types of microphones you can choose from. Dynamic and condenser microphones. Each one has its advantages and drawbacks. 

In short, dynamic microphones are very robust and passive (do not require an external power source). They provide a weaker signal though and need a device like a DI Box to boost its gain and provide balanced power to the audio interface. They are very popular for public, especially outdoor events, where their durability and resistance to the elements come into play.

Condenser microphones are active which means they require power to operate (usually in the form of 48V phantom power provided by the audio interface). As a result of their complex design, they are more fragile and not as robust as dynamic microphones. They do, however, produce a much stronger signal and do not need an additional device like a DI Box to boost its gain. 

As I already said, whichever microphone you choose, just make sure it is the best quality one you can afford. (You can read more about these microphones and their differences here.)

b) The Mic Activator

A mic activator is widely used to balance and boost the gain of weak signals from devices like dynamic microphones and electric guitars.

These robust little metal boxes are either passive or active. Passive mic activators  do not have build-in power and relies on phantom power from the audio interface to operate and boost signals. They are more robust due to their simpler design. Active mic activators come with their own power supplies and do not rely on external power. They are more complex and not as robust as a passive mic activator though.

(If you are using a condenser microphone you do not need a mic activator. They come with their own build-in amps that draws their power from the phantom power of the audio interface. This is something to keep in mind when deciding on a microphone.)

c) The Audio Interface 

The audio interface is probably the second most important component in you audio setup. This interface receives all the inputs from the audio devices and converts them to a digital signals that get outputted to a computer (or mixer and recording device).

Many people see audio interfaces as a replacement for sound cards which is partially true. They provide so much more functionality than just acting as an interface (or replacement for a sound card) though.

First let's look at its input capabilities. It has at least one or more audio input port, usually a XLR audio port for a microphone input. The majority of interfaces have what is called "combo" ports. These interfaces are able to accept both XLR and 1/4" TRS inputs for instruments. 

Depending on your needs, audio interfaces can have up to eight or more audio inputs. Some even include RCA line in inputs and even midi ports for keyboards. (Midi ports are very rarely used as an interface nowadays, so its importance is greatly diminished. As a result, support for midi devices on audio interfaces should not be seen as a necessity in any way.)

As far as output goes, apart from the digital outputs to the computer, most audio interfaces have line out ports for studio monitors. It's important to note that these line out ports are not amplified and must be connected to active (powered) studio monitors in order to work.

(Alternatively, if you already have an amplifier as part of hi-fi setup in the same room, the line out cables from the audio interface can be connected to the auxiliary line inputs of the amplifier, and played through your hi-fi speakers.)

You also need to pay attention to the type of digital output port your audio interface has for connecting to a computer. Most affordable audio interfaces make use of USB to connect to the PC. (USB2 is normally used, as USB1 has too low a transfer rate, and you are almost sure to experience latency problems between your audio interface and computer when using this early USB version. Make sure your computer system has at least one USB2 port to prevent any latency issues.)

Faster connections like FireWire and Thunderbolt are available on some audio interfaces, but they tend to be substantially more expensive. Also, not many computers come standard with FireWire or Thunderbolt interfaces, and you may need to install a dedicated card with the appropriate interface, which can become an expensive exercise. Make sure you check for compatibility between audio interface and computer before making a purchase.

Another very important function of an audio interface, is its ability amplify signals. Almost all audio interfaces have preamps build in for each one of its input ports, accompanied by an adjustable dial to control the amount of gain (volume) of each input. A master dial on the interface controls the amount of gain that gets outputted to the computer through the digital interface.

One future that is essential on any audio interface, is the ability to supply phantom power to connected components. This is used to power components like condenser microphones and passive DI boxes. These devices cannot function without power. Fortunately most modern audio interfaces come standard with phantom power. (It is normally indicated on the console by either the wording "Phantom Power" or "48V"). Just make absolutely sure your audio interface has this function before making a purchase.

Last but not least is the microphone output jack that comes build-in on the audio interface. It comes with its own adjustable dial to control the gain. It has the advantage of providing you with immediate feedback of what you are recording, enabling you to make adjustments in real time without worrying about latency issues between audio interface and computer. 

A final word on the statement or common believe that audio interfaces act as external sound cards, just with more functions. As I already mentioned, this partially true. I still firmly believe that any advanced computer setup that use DAW software and output its sound directly from the computer, must have a good sound card installed to accompany any audio interface on the PC side.

Not only does it produce a much cleaner signal for output than a standard motherboard chip set, some dedicated sound cards come standard with the proper output ports to be connected to high quality active desktop speakers or amplifier. (I honestly don't believe the standard standard stereo headphone jack on a PC provides the high quality signal that needs to be send to the speakers/studio monitors or amplifiers.)

d) Microphones

Sometimes taken for granted, a good pair of microphones are invaluable for any recording studio. Not only can you listen to what you're recording in privacy, but with an amount of detail and clarity that some speakers or studio monitors sometimes fail to pick up.

The ability to plug them into your audio interface provides you with the additional benefit of listening and making adjustments in real with zero latency. The benefit of making the necessary adjustments before all your audio gets recorded, can save you hours of post-production editing time in your DAW software.

e) Speakers / Studio Monitors

Without going into too much detail, the isolation is important because background noise is always an issue, which can be control in a separate isolated room. Preparing a room for acoustics and reverberation is also much easier in a separate relatively small room.

(There are just too many variables out of your control when you work in a large open space.

If you have no access to smaller or separate space, consider partitioning the section where your recording setup will be. It is not as difficult as you may think. More on that in another article.) 

