Ok, strap in because there is a lot to cover here! And before I get started, remember that there is rarely one correct way to go about any of this, and everyone will have their own experiences and thoughts, and although different (sometimes very different) that doesn't mean that they aren't both valid.

​

I'm going to get started with the gear, as it's actually one of the easier parts to cover.

You will want your own gear. Studio fees get pretty expensive when you are doing a lot of work, and buying your own gear will pay for itself in the long run. For those starting out (with a low budget) I recommend the MXL V67G, Behringer UM2, XLR cable, pop filter, mic stand, and shock mount. This isn't the only setup,and if you can find used gear you may be able to get even better quality stuff cheaper (or the same price). You will also want to spend some money on sound treatment if you can, but it's easy enough to use a closet or make a blanket-fort if you need to. Just remember, the thicker the material the more effective it will be, and layering works wonders when improvising a booth. I have a furnace on the other side of one wall by my booth, but with a layer of insulation, and three layers of heavy blankets, almost none of that sound reaches the booth (and what does can be cut out with a bass roll-off). Just remember to factor the treatment into your budget when you look for gear. You may be able to use materials you already have, but try to figure it out beforehand.

​

Now, the harder part: Where to actually get started?

The first place to look is voice coaching and acting classes, if you can afford them. Having someone dedicated to helping you grow as a voice actor can make a world of difference. As far as going out and getting jobs though, I do have a bit of advice.

Personally, I would avoid radio. While it can help get you used to he mic, radio announcing typically use their own style of voice that currently is avoided with voice over. Many agents are hesitant about hiring former radio hosts. But, in the end it's the quality of your voice that matters, so going into radio isn't going to kill your career before it can even get started.

There are various ways you can get in, but typically you will start out doing unpaid fan projects and stuff to get practice and experience (not necessarily resume experience, but personal experience with your setup and gear to work out any kinks). This is usually animation/character voice over, and can be pretty fun, especially if that's where you want to end up. Audiobooks are another entryway, as there isn't a huge barrier to cross before getting started. There are also far more books out there to be read that there are narrators reading them. On the other hand, there is a reason for that; it's usually low paying, long hours of recording and editing, and there is rarely much feedback to help you improve your voice.

You can also try and find small, local businesses that are just getting large enough to start advertising, and strike up a conversation with the owners. Get to know them, and their business, and let it be known that you do voice acting. If you do this enough, you will find yourself in the right place at the right time as they need a VO for a radio commercial, and start landing jobs that way. Unfortunately, for this you will need a demo.

​

The Demo:

For finding local work, it's perfectly fine to use homemade demo (so long as it's good). There is a lot that goes into one though, so I'm going to try and break it down.

*SCRIPTS***: You will want to find, at a minimum, five or six commercial scripts, preferably actual commercials and not "stock" practice scripts. Those are fine for getting feedback from other VO talent, but actual scripts work better for a demo. Preferably, find ten or more so that you have options. You will want them to have different tones, different pacing, basically ones that will allow you to show off a wide range in what you can do. The next step is to practice. A lot. And then some more. You want these to be perfect, as they are what people will be listening to when they are deciding to hire you or not. Sub-perfection won't cut it. Record them, and get feedback. Practice some more. Get more feedback. Keep doing this until you think you are ready, and get feedback on your final recording as well. If the overall impressions are good, then use those recordings. If there is still quite a bit of critiquing being done, especially on major stuff (background noise, hiss, or the read itself) keep practicing.

MUSIC: There are a lot of sites out there that provide royalty free music to download, and these will be your friend. Find tracks that mach up with your reads, that fit naturally with what you already have recorded. If need be you can always re-take a script, but it's easier if you already have something that fits to work with. You may already eliminate some of your takes at this time just from lack of a good music track, but that's why you have extra!

Mixing:* Here is where you find your best takes, and the best sections of those takes. Go ahead and trim them down (keep the original file too, just in case) and start putting the best pieces together. You will want them set up so that no two takes that are back to back use the same style if at all possible. Keep it varied, and let them be distinct. You will want the takes trimmed to about 10 seconds, 15 at the most, before moving to the next take. You may also want the audio to overlap some. Put the music tracks with their respective takes, and work to set the volume. Too loud with the music and it drowns out your voice, too quiet and it doesn't do any good. This part is mostly played by ear, but get feedback before showing it off to prospective clients.

There are other things you can add, like sound effects and stereo mixes, but keep it simple to start. If you try to do too much, it's easy to get things messed up without knowing what is causing the issue. For local clients, just music will be fine, and not even all pro demos go overboard here. The goal is to highlight you voice, not mixing skills.

​

Professionally produced demo:

When you think you are ready for an agent, you will need a pro demo. Most agencies won't even consider you if you don't have one. They cost a lot, but the return is well worth it. You will* want to ensure that you go with a reputable studio; there are a lot of scams out there that will take your money and don't care if you have the skill for a good demo yet. Ask around and do your research to find the right studio. Listen to work they have done, and get other voice actors' opinions of them.

They will provide you with scripts and do all the mixing for you; all you do is read the lines to the absolute best of your abilities. Again, the point of a demo is to showcase your voice and talent, not the mixing. That's just a part of it so that the client knows how you sound in a full mix. The audio engineers making your demo know this, and it's their job to make you stand out. The quality of a demo is only limited by your own abilities.

​

I know I covered a lot, but hopefully you can find at least something useful in there. It's not a full guide to getting into voice over, but it should work as a starting place. If you want to listen to my demos to get a feel for what I am talking about, you can find them here. Feel free to ask any follow-up question!

Okay this is going to be a long post, so here goes.

​

If you really want to get into sound design, youre going to need a few essentials. A DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), an audio interface, a handheld recorder, and a microphone.




DAWs

As far as a DAW goes, there's a few alternatives you can go with. I personally use Avid Pro Tools for near everything I do, but also mess around with Reaper. I've found that most studios will use one of these two. Most DAWs will have a pretty steep learning curve, so be ready for that.

Pro Tools First is the free version of Pro Tools. It has a lot of limitations, but for starting out it should be fine. If you want less limitations it costs big money, but I'm sure you can find a crack or two as long as you don't use it commercially.

Reaper is starting to grow on me lately. You can customize it to your needs, and the full version is only $60. You can also just deal with a popup everytime you open the program for ten seconds and use it for free. I mainly prefer Pro Tools over this because the video engine in Pro Tools is much better. But for batch editing multiple sound files, Reaper is muuuuuch better.

​

Audio Interface

This basically takes over as an intermediary between high quality audio and your computer. You can plug a microphone right into it to record sound straight to your computer. You can do this with a USB microphone as well, but the quality is a million times better with one of these.
I would recommend either the Behringer UMC22 or the more advanced Focusrite Scarlett Solo. Both will do the trick, I just prefer the mic pres on the Focusrite a bit more.


Handheld Recorder
Handheld recorders allow you to record anything you want to without having to deal with any cables. They should be compact but durable.

The Tascam DR-40 is a great intro recorder. It was the first recorder I got 5 years ago, and it still holds up. I've dropped this thing so many times and it still powers through.
Another favorite is the Zoom H4N. This was a favorite among most of my classmates as it was the one my school supplied, but I didn't feel like going through the checkout process all the time so I saved up and got the Tascam. It has a newer version, the Zoom H6, which is pretty slick, but comes at a higher price point. It also comes with some interchangeable microphone capsules so you can get different types of recordings. I'll cover more of this later.
I'll leave off with the recorder I have now, the Sony PCM-M10. This thing is a godsend. It's discontinued due to a newer version coming out, but you can find this guy on eBay for around $300-400. It's smaller than a phone, and the sound quality is amazing. If you have the money to shell out for this guy, definitely go for it. Every sound designer inn the industry I know swears by it.


Microphone

So the first thing you need to know is that there's a load of different microphone types. Its a lot to cover, so I'm just going to link you to this article that will cover the basics of what you need to know. Basically I would recommend different microphones for different things, all depending on what you're trying to capture.
A good all-around microphone is the Shure SM57/Shure SM58. They're essentially both the same microphone. But these things will LAST. Like,people have run over them with trucks and they sound fine. Definitely a good starting point

For vocal recordings, I would recommend the Rode NT1A. This mic is a great starting point for capturing voice, and is durable to boot.

For capturing foley/field recording, I would go with the Rode NTG2. Its a shotgun mic with great quality for the price, and never let me down in all the years Ive been using it. I won its successor, the NTG3, in the Riot Creative Contest a few years back, but still use the NTG2 from time to time when I need to.


Some Extra Stuff


Theres a lot of cool, free plugins out there. I've used both Blue Cat's and Melda's plugins, and they all get the job done with a bit of tweaking.

As far as building up a sound library goes, I would recommend recording literally everything you can around you and playing with those sounds with plugins as a good starting point for building up a library. There's a few resources out there that give out free SFX every once in a while, GDC has had a bundle go up for 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. You can also check out the BBC Sound Effects Library. Be careful about getting libraries and bundles though, as they add up quick. I have to go through my sound library soon, and I probably have around 500,00+ files but only really need a few thousand.

For all your sounds, you're going to want a file manager. A great and free one is Mutant. You just add the directory where you downloaded your sounds to, let it load them in, and voila. You can search easily for what you need.


Hopefully, all this was somewhat helpful to you, or to anyone else reading this who's interested in sound design!

i5-4690k - If you aren't doing any programming or editing, and mainly gaming, you'll see here that the 4690k trumps every AMD CPU. There is no competition in tier 1 gaming CPU's in the AMD department. AMD uses more, but slower cores, which isn't ideal for gaming. The 4690k definitely has higher base processing speed because of increased IPS performance and faster single cores in general. Also, AMD CPU's are notoriously power hungry and heat up quite a bit more. With some overclocking, you'll be able to hit around 4.5hz on an 8320, which will compensate for a bit, but an OC'd 4690k will still perform considerably better.

CM 212 evo - One of the best CPU coolers in terms of price/performance. You'll be able to hit some nice OC's on your 4690k, even though it probably won't be necessary until later.

Asrock Z97 Extreme 4 - I'm mainly suggesting this mobo because of the great 4690k/z97 bundle going on at microcenter, you can cop them both for around $300. Besides that, you'll be able to hit nice CPU overclocks and SLI. Awarded by tomshardware as one of the best z97 mobos $100-$150

Ripjaws Memory - One of the most popular memory's. Won't be needing more than 8gb, 1600 for gaming, looks pretty nice along with the red msi gtx 970 and $80 is a good price.

840 Evo SSD - one of the best SSD's along with the mx100. Quick quick quick.

1TB WD Blue - It's either this or the seagate 1tb. I personally can vouch for the reliability of WD drives, so I tend to go with them.

MSI GTX 970 - Probably will go down as one of the most iconic cards in pc gaming history along with the 8800gt as a crazy level of price to performance. You'll gobble up any game @ 1080p/60fps, and do more than well in the 1440p resolution. You'd have no problem with 4k resolution with SLI'd 970's. The gtx 970 would eat up 10 GTS 450's for breakfast. Seriously, the performance upgrade you'd be getting with this card will make you get on your knees and praise Gaben.

H236HLbid 23" IPS monitor - If you've never used IPS or 1080p, you'll be amazed by the picture quality and color accuracy of this screen. The best 23" 1080p monitor in the $100-$200 range. The alternative is to get a 1440p QNIX 2710 (MUST BE SINGLE INPUT to overclock to ~96hz) This is a great 1440p PLS monitor for around $350 that can overclock to 96hz, which means you'll be seeing 96 frames/sec instead of the usual 60hz, as long as your system can handle it. Makes a HUGE difference.

Fractal R4 Case - One of the most iconic ATX Mid cases. Can cop for around $80 on sale, lots of HD trays (top rack removable), nice fit, fan speed control, and a slew of over cool features. Other options in the price range - Phanteks Enthroo Pro and the NZXT 440.

EVGA G2 750w PSU - Very high quality Gold standard PSU. I overshot it with this to allow headroom to add another GTX 970 for the build. You can safely SLI the gtx 970's with a high quality 650W PSU, because they take so little power, around 145W TDP. A 650W Gold+ Seasonic or Antec would do just fine.

Find yourself a nice mechanical keyboard with cherry mx switches. I would suggest a cm quickfire or k70. One of the most important upgrades you can make. Once you go cherry mx, you'll have a hard time typing on membrane keyboards. It's an absolute must for me.

Last, but not least try to find a decent headphone and stick on a zalman attachable mic to use as a gaming headset. I personally use an ath-m50, although it's not great for gaming with it's bad soundstage since I listen to music more often anyway. Nice alternatives are the beyerdynamic dt-770 and sennheiser hd 25-1 II.

Speakers - You'll need a pair of speakers for your setup since your monitor won't come with one. I recommend M-Auidio AV40's. They're delicious. If you're looking for a cheaper option, these aren't so bad.

Wow, that was a lot of writing! I know it can be overwhelming picking out parts for a pc, especially if you haven't it in a while. Hopefully you'll find some of this info useful, and good luck!

Well, I decided to provide you with a cheaper suggestion compared to /u/Du6e great suggestion.
I did include a external

I changed a few parts to reduce noise.

• CPU: Went with a locked CPU. This means less heat, which reduces in less fan speed required to cool the CPU.
  
• CPU cooler: The NH-D15 is absolutely amazing for the price, but this little cooler is also in the category of amazing. Very easy to install, more than silent enough and keeps the CPU cool enough.
  
• Motherboard: Because I went with a locked CPU, we don't have to pay the small premium for a Z97 board. This motherboard got everything you will want and will work absolutely fine.
  
• Storage: Changed the SSD to a slightly faster one. I personally have the exact same one and I love it. Here is a benchmark of the performance.
  

• Video card: The difference is mainly the cooler. Here is a comparision between the EVGA, MSI, Asus, Gigabyte & Stock GTX980Ti. Under load (so during games) the Gigabyte card is the loudest one of the cards tested. MSI beats the EVGA/Asus versions by a small judge.
  

  
  

  I will also provide you with a couple of great guides to help you build the PC.
  

  
  

  
  

  ---
  

  
  

  As for the Focusrite audio recorder.
  

  Here is a great video explaining and showing you why you want this.
  

  Here is a review of the one that I am suggesting. A slight amount cheaper compared to the one used in the video above.
  

  
  

  PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
  

  
  

  Type|Item|Price
  

  ----|:----|:----
  CPU | Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor | £217.76 @ Dabs
  CPU Cooler | CRYORIG M9i 48.4 CFM CPU Cooler | £16.49 @ Ebuyer
  Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-H97-D3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | £85.98 @ Ebuyer
  Memory | Kingston HyperX Fury White 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3-1866 Memory | £60.99 @ Amazon UK
  Storage | Samsung 850 EVO-Series 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | £117.00 @ Amazon UK
  Storage | Western Digital Blue 2TB 3.5" 5400RPM Internal Hard Drive | £53.94 @ Aria PC
  Video Card | EVGA GeForce GTX 980 Ti 6GB Superclocked ACX 2.0+ Video Card | £528.53 @ More Computers
  Case | Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case | £58.96 @ Aria PC
  Power Supply | EVGA SuperNOVA G2 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | £74.99 @ Amazon UK
  Monitor | Dell U2515H 60Hz 25.0" Monitor | £265.86 @ Aria PC
  Monitor | Dell U2515H 60Hz 25.0" Monitor | £265.86 @ Aria PC
  Sound recording| Focusrite Scarlett 2i2| £99.00 @ Amazon UK
  | Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
  | Total | £1845.36
  | Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-22 09:11 GMT+0000 |
  
  ---
  
  ####Guides
  
  ---
  
  Now before you have a look at all these guides. The best guide in most cases will always be your MANUAL. Some manuals are garbage, but most of them are more than good enough to be able to help figure out most problems.
  
  

• How to build an Intel 115x socket PC? This is my personal favorite because it goes in depth, but still keeps the video relatively short. It also got great camera work so you are able to follow all the steps very well. I decided to skip the start of the video. The reason being that the video is posted on 17th of May 2013, he gives the rationale of his selected parts at the start. This is a very long time ago, so the parts are very old, so no need to hear this out. But building a PC is still pretty much the same. No drastic changes.
  There are a lot of different build guides on the internet, but I really like this one. It's easy to follow.
  
  
• How to install a 115x CPU? Very simple and easy to follow guide again.
  
• How to install thermal compound? Now, to be clear! Every single heatsink will come with its own thermal compound. Even the intel/AMD stock heatsinks. So there is no need to buy this.
  It's only recommended to buy when you either have very bad temperatures or when you want to overclock to the extreme. The temperature difference between the best and the "worst" thermal compound is a couple degrees Celsius.
  Be careful though! More is not better! It needs to have enough, but too much will dramatically increase the temperatures of the CPU. Thermal compound helps with the contact of the cooler + the CPU. The CPU + heatsink both have microscopically small gaps, which the thermal compound fills up to let the heat get too the heatsink.
  
• How to install RAM? It's very simple these days. For DDR4 it's pretty much the same.
  
• How to install Windows 8(.1) or 10 from an USB drive? You have to download "media creation tool" which is located at the bottom of the page (blue button). Run that program with a 4GB+ USB flash drive plugged into a PC. Then follow the simple steps and the program will make the USB drive bootable. After that all you have to do is build the PC and boot from that USB drive to install Windows.
  
• How to set up your SSD & HDD? This video is another older video, but it works pretty much the same in Win 8/10. He does talk about a few things that aren't very important, but it's good to know.
  
• How to use Ninite? This video explains it very well, as well as their recommendations. For security I advise to only get Avira (if you don't mind to get an add every day; if you do mind - just use Microsoft Defender) & Malwarebytes. If you want to pay for an anti-virus; Webroot! Light weight; very high detection rate.
  
  
  

  Hope you like it and If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
  

Hi, I'm the co-editor for podcast production and I think I may be able to help with your questions.