The space I described should be sufficient to accommodate all your recording equipment. Obviously you need enough desk space for all your recording equipment, as well as floor space in case you want separate stands for studio monitors/speakers, standing space to perform in, as well as space next to the walls for acoustic treatment.

(The situation starts changing drastically when you start adding multiple instruments and individuals. This not only influence the amount of space you require, but also effects the type and cost of equipment you may need. This is not the aim of a smaller home recording studio though, and is a topic for another discussion.)

g) The Computer

Yes, I am including it just in case you forgot, but obviously the customized desktop computer setup I described earlier in this article will form part of this professional home setup.

I would not recommend using a basic computer with this type of setup, as the demands from the inputs of the audio interface as well as the DAW software, will be demanding on both your processor and system memory and you will need the the maximum amount of power to process the input signals. (Especially if you are receiving multiple signals from your audio interface.)

On the plus side, by the time you are building this more advanced professional home studio, you most probably already have your computer set up, and integrating it with the rest of your system will have minimum cost implications for you. 

Conclusion

Well, if your head are spinning right now, I don't blame you. That was a lot to take in and you may have to go through the article a few times to makes sense of everything.

The goal of an article this size, is to provide you with as much information as possible to help you make an informed decision when deciding on how to start or upgrade you home recording studio.

You might have noticed that I focused primarily on audio hardware in this article. Needless to say there many other factors to take into consideration. I already touched on the issue of space, as I feel its too important not to bring it up in this article.

Other important issues include room preparation (acoustics, reverberation and sound deadening in general), DAW software and cabling. Each of these issues can be the topic of another full article, which I will definitely address in future posts. You will probably agree that there is already so much information to digest in this post alone, that adding to it by discussing these topics in detail, will just be too confusing and messy.     

Obviously there is no absolute right or wrong way of going about setting up you own home audio recording studio, and some of the information in this post is based on personal opinion. I hope at the very least it cleared up some confusion you may have and provided you with more direction when it comes to making your decisions.

As always, feel free to leave me any comments or questions you may have. Remember to join my  Mailing List  to be informed whenever a new article is released, and share new developments and helpful hints & tips.

Until next time, happy recording and enjoy the journey.

Wessel

Starting a recording studio on a budget can be tough. Actually, it's a serious problem for cash-strapped home users starting their home setup from scratch. With recent advances in microphone technology accompanied by a drop in prices, being able to obtain a high quality microphone may be easier and more affordable than you think.

Depending on your budget and personal requirements, you may just require a good quality microphone, but not just any microphone. If you are a serious audiophile, I can already feel the glaring stares and disgusted shaking of heads, but more and more home recording studios are making the switch and some are already using USB Condenser Microphones.

To make sense of this, you need to understand what a condenser microphone is and what makes it different from other microphones.

The Difference Between Dynamic And Condenser Microphones

The condenser microphone can be seen as a microphone with a pre-amplifier built into the microphone itself. In other words, its basically a "powered" microphone. Let me explain.

A condenser microphone uses a much thinner and sensitive diaphragm that is electrically charged and move against back plate (grid) as it reacts to the sound waves. The electrical power to the diaphragm is called "phantom power" and is carried within the microphone cable. The result is that a much stronger electrical signal is created that may not require the assistance of a mic activator.   

Advantages Of The USB Condenser Microphone For A Basic Home Recording Setup

Many years ago, the USB condenser microphone was still in its infancy and not even a blip on the radar of the general music and recording industry. They were big and bulky, not very reliable and extremely expensive. The sound quality produced by these early microphones wasn't too great either and described as "muddy at best" by early users.

Fast forward to the present, and these early microphones are unrecognizable in their current form. Today's USB condenser microphones are compact, in many ways deliver superior quality to their dynamic counterparts and are also much affordable than a few years ago. As a bonus, you really are also spoiled for choice as there are literally hundreds of makes and models available. From less then 50 dollars to well over 200 dollars, you really have a wide variety to choose from, depending on your budget and preference in quality.

Although we are focusing on the USB condenser microphone here, just remember that the condenser microphone that is used in a professional recording setup, is normally connected to an audio interface via traditional XLR cables. It also draws its power from the "phantom power" supplied by the audio interface. (If you are interested, you can find a better explanation of the more traditional condenser and dynamic microphone setup in this article.) 

But why a USB condenser microphone? There are quite a few compelling reasons to seriously consider this microphone:

1. Cost

With the quality of higher end USB microphones like the Rode-NT-USB and Samson G-Track Pro, studio quality sound is now available for less than 200 dollars. Acceptable realistic vocal and instrumental sound can even also be obtained by a few microphones below a 100 dollars.

Off course you get very high-quality condenser microphones with the traditional XLR audio interface as well. The problem is that you don't just need a simple audio interface (with XLR ports) to connect it to a computer for recording and editing.  You need one that are able to supply the microphone with phantom power. Remember, a condenser microphone needs electrical power, and although all USB cables supply power to all connected devices, not all traditional audio interfaces have functions build in to supply phantom power. You can see how quickly the use of a conventional audio setup can become a very expensive exercise.

2. Accessibility And Ease Of Use

Most of us already own a laptop or desktop computer. Using your current system or just doing a few upgrades to make it compatible with Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software requirements, and you have functioning recording setup.

As basically all USB devices are now Plug&Play, you can just plug your new microphone into the USB port and drivers will automatically be installed and integrated with your computer system. This makes installing and start using your microphone a fairly painless process. (Yes, you may have to adjust a few settings in your DAW software or manually install drivers, but these are minor and easy to fix issues.)

3. Quality And Compatibility

As I already mentioned, modern condenser microphones are as good or even better in some aspects than their dynamic cousins. If you are not a recording professional or have a highly trained ear, you will be hard-pressed to tell the difference between a high-quality condenser microphone and top-end dynamic setup. Also, sensitive and soft/distant sounds are more accurately picked up by condenser microphones.

If you are under the impression that you have limited yourself to direct computer use only, you can rest assured. A variety of USB to XLR converter cables are available to let you connect your microphone to a standard conventional audio recording setup.

Taking all of the above into consideration, I would highly recommend looking into a USB condenser microphones, especially if you are on a tight budget.   

Conclusion

As you would have gathered by now, I am hugely in favor of of these microphones, and can wholeheartedly recommend them. Having said that, just be aware of a few limitations.

1. They are more fragile and not as robust and durable as dynamic microphones. If you are planning subjecting it to extreme conditions and rough handling, rather stick to dynamic microphones. And no dramatic "mic drops"!
2. Due to their sensitivity and ability to pick up background noises, they are most suited for use in studios and other controlled environments.
3. Although much improved, condenser microphones are still prone to damage by very high noise volumes. (It is not the ideal microphone to be placed next to a drum-set of a rock band.) 

Otherwise, for normal vocal and instrumental recording, I think you will love the company of a high quality USB condenser microphone.

Until next time, feel free to leave me any comments or suggestions you may have. Remember to join my  Mailing List  to be informed whenever a new article is released, and share new developments and helpful hints & tips.

Wessel

With condenser microphones being the new darling of the recording studio, dynamic microphones are increasingly bring treated as second-class citizens in commercial studios. Many home studios don't even consider using dynamic microphones. Have dynamic microphones become redundant in the modern day recording studio?

Not so long ago, dynamic microphones were the mainstay of the stage and studio. Some models like the Shure  SM58 reached iconic status, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2016. With such a rich history and still used by world famous bands and vocalists on stages the world over, how can the dynamic microphone possibly be shunned in anyway?

The main argument and criticism against the dynamic microphone is not its role as the microphone of choice for the stage and live events, but its place in the recording studio.

There are a variety of reasons artists and sound engineers in recording studios are increasingly moving away from the dynamic microphone. When looking more closely though, two main reasons are emerging. They are the emergence of new technology and current limitations. Let me explain.

New Technology And Current Limitations

The emergence and growing popularity of the condenser microphone is the "new technology" that is playing a big part in the decreased use of the dynamic microphone in the recording studio environment.   

To be honest, the condenser microphone is hardly new technology. Microphone manufacturer Neumann, has been producing condenser microphones since 1928! It is only during recent years that advances in technology allowed condenser microphones to produce the level of audio quality and sensitivity we are seeing today.

What is really making a condenser microphone so popular and suitable for studio use is way it is constructed. Unlike a dynamic microphone which is passive (unpowered),condenser microphones require an electrical current to operate.

What makes a condenser microphone operate is a powered capacitor consisting of two plates placed closely together. The front plate is made of a very thin material and act as as the diaphragm. As sound waves hits the diaphragm, it vibrates and cause the distances to the back plate to contract and expand, creating an electrical charge and the corresponding signal is then interpreted and carried through down the cable.

The electrical current needed to power the capacitor in condenser microphones can be provided by either an internal battery, or externally through phantom power. Phantom power is provided via the microphone cable. 

(When connected through a XLR cable to an audio interface, the audio interface provides 48 volts of phantom power to the condenser microphone through the XLR cable. When connected via USB, power is supplied via the USB cable to the microphone.)

It is the thin and extremely responsive diaphragm of the condenser microphone that sets it apart. It is extremely sensitive and therefore able to pick up very low sound levels and the smallest variations in sound. This enable the microphone to pick a lot more sound detail over a much wider dynamic range.

This ability of condenser microphones to capture more detail makes them ideal for studio use where their full potential can be exploited. (Their sensitive nature also makes them prone to pick up a lot more background noise, which is why recording studios, where acoustic treatment has been used to cancel out as much noise and reverberation as possible, provide the perfect environment for their use.)

This advantage of the condenser microphone highlights the limitation of the dynamic microphone. Due to its construction, a much bigger sound volume is required to move the diaphragm enough to produce a signal, causing lower sound volumes not to be picked up at all by a dynamic microphone.  

To better understand this, we need to look more closely at how a dynamic microphone operates and captures sound.  

The Make-Up Of A Dynamic Microphone

The dynamic microphone has much more mechanical make-up than the condenser microphone. It basically consists of the diaphagm, magnet and a metal coil surrounding the magnet. (As previously stated this does not require any electrical current/power source).

As the sound waves hit the diaphragm, it vibrates and moves the coil that is attached to the back of it. It is this movement of the coil (in the magnetic field created by the magnet) that creates the electrical signal that travels through the cable to be interpreted and converted to an analogue signal by the audio interface.

This mechanical make-up of the dynamic, makes it very robust and durable. This produces distinctly different advantages as well as drawbacks, which is the next important topic our the next session.  

Both A Strength And a Weakness

At this point you might be wondering what all of this has to do with the ability to record high-quality vocals in the studio. Well, by explaining all these characteristics of dynamic (and condenser) microphones, the case for or against dynamic microphones are being made clear. This will make drawing conclusions at the end of the article that much easier to understand.

Knocks and vibrations in the studio will affect all microphones, directly or indirectly. Here too, the solid and less sensitive nature of the dynamic microphone will make it less susceptible to pick up these disturbances.

Durability and robustness is what makes dynamic microphones so popular for live performances or outdoor events. This helps in the studio as well, as accidents happen all the time and microphones can get dropped or accidentally knocked over. Where this will have almost not effect on a dynamic microphone, it can seriously damage a condenser mic.