Mics: Depending on your current recording space you have 2 options, Condenser or Dynamic Microphones. Condenser mics are very good at picking up detailed sound but they are most of the time to sensitive to be used without some sort of sound proofing or acoustic treatment to the room as they are really good at picking up even the quietest of sounds. but if you have a treated room or a acoustic shield then that might be an option to look into. Dynamic mics however are really good at capturing loud sounds and because of that, they are mostly used for singing and instruments. however they are also often used for narration because you don't have to go all out with the sound proofing as they are less sensitive. now since my talents are in post production, I don't need an expensive microphone to get a good sounding recording, so I just use a $20 Dynamic microphone from amazon, they're great in fact I bought 4 of them for a podcast I was doing, I can give samples if you would like. As for price, Condenser are on average going to cost more because of everything that goes into it. Dynamic mics are older tech, so they aren't as expensive. my friend who does the vocal recordings has the Rode NT1a, a rather expensive condenser microphone $229, and I record using the Behringer Xm8500 Dynamic mic $20 on amazon. so it's really up to your budget and editing know how.

Rode NT1a

Xm8500

You will also need a audio interface if you're going to be using XLR mics, which I highly recommend you do. Here's the one I use, although you may not need that many channels

​

Software: I use Adobe Audition around $20 a month subscription. However I have in the past used Audacity and if you know how to use it, you can get some really good results. If you are looking to get into industry standard software I would recommend Pro Tools also I think $20 a month.

​

Yes, people who don't use a studio generally record to their preferred Audio editor and mix/edit then upload to a hosting website for their podcast, the production I work for uses Blogtalk which I think has a free option. However there are many options for hosting websites (E.g. Acast, Podbean, Libsyn, Ect.) I recommend reading this website for hosting options.

​

People typically find voice actors through Casting Calls which they themselves set up or by going through a casting call website, and yes voice actors are typically paid although some may offer volunteer if they're just getting out there or for charity. For the sake of professionalism always assume you are paying for their services, that way if they decline payment then that's their choice as an actor.

​

If your podcast gains enough listeners then yes, you can definaty make money through podcasting, but you should never go only for making money. because one, it takes a while ti gain listeners and two it's just no fun if your only in it for the money.

​

I remember being exactly where you are now asking these questions, so If you need any help don't hesitate to ask. I hope this helps :)

​

​

TL,DR

Mics: I use a $20 Dynamic mic which gives me great recordings, although there are more expensive and higher quality options out there.

Software: I use Adobe Audition to edit everything but there are a myriad of other audio editing options out there including the free software Audacity.

Yes it can be as simple as Record/Edit/Post depending on what your doing and the type of podcast your going for.

You find actors through casting calls, and typically you always pay actors for their services. Always expect to pay.

Yes you can make money through podcasting depending on your listenership and Ads and things like that.

I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money, but you could easily put that 7k away and have a pretty badass setup for 10-15 years by building a new rig every so often.

Anyways lets say we go the one badass pc route, I'd recommend something like this based on a white build theme.

• i7 8700k - Best gaming chip currently on the market (you'll need it for high refresh rate gaming at 1080p). Also has 6 cores / 12 threads if you use software that can utilize them. Overclocks fairly well which is going to get you more frames at 1080p
  
  
• Deepcool Captain 360ex - A white 360mm AIO to keep your cpu cool. Adjust the fan speed appropriately and you won't hear it under lighter load.
  
  
• NZXT N7 - An expensive Z370 board, but it's all white. I'm not very familiar with it so check out some reviews.
  
  
• 32gb's of fast ddr4 - Also in white with some rgb.
  
  
• 500gb NVMe ssd / 2tb ssd / 6tb hdd - Use the 500gb NVMe ssd for the OS and visual studio. Put whatever you want on the ssd for faster access and the 6tb hdd for all other media like music, pictures, movies, games etc..
  
  
• GTX 1080ti Hybrid - You can use whatever 1080ti you want, but this on has an included AIO and a blower fan. It'll keep it nice and cool under load.
  
  
• Corsair Crystal 460x - A nice white case with tempered glass.
  
  
• EVGA 750w G3 - High quality fully modual power supply.
  
  
• Asus ROG Swift - 1080p 240hz G-sync panel. About as good as it gets for competitive gaming.
  
  
• 2x 27" 4k IPS panels - I would get a monitor arm for all 3 panels so you place these one vertically which helps quite a bit while programming and browsing resources.
  
  
• Corsair K95 - A nice full size mechanical keyboard that has macro keys on the side that can be programmed. This one inpaticular have cherry mx browns (my personal favorite, but everyone has a preference).
  
  
• Logitech G502 - A good do it all mouse. Although you may want a smaller/lighter one for CSGO.
  
  
• Sennheiser HD600 - Probably the best headphones you'll ever wear without spending thousands. They need a DAC to power them properly.
  
  
• FiiO E10K - DAC for the HD600's. You can get something like the Scarlett Solo if you want to upgrade to an XLR mic in the future.
  
  

• Blue Snowball with a mic arm / pop filter - Not the best thing you can get, but you're still miles ahead of your average gamer.
  

  
  

  So that's my recommendation if that's the route you plan on going down, but imo a 2.5k build would pretty much accomplish the same things with a bit less performance and style.
  

  
  

  
  

  PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant
  

  
  

  Type|Item|Price
  

  ----|:----|:----
  CPU | Intel - Core i7-8700K 3.7GHz 6-Core Processor | $329.00 @ Amazon
  CPU Cooler | Deepcool - CAPTAIN 360EX WHITE RGB 229.6 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler | $159.99 @ Amazon
  Motherboard | NZXT - N7-Z37XT-W1 ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $245.47 @ Newegg
  Memory | Team - T-Force Night Hawk RGB 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 Memory | $344.99 @ Newegg
  Storage | Samsung - 960 EVO 500GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive | $209.99 @ Samsung
  Storage | Crucial - MX500 2TB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $495.99 @ SuperBiiz
  Storage | Seagate - IronWolf 6TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $189.89 @ OutletPC
  Video Card | EVGA - GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB SC2 HYBRID GAMING Video Card | $974.98 @ Newegg
  Case | Corsair - Crystal 460X RGB White ATX Mid Tower Case | $139.99 @ Amazon
  Power Supply | EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 750W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $99.99 @ Newegg
  Monitor | Asus - ROG Swift PG258Q 24.5" 1920x1080 240Hz Monitor | $559.00 @ Amazon
  Monitor | LG - 27UD69P-W 27.0" 3840x2160 60Hz Monitor | $399.99 @ Best Buy
  Monitor | LG - 27UD69P-W 27.0" 3840x2160 60Hz Monitor | $399.99 @ Best Buy
  Keyboard | Corsair - K95 RGB PLATINUM Wired Gaming Keyboard | $169.89 @ OutletPC
  Mouse | Logitech - G502 Proteus Spectrum Wired Optical Mouse | $49.99 @ Best Buy
  Headphones | Sennheiser - HD600 Headphones | $286.00 @ Adorama
  Other | FiiO E10K USB DAC and Headphone Amplifier (Black) | $75.99 @ Adorama
  Other | Blue Microphones Snowball iCE Black Microphone w Knox Studio Boom Arm & Pop Filter | $74.99 @ Newegg Marketplace
  | Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
  | Total (before mail-in rebates) | $5226.12
  | Mail-in rebates | -$20.00
  | Total | $5206.12
  | Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-03-28 23:25 EDT-0400 |

Not OP but I can help you out here. Let's break this down by component:

1. Speakers - There are two types: active and passive. Active = amplifier built into each speaker (i.e. most dedicated "computer" speakers from the likes of Logitech, Creative, etc.). Passive = 90% of speakers out there, must be connected to an amplifier to work. Typically passive speakers will get you a better speaker for a given price for an active but you have to figure in the cost of an amplifier. For a passive speaker set up, the cheapest system recommended over at /r/audiophile is a SMSL SA-60 amp and Micca MB42X Bookshelf Speakers. If your budget is higher, ask in the daily purchase advice sticky there (read the rules/suggestions thoroughly). I don't mess around with active speakers so I can't recommend any.
   
   
2. Microphone - For simplicity's sake, I will recommend you look into USB connecting condenser microphones as they are affordable and have good sensitivity. Something like the Audio-Technica AT-2020 or Blue Yeti are popular mics for under $100. I have the Yeti and can attest that it is a very good and sensitive multi pattern mic. They can be hooked directly up to your PC or if you want to get really fancy, check out an audio interface like the Focusrite Scarlett Solo or Scarlett 2i2. The nice thing about an interface is it allows you get a nice mic with an XLR connector (generally better than a USB connection) and it will work with your PC.
   
   
3. Headphones - Don't waste your money on "gaming" headphones. A nice 2 channel pair of cans with a standalone mic like I listed above will hands down outperform the likes of Turtle Beach and Razr headsets. /r/headphones has a really good wiki with more info than I can provide here and headphones broken down by price range and characteristics. Plus, then you can use them both for gaming and general music listening and have a good experience, something you don't get with dedicated "gaming" headsets. The amp I listed in the speakers section is fine for headphones but Schiit makes absolutely fantastic headphone amps and DAC (digital to analog converters, check out both /r/audiophile and /r/headphones for more info on them and why they are good for your set up) with very respectable price tags.
   
   Hope this helps. Higher quality audio equipment can be confusing and daunting, what with all the technical details, wide price ranges, parsing through all the marketing bullshit and the sometimes snobby attitudes of some "audiophiles". I wish you luck and feel free to ask me if you have any questions.

Yes, there are recorders that can record multiple tracks. Like the Tascam DR-40 has XLR inputs. I'm not necessarily endorsing the Tascam. I have the DR-05 and find it acceptable quality. Something like the Zoom H4N has XLR connectors built in, so you could record a mic into those and use the built in condenser mics to record your guitar.

You left out some relevant information: Budget, can your guitar be plugged in or will you mic it? Do you have a pretty sound free workspace?

I think budget is the most important part here. I interpret 'nothing flashy' as being a cheap as it can get without being poor quality.

I'm gonna link to listings on Amazon because it's easiest, but B&H or if you live near a Guitar Center might be a better place to buy.

A possible setup:

• ART Dual USB Preamp - $80 - This will allow you to plug in one mic and your guitar and output the track to your computer via USB. Depending on the software, I believe you can have the tracks separate for editing, but they would separate into left and right channels that you'd then combine into a stereo track after editing.
  
  
  
• Shure SM58 - $100 - A dynamic vocal mic that will play well in a not so perfect recording space. Check out Regina Spektor using one during a concert. This mic is so popular I would make sure to only get it from a reputable dealer i.e. not used on ebay, because there are fakes floating around.
  
  If you need/want to mic your guitar then consider the SM-57. It is nearly identical to the SM58. Here is a guy demonstrating using one to record his guitar.
  
  
• If $100 is insanely out of your budget, then consider the Behringer XM8500 - $20 - Not as high quality as the SM58, but still a decent sound. Here is a guy comparing the SM57 to the XM8500 and is using just one mic for voice and guitar, without using a preamp, so keep that in mind when comparing the audio (I hear some noise in the audio, probably noise from the line to the camera, which I presume has some sort of automatic gain happening).
  
  This guy's video makes me wonder if just an SM57 with a decent preamp (i.e. one with clean gain) might be all you'd need... but that isn't ideal. You could go with two XM8500s, one for guitar and one for vocals ($40). Or one SM58 for vocals and one XM8500 for guitar($120). That all comes down to budget and preferences.
  
  
• You'll need a mic stand, or two. The On-Stage MS7701B is a best seller on Amazon. I own one of these and it isn't going to impress anyone. I've never had it tip over or seem unsteady. If you extend the boom arm too far it can sometimes slowly droop over time (I may be guilty of not tightening it enough due to not wanting to strip the threads) It does the job of holding a mic in place. If you go with two mics, you could get two of them. You could also get a desk stand for the mic that is recording your guitar and find a suitable place to set it, but I think the boom arm of the MS7701B will be useful for keeping the stand out of your way.
  
  
• And you will need cables. I recommend the cables from Monoprice, their Pro Audio series. It is not as user friendly to find the exact cables you'll need as a site like B&H, but I have had several of their cables and only had one die on me. All their cables have a lifetime warranty and the prices are shockingly low.
  
  
• And a windscreen or pop filter for the mics is nice. There is a decent windscreen on Amazon for 3 bucks, sometimes 2 bucks.
  
  Potential Changes & other thoughts -
  
  A more expensive preamp - ART Tube Dual Mic Preamp With USB - $190- this has some compression and a limiter. It's debatable whether in this range it would be better to get a decent mixer, a preamp for your vocals, and let the preamp on the mixer handle the guitar, or if something like this would be better. Like a Behringer mixer - Q802USB ($80) + ART single channel Preamp for vocals ($40/$50) would be less money than the Dual USB preamp.
  
  Or maybe just the Q802USB would suffice for your needs. It has preamps already built in. They are not the best preamps in the world. I mean... after all I wrote above, the more I think about it the more I think you should try a Q802USB and see if the sound is what you're wanting.
  
  Headphones - Add in some headphones to monitor your audio. ATH-M40x ($100) would be my recommendation, but this is where a lot of personal preference comes into the mix, no pun intended.
  
  Different mics - Rode has some mics that compare the the Shure SM57/58 that might be better. And the options for mic are virtually limitless, when you consider not just the mics can vary, but the audio interfaces and processing options. I really think a dynamic mic will be most user friendly for a one off home recording.
  
  I hope I haven't confused more than I helped. I think the essentials are this: good mics, clean gain, easy to use. Whether you get the dual channel ART preamp or the Q802USB, either will be easy to use. I would bet the gain on the ART preamp is cleaner, meaning less background hiss at higher levels, than the Q802USB, but perhaps that is just an unreasonable bias. In either case, the mic is going to be important and where your budget plays a big role. The SM58 and SM57 are superb for vocals and recording guitar. A condenser might be better if the acoustics of your recording space allow for it, but I hope you saw from the video I linked of the guy recording his guitar with the SM57 that a great sound can be achieved with a $100 mic. If that is out of your budget, keep in mind the XM8500, but the sound is not as clear as the Shure mics it tries to emulate.

Hey you need overall 3 things:

1. Gear
   
2. A room
   
3. Software
   
   /
   
   
4. Gear:
   
   -Audio Interface:
   
   You want a number of channels depending on the type of groups you wanna record and the size of the group. Example: 18 Channels (8 mics) v.s. 2 channels (2 mics)
   
   -Microphones:
   
   You want basic versatile microphones and specialized ones for the type of instruments you wanna record.
   
   Example of basic mics: Shure sm-57 Dynamic Mic and AKG 414 Condenser Mic
   
   Those two have a fairly transparent frequency response and work for most scenarios but you also want mics that work better for certain instruments because of their coloration or diaphragm or polar pattern.
   
   -Monitoring:
   
   You need some headphones like the Audio Technical M50x which are transparent enough and good for the price although you could go a little further and look for Sennheiser HD or some of the expensive AKG stuff.
   
   -Accessories and cables
   
   You want good quality XLR cables, two direct boxes like this one and probably a direct box with pre amp like the Avalon U5 (great for sending bass via line, skipping the bass amp part, which can be great for live sessions). Both depend on the type of music you are gonna record of course (first example works for connecting stuff like a keyboard and the Avalon well for bass is great).
   
   You may want a monitor amplifier like Behringer Powerplay for distributing audio to the players or producers or audience via headphones monitors.
   
   Also check out EquipBoard to see what gear are other producers or studios using. They have a good database and is good reference.
   
   
   
5. If you wanna do it like TinyDesk then you wanna have a nice room with good isolation and space for your musicians. Well, mostly for the sound. There are 2 ways of recording live sessions: Either you isolate most of the musicians or you use proper recording techniques and use your mics intelligently to get a good mix before your Mixing stage. You may wanna look for highly directional mics.
   
   You also wanna look on isolation techniques and architecture if you wanna have good natural reverberation or just have control over what the sound is doing, including annoying neighbors if that’s the case. Look for how to soundproof a room in the internet and try read a little about acoustics if you haven’t.
   
   You may wanna to set up 2 rooms: a live room and a control room. The live room would be where you record the musicians and have way more soundproofing and the control would just need to isolate enough and allow visual contact with the ppl in the live room. If you go for 2 rooms you may need to set up the ins and outs and pass cables through the wall in a snake cable like this Hosa or this bigger one . The purpose of having 2 rooms is partly because you wanna monitor with speakers not only headphones (as well as having more recording gear there but it only applies to bigger studios). Example Yamaha HS8 x2 or the KRK . Those are fairly priced options and you will get more value out of them if you are the one mixing the music as they can be better references than just headphones.
   
   
6. For software you should consider Pro Tools as is the industry standard. I personally enjoy Logic Pro and there are a lot more options out there some of which are free. If you are not gonna go a lot into mixing and do the post production maybe Pro Tools Ultimate is a bit of an overkill but if you are looking to do the mix you may also wanna get some audio plugins. Look for Waves or Arturia plugins online (most of which is simulations of real hardware) which will give a “better” sound to your mixes if used well. It also depends a little on the genre or type of music you are producing.
   
   
   
   That’s it. I was very broad but I did mentioned some basic equipment you can start budgeting. If you need more details about the basics PM me and can help you a bit more, I’m no specialist on some stuff like exquisite mics but know about a bunch that are generally used. Are you in Vancouver by chance? I can help you in the actual physical setup if you are.
   
   Cheers.
   
   Edit: You probably want a powerful laptop or a desktop computer btw but I figure out you already have one.

If I were you, I might do it a little differently.

Steelseries makes good keyboards and they're very customizable. r/mechanicalkeyboards might throw a hissy fit at me for saying that, but they're good all around boards. Every key can be customized with macros and stuff if he so chooses, right in the Steelseries software. No need to mess around with AHK.

Mice are a very personal thing. Does he know you're getting him PC peripherals for Christmas? If so, knowing the size of his hand, and if possible, how he grips a mouse would be super helpful. I spend a shameful amount of time on r/mousereview and would love to help you out! The Xtrfy M4 is very popular at the moment if he has medium or small hands. Right here you can see how to measure hand size properly.