Another standout feature of the dynamic microphone, is its ability to operate in extreme weather conditions. It can handle a wide range of temperatures and are even able to withstand a fair amount of moisture. Naturally, this is not really applicable in a studio where every aspect is controlled. 

(Although in some studios which have more variable atmospheric conditions, this can have an effect on more sensitive condenser microphones in the long run, where dynamic microphones will remain immune to these conditions)   

We will concentrate on the more specific advantages of dynamic microphones for studio and vocal use later on in this post. We first need to address another criticism that is often leveled against the dynamic microphone.

Amplifying The Signal

One disadvantage of dynamic microphones, are the fairly weak signal they produce. This mainly due to its construction and lack of internal amplification.

The diaphragm of the dynamic microphone not being as sensitive as that of the condenser microphone. The result is that sound waves hitting the diaphragm does not provide as much movement, which in turn produces a much weaker signal.

A dynamic microphone is also not assisted by any electrical current, which provides no form of internal amplification to the microphone. (The electrified capacitor inside a condenser microphone allows much more movement of the diaphragm against the backplate. Combined with the amplification of the capacitor, it is able to provide a much stronger signal.)

The problem is that the signal produced by the dynamic microphone is much lower than the required line level signal strength for a preamp. (Line level is the strongest signal strength/volume that must be obtained before amplification).

Luckily, this disadvantage has been recognized and addressed by the recording industry during recent years. Although its still relatively new and not adopted by many big players in the industry, the mic activator is  proving to be a very important solution for the weak signal produced by dynamic microphones. 

The dynamic microphone's ability to handle very loud sounds makes them ideal to cope with these very loud instruments. The same applies to artists with very loud vocal performances. Even they have their upper limits where clipping can occur if these limits are exceeded, but at least the microphone will not be physically damaged.

Any good sound engineer will be the first to quickly correct you should you even attempt to try and record these sounds with a condenser microphone at a commercial recording studio. As a home studio user, always keep this mind, especially when you expand and start recording bands and a wider range of instruments. 

(It may not be an affordable option at first, but as soon as you are able to get a second microphone for your setup, you should seriously consider a dynamic microphone, especially if one of the scenarios mentioned here will apply to you.)

Summary 

If you have reading just this article, and no other article on this website or anywhere else, I won't blame you for thinking the dynamic microphone is the best thing since sliced bread.

I know I've been singing the praises of this microphone and all its benefits throughout this post. I you don't know any better you will be wondering why you should even consider any other type of microphone.

Let me just be very clear and point out that the ideal microphone for studio use, especially vocal performances, is the condenser microphone. Most studios are acoustically prepared to provide optimal conditions for these microphones to deliver the best possible audio quality. They have a dynamic range much wider than any dynamic microphone and are able to pick up the smallest possible detail in a vocal performance.

The reason for this "pro dynamic microphone" argument, is to address the topic and main issue of this article as to whether the dynamic microphone still has any place in the recording studio, specifically when recording vocals.

What this article aimed to do is debunk the misconception that dynamic microphones are only meant for live or outdoor event, and has no real place or function in the studio anymore. And I think its fair to say that more than enough evidence was provided to succeed in this endeavor. 

I would still recommend choosing a good condenser microphone for you first home recording setup. When it comes to upgrading and choosing a second microphone, don't be too quick to dismiss the idea of a dynamic microphone. Depending on your own unique circumstances, it may be just the thing you need to compliment the rest of your setup.

As always, feel free to leave me any comments or suggestions you may have, and I will respond and try and get to them as soon as I can.

Remember to join my  Mailing List  to be informed whenever a new article is released, and share new developments and helpful hints & tips.

Catch you in the next article and happy recording!

Wessel

But let's be honest. There was a time when, for all of us, the above paragraph might as well have been written in Greek. At some point, we all looked at our newly bought audio equipment and small mountain of cables with nothing but a sense of sheer bewilderment.

So if you find yourself overwhelmed, its perfectly normal. You will find yourself at ease with all these cables and ports a lot quicker than you might think. In this article the majority of cables and ports will be covered to help you better understand each one's function and use in your home recording studio.

First we need to look at the 2 types of signals carried in cables, and their associated uses.

The Two Signal Types

The signals travelling through your cables can either be digital or analogue. They differ not only in the way the signal travels, but also in speed and quality.

Analogue Signals And Cables

Analogue signals use a continuous wave form, varying from positive to negative, in an electrical charge. They do not suffer from latency (speed or lack of it) issues, unlike many digital interfaces, which still make them the connection of choice for my recording studios.

These analogue waves are susceptible to picking up noise and other external interference. Longer cables tend to weaken the signal strength as well. (This is why the use of balanced cables and connections are so important, as well as DI boxes to boost and balance the signal. More on that later.)

In the past, most signals between audio devices used to be analogue. Today we find an increasing number of digital cables connecting your high end audio devices, but these devices and connections are quite expensive. As a result, many traditional and home studios still stick with analogue connections.

The most important cables and connections associated with analogue signals are:

XLR Connections: These connections are normally associated and used for connecting a microphone with the audio interface. Either a dynamic or condenser microphone can be used with this cable. (A dynamic microphone is "passive" and does not require external power. A condenser microphone is "active" and requires an external power source. XLR cables are able to provide this power directly through the cable with what is called "phantom power".)

XLR  signals are balanced with 3 contact points. (Balanced cables use 3 signals to reduce noise. They have a positive and negative charge that balance the noise out, as well as a ground signal.) The contact points can be either male or female.

RCA Connections: These connections are normally associated with connections between hi-fi equipment, but are also used to connect devices like electronic keyboards and traditional turntables to the line-in connections of audio interfaces and mixers.