If you can't get a precise measurement or grip style that's fine - could you maybe compare his hand to yours (a simple "Hey, which one of us has bigger hands?" should do), measure yours, and estimate roughly how different they are.

If he's got the space for a setup, he'd be much better off with a dedicated set of headphones and a dedicated microphone than with a headset, and it'd be cheaper too! I personally recommend the Superlux 668B headphones with a set of replacement earpads (these ones are amazing, but these ones are still very good while being much cheaper). Then grab yourself a Fifine microphone and something cheap to hold it and you've saved yourself a lot of money while getting him a much better product!

Oh, those headphones will let in a fair amount of background noise, and they'll leak a bit of the sound playing through them. If your house/apartment is often loud or you share a space and don't want to hear his games, these Takstars are shockingly good for the price. If you wanna save a few bucks and not go for a separate microphone, this CM headset is based off them but has an attached mic!

Good luck and I hope he enjoys his gift! Feel free to ask any questions you've got, PM if you want :)

If you want, I can copy-paste the response I usually give to people asking about gaming headset. Hope it will help you.

Wall of text ahead. Please, read only if you are really interested...


What I usually recommend when someone ask for advice about gaming headsets is: Gaming headset are crap 99% of the time. They provide very poor sound quality, and any good headphone (literally, even 40$ ones) will sound far better than expensive 300$ headsets. The question is not if headphones are better than headset (the answer is “Hell, YEAH”). The question is, are they better for you?


What are you planning to use your headphones for? Just for gaming, or for gaming and music listening?


If the answer is “just for gaming”, then ask yourself if a Hifi headphone is what you need. Usually games don’t really need high quality headphones, since they provide low quality sound, and you will be more concentrated gaming than listening. In that scenario, everything will serve you, and gaming headsets have the advantage of the integrated microphone.


So, if you want something good for gaming, and just for gaming, with integrated microphone, then the only two headsets with good enough quality sound (aka don’t suck) are:


HyperX Cloud (70$)


Sennheiser G4me One (170$)


Both are good choices. Or go with any fancy RGB headset you find (Logitech, Razer, Corsair, Steelseries, etc), you will most probably don’t notice the difference while gaming.


BUT, if you plan to use them for music listening besides gaming, then keep reading.


About the microphone problem


Hifi headphones for gaming have the disadvantage of having to deal with the micro thing. None of them have microphone incorporated, and you must find a workaround to the problem. Options available are:


1- Use a desk microphone like this


2- Some headphones have detachable cable. If the connector is a 3.5mm jack, you can substitute the cable with this V-Moda micro. That way you can have a microphone attached and still use a single cable. Main problem is that you must use this cable, no matter what, and if you end buying an amplifier, you can no longer use this microphone, as amplifiers don’t have micro input. Also, not all headphones are compatible, as not all use 3.5mm jack connections (Audio-technica and Sennheiser headphones are NOT compatible with V-moda Boom micro, cause they use 2.5mm jack)


3- use a modmic like this one or if your budget is tight, something like this.


The first option requires desk space and it’s expensive. The second one is not compatible with every headphone, and forces you to use this cable. The third one are detachable micro, with an extra cable you’ll have to deal with. Any of them are a nuisance. Any solution is annoying. All of them are an extra expense that must be accounted. If micro is a must and you are not willing to bother with this solutions, please, go back to HyperX Cloud or G4me One.


Ok, so, you really want some damn good headphones, that also can be used for gaming! Keep reading, please (are you bored yet?).


You can choose Closed back headphones (the classic ones you have already used. Closed back models offer good isolation and do not leak sound. This is your choice when there are people around you, or you want isolation from noisy a environment.) or Open Back headphones (Open back models offer next to no isolation and will leak sound -and allow you to hear what happens around you-, but they are the best sounding models). Open headphones achieve the best sound, soundstage (feeling that sound is coming from around you) and imaging (ability to locate the source of one sound).


If you are here because you want to get a replacement for a gaming headset, I would recommend you Open back, but since they don’t isolate, you must choose. If isolation is required, get closed back, if that’s not a concern, go open.


Some closed back cans:


Audio-Technica ATH-M40x. 100$. Balanced headphones, very good feedback from lots of people. Typical entry level headphones to the rabbit hole.


Sennheiser HD 598Cs. 125$. Balanced, very very detailed, great instrumental separation. Comfortable as hell, very recommended.


Beyerdynamic DT770. 160$. V-shaped signature (lots of bass and lots of treble). Amazing soundstage (for a closed headphone). Great for explosions, movies, and rock. Treble can be harsh if you are sensible. Get the 32 ohm version, as the 80 (may) and 250 (do) need an amplifier to work properly.


Those are some examples of entry-mid level of closed cans. There are lots more, depending of your budget!


As for open cans:


Superlux HD668b. 40$. Those are THE CANS. The best quality for low budget you can get. Hands down. Great soundstage, Bass light. They are not too comfortable, but pads can be changed for a deluxe comfort (extra expense). You are not getting anything better at this price. For gaming in a budget, this are the headphones you were looking for.


Philips SHP9500. 80$. Mid-forward signature. Good soundstage, great comfort. Very detailed. Another amazing quality for the budget headphone. Due its popularity, they’re getting harder and harder to get.


Sennheiser HD 598 SR. 170$. Very similar to the HD 598Cs, but with open back. Wider soundstage, a little less bass. Very balanced headphones. Super-duper comfortable. Great for long gaming sessions.


Philips Fidelio X2. 250$. V-shaped signature. Those are in another league. Build quality is just.. OMG. Extreme soundstage and imaging. More comfortable than the HD 598. Bass is BOOOOOM!!!. A little pricey, and can be somewhat fatiguing to listen if you are treble sensible, due to high treble.


Well, that’s all. I have selected only headphones that don’t need an amplifier. Now is your turn to research, watch some Youtube videos, read some reviews, and give them a try.


All this headphones are GOOD. No trash here, and all them will make you open your eyes when listening your music if you are coming from standard headsets. You will notice sounds, instruments, that you never realized they were there, even if you had listened this song a thousand times before. Try them, and be amazed.


Welcome to the rabbit hole.

I have a buddy who runs a music studio, but if you needed the space, he'd definitely set it up for a podcast interview.

I do tend to agree that you should be able to get pretty close to studio sound on a budget assuming you have a computer already. I understand that sometimes owning stuff is a huge hassle itself, but if it's something you want to do a few times, the cost savings would start to be there.

Since no one has given you any real advice on how to do this, I can give it a shot.

I'd start by installing Audacity on your computer. It's super basic, but what you're doing is super basic. And it's super free. That's a huge plus.

Next, decide how you want to do microphones. First, you'll want stands. If it's an interview/two person thing, you'll need a couple of these (or more if you want more mics). We're at $25 for two now.

Next, decide what quality you want to be at. The Blue Snowball is a pretty great entry level microphone. I've honestly never run two into a computer before, but I imagine it'd be easy enough to record two different microphones on two different tracks in Audacity. That would bring our total to around $150. To upgrade in this way, you would go to something like the Blue Yeti. At over $100/unit, that adds another $100 to your cost.

The other way to do microphones is using a USB Interface for your computer and buying standard microphones. I'm keen on that option because it's a little more flexible if and when you look to upgrade your setup. You can use $15 microphones to get by or if you're locked and loaded, you can upgrade to really nice condensers.

As far as soundproofing goes, you can decide if that's possible wherever you're at. The last voice over project I worked on, I hung blankets in my bedroom and that was perfectly fine. Obviously that's not the most professional look, but there wasn't a pile of ambient noise to deal with and the directional mics do a good job focusing on your voice. You can build sound dampening walls with plywood, insulation, and fabric if you really want. It takes a staple gun, some screws, and about an hour per panel.

Assuming you have the time, an okay computer, and about $300, you could really build yourself a nice studio. If this is a one off kind of thing, it's definitely not worth it. My buddy's place is called, The Petting Zoo and I'd be more than willing to ask him details if you want.

Either way, good luck!

I'd say for me, if I were making my own home office and wanted to trick it out:

At minimum a dual monitor setup, but it would be nice to have 3 (I have dual monitors and also the laptop screen running them so it works out to 3.) A nice monitor arm that will hold both (or all 3) monitors to keep the desk clutter free. Something nice that makes both monitors adjustable for you (maybe even a 90 degree rotation so you can code on a vertical screen when you feel like it.)

A nice condenser mic with an arm for it as well. I figure if I were working from home I would probably be doing conference calls more regularly than if I were in the office, so a good condenser mic will make my life easier and make sure I can communicate well. Maybe a blue yeti or blue yeti snowball with a nice boom arm for it like so so I can use it when I want it and then push it away when I don't.

In the same vein, a decent webcam that can clip on to my monitor (or buy one of the above boom arms and attach the camera to it, probably smart for only $15 so you can move it around.)

Definitely a great office chair since you can justify the expense and you're going to be sitting all day.

This one is great regardless of working for home or working from the office, but a nice mouse. I just got a Logitech G502 the other day for gaming as well as work purposes and MAN. I never knew what I was missing out on. I have thumb buttons/extra buttons programmed to copy, paste, delete, winkey + e to open an explorer window, ctrl + t for new tab, and also a key combination to switch my active window to my other monitor so I can quickly move stuff between them without having to click and drag.

Since you're working from home and don't have to worry about bothering other people, I'd definitely buy a nice mechanical keyboard. They're a dream to type on. I used to have an office to myself so I bought one and I miss it dearly now that I'm in a cubicle. In my opinion, well worth the expense.

Again since you're not in an office you could get a nice speaker. Bluetooth to keep the cord clutter down but really anything works. You can go budget or big here.

If you're a whiteboard person, a whiteboard to hang on the wall.

Definitely yes to the dock. I have one here at my office and it's so flipping nice being able to plug in one thunderbolt cable and keep the clutter contained to the back of my desk behind my monitors with the dock.

I'd probably buy a nice standing or desk light that still uses filament bulbs to make it warm/easy on the eyes. Ample lighting. And probably a plant or two just to make it look nice and feel good being there.

That's all I can think of. Can you tell I'm living vicariously through you? I know you said must haves, so if I were going to buy the above in order, it would be monitors > dock > mouse > blue yeti snowball > mic stand > camera > camera stand

So assuming that all normal PC components are included (PC, display, keyboard, mouse), as well as monitors or headphones, this is what I'd do:

DAW: Cakewalk by Bandlab [FREE]

• Having a DAW should really be the first thing you look at. I don't use Cakewalk personally but I've tried it and for the price, it's unbeatable.
  
  Interface: BEHRINGER UMC22[$59]
  
  
• A very affordable interface with the very good MIDAS preamp. Great value for all of your initial interface needs.
  
  Mic: Audio-Technica AT2020 [$99]
  
  
• Again, a very affordable, but decent, mic. As it's a large diaphragm condenser, it's extremely versatile and will sound great on everything from guitar to vocals.
  
  MIDI Controller: Alesis VMini [$49]
  
  
• For the budget, you'd only need a basic midi controller and Alesis is a tried and true brand in this price segment.
  
  VSTs/Plugins:
  I'd try to get by using as many free VSTs, as well as what's included in Cakewalk. Here's a list of decent free stuff that'd get you started:
  
  Guitar amp sims: LePuo free collection [FREE]
  
  
• LePou is really the gold standard of free guitar plugins. With a bit of tweaking, they sound great. I'd definitely pair them with the TSE Audio TS-808 tubescreamer (also free).
  
  Drum sim: MT Power Drum Kit [FREE]
  
  
• A Steven Slate-style drum VST with good samples and a decent groove editor. For the price, you can't go wrong.
  
  Other plugins:
  
  
• For synths, effects and other plugins, VST4FREE is your friend. They have a great selection of free stuff.
  
  Assuming your PC is relatively recent and has enough horsepower to run a production suite, and you have monitors/headphones that are fine for mixing, this would be a great place to start out. Also, even after buying extras like cables, mic stands, pop filters etc, I'd say you have about $200-250 left for whatever genre specific stuff you'd want - whether it be a used guitar, a second mic (such as the Shure SM57 [$95]) or a second hand hardware synthesizer, for instance.

I'm /u/whitefeather14's friend. If it's solely for headphones and you're not looking to spend a lot, then I would strongly recommend something by Fiio. I have an older one, the FiiO E7. They don't sell this one anymore, but they have a newer one called the FiiO E70k. I haven't personally used it, but I can only assume it's like mine but better.

If it's a little more than you want to spend, then I'd look at the Q1. I've heard good things about these as well.

These are nice, because they double as a USB dac and a portable headphone amplifier. Which means if you're traveling or something you can plug your phone into it and still get the amplifier out of it, no need for a USB source.

If that doesn't interest you, then there's the FiiO K1, which is just a USB DAC, and does not have an analog 3.5mm input, only the micro USB.

Now, understand that any of these aren't going to be the greatest DAC ever. Sub $100 is pretty cheap for a DAC, and I'm pretty sure these are all 24-bit, with 32-bit being more or less the best you can get (There's some debate on whether or not you can hear a difference, but that's entirely a different conversation.)

If you do want something a little more pricey and nice, the Schiit Modi DAC and Magni amp are really quite nice. They also have a Amp/DAC combination for $80 which I haven't heard anything about, but Schiit is pretty good.

The one /u/whitefeather14 said is a PreSonus AudioBox USB. You probably don't want this, as it is primarily an audio interface for recording instruments and microphones, and isn't a dedicated DAC, though the DAC is pretty nice, and as a bonus has a 1/4in headphone out as well as two 1/4in outs for L/R powered speakers, such as studio monitors, if that's of any benefit for you.

As for the SMSL one you posted, I have also heard good things about that one, though it's a desktop unit and does not have an analog 3.5mm input.

Let me know if you have any questions, I'm happy to help.

I have always wanted to have a "smart" radio. My parents have always owned various Pioneer, Kenwood, and Sony radio decks, but they always had their cons to them (clunky OS, different type of touch screens that suck, lack of features, very expensive $800-$2000), useless features, etc.). I wanted something that runs Android 6.0+. I thought about using iPads, but I didn't want to waste a bunch of money for something that is going to be used in my car only. I wanted a budget friendly "smart" radio. That is when I found the perfect tablet, the Nexus 7 2013. Cheap, powerful, Android 6, compact, somewhat thin and small, and best part, it fits in a double-din radio deck.

After finding various projects that people have used, I decided to order a bunch of stuff from Amazon (everything was bought with Prime) and see if I could get this to work. It took about 3 weeks to work out all the bugs, but it runs perfect now. I never found anyone that did this mod in a Nissan Pathfinder, so that was difficult going on my own, reading various wiring diagrams and getting power, sound and steering wheel controls to work. After lots of testing each wire, and lots of trial and errors, everything is working how I want it too.

Questions that people have asked me that I can remember on the top of my head:

Q: How do you turn the tablet on and off if the power button is blocked?

A: Easy, with Timur's Kernel, and the USB car charger hooked up to the accessory power, when I turn my key on/start my car, the tablet detects power from the USB, which wakes the screen/powers on. (ELI5: there are 2 power sources in your radio, a constant 12 volt power, and an accessory key power. So when you turn the key to ACC or ON, it gives power to the tablet, but when you turn the key off, it takes away power from the USB port.)

Q: How does it hold up in the wonderful California heat?

A: Shockingly very well. It hasn't given me any issues in ~95F (+35C) degree weather. There was a day where it was 115F (46C) degrees outside, and that is when the tablet finally said NOPE and started locking up and freezing due to the ridiculous heat. After running my AC for a few minutes, it cooled the tablet down to reasonable temperature and ran normally again. When my car is parked, I have a windshield sun shade that helps a ton with keeping the sun off my black/gray dash, and/or microfiber towels over the screen to keep the sun off. If it's super hot, I just take the tablet/radio/air conditioner part out of my car and bring it inside (not that hard to remove).

Q: How do you control the volume?

A: With the JoyCon EXC, it translates either CAN, IBUS, resistive, or digital steering wheel control signals, to USB keyboard signals that the tablet can see. I have the Joycon setup to have Volume UP/DOWN, Screen ON/OFF, PAUSE/PLAY, and PREVIOUS/NEXT. Click here for more information.

Q: How do you listen to the radio/music?

A: Spotify Premium. While I can spend ~$10 on a radio antenna to USB to listen to over-the-air radio stations, I never listen to the radio. When I had my old stock radio, I never listened to the radio part. I always used my 3.5mm jack to plug in my phone for Spotify. Great perk about being a broke college student is getting 50% off Spotify Premium.

Q: Can you/do you watch TV or movies on it while you drive?

A: I can, but I don't. Pay attention to the freakin' road.

Q: How do you get internet on it since it's a WiFi version?

A: I use my Bluetooth hotspot on my phone to get internet for Waze, Google Maps, etc. I can also use the WiFi hotspot, but that uses more power. I can drive from California to Idaho running Waze the whole way and it uses about ~300MB of data.

Q: Can you make phone calls with it?

A: This has been something I have been trying, but have not had success with yet. I use an app called [TabletTalk] (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apdroid.tabtalk&hl=en), but it doesn't push the microphone/sound through the tablet. I gave up on this since I have a Samsung Gear 2 Neo smartwatch that has a microphone/speaker on it. Some day I will explore with this more.

Q: How do you power your speakers if you removed the radio?

A: I lucked out big time with this issue because my Nissan Pathfinder has the Bose System built in. That means that there's an amplifier already installed that powers the speakers. So the tablet sends the sound to the Behringer UCA202 DAC, that then converts to a 3.5mm headphone jack that then splits into the Left Front/Rear, Right Front/Rear, and dual subwoofer channels that go to the car wiring harness that then goes to the amp. This saves me hundreds of dollars. For vehicles without a stock amplifier that rely on the radio for power, that is when you will need to buy an amplifier to power the speakers. My 12 inch subwoofer also plugs into the DAC and works perfectly.

Q: I see the reverse camera, how did you get that to work with the tablet? How does the tablet know when you are in reverse?

A: There were 2 ways to get this to work, one way is by video detection, or the other way is by the JoyCon EXC. I chose to do the video detection way because it was simpler and waiting about one second for the app to open was fine with me. I use an app called EasyCap viewer.

Q: Why is there paper over the JoyCon, EasyCap, USB charger etc.?

A: The plastic pieces over the EasyCap and USB charger were bulky/broken. The JoyCon didn't come with a cover. Paper was the easiest/closest thing I had at the moment. If only I had a 3D printer. Someday..

Q: Why is the mic in the vent and not somewhere else? Doesn't the wind from the HVAC cause problems?

A: It was a last-second add-on and just put it in there without having to rewire the harness. I also didn't know where to move it that made it look "stock". I've gotten some great opinions on where to move it! Thanks for those!

I'll add more common questions here when I think of them.

Breakdown of Parts:

Price | Part
---|---
$100 | Nexus 7 2013 32GB WiFi (flo) (bought from /r/hardwareswap)
$5 | Nissan Radio Wiring Harness
$6 | AmazonBasics 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub
$20 | Esky EC135-05 Rearview Camera
$95 | JoyCon EXC
$7 | Tendak OTG USB cable
$30 | Behringer UCA202
$7 | VideoSecu Amplified CCTV Microphone
$25 | Timur's Kernel v4.0 for Nexus 7 2013
$10 | Maxboost Car Charger
Free/Other/Already owned | EasyCap USB Video Capture Card, RCA cables, 3.5mm audio cables, USB cables, 12-16 AWG wire, grinder, zipties, paper, hotglue, other random stuff.
TOTAL COST | ~$305

TL;DR: Modified my Android tablet to work as a replacement for my radio. Worth it? YES. Best Radio Ever.

Have Questions? Ask away. Since I had to learn most this crap on my own, I can share my experience with others and give pointers in the right direction.

EDIT #1: Formatting.

EDIT #2: RIP my inbox. I would never have guessed this would get this popular. I'm just speechless. Wow. Thanks everyone! Trying my best to reply to everyone! Also added another question to this.

Hey, I kinda know this feeling. For a while, I'd wake up, look at my home-studio setup, and think "wow, all my shit is broken." My mic cables would hiss, my bass had a hum that I couldn't explain, guitar needed new strings, computer kept overheating...no fun. The solution was to get better XLR cables (not the cheap Chinese ones I had), replace the 9 volt in my bass/get a better instrument cable (other one had electrical tape everywhere), and use effects more conservatively.

And I understand the frustration with not having money for gear. I couldn't afford an interface for a while, so I tried singing into my digital point-and-shoot camera. I had to literally scream to be heard, and it sucked. Yeah, great musicians can rock terrible gear, but the gear you have has to at least, you know...work.

What I'd do is work, busk, or play open mics, and buy a midi controller of some type. Maybe something like this.

Hook it up to Reaper (very similar to ProTools, costs $60 for a license, but is like Winrar in that you can use it for free indefinitely.) Look up tutorials on YouTube to learn it, plus read the manual (it's basically the Reaper Bible, and it's huge). Also, the Reaper Forums and Reaper sub-reddit are great for specific troubleshooting.

Get some VSTs (plugins) to experiment with synth sounds and effects. Alchemy Player is free, Tyrell N6 is free, and Bedroom Producers Blog has hundreds of others. Uproar24 is a great YouTube channel for hearing VST demos, and usually feature all the ones from Bedroom Producers Blog.

I've copied this a few times, but I think it's helpful, so I'll share it. It's a list of some of my favorite free synths and whatnot:

• Tyrell N6
  
• Synth 1
  
• Keyzone
  
• CVPiano
  
• VS Upright 1
  
• Kontakt 5 Player
  
• Magix Independence Free
  
• Alchemy Player
  
• DSK VSTis
  
• C700 - perfect SNES chip replica
  
• Magical 8-bit
  
• Micromoon
  
• GTG 44 S
  
• Elektrostudio VSTi pack
  
• Proteus
  
• Saturn V
  
• COMBO V
  
• VL-122
  
• VB3 Tonewheel Organ
  
• SuperTron 2
  
• TAL - Bassline
  
• TAL - Elek7ro
  
• TAL - Noisemaker
  
• Cannabis Vocoder
  
  For simple drums, TS-808 will get you some nice 808 sounds (obviously). If you're willing to learn how to work a drum sampler, though, your options will be much bigger. You load up the sample files into the sampler, and then assign them to keys/pads on your controller to play them. Easiest free one I've found is Short Circuit.
  
  
  And here's a great place for drum samples to use in Short Circuit or a sampler of your choice. Over 300 sample-packs, all contributions from site visitors, all legal, all good quality.
  
  If you're lacking inspiration, The Recording Revolution and Brian Eno's "oblique strategies" have always been helpful to me.
  
  Oh. And some tips on recording in an apartment (I record in a noisy downtown place): make as much of it electric as possible. Play an electric guitar through an interface with a digital amp, DI bass, play synth, use headphones instead of monitors...basically try to get it all into a computer. Acoustic instruments usually require mics (which will also pick up traffic, sirens, and noisy neighbors) and are probably loud enough to annoy somebody. You can still do it, but it's usually really annoying in a busy area. Put off mic stuff as long as you can and then record those parts in the small window when noise is at its lowest. If it's impossible, fuck it. Just write songs that incorporate the noise and consider it ambiance.
  
  So hopefully this gives you a good place to start.
  
  

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i7-6700K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor | $359.99 @ Micro Center
CPU Cooler | Noctua NH-D15 82.5 CFM CPU Cooler | $104.99 @ Newegg
Motherboard | Asus Z170 PRO GAMING ATX LGA1151 Motherboard | $140.00
Memory | PNY Anarchy 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory | $72.99 @ Newegg
Storage | Samsung 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $77.88 @ OutletPC
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $49.98 @ OutletPC
Video Card | MSI GeForce GTX 970 4GB Twin Frozr V Video Card | $329.99 @ NCIX US
Case | Fractal Design Arc XL ATX Full Tower Case | $105.99 @ SuperBiiz
Power Supply | EVGA 850W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $105.98 @ Newegg
Optical Drive | LG WH16NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer | $49.88 @ OutletPC
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 OEM (64-bit) | $141.98 @ OutletPC
Mouse | Razer DeathAdder 2013 Wired Optical Mouse | $39.99 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $1579.64
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-12-14 18:34 EST-0500 |

CPU : Intel Skylake i7-6700k. Unlocked, overclockable. Technically, you can get a locked i7-6700 and overclock it using BCLK only, but you are not on a tight budget, and that feature is not ready yet. In any case, for best results, you use both BCLK and multiplier to overclock. Another option is to get Haswell Refresh, older CPU architecture, its not really that much worse, and way cheaper. But Skylakes are very energy efficient. At stock, it will run cold, especially with that cooler.

Cooler ; Noctua D15. Best air cooler that exists on this planet. Is better than most AIO water coolers, and much more silent. Check the reviews if you don't believe me. Can't go wrong with it.

RAM : 16GB DDR4, with option to add 16 more for total of 32 later on.

MB : Asus Z170 ROG series. Has surprisingly good on-board audio, so you don't really need a sound card. Has USB 3.1, m.2 . Supports SLI/Crossfire. 4x SATA ports, 1xSATA Express, 1x m.2.

GPU : GTX 970, the MSI model. You wanted power efficienty, and GTX 970 is extremely cool for the amount of power it delivers. It can run any game at 1080p 60fps with settings close to max, while producing 2x less heat than its competitor, R9 390. Also, MSI model is extremely silent, good for overclocking and has 0db feature, which means that when it is idling, like when you watch movies or do work, it will turn off its fans, relying on passive cooling from the airflow inside the case. Fans only start spinning once it exceeds 60c, and in games, under full load, it floats around 70-75c. I have this exact GPU, its really good for someone who seeks good performance but wants silence and low temperatures as well.

Case : I am not really proficient in fancy cases, with leds and all. Always preferred sleek, modest and fucntional ones. So, I put in Fractal Design Full-ATX case, which is exactly that. You can get whichever.

PSU : EVGA G2 850w. Made by SuperFlower actually. Extremely reliable, and silent. Modular.

Storage ; 250GB SSD and 1TB HDD. SSD is 850 EVO. Again, from personal experience - excellent SSD, uses SATA, and its not that far behind m.2 SSD - honestly, SATA SSD are already so fast, that you only see the difference between m.2 and SATA in benchmarks.

Also, threw in a gaming mouse, the Razer DeathAdder. Its reliable and has good sensor.

CPU+MB are MicroCenter bundle, in-store pickup only.

I am not proficient in Webcams, I use some cheap Logitech one. But I imagine that for 100$, they all good. I can recommend Logitech ones, because their drivers never gave me any issues.

As far as sound cards - the on-board audio on that Z170 is actually quite good. For professional sound work, like doing voice overs, you are better off with a good audio interface. I recommend Scarlett 2i2.

Out of curiosity - why do you want 8GB VRAM?

EDIT : Put in the wrong MB by mistake. Fixed now.

I dont know if you plan to be on pc or mac. If its pc then fruity loops as others said with machine is a great place to start. If your on mac, which FL is still not available in full size i dont believe, ableton is a great program. I use ableton for everything i do, plus its great for live performance to which i think it has the edge over fl for. Its really easy to learn to. I switched from FL to Ableton and it took me about 3 hours to get re- acclimated. Theres a 100 dollar basic package for ableton if you want to buy it. Otherwise just pirate the full software package tbh. Also alot of DAW have free demos you can download just to get a feel and look. Sometimes the interface is enough to turn you off (as reason which is great did for me). Other DAWs that you can look into are Reason, Cubase, bitwig (which is new and is kind of a combo between ableton and fl) and then also apple's Logic X. logic X, if you plan to but your DAW is great bc i think its only 200 bucks which is a great price and it does alot. Idk how great it is for hip hop style of music but i doubt its "bad". It definitely has its strength in production of house music though, but learn enough and the world, or the DAW rather, is your playground. As for midi, maschine is awesome, but there are some cheap and portable midi controllers that combine pads and keys. I use the akai mpk mini mkii and i love it. I can fit it in my backpack and use it for everything i need at home as well, although i do have a full size keyboard that i use sometimes. That little beauty runs at 100 bucks. Good luck with it man! Remember though, some of the most famous artists out there started out on the shitiest equipment available. So really what its about is getting your hands on whatever you can and just having fun with it. Good luck!!
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_BuJ8wbT2W64GE

Why are there still fake-real knobs and such? Because.....

There was a long time where analog was it. It's all there was. 4, 8, 12, 16 track analog recorders. Behemoths of recording consoles. If GWA existed somehow in that day, we would all own little 2-track recorders, a small mic pre-amp unit, and a microphone. And you'd maybe have an analog EQ and compressor, big physical units that looked like this.

So when everything went digital, a decision was made. To preserve brand identity and user familiarity, they copied the physical unit into a digital VST application. Compare This real world Shadow Hills Compressor unit with The Shadow Hills Compressor Plug-in.

There isn't any reason beyond that. There is reasons to choose analog or digital, but not to have a UI reminiscent of analog units.


As far as heaphones go, I'll take you through what I own, and what I use most.

Sennheiser HD 650

Sennheiser HD6 MIX

These were gifts through a brief endorsement deal I had, and I run these through this headphone amplifier

For higer-end earbuds, I use Sennheiser IE 60's and Sennheiser IE 80's. These I primarily use for simple editing on the go, giving to performers to use on stage or using myself on stage, or for women tracking vocals or instruments who don't want to mess up their hair with big over-the-head headphones.

But, my most used setup, what has become my dream setup, and the one that I will always reach for first, is far from the priciest.

Sennheiser HD 280 Pro, run out of the computer through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2.

This is my favorite setup. The 280 Pro's are $100, the Scarlett is around $150. The headphones are crystal clear, have tight response all through the spectrum, are rugged enough to get chucked the fuck around, are comfy, and come with a great quality screw-on adapter so they able to be used into a 1/4" connection or a standard 1/8" headphone jack. Their impedance means they don't need an amp and can be used as normal headphones. They sound JUST as good as pairs ten times their price, and they have a certain special something to their super-low end and high-mids that I haven't found. Go get these today. Trust me.

The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 isn't used as an amplifier in this case, since the 280's don't need it. It serves as a USB feed out, with a nice little volume knob. USB out will always trump 1/8" headphone jack out audio. Plus, the 2 inputs are nice to have. I own two of these units, and one always travels with my laptop for an easy, portable solution for HQ audio monitoring, easy L-R in recording from a sound board, or easy audio out from my laptop.

Together, these things have a certain magic, and I don't have to break my bank or handle them like china dolls. They're both rugged and sound AMAZING.

EDIT: I forgot my in-ear molded earphones. I own a pair of Alclair Reference IEM's. They are a great price, sound incredible for stage or studio, and I got mine with wood backs and DAMN are they sexy.

i have this little amp with some small book shelf speakers and i love it http://www.amazon.com/Upgraded-LP-2020A-Lepai-Amplifier-Shipping/dp/B00FOK6974/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1405229745&sr=1-5&keywords=hifi+mini+amp best 20 bucks spent

and these are the small speakers i use to check mixes out in the living room and sometimes just to enjoy some tunes while cooking (condo, living room or kitchen? the lines blur),.they sound fair for the price
http://www.amazon.com/PLMR24-3-5-Inch-Weather-Speaker-System/dp/B001CXXDBM/ref=pd_sim_MI_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=12SZHXF0FR2DA98B7T3Y with a separate amp you can always upgrade the speakers.

these are 3 way but a little less cheap http://www.amazon.com/Dual-LU43PW-Indoor-Outdoor-Speakers/dp/B000A5S926/ref=pd_cp_e_0.

when it comes to near fields, to do actual pro work, for a good price, i went with the blue sky exo2.1 , they are full range with the sub, shielded because they are made for the desk, no bass reflex port on the satellites (the sound from the port holes comes out delayed, bad for mixing, unless very well engineered) and the woofer has separate control so you can turn it down because small rooms amp up the low end, all for for 500 bills (the price to value ratio is great, no doubt). if you find them used, the price is even lower. blue sky products are legit and you will have no need to buy monitors for a long, long time. i would save up, like 20 bucks every other day or so and in no time, you will have a legit, full range monitoring system that will gets even better with a little room treatment. all i know is "buy cheap, buy twice" http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/eXo2/

next is the equator d5 with dsp. i have not heard these live yet, but sometimes they are on sale direct from equator and they seem great on paper for the price http://www.equatoraudio.com/D5-Coaxial-Studio-Monitors-p/d5.htm but since i have not heard them like i have with my blue skies, i cant be anecdotal. here is a sound on sound review for a pro break down of their performance http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec12/articles/equator-d5.htm

and if you want to save money and have a truly great output to feed any monitor for 50 bucks, try the hifime diy sabre dac http://www.amazon.com/HiFiMeDIY-Digital-Analog-Converter-Optical/dp/B00AOH5JTQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405237210&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=hifi+diy+dac, i using it now in between digital to analog converter upgrades and if you plug right out of the usb port on the computer (no hubs) it sounds great, like really even compared to dac's in several price ranges above. read the first review, http://www.amazon.com/review/RIXL3WSR02G6/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00AOH5JTQ you will get a little smarter about digital analog converters. its one of the best reviews on amazon i have ever had the pleasure to read, and check out the users other reviews, he does a few headphone units comparing their price to performance ratio and will blow you away with his technical know how and fluid writing style. like the one on the Beyerdynamic DT-990-Pro: http://www.amazon.com/review/R2BUTFCE473Q9V/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm

i dont know much about recording gear, as im mostly a listener, i use an adc/dac from behringer and it sounds decent for 30 bucks and no drivers http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA222-U-Control-Ultra-Low-Downloadable/dp/B0023BYDHK/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1405238098&sr=1-2&keywords=behringer+dac
sounds better than a tascam i had, that was overbuilt and 3-4 times the price. i choose this not be cheap, my focus is just on listening, it was what i wanted.

sorry about the long post but i dont half ass my posts. its like playing those brain training apps for me but not boring and actually productive/practical. take care. my hands are injured, so im not bothering with punctuation and formatting!

Continuing the answer, /u/talbayne:

As mentioned above, XLR is a way to get super clear sound - more than USB.
The reason for this, is because the hardware converting the analog (actual) sound waves to digital input, called Analog-to-Digital-Convert (ADC), is better in a preamp, than inside the a usb-microphone... Or at least they used to be.

The ADC is actually just a small chip - or a part of a small chip - which are inside a regular computer chip. They have a number of input pins to register to register the sound from the actual microphone, as seen on this picture of a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 - the bigger, black chip, reading XMOS upside down.

16 of those small pins come from the first XLR-input, and 16 from the second. This is because it's a 16-bit preamp, which you can also see from this screenshot.

Now - these ADCs used to require quite a certain amount of power, but do no longer. They can now be powered by 5 volts (to convert to 48 volts) - the output of a USB-port. Or... at least some of them can, and quite a few of them do a pretty decent job.

----
Time for examples in the USB-section:

• The Røde NT-USB ($169) review.
  
  I have a friend who uses this, and I have a hard time not hearing it being just as good as my own microphone (longer down the list).
  
  
• Bill Dewees talks about the Apogee MiC 96k ($20).
  
  That man knows his shit - pro dude, who makes 4k a week doing voice over.
  
  
• The Excelvan BM-800 ($25) is in the opposite price range. How can this cheap thing work? Well, like the XLR-microphones it needs what's called phantom power, which is 48 volts - this comes pretty cheap ($20)... or you plug it into your desktop (laptop won't work, I've read).
  
  
• The Blue Snowball Ice ($45) being compared to a few others.
  
  This one is extremely popular with YouTubers - for a good reason.
  
  ----
  
  Well, that's all good and nice, but what about the XLR options?
  
  When you go XLR, you need a preamp, which provides the 48 volts I described before - also known as phantom power.
  