These cables normally carry 2 signals for stereo input or output, with color-coded connectors for the left and right channel. (Normally red for right, and black or white for left). Sometimes a third connection (yellow) is added for the now familiar composite video with stereo audio connection. Like XLR connections, they also have both male and female connectors. These cables are still very popular with camcorders and older DVD players.

(Please note that RCA cables can sometimes be used for carrying a digital signals as well.)

TRS Connections: These cables are used to carry a single balanced signal, normally from an audio instrument to the audio interface or mixer. The connectors look very similar to your stereo headphone jack and normally come in 2 sizes (3.5mm and 6.35mm).

Just don't make the mistake of confusing TRS connections with the connections at the end of a stereo headphone cable. Headphone connections are not the same and the 3 signals they carry are for the left, right and ground signals. (TRS connections use the 3 signals for the positive current, negative current and ground signal in a order to create a balanced signal.) 

Apart from the above mentioned connections, you get quite a few other analogue connections, but many of them are not that relevant anymore, and many others are used in high-end studios, which should not come into play when setting up your home studio.

Digital Signals And Cables

Digital signals also travel via an electrical current, but unlike analogue signals, they make use of binary code (a series of ones and zeros). The result is that there is no loss in signal quality, and it's not influenced by the length of the cable or external sources.

However,  they did suffer from latency problems in the past. Sometime the delay between the audio interface and computer can be as long as 0.5 to 1 second. USB 2, and especially FireWire and Thunderbolt connections come close to eliminating the problem completely. With the integration of USB 3, latency should not be an issue at all anymore.

Apart from the digital connection between audio interface and computer, many high-end audio components use digital cables to connect to each other, but are mostly used in top end studios and are quite expensive. Since we are focusing on the more basic and home recording studio, I'm not going to make things more confusing by addressing these connections in this article.

The main digital connections that's really of importance, take place between the audio device and computer. There are mainly three type of digital connections: USB, FireWire and Thunderbolt.

USB Connections: The Universal Serial Bus (USB) was developed by a consortium of computer manufacturers to standardize the input an output ports of all connected devices (printers, scanners, mice, keyboards etc.) It was introduced in 1996, but only really started being widely used  in 1998 with USB 1.1 providing a speed of 12 Mb/s. It also  provides power of up to 20V to external devices like mice, hard drives, and in the case of audio devices, condenser microphones and low powered PC speakers. 

This speed was still too slow to properly handle multiple audio signals, so latency was a problem from the start. Things started changing with the introduction of USB 2 in 2000 when the transfer speed was increased to 480 Mb/s which dramatically increased its performance. The real game changer though, is USB 3 which was introduced in 2008, with the current version 3.2 producing an astonishing speed of 20Gb/s (1 Gigabyte = 1024 Mb). This technology is still finding its way into audio devices, but once they do, any latency problems should be a thing of the past.

Thunderbolt Connection: The newest of the 3 technologies, Thunderbolt was co-developed by Intel and Apple and the first commercial use of the technology was in 2011. It can be used in optical and copper cables. In its current iteration, Thunderbolt 3, it is capable of deliver speeds up to 40 Gb/s, making it arguably the fastest of the three digital connections.

Although its unable to provide power to peripherals on its own, Thunderbolt 3 is able to bypass this problem by using the USB-C adapter on its copper cables. With this adaption, it's able supply up to 100 watts of power.

Thunderbolt 3 is fully supported by Apple and has already been incorporated into many other devices since 2015, so it is definitely a safe technology to invest in with currently unparalleled speed delivery.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are many options available, on both the analogue and digital side of things. It may still be a bit confusing, even after reading this article, but with a little more exposure, things should get a lot less complicated.

Feel free to leave me any comments or suggestions you may have. Remember to join my  Mailing List  to be informed whenever a new article is released, and share new developments and helpful hints & tips.

Catch you in the next article and happy recording!

Wessel

On the opposite side of the scale you find review articles where the writer just chose a Best Seller on Amazon or some other e-commerce site, and simply list all the highlight features they could find on advertisements and use this as a basis for their review. Normally these are websites who just are just interested in selling a product for a commission. (Some have never even had any personal experience with the product, or even know what functions they have or how they operate.)

Some articles are nothing but just blatant copies of an existing reviews or tests. The wording are changed slightly and maybe another image get used. (Sometimes even this is too much effort and everything is word-for-word the same).

As a result there can be an overwhelming amount of positive reviews on a certain piece of equipment. This can mean one of two things: Either one very well respected and popular review got "copied" by other blogs, or the product is actually really that good.

(I have found in the past after writing a review on a product, that it looked suspiciously similar to another post or two, even though I never saw them before. So yes, it can be difficult to sometimes not look like copycat when reviewing a very good product.)  

I realize this doesn't help you much as a reader. It can be difficult to know who to trust and what to believe when you need to get accurate and helpful information when having to make an important decision.

I won't be too concerned about this. In time you develop a sense of which websites or blogs are aiming to provide you with accurate unbiased information and really inform you, and which ones are just constantly trying to promote and push you into a purchase.

In general, most websites that provides you with just as much useful articles that aims to inform and help you out, as they do reviews, tend to be the ones you can trust and advise you can take seriously.

Putting Everything Into Context

At this stage I won't blame you if you start to think I regard star ratings and percentages as the worst possible way to judge and evaluate any piece of equipment or software. This can't be further from the truth.

Used sparingly in a good comparison or review, they can be invaluable quick indicators of a product's value, quality and standing. That's to say if it is viewed within the context of the whole article or review. And that is the key, CONTEXT.