  If you'd asked one year ago I'd say 'get the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2', but that was what I knew worked.
  Today you have two other options (from the same company):
  
  
• Scarlett Solo - $99.
  
  I takes only one input - but you only have one microphone, right? It converts upto 24 bits (where as my own only goes to 16 bit).
  
  
• Scarlett 2i2 (gen 2) - $149.
  
  This takes two inputs, so when you plugin your guitar you get a separate channel for each... It is also 24 bit, where as my gen 1 is only 16 bit.
  
  Are there others? Yes - plenty, but I don't know them.
  
  -----
  
  So microphones with XLR?
  
  
• I have a Røde NT1 (as a kit) for $269.
  
  
• The Blue Yeti Pro ($245) are spoken of as the next step up from its little brother (USB-microphone, mentioned above).
  
  
  Steep price for a starter, right? Well, the sound from it is not too bad, and this is where you need to remember what I wrote in my previous post - Your clients want clear sound. You can get clear sound from the USB-devices as well, but there will still be some quality loss between them. Decide for yourself what you want, and how much you want to spend on it.
  This list can go on forever, but it's getting late right now, so I'll holdt that here.
  
  ----
  
  I talked about sound treatment, yes?
  
  
• /u/sureillrecordthat has a great YouTube channel, where he posted a "booth" to record in (hear the actual recording at about 13:03.
  
  
• If you don't have a walk-in closet, you can do as I already posted and make sure you cover the microphone from reflected sound waves.
  
  
• If that's not an option, put up cheap panels to absorb the sound waves. They work SO DAMN WELL.
  
  Best of luck with your adventure :)

Any basic recording interface would do, you usually just need an available USB port on your computer to plug it in. You can find them used for $50+, but the most popular go-to is the Focusrite Scarlett.

I recommend getting an interface with at least two channels. You may only ever use one channel if all you ever do is record your bass, but having a spare channel is always nice, for example if you are wanting to record live with a friend, or if you want to sing/play at the same time, or if you want to split a stereo signal into two mono channels, etc.

For good quality recordings you basically need a recording interface, a DAW (digital audio workstation), a computer, and an instrument.

A DAW is basically a digital studio that will allow you to lay down tracks, mix, add effects, and a whole lot more. It can be a bit daunting at first, but just keep things simple, there are a TON of features I hardly ever use in my DAWs, so don't make it too hard on yourself.

The Focusrite comes with Ableton Live Lite, which is perfectly capable for a wide range of needs and will cover all the basics. If you find later on that you want more out of your DAW then check out something like Reaper. Reaper is cool because it has a free trial that never expires (it will nag you from time to time), but if you like it then I recommend purchasing a license for $60. It's an amazingly powerful DAW for the price (not affiliated in any way, I actually use Logic Pro X, but that's a bit more pricey).

Pair your new studio with a *cheap MIDI keyboard and you'll have almost unlimited creative potential.

It's amazing how powerful this stuff is now-a-days. Back in the pure analog days all this power would have cost tens of thousands of dollars (maybe even hundreds), and now you can have it all for $150 or less.

I highly recommend people getting into recording, there are a TON of uses for it outside of just making music. I use mine constantly for practicing and reviewing my playing, which has done a ton to accelerate my progress.

To be honest, It really depends on what your budget is. If you have a $10,000 budget my recommendations are going to change drastically compared to if you have say, a $400 budget.

Assuming you want to keep price pretty low but still want pretty nice quality I recommend the following.

• Microphone: Audio-Technica AT2020. It's a good mic for the price and most people start out on something like this or something similar. It delivers a good enough sound that you'll be happy with the results, especially considering how cheap it is.
  
  
• Interface: Focusrite Scarlette Solo, This has kind of become the industry standard for beginner interfaces. It's a clean, simple interface. You hook it up to your computer, plug in your mic, adjust the volume and you're good to go.
  
  
• Software: I personally started on Logic Pro X, If you have a Mac, I HIGHLY recommend it. Fantastic DAW, Arguably the next best thing to the industry's standard which is Pro Tools. Although it doesn't really matter what DAW you use. Most of them do the exact same thing, Just with different work flows.
  
  
• Headsets: This doesn't matter that much. Find a pair of studio reference headphones in your price range and learn them like the back of your hand. Listen to tons of music on them, as much as you can. Some headphones boost certain frequencies and it's important you know what frequencies it's boosting so when you're mixing you dont add too much or too little of said frequency in.
  
  My one tip to anybody beginning is learn to mix and experiment. You can have a shitty mic and a shitty interface, but if you can mix well, You can make 90% of things sound at least decent and that's all that really matters in music. If you make a song that's a banger but it's not mixed that great, people will still listen to it. If you have a shitty song that's mixed by a world class engineer, nobody is going to listen to it. Don't get caught up in making sure everything sounds amazing, Just work and be creative.

I've heard of their 3020, but supposedly the Concept 20 is the same driver in a different cabinet? The What HiFi review makes it sound like the cabinet alone is worth the price difference. That could be true, but I am not going to rely on their word for it. I think it would be best if you could arrange for an audition or, better still, buy them with a good return policy so you can send them back if you are not satisfied with them. This is the most reliable way you could test out 2 speakers because you know best what is important for you. As for bass, it is also part of the music and I feel a faithful reproduction is essential to the experience. I do not own a subwoofer myself because I am satisfied with my MB Quart 490 and their 7.5" woofer. The bass is present but not overpowering at all and it makes all the difference when listening to Pink Floyd or The Coup.

Anyway, what I meant was the audio files will be converted from digital to analog at one point. In your case, it would be the PC's onboard solution. Now, depending on your PC, your onboard solution could be great or it could suck (distortion/constant hum etc.) ! To get around this some people use the digital output on their PC (USB/HDMI/Optical) and the conversion is performed using another device. Since usually stereo amplifiers do not have any way of accepting digital input, the go-to choice is a separate DAC like Fiio D03K / Behringer UCA202. Some people also a get a headphone DAC like Fiio E10K because they need a portable amp for their headphone in addition to a DAC. Others may need more than just a DAC - for example there could be a need to take the HDMI input and send the video to a TV and the audio to speakers. This is where a receiver comes in. A receiver is basically an amp + many more options for inputs, but it could be overkill if you only need a DAC. Used receivers could be cheap, though, and they are quite popular because of the input options you get. Goes without saying that you may not need a separate DAC at all, but just something to consider.

Phew! Hope that helps! :)

My suggestion assumes you already have FL Studio, a capable PC, and $100 to spend on a MIDI keyboard, specifically the Akai MPK Mini mkII because it's widely available and has a little bit of everything for you to learn with. I'm also assuming you have 4-8 hours everyday to spend on production-related things and that you'll use all of that time.

Day 1: Become familiar with the general layout of FL Studio.

• Rearrange the buttons at the top of the screen (right click>edit) so that the things you'll use the most (playlist, channel rack, mixer, piano roll, audio editor) are all in one row.
  
  
• Plug in your MIDI keyboard and configure it in options>MIDI settings to get it working with FL Studio.
  
  
• Open FPC and learn how to map your drum pads to it, and also how to route them to their own mixer channels.
  
  
• Learn how to link the knobs on your MIDI keyboard to the ones in FL Studio.
  
  
• Learn to color-code your sounds in the playlist/channel rack/mixer. It sounds relatively unimportant but it's one of the most important things.
  
  Days 2-10: Get acquainted with your keyboard and drum pads.
  
  
• Label the keys on your keyboard. Start with a piece of scotch tape on each key, then write the letters over the tape, then put another piece of tape over the writing so you don't wipe it off while playing. It's tedious but you only have to do it once, and having that visual aide can be helpful in numerous ways.
  
  
• Learn some scales and chords; D and G scales are a good place to start for making hip-hop beats but there are no actual rules about it, so do whatever sounds good to you.
  
  
• Find a scale you like and play it until you can do it with your eyes closed, then play it with your eyes closed until you can start to improvise with it. Play it forward and backward, then try playing it but skip every other note. Playing every other note in a scale can help you find chords and build your own chord progressions instead of Googling one and boxing yourself in with it every time you go to make something.
  
  
• In FPC, create your own drum layout or find one online that makes sense to you. Once you've made or found one you can jam with, save it as an FPC preset and stick with it so you build muscle memory toward it. Change the sounds, but never the layout.
  
  
• Start putting together a beat for the sake of learning, because you'll need it for the next phase.
  
  Days 10-15: Learn about common mixer effects, and practice applying them to a variety of sounds. This includes but is not limited to:
  
  
• Compression
  
  
• EQ
  
  
• Reverb
  
  
• Delay
  
  
• High Pass/Low Pass Filters
  
  
• Distortion
  
  There are stock plugins for all of those effects in FL Studio, so you'll at least be able to mess with those.
  
  Days 15-20: Learn Automation. It is a key part of adding motion and life to your tracks.
  
  Days 20-30: Make some beats, and try to use as much of your knowledge as you can in every beat. Don't take more than a day or two to finish each one, because at the beginning it's most important to repeat all of the aforementioned steps until you get to a point where you can sit down and work without thinking too hard about the technical process.
  
  The day numbers are irrelevant because everyone learns at a different pace, but that's the order you should do things, in my opinion.
  
  A few side notes:
  
  
• At some point you should get some new sounds (drum kits, VSTs, mixer effects) and the better you are at pirating things, the more you'll have available to you, so I suggest learning the basics of torrenting as well if you're not rich or above it.
  
  
• If you end up with a bunch of different drum kits, make a folder for all the drums you use the most so you don't have to look for them every time. Do everything you can to minimize the amount of time you spend setting up or finding things, so you maximize the time you spend on the creative process.
  
  
• The Akai Mini is a good starter keyboard, but eventually you should upgrade to one with 49 keys so you can play a wider range with both hands and learn more advanced piano/keyboard techniques. When you get to that point, I highly recommend the Akai MPK249 because it would also be an upgrade to your drum pads and give you MIDI faders to automate things with as well.
  
  Hope this helps, even if it's not exactly what you were hoping for.

Not a problem at all! Glad to help in any ways I can!

When you are done editing sections of a video together you then have to render the video to stitch all the pieces together and make it a final video. Some of the cheaper video editors don't offer GPU accelerated rendering, so it relies completely on your CPU for the rendering. GPU accelerated rendering allows the software to use your CPU and GPU to render videos, opening up the software to a lot more power. I recently switched from Hitfilm 2 Express (no GPU acc rendering) to Sony Movie Studios 13 Platinum (GPU accelerated rendering) and reduced my renderign time by 75%. A video that would normally have taken me 8 hours (yes that is right) to render now takes 2 hours. The upload to Youtube will depend on the file size after rendering and your internet connection.

I would outline exactly what you want to start with and look at your options. If you are only doing newer games (that allow HDMI) then I would go with the HD60. If you (seriously) plan on doing retro consoles that don't allow HDMI then either go for the HD or an emulator. You could also put more money into a really fancy setup that will do both if you want. That is up to you and your budget.

Let's talk a little bit about how microphones work. They have a bit inside them called a transducer which will convert acoustic energy into an analog electrical signal. There are several types of transducer (condenser, dynamic, ribbon, etc) but they all have the same function. The voltage signal you get from the transducer is analog and very low voltage. In order to use that signal for editing and recording it needs to be amplified. A USB microphone is made up of 3 main parts, the transducer, an amplifier, and an analog to digital converter. The analog to digital convert turns the voltages into binary so that it can be transferred through USB to your computer.

An XLR mic does not have an amplifier or an analog to digital converter. It is simple the transducer and usually a few circuits then it outputs an analog signal through an XLR cable. In order to use this signal you need a preamp. There are several options, you could get Mic converter/Preamp which is basically what a USB mic has inside it. You can get a Tube amplifier which will have a MUCH better amplifier in it and a MUCH better analog to digital converter. It also allows you to control the sound a bit as well. You could get a Mixing board which will have a MUCH better amplifier and converter as well, but will also allow you to adjust some of your settings before the sound goes to your computer. They may look scary, but tehy are actually very easy to use.

The main benefit of an XLR setup is better sound, gain control, and the ability to better adjust and control your sound. With a USB mic you usually get a few small adjustments on the mic (if you are lucky) and then that is the sound you get. Everything else must be done in post processing through a computer program. With XLR you can adjust it how you want and leave it like that (or adjust it on the fly) which cuts down on time since you don't have to do audio editing anymore.

Now to the other real benefit: XLR mics have better components. The AT2020 USB is $130 and the AT2020 XLR is $100. However, the USB version has the cost of the amplifier and converter into the price. So what USB mics do is give you a cheaper transducer in order to make up for the extra cost of manufacturing the USB mic. The XLR mics sound better because they have better transducers inside of them. Also, once you have a preamp and an XLR mic and you want to upgrade it will be easier because all you have to do is buy a new XLR mic. If you get a USB mic now and then upgrade to an XLR (like I did) then you have to buy both components later. If you have the money for it, get the XLR setup now.

Hope that explained some of it. I can go further into details if you have more questions.

Hey! I'm a newbie myself [same deal, but got my SX about 3 months ago and haven't gotten much time to practice :/]

- You'll certainly need RCA cables, to connect input sources like turntables or other equipment into the ext source for sampling, and / or outputting your SP404SX audio to speakers other than the headphones output.

​

- if you want to sample from your phone / computer, you can:

1. get a RCA to 3.5 mm adapter cable https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=30902 - this site has great, trustworthy cables
   
   
2. get a RCA input interface (and eventually RCA cables of course) https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA222-BEHRINGER-U-CONTROL/dp/B0023BYDHK
   
   ​
   
   - The sound does come out of the box...via RCA output, or headphone output :P There is no onboard speaker, if that's what you mean :)
   
   ​
   
   - You need separate RCA cables if you want to connect an input source and output source at the same time; up to you. If you're fine with only using the headphones to listen to / make beats, then you don't need one for output. :)
   
   Same with input: if you're ok with sampling from your phone / whatever else by playing the audio into the mic input [which might be great depending on what you're into] instead of external source, or if you're only importing samples from an SD card, you don't need one for input.
   
   Either way, they're cheap and good to have around if you ever want to connect speakers for output, sample from RCA output equipment, etc. :)
   
   ​
   
   - Not sure where you're located, but Micro Center has SD cards for super cheap
   
   https://www.microcenter.com/search/search_results.aspx?Ntk=all&sortby=match&N=4294966791+4294821590
   
   ​
   
   Bonus: Aside from the manual, there's a ton of resources listed on the right of the sub; along with some that helped me:
   
   spvidz; great guy who continually puts out tutorials, tips and tricks for the SX [and other equipment]
   
   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCP2CqbhL7InlgfIRQv9m7_Q
   
   and Chops Magazine SP404SX tutorial playlist
   
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-Q8srdrka4&list=PLsOHfXKpEjzT5jl2U1kaPxCkCuovw3g3h
   
   ​
   
   Hope this helps!

Ok, so you need a mic as well. Alrighty. I'm going to suggest you go a different route than pretty much what everybody else is suggesting. I personally dislike the all in one headsets, especially if they're marketed as "gaming", double especially if they are 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound.

If your priority is actually hearing things in game, and determining direction and such, you are better served with a stereo set that emphasizes the mid range and high end frequencies while de-emphasizing the low end. Low end boosting is an inexpensive way for manufacturers to make a cheap set of cans "sound" expensive, and while it can make movies and some music sound great it's not amazing for gaming.

Here we go with a 100 budget. I'm going to give you a buying list for a standalone set of headphones paired with a separate mic setup:

• Headphones: Superlux 668B - $38. https://www.amazon.com/Superlux-HD668B-Dynamic-Semi-Open-Headphones/dp/B003JOETX8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=superlux&qid=1568577791&sr=8-1
  
  • Open headphones provide a larger soundstage compared to closed back cans. These particular headphones share the same large drivers as the excellent AudioTechnica AD700's, which means you are getting a frequency response targeting the high end and mid range. The directional ability of these headphones can't be beat for under $50, and will challenge $100 to $150 cans.
    
• Microphone: Pyle-Pro PDMIC58 - $14. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003GEBGA0/ref=emc_b_5_t
  
  • I would rather suggest the Behringer xm8500, but that mic's availability hasn't been great recently. If you can find it for regular price (around $20), it's worth the extra few dollars. The Pyle-Pro mic is more than adequate for gaming voice chat though. It will be miles better than any headset mic regardless. And it's also a dynamic mic, which means it will refuse sounds from your room or keyboard or mouse.
    
• Microphone boom arm: InnoGear boom scissor arm - $14. https://www.amazon.com/InnoGear-Microphone-Suspension-Adjustable-Snowball/dp/B01L3LL95O/ref=sr_1_7?crid=2ZTQGVRG0AY74&keywords=mic+boom+arm&qid=1568578206&s=musical-instruments&sprefix=mic+boom%2Cmi%2C174&sr=1-7
  
  • It's a desk mic boom. It stays out of your way while holding the mic in your face. What else do I need to say?
    
• USB XLR audio interface: Two options...
  
  • Inexpensive USB to XLR cable: https://www.amazon.com/Microphone-Tanbin-Converter-Microphones-Instruments/dp/B079DQ9ZPT/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=usb+to+xlr&qid=1568578338&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-4
    
    • This will work just fine and keeps you well under your 100 budget. Which leaves you room for a better mic or different boom arm if you rather. Or maybe even a step up to the AudioTechnica AD500x headphones if wish.
      
  • Behringer UM2: https://www.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-Audio-Interface-1-Channel-UM2/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=sr_1_21?keywords=usb+to+xlr&qid=1568578338&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-21
    
    • This is not necessary, and puts you just over your 100 budget. You do get a bunch more flexibility with it. For instance... you can plug your headphones straight into it. These interfaces tend to have great stereo separation and low noise floor compared to on board motherboard audio. You also get an extra input and nicer mic pre amp. Again not necessary, but well worth the extra $$$ in my opinion.
      
      There you are sir. A flexible solution that can come quite a bit under your budget. You get way better headphones than the gamer marketed ones and a way better and more flexible mic solution as well. Have fun!

Budget - We need to know how much you want to spend. If you can, please also indicate whether your budget is a hard limit, or whether it is flexible. Max budget is 220 with an amp/dac if needed. I'd like to use 3.5mm right from my computer.

Source - What are you plugging these into? 3.5mm Headphone jacks on my computer. Elna audio caps for my motherboard.

Requirements for Isolation - Do you need a lot, some, or none? If you're not sure what isolation is, more isolation will block outside noises, none will not. It's also helpful if you say where you mainly will use your headphones, for instance: At home, outdoors, on public transportation. I'd like these to be closed back. I'd be in my room but still want closed back. I will not use them outside, maybe at LAN parties.

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? No, maybe lan parties.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Do you want IEMs, full-sized, or on-ear? Full sized headphones.

Preferred tonal balance - Are you a basshead, particularly fond of a smooth midrange, strong highs, or do you want an overall balanced pair of headphones? I'd prefer overall balanced and good for games like CSGO, Arma 3, GTA V and overall good for games and music.

Past headphones - What have you used in the past, what did you like about them and what didn't you like about
Preferred Music - What do you listen to? If your music tastes are very esoteric, providing some examples (Youtube links work well) may be of some assistance to your helpers. Used Turtle Beach PX22, like nothing of them at all. I am using Logitech G430s I like the big ear cuffs, how comfy it is. It is very light, a nice cord, plugs into 3.5mm which is a must. Also durable but gets dirty.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - What are you looking for going into your next headphone? More bass? More detail? More treble? Overall better detail and quality. My friend had the M50x and I liked sound but it was not full sized like I want. But I need to add a modmic to it or a Blue Yeti microphone so I'd love for it to be plugged in to it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008POFOHM/ref=s9_simh_gw_g267_i2_r?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-3&pf_rd_r=1H72PDTS3K06XT5QVAZJ&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2084660942&pf_rd_i=desktop how are these? I like them, big, 3.5mm, good sound from what I've read. Also what are recommended cases to hold headphones in?

Ableton is a great DAW and is my preferred software choice for recording/editing.

You can use the TASCAM to capture your performances and transferring those .wav files into Ableton for editing but you'll have a much better experience recording directly into your computer.

You can go a few different routes here. You can pick up an audio interface that accepts an XLR connection for a proper microphone like a Presonus Audiobox and an SM57 which will allow you to capture as good a single channel signal as you can really get outside of a big recording studio.

OR you can go with something cheaper like a Blue Snowball USB microphone. These things actually sound surprisingly good and have multiple settings for directional and omni modes for different situations.

Once you have a way of capturing audio directly into Ableton you can start building up your songs layer by layer. Experiment with things like EQ and compression/delay/etc to make your guitar tracks sound nicer. There are built in patched in Ableton for EQ like "Acoustic Guitar" or "Electric Guitar" and just dragging one of those onto your channel will be a great place to start.

That's a skill in and of itself but you have to start somewhere so start experimenting.

When starting out applying EQ to tracks I'd start this way :

• Solo the track so you're only listening to the single layer
  
  
• Create a single EQ filter with a high Q value so it creates a really sharp and thin "peak" and drag it upwards so it's amplifying a very narrow band of frequencies quite a bit.
  
  
• Drag that "peak" left and right while the audio is playing and listen for something that jumps out at you as unpleasant. Now drag the peak DOWN to bring those frequencies down in the mix to remove whatever harshness you discovered. Bring down the Q value to make that trough a bit wider and smoother.
  
  Do that 3 or 4 times on a channel and you'll have something that sounds a bit nicer. If you do too much it'll sound hollow and empty so make subtle adjustments as much as possible. Don't dump that "bad frequency" all the way to the bottom, just bring it down a little bit so it doesn't jump out at you.
  
  You won't be creating drastically new tones this way, just polishing them so they sound nicer.
  
  Having a good pair of headphones or even some inexpensive studio monitors will also be extremely helpful so you can accurately hear what you're producing.
  
  Use the built-in metronome and record with headphones (so the click doesn't get picked up by the microphone) to keep things tight.
  
  Once you've finished your audio and it's how you like it THEN film your video and just play along with the click. Don't use any audio from the video recording and just pair the two back up in editing.

With a sound card made for studio usage, lag/latency shouldn't be a major issue. Some basic knowledge is required to set it up, but that same knowledge is required for any sort of computer-based recording, so it's easy to come by these days! There's tons of materials about this online, but I'll write a brief summary (not to be considered a tutorial!).
(I'm assuming Windows usage here. For Macs, the default sound card may be good enough -- it was in my 2006 and 2011 Macbook Pros. Apple's Core Audio API is really good for a OS stock one!)

You need a sound card (or: "audio interface") with good ASIO drivers. In practice, that means one that is designed for studio use. That doesn't have to mean anything very expensive, though. The cheapest ones are about $100-120, but a pretty decent one is probably more like $180.
A few examples:
FocusRite Scarlett 2i2 (a 2nd generation is on the way, so I wouldn't recommend this right now. Also, I returned my Scarlett 2i4 due to having issues.)
Roland Quad Capture (the one I use personally)
Presonus AudioBox 22VSL

The sound card you already have might work well enough with the ASIO4ALL driver, in which case you may be able to use the hardware you already have.

Once you have one of those, you install the drivers and set up the ASIO latency or buffer size (different names, same thing) to some low value. You might have to tweak this -- having too low a value will cause dropouts as the computer doesn't have time to apply effects and so on before it's time to move the sound to the speakers.

With that in place, there are a few ways to go. You need some sort of effects (like amplifiers, cabinets, delays, EQs and so on); the easy way to do this is to use some package. I mostly use Guitar Rig for this, but there are plenty of others, such as AmpliTube and Peavey ReValver. There are fully free options as well, e.g. the LePou plugins.

You can use those in several ways. The simplest would be to use a simple audio editor, like Audacity. Another way would be to use a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), i.e. an application used for recording music, with tracks and mixers.
I use REAPER for that, as it's about $60 and I still prefer it to ones that cost ten times as much. Other popular choices are Cubase, Logic (Mac), Pro Tools, and so on.

So, yeah, it's a bit of an involved process... but once you're there, the main difference between playing for fun (to a track or by yourself) and recording an album is clicking the record button before you start playing. :)
As for cost, that really varies. If you're lucky and your sound card works well with ASIO4ALL (or you have a Mac and that works well), you can do this for free. If you need to buy a sound card and want to use the software legally, you might have to pay a few hundred bucks for the combo.

Ok, Thank you. Here is a similar setup to what I use. My personal one is a bit more sophisticated but nonetheless, these items will certainly get you started and aim you in the right direction.

-

Let's start with the Mixer:

Your mixer will be your new interface. Rather than plugging one microphone into your computer you'll plug all your microphones into one mixer which then will be connected to your computer via USB.

Microphone - Mixer - Computer

Here is a good starter at a decent price. It'll be your most expensive single piece of equipment (unless you decide to get top tier microphones). You'll be able to EQ and set levels to each microphone hooked up to the mixer before sending it to Audacity (or Audition, Reaper). You can also hook up more than 3 mics, a guitar, your phone, maybe you want to hook your computer up to it to play a sound, basically anything that sends one signal to another, you'll be able to do it with this and record it.

• Behringer QX1202USB 12-Channel Mixer
  
  -
  
  Next Microphones:
  
  If you're able to hook up a mic cable (XLR) to your Blue Yeti, you can still use that microphone, too. Obviously, switch your polar pattern to cardioid that way it's more directional and doesn't pick up as much room noise. Also, try to point it away from your AC unit. Regardless, since the Blue Yeti is a condenser microphone, it'll pick up more room noise because it's much more sensitive. That's why in broadcast situations you'll always see dynamic microphones such as the Electrovoice RE20 or Shure SM7b. For your own sake, I would do some research on condenser vs dynamic but any website you shop at (or if you go to Guitar Center in person) you can filter microphones by condenser or dynamic. I highly recommend buying yourself 3 dynamic microphones to reduce room noise.
  
  Here are my microphone recommendations:
  
  
• Cheap - Behringer XM8500 - You'll likely need a mount and windscreen or pop filter
  
• Low - Shure SM58 - You'll likely need a mount and windscreen or pop filter
  
• Mid - Rode Procaster - No mount, windscreen/pop filter necessary
  
• Best - Electrovoice RE20 - No mount, windscreen/pop filter necessary
  
  -
  
  Finally, your Accessories:
  
  You'll need 3 XLR's to hook 3 microphones up to the mixer. I recommend purchasing them from monoprice.com - very cheap cables that last a long time if you learn to wrap your cable correctly.
  
  Same with your microphone stands:
  
  
• Simple Tripod Microphone Stand
  
  Most microphones you buy will come with the mount for it. If you get the Behringer XM8500 or the Shure SM58 you might need one of these if it doesn't come with it:
  
  
• Mount
  
  Also, for both of those mics I definitely recommend buy either a pop filter or wind screen to put over top to reduce plosives. If you don't know what plosives are, google it. You wont need to worry about plosives if you purchase the Rode Procaster or RE20.
  
  
• Windscreens
  
• Pop Filter
  
  
  One very last thing to mention is headphones. Through the mixer, there is a headphone jack where you can plug headphones in to monitor the mix. However, there is also something called "Main Out" or "Control Room Out" - you can send your vocal mix to an external Headphone Amplifier/Splitter that way you and your friends can all listen to the mix in real time.
  
  Audacity is a good program but I recommend getting familiar with Reaper The trial version is free version and I think after the 60 day evaluation you're still allowed to use it although it may press you to buy it. I personally use Adobe Audition but that requires a subscription. If Audacity works fine for you, then by all means.
  
  I apologize for the long post and I hope it's not too overwhelming. Mixer, Microphones, Cables, Stands, and headphone splitter is basically what this whole post is about! Feel free to ask questions.
  
  If all else fails just find a podcasting kit to purchase from somewhere and go from there http://www.bswusa.com/Podcasting-Packages-BSW-Internet-Radio-Going-Pro-Kit-Dual-P10534.aspx

Hey man awesome first video! I would like to give you a few suggestions. I've made a ton of noob mistakes that you can avoid. After a year and a half my channel has had moderate success, and I hope these tips help you out. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

1. Sound People are far more likely to view your videos if it's easy for them to do it. If there are dark scenes or sketchy audio you will lose the viewers' attention quickly. This microphone is cheap, easy to use, and will make your audio sound great.
   
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HJ9PTO/ref=oh_details_o08_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   
2. Lighting Find a light you like and use it in all of your videos. For cooking shows a whiter light gives an added pop to the screen. Yellow light makes things look dull and boring.
   
   
3. Music Your music choice was awesome, but a little loud. Loud music can be distracting. Music is used to cover up an silence that may make your videos awkward. It should be there to comfort the viewer, but not distract them. If you're planning on making money on your videos you'll need to use royalty free music. Here are a few sites that have a good selection for free:
   
   http://www.royaltyfreemusicroom.com/
   
   https://musopen.org/
   
   http://machinimasound.com/index.html
   
   
4. Confidence I get the feeling that you want your channel to have a fun easy going vibe. Your confidence is key to the success of this idea. It's uncomfortable as hell the first few times you get in front of the camera, but it's vital to stay confident.
   
   
5. Animations You seem to have a nice grasp of adding small animations to your videos. I would suggest adding an ingredients list on the side of the video.
   
   
6. Perseverance Your channel will likely not grow big for a while. Even great channels take a long time to take off. Don't let this discourage you. You obviously know what you're doing, and I hope you're having fun. Don't let peoples' opinions change you too much. Take criticism but stay true to yourself.

https://www.amazon.com/IK-Multimedia-digital-guitar-interface/dp/B01KPYGBR6 - this is what i bought (at 100$, its 84 now), because i wasn't sure if i wanted to play on the go or at my desktop. it also comes with amplitube (though a watered down version) but i got really sick of all the nickle and diming they do. It turns out i play almost entirely at my desktop so i would have gone with something like this instead: https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1500654678&sr=8-7&keywords=focusrite+usb+audio+interface .

you could technically accomplish the same thing by getting a converter for 1/4"->1/8" jack and plugging it into your soundcard, but it has a lot of issues and sounds shitty. The audio interface essentially takes the signal from your pickups and makes it clean and readable for your computer. With this (often called DI or direct input) signal, you can use software that emulated the circitry of tube amps to produce very very accurate replications of tones.

https://www.positivegrid.com/bias-fx/ here is the sim i would recommend. I played around with a few others but this is the best sounding, and most straight forward one (others try to nickle and dime you all over the place). it's nice because you can get a week trial of it before u have to buy too! Basically you only need a guitar, instrument cable, audio interface and a computer. you can get free trials of everything else before you buy to see what suits your needs.

there's a million demos of it, but here's a good one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8D00Xn1vfyU

The beauty of all of this is that these all interface seemlessly with digital audio workspaces (DAW's), which are used for recording. You can setup each track to have different amp/effects/ect and can also play around live with the effects for practicing. I often use these for writing too, because i can record a rhythm section, then loop it and noodle around with leads or harmonies (essentially making a looper pedal that sounds way better than any pedal on the market). there's a ton of videos that can help with all of this, I would suggest checking out Ryan Bruce (aka fluff) on youtube, he has a couple entry level recording tips videos! I'm happy to keep talking about this if you have any questions! break through that bleek streek!

these:

https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATH-M40x-Professional-Monitor-Headphones/dp/B00HVLUR54

• this:
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Antlion-Audio-ModMic-Attachable-Microphone/dp/B00R98JVVU/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1491575296&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=modmic&psc=1
  
  and you will be considered the best Girlfriend ever.......there are a million choices out there on the market today, but, in my experiance there are a very few full on pre-made Gaming headsets that are truly super good, sure some sound ok but very few have the sound quality of a decent studio monitor headphone, and for me, that's important. Good luck, and, you're awesome for soliciting info like this, well done!!
  
  whoops, missed the wireless part, sorry!!!!
  
  logtiech artemis is a nice headset, I loved mine till I moved to the set up I have above, decent sound, lots of extras, good range, good mike:
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Logitech-Artemis-Spectrum-Wireless-Surround/dp/B0148NPJ78/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1491575575&sr=1-3&keywords=logitech+artemis
  
  and, if he already has some logitech gear, it works in conjunction with the software he already has.

I have an AT2020USB sitting on the floor (next to a Rode Podcaster). Good mic. Sounds good. Still a condenser and still sensitive. Still better choices to be found that'll work for most and sound better.

I generally avoid everything Alesis and Behringer because they're cheap. Not just in price, but in components, quality, reliability, and sound... generally speaking. That said, I have no experience with that particular audio interface. The Focusrite Scarlett Solo comes well reviewed at around the same price (I think?). Steinberg also has an interface around the same price. If you're looking more for a mixer (that's what the Alesis is), then I'd suggest looking at a Mackie or Yamaha mixer. Chances are, you're going to be looking a lot more money than the Alesis, but you're getting superior preamps and overall better hardware and reliability. Just be careful to get one that's USB unless you want to go analog everything (if you're not an audio engineer with a high end sound card, don't).

Whether you need a mixer or an audio interface comes down to what you're going to be doing. The mixer can be helpful for effects, additional EQ, monitoring, multiple inputs, etc., but it's not necessary in most instances. For most, an audio interface with one or two inputs is sufficient--you can always upgrade later and sell the interface on Ebay (or some such) because they're always in demand.

Regarding stands, I use a Rode PSA1 and have no qualms recommending it, but it's somewhat pricey. If you need cheaper, the Neewer arm has good reviews, but I have no feedback regarding it. Pretty sure several people here use and like the Neewer arm.

For a pop filter, anything, really, is fine. Don't worry about metal ones or filters made of exotic materials--any cheap nylon screen works as well as anything else. You likely won't need a windsock, but you can find plenty of those on the cheap as well. (I suppose you could go with just windsock or just filter, but either should be fine--I just prefer a pop filter to a sock.) For the XLR cable, meh... not Monster? I use these--they're nothing special, just cables. Work/sound fine.

It's easy to spend a lot of money on this stuff, but if you have patience and time, you can save a lot by buying used. Most of my mics are used and they work perfectly well--generally speaking, people take care of those (and it's obvious when they don't).

As the saying goes, the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

You may get a DAC that locks onto higher sampling rates from the source, but it's probably not worth sinking more money into, especially because you're streaming normal bitrate audio from iTunes, or playing locally from your own compressed music files.


Right now, you're using the Core Audio Apple driver in conjunction with the iMac's sound chip, then you're taking an optical signal out and decoding it externally with a cheaper DAC (I assume you're using a mini-toslink optical connector in the 3.5mm "headphone" port?). So you're using two devices.

Honestly, I'd be curious to see if you can notice an improvement (or difference) using the iMac's internal DAC by using the actual 3.5mm analog output from your iMac vs. using the external DAC with SPDIF. This way, you'd be using the DAC inside the iMac instead of a cheapo external one. Macs have decent audio onboard. You should try it!

If you were to step it up from that, and use something like Spotify HiFi or play high res 24bit 96KHz (or higher) lossless audio files as the source, then perhaps a USB interface/DAC would be a worthwhile investment. USB, Firewire or Thunderbolt (which it doesn't have) is the best way to completely bypass the internal audio on any PC/Mac. A USB interface / DAC become the audio "card" with its own power supply and dedicated circuits.

The easiest, and least inexpensive one would be a Focusrite Scarlett solo interface... it can do 24bit/192KHz just fine, and works wonderfully with macOS, plus gives you a volume control, an amazing mic preamp, instrument level input and a headphone amp, in one box.

Usually under $99 from most pro audio retailers:

• https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM
  
  
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJWLjCv4MlE
  
  
  There are more expensive ones to recommend, but for $100, that's probably a good place to look.