You can read a brilliant article, filled with a wealth of informative and detailed descriptions leading to accurate conclusions, accompanied by a start rating or percentage score to quickly point you in the right direction.

If you read through the whole article though (providing you with context), you would have realized very early on whether the product discussed were of any relevance to you or not applicable to your needs at all.

For example, the article may be discussing and focusing on the best quality audio interface delivering superior sound, while comparing audio interfaces below $250.  In the meantime you were looking for the most budget friendly audio interface that doesn't have all the bells and whistles, while delivering a good enough sound quality that is more than acceptable for your requirements.

If you just focused on the final ratings without reading the whole article, you might have ended up spending $240 on an audio interface, when a $120 interface would have been all you required. You ended up wasting money that could have been better spend on something else you required for your recording setup.

(If you spend 2 minutes reading the actual review however, you would have seen the context in which the device was reviewed and very quickly realized that you were reading the wrong review for what you were actually looking for.)

The point is, without reading the content of any post and as a result be able to see the context within which products are reviewed, just relying on a few stars or percentages is rather naive and can be very misleading.

The problem however, is that people do not want to read anymore. (Why do you think Youtube is so popular?)

In this age of fast food, instant online purchases and next-day deliveries, the consumption of information has gone down the same road. We don't have the time or attention span to read a whole article to get the information we want anymore.

It is much easier to quickly Google a question, find the appropriate headline and look at a rating or score to quickly make a decision.

I can go on and on, but you get the point. 

Conclusion

Like I just said, I can go on and show you countless examples of why relying on just ratings and percentages can be very misleading, but if you don't get the point I am trying to make, I am afraid I will not be able to convince you.

Anyway, as a result of all everything, you will not find any ratings or scores on any product or device I discuss or review. I will give you the important information I feel you should know, give you my honest opinion on the product in question, and leave you to decide for yourself what will be best for you. (I won't bother even mentioning a piece of equipment or component if I am not willing to recommend it in the first place. This will just be just a waste of my and you, the reader's time.)

So what is the point of this whole article then besides rambling on about a seemingly unimportant subject?

The whole goal of this article is to encourage you to actually take the time to READ an article or review when you want information a piece of equipment or component.

You worked hard for your money, and you deserve to get the best an most appropriate for your home recording studio. Taking literally just a few minutes to read enough information about something you will be investing in, can make a big difference in building the best recording setup for your budget and needs.

If you made it this far through this article, I am pretty sure you are the type of reader who will indeed make the effort to do just that. Good on you and keep at it! 

As always, feel free to leave me any comments or suggestions you may have, and I will respond and try and get to them as soon as I can.

Remember to join my  Mailing List  to be informed whenever a new article is released, and share new developments and helpful hints & tips.

Catch you in the next article and happy recording!

Wessel

You already did extensive researched and made sure you get the best possible equipment for your home recording studio. You also made sure that the right acoustic treatment has been applied to you studio to take care of any reverberation. Have you given enough thought to the desktop surface you will place your equipment on though?

We all fall into this trap. We focus so much on the right equipment and acoustic treatment for our home recording studio, that we neglect to realize the importance of the surface all our equipment will be placed on and where we will be doing the vast majority of our work.

Even after all our equipment is purchased, we still avoid looking at more suitable options for a suitable surface. Instead we rather try and find ways and means of using our existing desks to accommodate everything, sometimes resulting an a very uncomfortable and unproductive working environment. In turn, this uncomfortable working space can negativity influence our productivity and whole working experience.

(I have to admit I am guilty of exactly what I just mentioned. Only after taking the time to purchase the appropriate desks to correctly & practically place my equipment on, while creating enough space to do some actual work at the same time, did I realize its importance.)

Choosing the right working surface will not only help you ensure you have enough space to place your equipment while still leaving enough space for you to do some work on. It will also greatly improve your whole working experience and productivity as a result.

But which desk will be the best one for you? This will largely be determined by the maximum amount of space you need, as well the size of your studio. We take a closer look. 

To be able to assist you in the best way possible, I am going to look at the most appropriate desk according the size you will be needing. (I will be looking into a few other factors as well that may be important considerations for you when in comes to a desk appropriate for a recording studio.)

The desks will be divided into 3 categories according to size:

1. The Compact Desk
2. The Right Desk For More Space
3. The Desktop Solution For Maximum Space

The Compact Desk

As I already mentioned in another article, you can use a very small room and still turn it into an effective studio environment. (You can read more about it in this article.) With it come some restrictions though.

One of these restrictions is the size of the desk you can fit into such a small space. This need not be too big a problem if you do some planning.

If you think about it, you only really need space for a computer screen or two and an audio interface. The best place to put your speakers/studio monitors will be on sturdy pair of stands, not on a desk up against a wall. (More on the reason why in this article.)

The computer desktop can be placed next or under the desk. This will not only free up space on the desk, but also remove potential noise from the computer fans away from a sensitive condenser microphone.

The microphone can be placed on a microphone boom clamped to the side of the desk. There is no need to place it on the desk. In fact, placing a microphone on the desk make it more prone to picking up vibrations from bumps and shocks against the desk, as well as picking up noise from the keyboard and other noises emitting from the desktop.

With that said, I had a look at 2 compact desks that will be ideal for the smaller home recording studio: 

1) Z-Line Claremont Desk

If you are looking for a compact desk, you may as well do it with some style. The compact  Z-Line Claremont desk gives you both. From the accompanying image alone you can see that some care and effort went into designing this simple but elegant desk.

Yes, it is compact, but it still has more than enough space for all the essential gear a home studio needs. (It can easily accommodate a computer workstation with 2 screens and keyboard, as well as your audio interface.)

Your studio monitors/speakers are not meant to be placed on your desk anyway, and can easily be accommodated using a pair of quality speaker stands.  (You can read more about speaker placement in this article.)

Your microphone should also not be placed on the desk for practical and acoustic reasons. Rather use a microphone boom bolted to the side of your desk to free up space and allow easy moving of the microphone into the right position.

So it provides enough space and looks great. But what about probably the most important requirement: Build quality and sturdiness. Don't let you eyes deceive you. This desk has a very solid build quality and is just as sturdy. Just by touching the surfaces you really get the impression of quality, which is reinforced when trying to move the desk around, just to find out how sturdy this solidly made desk actually is.

If you are worried about the glass top, don't be. It's made from heavy duty tempered glass and able to safely carry a surprising amount of weight. All your equipment can safely be placed on this surface.

You can use a simple solid wooden desk that will do just as good a job, but the Z-Line Claremont comes in at a surprisingly affordable price. I can really recommend this compact stylish desk and will be more than happy to pay a little extra for the joy of working on such an inviting surface. You can decide for yourself.

Get more information and pricing on the Z-Line Claremont Desk here.

2) Argosy Halo.G Workstation

I was a bit hesitant including this desk in this article, but I feel its new modern design and fresh approach to recording desks should be recognized and worth letting you know about.

The Halo.G is the entry level desk in Argosy's line of recording desks. This not an inexpensive desk and you can find a number of more affordable desks that will do just as good a job.

If you have big enough budget, the Halo.G desk is very modern and ergonomically designed desk with a number of features that make it stand out from the rest.

The grey unit has an exceptional build quality and the signature grey look makes it stand out immediately from other desks. The attention to detail and overall finish is very evident from the moment you first see it and everything feels high-end to the touch.

More specific details and highlights includes angled shapes on each side of the desk, making it very ideal for multiple computer screen use. (The desk gives the impression of conveniently wrapping around you, putting you at the center of the workstation.)

Another future is the padded arm rest that runs the full length of the desk along the front edge. This provides a very welcome support for resting your arms during extended hours of work. It's strong aluminium chassis and powder-coated steel legs reinforce the premium look and feel. 

It can also be accessorized with many extras. I will not go into more detail, as I know this is a premium product that is out of reach for most us home users. But the whole point of including the Halo.G desk in this post, is to give you a taste of what is available if you have the financial means and desire. And this model is just the entry level model in the Argosy range of desks!

Get more information and pricing on the Argosy Halo.G Workstation here.

The Right Desk For More Space

With a larger studio, you can afford to start thinking about a desk with a slightly bigger footprint. You will probably still not have unlimited space to add any size desk, but there are plenty of options available in this category to provide you with more usable desk space in a variety of ways.  

Very large flat horizontal surface can cause reverberation and not be very beneficial for your studio's acoustics as a result. Unnecessary large flat desks will therefore potentially cause more problems than it will solve.

I found the following 2 desks to address the issue of space in a variety of different ways:  

1) Calico Designs 55123 Study Corner Desk

Although being called a corner desk, the Calico will happily stand against any surface. I would really recommend placing it in the the center between the corners of a wall for sound symmetry & monitoring. (The sides of the desk do not form a 90 degree angle anyway, so I see no reason why it must be placed in a corner.)

The Calico is a solidly designed desk with laminated dark wood surfaces and a powder-coated steel frame. The sturdy construction ensures stability and minimizes vibrations and disturbances to the microphone.

At 46 inches wide, the desk provides enough space for working while still remaining compact enough to comfortably fit in a moderate size room. With 2 additional full-length shelves, you have ample room for all your equipment and leave you some space to work on as well.

The bottom shelf near your feet will be ideal to place your computer desktop on, freeing up work space and moving the noise from the computer fans away from the microphone. The top shelf can easily accommodate a pair of compact studio monitors and your audio interface. (I would recommend rather placing the studio monitors/speakers on separate pair of stands for accurate sound monitoring though.)

Both the top and bottom shelves' edges are angled to conveniently "wrap" around you, very much like the Argosy Halo.G desk. The middle shelf has a full width and depth however, providing you with the maximum amount of workable space.

I also feel its worth mentioning that the Calico has 4 floor levelers that provides the desk with exceptional overall stability. This is one desk you are going to battle to knock over or move when bumped into.

In summary, I can really recommend this desk as a solid and attractive step up if you need the extra space and have a slightly bigger room that will accommodate it comfortably. It still remains fairly compact and will look good in any studio.

Get more information and pricing on the Calico Designs 55123 Study Corner Desk here.

2) Z-Line Cyrus Workstation

For all intents and purposes this desk can be seen as the big brother of the Z-Line Claremont Desk. Sitting slightly higher up in Z-Line's range of desks, the biggest advantage of the Cyrus Workstation over its smaller sibling is a substantial increase in the amount of usable space.

The design and construction of the Cyprus Workstation is based on the same style as the Claremont Desk, providing the same quality materials and solid design. The cherry colored finish with black accents comes in a contemporary style, with the main shelf consisting of a strong tempered glass able to safely handle substantial weights.

Apart from the 48 inch desk width (compared to the Claremont's slightly smaller 47 inches), the real difference comes in the form of 2 additional shelves. Both are full-length with the top shelf at about head height and the bottom shelf just above the feet of the desk.

The top shelf has a smaller depth than the others, but will still be able to accommodate an audio interface and compact pair of studio studio monitors (which you already know by know I don't like to recommend). As with other desks in this category, the bottom shelf is ideal for placing your computer desktop on for the same reasons.