Yeah, active noise cancelling headphones cost a bit more than other consumer grade headphones since it's a pretty big Back of the Box feature. The very best in isolation is going to be in the form of IEMs. I can understand not wanting to have things jammed in your ears all day at work, but if you find a pair with a good fit for you, they can block out everything, especially with a comfortable foam tip. Maybe check out the Mee 6 Pros and pick up some Comply foam tips if the silicone tips are uncomfortable for you. Really, a good tip can make a big difference on any IEM. I have a preference for foam, but those have to be replaced a bit more often.

If you'd rather a full sized pair, there are a few options, but since you don't care too much about sound, the important thing to look for is clamp force and the pad material. Clamp force is pretty obvious, you want tighter for more isolation. As for pad material, leather/pleather with soft foam or memory foam inside is gonna be the best for blocking out outside noises.

As for recommendations, I would probably look at the Audio Technica ATH-M40X, though the ATH-M50X do go on sale for $99 occasionally. I only mention that because I've read more opinions on the M50Xs because they're a bit more popular around here.

Now, as a disclaimer, my recommendations are largely just based on things that are spoken of positively around here, but since you don't care too much about sound, the important thing is fit and comfort which can potentially be found on an off-brand headphone for cheaper, but not knowing how your ears and head are shaped, that's something you'll have to figure out as you go. At least Amazon has a pretty forgiving return policy.

I hope that helps and feel free to ask anything else you might be wondering about.

What they are using is an interface, a DAW and possibly an amp simulator on their computer.Basically an interface is a box that you plug your instrument or mic into that goes into your computer. It turns the analog signal of the instrument or mic into digital information that the computer can read. These can be worth a hundred dollars to thousands of dollars depending on your needs.

The bass signal would then have to go into an amp simulator for the direct input signal to be heard like it's played through an amp. These amplify and change your signal just like an amp would do, providing a full sound for your guitar/bass. These are can be worth anything from 0 dollars to a couple hundred and each has its own sound and quality.

DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation and allows your instrument or mic to be recorded along with other tracks and instruments. These allow you to record songs and covers but also allow you to use tons of effects including compressors and eqs, amp sims and midi instruments.If you simply want to play and/or record your bass through your computer I'd recommend getting a simple 1 input interface like a Steinberg UR12 or a Focusrite Scarlett Solo. The Focusrite would have a higher quality build and sound, but the Steinburg will still get the job done. A great DAW would be REAPER, as it is completely free to use but will request a licensing of $60 that you do not have to pay. And there are tons of great free amp simulators online, but there are some really nice amp sims for a bit of money. I'd suggest checking out This list of free sims and checking out the other paid amp sims including Bias Fx and Amplitube.

Good Luck!

So as another 29yo musician figuring out reaper over the past few weeks. Definitely watch tutorials, how to's, and basic use videos from youtube and stuff posted here. You'll learn way more from doing that faster than you will from poking around. Most of the time i just google something like "Reddit Render Midi track in reaper" and i'll get a link to this sub with a video.

Definitely get an audio interface, i'll help tremendously with overall sound and latency. I think something with two channels will work well for you. You'll most likely only be recording one instrument at a time if you're doing this solo but the option of the second channel will let you record an acoustic performance if you ever want to. I have no brand loyalty so here's a few options, you can do research on them as you see fit or search some out yourself:

UMC202HD , Scarlett 2i2 , AudioBox USB 2x2

Or if you need to be more budget friendly, this guy is a great bang for you buck, however it is only one channel:

Behringer UM2

If you dont have any 1/4" headphones, pick up a 1/4" male to 3.5mm female adapter as well so you can monitor your sound and for playback through the interface. You can find these at bestbuy or somewhere local pretty easily.

You'll want to look at some 3rd party VSTs for effects instead of your phone. I'm currently in the process of trying different free things out, so i don't have too many suggestions unfortunately, but maybe some other people can chime in with their favorites. I'd watch youtube tutorials to learn how to setup and use these. two I could recommend so far are:

MT Power Drumkit 2 - Simple drum VST that allows you to pick from a select of beats in different styles, then once you import them into reaper you can change the beat with the MIDI editor as you see fit. Watch some youtube tutorials on it to get going using it.

AmpliTube Custom Shop - Comes with a few amp, cab, and effect options that should get you going with some guitar sounds. You can also get the demo version of AmpliTube Full and it will run for 30 min, then you have to close and reopen it for it to work again (seems to be a common setup for demo versions of VSTs), but you can get a good bit in 30min if you know what you want going in.

If you're interested in music and audio like I think you are, a hardware solution will also allow you to do some cool stuff, like hook up a turntable and get good recording quality to play old LPs and digitize them.

Looking at some of the audio interfaces (not amps, those are different. Audio interfaces hook up to your pc via usb and control audio there) it looks like you'll be hard pressed to find decent ones under the $100-150 range.

behringer, $50, mixer

I have the big brother for this one so it shouldn't be too noisy. If you're recording try to use a denoiser afterwards, but I don't notice too much of a difference (could just be my room creating the noise)

Focusrite, $150, audio interface

I keep hearing about the scarlet from other producers. I don't know why, maybe it's pretty good. Also look at the itrack solo for $80

Steinberg, $100, audio interface

Look at the 2 in, 2 out version as well, it's more in line with the focusrite

Mackie, $99, audio interface

presonus, $79 (ione), $150 (itwo), audion interface.

Check amazon for "itwo presonus" and you'll find a couple of bundles that may pique your interest.

My mixer, behringer, $150, mixer

I like this thing alot, it's got plenty of inputs, and while it is a tad noisy it's not enough to notice. Could just be my ambient room/computer noise that I don't hear. Anyway, with some cables and advanced routing it's turned out pretty damn good for streaming and chatting at the same time, you just have to use multiple inputs to your pc to have separate audio outputs it only took me a week of poking around (no manual) to learn and figure out everything. The compression and eq settings are also a bit nice to have.

BTW if you're getting xlr mics, some of the best ones are sm57's/sm58's by Shure. Usually $100 and they're solid enough to last you a while. I have a sm58 and it's ballin'.

Hope I was of help!

A desktop is going to be more robust and upgradable - more powerful cpu for the money, more max ram, more inputs, more storage, etc.

A laptop is portable. That's really the only advantage, but it's a huge one. From gigging to sitting on the couch to field recording, never underestimate how big portability is.

Realistically you'd want both, which one you pick would be how you value your tradeoffs. If you already own a laptop (most people have something these days), that might be plenty for the few times you'd need to move around. Or if you already have a pretty great desktop, maybe you'd rather do a cheap ram upgrade and then put the rest of the cash in a nice laptop.

For specifics: ram, cpu, drive, connections. Those are going to be your main concerns with a computer. RAM is going to allow you a larger buffer for things like samples and simultaneous tracks. CPU will determine the amount of real time processing for VSTs and plugins. Drive space is where you keep it all. The faster the better - an SSD for actual working storage and a large HDD for long term project storage is ideal. Connections are just things like USB, Firewire, whatever. Not hugely important unless you're using outboard equipment that requires it. Most everything is USB these days.

For a real basic outline: any computer made in the last couple years is probably ok. i3 or i5 cpu, 4-8GB ram, 250GB SSD/1TB HDD would be a really cheap, basic setup, and will work just fine for Ableton/FL/whatever. Ideally, you're going to want the fastest/most crap you can jam in there - i7 cpu, 16 or 32GB RAM, 500GB-1TB SSD/2-4TB HDD (or combo thereof). It's super easy to add drives and ram after the fact, so there's that. Don't feel like you have to do it all at once.

You're also probably going to want some kind of audio interface. A Focusrite 2i2 is a basic USB audio interface that will get decent quality sound in and out of your computer for a low price. If you want MIDI, you'll need a different/beefier unit. There's lots of USB interfaces out there. Check out M-Audio, Behringer, Presonus and a bunch of others.

Here's a short lists of what you need to start recording:

• Computer
  
• DAW
  
• Audio interface
  
• Microphone/instrument
  
  Computer: I'm assuming you already have this, it allows you to do work.
  
  DAW: stands for Digital Audio Workstation, and this is where you'll be doing most (if not all) of your work. A popular and cheap option is Reaper, but you can also use a less powerful (and free) program like Audacity. I would recommend starting off with a "full featured" one like Reaper (which I believe has a 30 day trial period?) because if you do end up getting really into it you'll be glad that you have a bit of background knowledge. Some might argue that certain DAWs are better than other, but it really boils down to personal preference. All DAWs can allow you to have multiple tracks going on at once, for instance, overlaying lyrics over an instrumental track.
  
  Audio interface: this is the hardware that sits between your computer and your instrument/microphone. It allows the signal from the microphone to be converted from analog to digital which the computer can interpret. If you're just starting out, go with whatever you can find on eBay or Craigslist, but make sure it has what you need (correct number of input/output, USB or firewire connectivity, phantom power if you're using condenser mics).
  
  Microphone/instrument: without this, you won't get far. The microphone you linked above I think is generally used for vocals, as most condenser microphones are. A solid recommendation that a lot of people give is the SM57 dynamic microphone for micing cabinets or instruments; some people even use it for vocals (myself included, 'cause honestly, it gets the job done).
  
  The link that you gave looks like has a microphone and a DAW, but no audio interface. I think this might be because the microphone itself has some kind of hardware on the inside to be a plug-and-play, using your computer's motherboard as an interface. So for now if you wanted to use that package for recording instruments and vocals with that specific mic, you're good.
  
  My personal recommendation to start writing music without breaking the bank that will leave you a lot of flexibility going forward:
  
  Interface: some random 2-input audio interface with decent reviews Keep in mind that you would only be able to use dynamic microphones on this, as condenser require 48v phantom power.
  
  Microphone: simple dynamic mic
  
  DAW: I highly recommend trying out the 30-day trial of Reaper, but like I said, this is all your preference.
  
  
  Bottom line: the Blue Yeti All-In-One can get you started, but it has limitations (no audio interface) if you want to start getting deeper into it.
  
  Sorry if this is a bit rambly, I'm at work and kept getting distracted while writing this, let me know if you need any more info or clarification.

Alright, here's what I've put together for you:

1. Turntable: Rega P1 ~$450
   
   
2. Speakers: JBL LSR308 - $500
   
   
3. Phono Preamp: Pyle-Pro PP444 - $10.49
   
   
4. Passive Preamp (volume control): Schiit Sys - $49
   
   
5. RCA-to-XLR cable (to connect speakers) 10' - $9.50
   
   Total: $1,018.99
   
   
   Logic:
   
   
   Turntable:
   
   Rega turntables are some of the best in the world, and their quality extends all the way down the line. I have the step-up mode, the P3, and love it. $400 is roughly the entry point for a "good" turntable, which I think is a solid investment given your budget.
   
   Speakers
   
   The JBL LSR series is very well regarded on r/audiophile. They are generally considered to be the best powered monitors on the market. Being powered means you don't have to buy a separate amplifier, saving money. If you want to save some money, you can drop down to the LSR305, which has a smaller woofer. It will not have as much bass power as the 308, but it costs $200 less for the pair (NOTE: The Amazon link is for a single speaker, not a pair)
   
   Phono Preamp
   
   You'll need one of these, because the signal coming out of the tone arm on the turntable is very low voltage. The phono preamp brings it up to a level that is powerful enough to be amplified further by the speakers. You can spend more, but you don't need more than the Pyle (I have one at home that I'd honestly mail to you, but Amazon Prime is probably cheaper than the cost of shipping for me :P)
   
   Passive Preamp
   
   This is a volume knob and a input switch. That's all. Volume knob because the speakers have the volume knob on the back, and have separate knobs per speaker. Didn't think you'd want to mess with that. Two inputs so you can hook up your turntable and your computer, or your phone, etc.
   
   RCA-to-XLR cable
   
   Because the JBL monitors are targeted at pro recording studios, they use "balanced" XLR cables instead of traditional RCA. The reasons for doing so are irrelevant, but you will need an adapter cable.
   
   If that's too much money
   
   As I said earlier, you could drop down to the JBL LSR305 (again, link is a single speaker, not a pair). That would bring the total down to $818.99. If you wanted to save money, this is where I would do it.
   
   Another option is to switch turntables to the U-Turn Orbit. It starts at $179, but I'd definitely add the cue lever for $40. I wouldn't spend more on other options though, not worth the money. If you go this route, treat this turntable as your starter, then replace it later.
   
   If you tell me your local craigslist, I can look around and see if there are any good deals, but the above is going to be pretty hard to beat.
   
   By all means, feel free to ask me any and all questions. I love doing this kind of research for people, so it's no skin off my back. I want to make sure you enjoy Ride the Lightning in all it's rifftastic glory :D

I teach music production as a side job and from what I have learned, the hardest (in terms of most confusing, not time consuming) yet most important part of getting into music production, is to fully understand the DAW itself.

So don't give up, there are tons of others who have been in your situation.

Personally, I usually approach two things: signal flow and user interface. You'll want to fully understand what gets send where and how to find that place in your software.

You'll want to have a basic understanding of what MIDI data is and what the difference between MIDI, an analog audio signal and a digital audio signal is.

Oversimplifying a little bit MIDI is a data protocol that sends information - usually information like notes being played, at what velocity etc. or controller data (MIDI CC). This data is not to be confused with an audio signal. The Akai keyboard for example uses the MIDI protocol to communicate with Reaper.

Now since MIDI does not contain any audio, but you want to make music, there is something needed to make an audio signal out of the MIDI data you can play on the Akai keyboard. For this, you can use any soft- or hardware synth, sampler etc. These programs/hardware will use the incomming MIDI data to trigger oscillators or play a sample - usually at a certain pitch, depending on the MIDI note's data.

It looks like you already figured some of this out, but didn't quite understand how it worked. Now, the software synthesizers work exactly how you imagined: They are loaded into Reaper as Plugins (usually in VST-format, but can be JS, AU, or other). For this to work, you'll have to tell Reaper where to find them. So I suggest you install them into a common folder and tell Reaper where to find that. (Options->Preferences->Plugins->VST->Add folder via "Open", than "Rescan".)

The octapad can output both, MIDI and audio. Now it really depends on what you want to get from it. Do you want to sounds from the octapad? Or do you just want to use it as a controller to trigger some sampler plugin in Reaper? Depending on that, you'll either need a MIDI to USB interface or a audio to USB interface. There are also interfaces that do both, audio and MIDI. And also interfaces with more fancy features like

• multiple inputs (audio for synth/mics/guitar or MIDI),
  
• (multiple) outputs (to attach speakers to)
  
• zero-latency monitoring
  
• phantom power for condenser mics
  
• better pre-amps for less noise when recording
  
• etc.
  
  Your computer probably even has an audio interface built in without you ever having thought about that. It'll probably not have many features, will not support phantom power, will have not gain adjustment for incoming signals etc, but it could work with your octapad if it has a line-in.
  
  I'm happy to help, but your questions are very vague. Just try to tinker. Experiment, create basic rhythms, work with audio and with MIDI, explore ever feature of Reaper, bit after bit, and you'll soon feel much more comfortable. Getting comfortable is the most important step, since you'll want Reaper to be your laboratory, your tools, an empty canvas. At that point, you'll be able to truly focus on the music. So take your time :)

I'm going to assume you're talking about electric guitar, and you want to record on to your computer.

We'll go with the simplest/cheapest way (Note, you won't want to run an electric guitar directly into a computer, it'll generally sound like crap)

First off, you'll need a microphone. The Shure SM57 is an industry standard for recording many things, from guitar cabs to snare drums, and more. It's only $100, too! There's a knockoff of that mic, for half the price, that's supposed to be just as good (some people even prefer the sound), the GLS-57. Both of these mics are "dynamic" mics, and either of these mics will work.

You'll need to get a mic stand to place the mic in the proper position on the amp, which is a separate lesson in and of itself.

Next, you need a way to get the mic signal into your computer. The quickest, cheapest, but least featured way to do so would be something like the Blue Icicle. You would plug it into your computer, plug an XLR cable into it, and plug the mic into that cable.

For software, the most basic, and free software is Audacity. It really is pretty basic, but you can plug your stuff in, hit record, and it'll record. If you want something more powerful, check out Reaper. It's really good, and pretty cheap (and has a more or less unlimited trial period if you're that kind of person). It is somewhat complex though, and it'll take a decent amount of time to get comfortable with. If you have a Mac, Garage Band is just peachy.

inally, the last important part is hearing what you're recording. At the low-end, you're probably better off with headphones. I recommend either the Sennheiser HD280s or the less expensive Sony MDR-V6s (mostly identical to their professional MDR-7506s). If you want to get some actual monitors, check out the Behringer MS16s.

Unsurprisingly, you can spend a hell of a lot more money on any of these things. Feel free to ask any questions!

Bonus advice! If you want to record an acoustic guitar, instead of the SM57, you'd want to get a small diaphragm condenser (SDC) mic, like the MXL 603S.

I need advice.

 

A bit of exposition,

 

I've been searching for a new pair of headphones a few weeks now since my previous pair of Skullcandy IEM's were damaged by my cat chewing through the wire.
 

It's been an overwhelming experience searching for a pair, as this will be my first set of "quality" cans; and, admittedly, I'm not very knowledgeable in this hobby as many of you on /r/Headphones seem to be. Asking here is a last-ditch effort to get a bit of support and questions answered.


 

• Budget: I'm working with a budget of about $100. $120 being the height of what's able to be spent currently.
  
  
• Source: My source is going to be standard PC on-board jack. Nothing fancy. However, I am looking into buying a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 2 In/2 Out USB Recording Audio Interface to go with my new microphone. I'm not certain if it is are compatible with headphones or not. Still learning and researching.
  
  
• Isolation: I'm often alone, so, sound leaking isn't a serious issue for me. There also isn't very much noise around me beside my PC cooling fans.
  
  
• Form-Factor: I'd like a full-size headset the best, a small form-factor isn't that important to me.
  
  
• Tone: I'd like a balanced set of headphones tonally.
  
  
• Past Phones: My previous headphones were nothing of note and quite cheap. The nicest pair I've had was this previous set of Skullcandy IEM's... but I wouldn't consider them to be audiophile quality, as I am looking for now, since I can finally afford something of that nature.
  