The only negative feedback that I got (although not personally experienced), is that the keyboard slide-out started causing some problems for a few users, so care should be taken when handling this mechanism. I am not sure whether this is a general problem or isolated to a few individual cases, but it seems to be the exception and not the rule.

All in all, another solid and attractive desk with plenty of usable space form the Z-Line range of desks. From personal experience I can recommend this desk, and being a best seller on many online stores confirms this conclusion. (Just be aware of the potential reliability issue of the keyboard slide-out reported by a few users.)

Get more information and pricing on the Z-Line Cyrus Workstation here.

The Desktop Solution For Maximum Space

If you are lucky enough to have a large studio at your disposal, you are really spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing your desk. Just remember, simply because you have big enough room to accommodate a big desk does not mean you have to go for the biggest solution possible.

There are still quite a few reasons why keeping your desk's dimensions fairly compact can be beneficial.  I already mentioned the effect large flat horizontal surfaces can have on your room's acoustics. Not having your speakers on your desk also have very clear benefits. (You can read more about speaker placement in this article.)

1) Studio RTA Producer Station

If you are looking for big workstation desk with enough space to fit almost any possible piece of equipment and accessory you can think of, look no further than the Studio RTA Producer Station. This is a complete recording desktop solution in almost possible every way. 

To be honest, you almost feel intimidated by the amount of space and features presented to you when standing in front of this unit. 

Just to give you an indication, the main work space measures a massive 77 inches in width, providing you with enough room to fit a full-size 88 key digital piano or synthesizer with space to spare. Adding to that a total of 48 rack-spaces to use, you start to get the picture.

Extra features include 8-space CD/DVD holders, two slide-out keyboard shelves and casters to assist with mobility. 

A solid steel construction with maple-colored solid desk surfaces makes up a very solid and sturdy unit. Weighing in at 140 pounds, this unit will not be easily pushed or moved around, making it very resilient to unwelcome knocks and bumps.   

Further note has to be taken that this unit is mobile and has 4 casters to assist with mobility. In general I am not a fan of recording desks with "wheels", as it normally makes the desk less stable and sturdy. In the case of the Studio RTA Producer Station however, the sheer weight of the desk, combined with the fact that the casters can be locked, render this concern basically completely irrelevant.

In conclusion, I really find very little to criticize this big and versatile workstation, apart from the fact that you will require a fairly big studio to comfortably fit a "desk" of this size without taking up most of the room.

A great addition to any mid to large studio with ample room to fit almost anything you will need space to fit on a desk.

Get more information and pricing on the Studio RTA Producer Station here.

2) HOMCOM 64" L-Shaped Office Workstation

Sometimes you do need a fair amount of horizontal desk space. You may be allocating some space for your digital piano, do some writing or making notes, and still need some additional space for the occasional odd job. (And don't forget doing some actual work on your computer keyboard.) The size and space the Homcom l-shaped desk provide, may just be what you are looking for.

First things first. Yes, this is a corner desk, which obviously means you normally will put it in the corner. As you probably already know the corner of a studio is probably the worst place for monitoring your sound.

Your studio monitors are probably positioned to produce the best listening position somewhere near the middle of the room. However, you can easily get around this problem by placing a pair of smaller desktop speakers/studio monitors on the desk at the right distance and height while monitoring your sound while doing your mixing. You can read all about correct speaker placement in this article.)   

Now for the big shocker. There is NO rule that tells you NOT to place your L-shaped desk in the middle of the room. In this bigger studio setup this will be the perfect solution. (And please don't be concerned about looks. It may look out of place in the beginning, but the beautiful design of the Homcom will quickly fit in with the rest of the room in no time at all.)

As a result you can put the desk in the middle of the room or anywhere where you will be able to best monitor your sound while still getting all the advantages of this L-shaped desk. 

The pleasing combination of steel, MDF and dark steel top is very inviting and a pleasure to work on. The glass is tempered and extremely strong, so you don't have to worry about placing heavy objects on it.

Two last advantages I would like to highlight:

1. The L-shape: If you need a big horizontal working space, using the Homcom's L-shape configuration is much easier and practical for you, as it allows you to reach more space by just turning your chair. On a long straight desk you would have had to constantly move around to reach everything. The more compact dimension of this shape desk is also a lot more acoustically friendly than a long flat desk that will cause a lot more sound reverberation.
2. A small but very handy feature of the desk, is the portable computer cart, enabling you to put your computer desktop out of the way and place it in any convenient spot. This not only allows you to free up more desk space, but more importantly remove the noise from the computer's desktop fans away from your condenser microphone (which picks up EVERYTHING).

As you can see, I am clearly very excited about this desk. To be honest, if I ever get access to a bigger studio, this will probably be one of my first investments.

But all bias aside, the solid design, amount of usable space, and the beautiful contemporary design of the Homcom 64 is really hard to fault. Yes, it's definitely not your typical big recording desk, but provides you with everything you need while doing it in a style.

I can therefore give this desk a big thumbs up and can really strongly recommend it. 

Get more information and pricing on the Homcom 64" L-Shaped Desk here.

Conclusion

You now have at 2 desk options for each of a small, medium and large studio size. I also made sure to highlight each desk's pros and cons to help you understand what is important in a desk and what to look for when choosing one.

Off course there are dozens of more desks to choose from that will do just as good a job. Using these desks in this article as a guideline however, will help make the decision making process easier for you when it comes to deciding on the best desk for your studio size.  

As always, feel free to leave me any comments or suggestions you may have, and I will respond and try and get to them as soon as I can.

Remember to join my  Mailing List  to be informed whenever a new article is released, and share new developments and helpful hints & tips.

Catch you in the next article and happy recording!

Wessel

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