   
  
  
• Uses: My main hobby is gaming. It's likely that will be the main workload of these headphones. Extended wear-comfort and positional sounding is very important to me.
  
  Very limited voice and instrument recording monitoring would likely be a use as well, if possible.
  
  
• Preferred Music: I also greatly enjoy listening to music and I have quite an eclectic taste; finding headphones that are not very fatiguing for long listening sessions and are flexible in their music profile are important to me.
  
  
  
   
  
  In all things in life, I value versatility. I have limited funds, so having a jack-of-all-trades set would be ideal for my needs. It doesn't have to be the best, that said, quality and clarity are still substantial qualities I look for.
  
  Research has pointed towards three sets of headphones that I am currently considering, which are the Sony MDR7506, Audio-Technica ATH-M40x, Beyerdynamic DT 235.
  
   
  
  Pros and cons of these pertaining to the roles I'd like them to fill?
  
   
  
  Any input on them towards my needs would be wonderful! Any other suggestion within that price range is also very welcome.
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
  TL:DR; Need versatile and comfortable headphones that are within a $120 range.

I prefer Reaper to Audacity, but that's just personal preference. I find it waaaay easier to edit. It's not free, but it has a pretty much unlimited trial with no restrictions other than a box telling you to buy it when you open the program. Should you get use out of it though, you totally should buy it. It's cheap as hell for a DAW and worth every goddamned penny.

I use an Audio Technica AT2020, which should be a decent step up from your ATR2100. If you want a leap up, the Shure SM7B is one of the best mics you can get, but it requires a shitload of gain so you have to make sure you get a mixer or audio interface that can support it. Since I can't afford to get both a new mixer and a new mic, my next mic will likely be an Electro Voice RE320 dynamic microphone, which seems like a great mic for the price.

Making your audio sound better is not a cheap venture. Once you start your way down this rabbit hole, be prepared to spend a lot of money over the years on it. I'm a voice-over artist, and most of the money I make doing that goes right back into my setup. This room needs audio treatment, I need a better mic, I need better isolation, maybe a full recording booth, but god damn I could build that myself for a fraction of the cost, but will my mediocre craftsmanship be worth the savings? etc etc etc.

If you're just looking for a good setup for a podcast, an XLR AT2020 and a Focusrite Scartlett 2i2 should keep you satisfied for a while. Make sure you also get a pop filter, and good XLR cables.

1. Budget

I don't have a budget since I'll be saving for each individual necessity for the long run, though I would not spend more than $1,000 for speakers. That being said, you can make a decision on what are price points for each respective item.

2. What are you looking for?

I'm essentially looking for a living room audiophile set up. I would not mind recommendations other than floor standing speakers, but that is what I have now and I'm very pleased with the way it looks. I do not know what I'm looking for since I'm not sure what should be upgraded and what is missing.

3. How will you typically be using the gear?

Mid-Field

4. What gear do you own?

Specifics, I have a Yamaha RX-V381BL Receiver with a pair of Pioneer CS-N575 speakers. For headphones, I only use an Audio Technica's ATH-M40X, which I was recommended because I'm not to fond of having a mobile headphone amp with me.

5. What do you intend on using for a source?

I'll be using a laptop connected via HDMI to the receiver (unless someone thinks I should opt for a different source if I get a dedicated stereo receiver.)

6. What material will you be using your gear for?

Dedicated for music. I would like it to connect this system with a laptop and/or television, though I'm willing to not go through that route.

7. Are you willing to buy used?

Yes, I am willing to buy used, though craigslist, etc. is not preferred. Something like Amazon would be nice. Local: Los Angeles.

Thoughts:
I really like how my system sounds and how accessible it is at the moment to my needs, but I know I would really like to have a nicer set up with higher quality sound. I do not know anything about amplifiers, DACs, tubes. etc. so if you could inform me, that would be appreciated.

Note:

This was re-uploaded for further suggestions and aid. I'm not too new to audiophile but I never have owned my own full set up. Any information would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advanced.

Full disclaimer, read through the sub but know very little about headphones.
I'm looking for a pair of over the year headphones with isolation and maybe noise cancelling. Currently in betweent TH-M50X and some refurbished Sennhiser Urbanite XL (Indeed, tons of refurb jobs here ).

• Budget - Around £80 but will stretch, no more than $120 or so - but would love if I could get something cheaper.
  
• Source - My android phone/macbook.
  
• Requirements for Isolation - Yes please. London commute, open plan office, bedroom by a noisy road. I need to be able to switch everything off. They sounded crap, but being able to switch the noise cancelling on/off on the Souls was pretty dope. Over the ear for sure.
  
• Will you be using these Headphones in Public? Yes yes yes
  
• Preferred Type of Headphone - Over-ear
  
• Preferred tonal balance - I'd love for it to sound rich and to be able to pick up different detail/tonality. I know it sounds odd but when I hear music on friend's who knows about this shit set-up everything sounds enhanced and creamy. I'm a bit sensitive to high-tones. I lived with musicians and often, after a few hours of listening to music/guitar it literally scratches my ears... I tested the MX50s instore and it sounded a little quiet to me? The MX40s couldnt even drown out the sound of store...
  
• Past headphones - I tried to look for the exact model but it's not available anymore, it was basically a mid-range, Skullcandy earbud set. Wasn't a huge fan to be honest - super fragile, broke really quick and their customer support was dreadful. Sounded nice enough but I'm looking forward to hearing what a half-way decent pair of headphones can do.
  
• Preferred Music - Shit, I do listen to a lot of different stuff. I guess mostly house, ambient and similar electronic, but then throw in some bossa nova, samba and rock in the middle.
  
• What would you like to improve on from your set-up - As much as I love music its just not a facet of my life I spend a lot of money on so sound wise, I want an upgrade from the bare bones, with isolation/noise-cancelling if possible so I can switch off my commute/coworkers and busy road by my bedroom. A solid noob pair that will keep me happy for a while and is sturdy and preferably somewhat portable.
  

XLR mics with phantom power for the win! If you're going for professional quality sound, save your money and invest in a good XLR mic.

​

The problem with USB mics like Blue Yeti is the fact that they use the integrated sound on your computer's motherboard. If your motherboard's sound system is older (2 years or older), the voice from the USB mic could sound robotic or it might not capture your entire voice range. This is especially a problem for folks with deeper voices. On older computers, you might sound far away or your voice could break up. If you have a brand new computer, feel free to use a USB mic until you can afford an XLR microphone.


XLR microphones require phantom power. Scarlet Focusrite (https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM) is a good product for phantom power, but there are affordable, good quality sound mixers that provide phantom power as well. Alot of streamers have used Berhinger Xenyx 302 ( https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-302USB-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B005EHILV4) or Berhinger Xenyx 502 (https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B000J5UEGQ). I personally use Roland VT-3 (https://www.amazon.com/Roland-AIRA-VT-3-Voice-Transformer/dp/B00IGDXK9Q) because it's a voice changer, sound mixer, noise gate, and phantom power all mixed into one machine.

​

For mics, I admit I'm using a cheap Pyle PDMIC58 . (Hey, I got this XLR mic for free with my Best Buy points. I didn't have enough points for a good mic). My problem with the mic is that it's too bright for my voice, and I have a low voice for a woman. I need something that captures my full voice range alot better. I'm planning to upgrade to a RODE NT-1 mic (Not the Rode NT-1A) before the end of the year.

Like others have stated, take your time and do research. Don't rush! Find the mic that fits your voice best. Good luck!

Less than $500 for even a decent camera will be difficult. I'd suggest looking into a used Canon T3i or a new/used T2i. They may be slightly more expensive but they're the best thing you'll find around that price range (in my experience). Also because they both have interchangeable lenses you can upgrade/adapt them as you get more cash to invest.

I know less about mics although I think it may be difficult to find what your describing, especially at that price. Something like this may be what your after but I really can't say that the quality will be great and the cable will probably get in the way if you're moving around.

What I'd really suggest is to abandon the idea of on-body unless it's absolutely necessary for some reason. If you're up for doing that I'd suggest a shotgun mic (something like this would probably do just fine). The absolute best option in terms of quality and lasting value would be to buy an H4n. The disadvantage is that you'll end up having to sync your audio to the video but the advantages are that the audio quality is great, you can add better (XLR) mics in the future and you can move it around depending on where your audio source is.

I know that this isn't exactly what you're looking for but I hope it's some help anyway. If you have questions please feel free to ask :)

Heya guys, I dug through the faq and even did that website but Im still a bit lost.

I work in an office where I'm not allowed to have a computer or a phone at my desk; and I'm not allowed to connect anything to the work systems.

Apart from that I'm pretty much allowed to do whatever I want while I idle waiting for work to happen.

I've decided that I wanna try and learn to play some keys and maybe make some beats while I idle; with that in mind I have some requirements on a synth/keyboard.

• It needs to work without needing to be plugged into a computer while I play (putting sounds on it from a computer before I play is fine, since I can do that at home)
  
  
• It needs to have a headphone jack so that I can jam without upsetting people around me/distracting people.
  
  
• It needs to be compact and not a full sized unit.
  
  Apart from that here are some things I'd like for it to be able to do also, but wont fuss over.
  
  line in would be cool, so that I can play along with music from an MP3 player
  Drum pads would be awesome.
  
  I was looking at something like this but Im not sure if that will run without having the comptuer plugged into it.
  
  That thing is just about the perfect size and layout for what I want; Quality isn't so important since this is going to be mostly a time waster and quick try at something. If I find I like it, I will get something better down the road. I also realize my needs and wants are pretty specific, so I'm not opposed to spending some money.
  

I'm far from the most senior audiophile here, but I hope I can help a little. There was a similar question a week ago or so that summarized some good options in this price range. Here it is, these are all powered speakers or speakers with an amp.

Among the ones mentioned, I have the M-Audio AV40s and I love them. For what you listen to, I can genuinely say you probably will too. On top of sounding wonderful, they are really easy to drive, which makes them very versatile. Honestly, they out perform some $350 speakers I have in terms of accuracy and sound staging. The only downside is the serious lack below 80 Hz, but I think for the music you listen to, it shouldn't be noticeable.

The other options on that list I can't talk as much, but I've heard nothing but good things about Swans (besides the fact that they're gorgeous too). The Klipsch I have heard, and to be honest I didn't like them as much as I thought I would. Maybe it was the way they were setup, but they seemed to be lacking in the lower mids. And the Dayton's are often thrown out there (and always by ZeosPantera) which I looked into, but after reading so many "they're great for being only $25" posts, I seriously started wondering if they were worth the $50 they are now.

So yeah, look into Swans and M-Audio. You can find the later at GuitarCenter or any music store (they are monitors after all) where you can request a listen. Swans I'm not so sure about where to find them, but aesthetically, they may go with your turntable nicely.

Awesome; then /r/JohannesVerne 's suggestions would be great...and you could upgrade to the umc22 (less self-noise, I'm told).

Also, you'll need better headphones. Your Logitech are probably fine for gaming and pleasure listening, but not mixing VO work. I'm learning that most gaming headphones really boost the bass, and you need headphones with a super flat response for mixing your VO work. Look up a video where they compare a raw VO track with a processed one and listen with your Logitech cans...you probably won't hear much of a difference. Then buy a pair of Sony MDR7506's and listen again. Wow...what a difference! You won't use the Sony's for "pleasure" listening, so keep your Logitech set for that.

A better mic could possibly give you *worse* sound quality, because it'll pick up *everything*. So you'll also need to tighten up your performance and your room if you want a better mic to help you sound better. "With more mic comes more responsibility", or something like that! :-)

All that said, I think it's awesome that you have a budget and a passion, and I say "go for it"!

1. Microphone
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK
   
   
2. USB Audio interface Option #1 (Has RCA + 1/4 inch balanced)
   
   This is the golden standard for high quality Mic input as well as output. The audio drivers on the Scarlet models are simply crisp and clear. There are other options that work, but like a bicycle...they all ride different. This is simply the very best without a doubt at your price range. You could easily spend $500-$700 on an audio interface, but for youir streaming needs, this is literally perfect
   
   Note, this is what I utilize for my Stream, and get compliments on the professional audio quality of my Mic almost daily.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56EA/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1525297509&sr=1-1&keywords=scarlett+2i2
   
   
3. USB Audio Interface Option #2 (Has RCA outputs only)
   
   *Next best option, if you do not plan to run to Speak Monitors like KRKs or Mackie's. This will give you the same quality of audio input from your Mic. But if you are planning to use Monitors, the 2i2 above will give you the best output audio quality being that the 1/4 inch is balanced audio.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-Scarlett-Audio-Interface-Tools/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1525297603&sr=1-3&keywords=scarlett+solo
   
   Trust me. Anyone who knows what they are talking about when it comes to audio, not just streaming...will agree. LMK if you have any questions...happy to help.
   

If you want portability, the the Cyrus Soundkey or Audioquest Dragonfly red are your options. I use the Soundkey, and it's brilliant. The soundstage and clarity is vastly improved. Then again my daily drivers are the Audio-Technica ATH M40X. For a DAC + amp, then the Teac AI-101DA. It's a bit pricy, but however it's a good DAC amp. I don't have it, but I have heard mostly positive reviews on it, also Zeos, our legend, has reviewed it himself. If you are on a tight budget, well the FiiO - E10K Olympus, has got you covered. It's a really good amp+DAC for the money. A lot of positive reviews. If you are gaming, the Senhiser GSX 1000 is there. What I she said in here are the best in each section.

Links:

Cyrus Soundkey: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B073RFVHVY/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520720112&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=cyrus+soundkey

Audioquest Dragonfly red: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01DFMV4NQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1520720178&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=cyrus+soundkey&dpPl=1&dpID=41JaKxrUrfL&ref=plSrch

Senhiser GSX 1000: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LDTP484/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520720216&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=gsx+100&dpPl=1&dpID=41ermQbCqAL&ref=plSrch

Teac AI-101DA: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00UGYFWQC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520720282&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=teac+ai-101da&dpPl=1&dpID=41dClv7EX-L&ref=plSrch

FiiO E10K Olympus: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00LP3AMC2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520720327&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=fiio+e10k&dpPl=1&dpID=41Taa5DTsKL&ref=plSrch

By the way. If you want, buy a fucking pair of Audio-Technica ATH M40X: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HVLUR54/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1520720404&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=audio+technica&dpPl=1&dpID=41gFqXe5oBL&ref=plSrch

Zeos found the M40X'S brilliant.

I hope I helped you out, if you have any queries, reply to this comment. Good luck in finding what you want.

Look for the original ATH-M50 for around $80 USD refurbished, or a new M40x. The newer models are awesome but rise above your budget by a bit, with not too huge of a performance difference. The Sennheiser HD419's are a great deal right now, and are nice, sexy, and comfy, albeit with a fragile headband. 439's and 449's are also good budget options, especially on sale like they are now. Sony's MDR-7506 is a phenomenal industry-standard pair but might be a little more clinical than she'd like, as they have a mid-range boost for monitoring pro audio. MDR-V6 is a tad warmer and more musical, but just as detailed. Also good to note that the sony's are pretty much indestructible, and fold and bend nicely while the sennheisers can't bend much at all.

You can have a killer setup for under $500.

Mic: Audio Technica AT2005 - A great mic that a lot of let's players use (draax, zueljin, kingdaddydmac, etc.). It also accepts xlr or usb inputs (more on that at the end). I use the atr2100, which is the same mic, just different color and warranty. The at2005 is cheaper by about $25 right now, so buying today, that's the one I'd get. It's a dynamic mic, so it blocks out sound that's not in front of it. Much better for noisy environments. Condenser mics like the blue yeti will pick up a lot more background noise. Other mics I've used are the V-Moda Boompro, which works with most headphones that have detachable cables (in my case the M100s) and sounds good, but changing the cable for when I didn't want to use the mic became old pretty fast. You can leave it attached, but then the boom mic is there all the time. I've also used the antlion modmic 4.0 and can't recommend it. It has white noise unless you use a usb soundcard, the cable is stiff and it's kind of expensive compared to full fledged mics. $56

Stand: Pyle PMKSH01 Suspension Boom Scissor Microphone Stand - A decent cheap stand. Nothing special, but it comes with an integrated xlr cable. I use this one, but may upgrade to the Rode PSA1 ($100) later on. The shock mount will not fit the at2005 however. $21

Shock Mount: On-Stage MY420 - A great shock mount that fits the at2005/atr2100. Shock mounts reduce noises from bumping your desk or tapping on your keyboard; things that may reverberate to your mic. It might not even be necessary if you're not a heavy handed gamer or if your desk is made of a thick, dense material. $25

Wind Filter: On-Stage Foam Ball Windscreen - Reduces wind/breathing noises as well as minimizing plosives. Not a complete necessity, but extremely cheap and it does help, so why not? $3

Cable management: Velcro One-Wrap Cable Wraps - I use these for keeping the usb cable for the mic attached to the stand. Extremely useful and cheap. $6

Headphones: Very subjective to user preference. I prefer closed vs open for noise isolation. Here's what I've used:

Audio Technica ATH M50: Good (not great) headphones for ~$100. Considered the standard by many, but to me they're just good. $155

V-Moda M100: Excellent sound with very potent bass. They make the M50s sound muddy in comparison. HOWEVER, the M100s have a design flaw where the "wings" (the parts above where you adjust the headphones) will crack over time. It happened to two pairs of my M100s. Unacceptable for the price of these headphones, regardless of how good they sound. $222

Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro 80 Ohm: Amazing. Potent bass like the M100s, but even a bit clearer. Very wide soundstage for closed headphones. I paid $219 for mine and don't regret it a single bit. I might grab another pair at the price they're currently at. $150

All that adds up to around $261 + tax choosing the DT770s, and will be a killer setup for gaming. Far better than any "gaming" headset, and it even opens the option of streaming or let's play videos (the reason I got my setup). There is one more thing I'd add though, given the budget if you're serious about mic quality, and that's the $99 Focusrite Scarlett Solo 2nd Gen. It's a usb audio interface that accepts xlr mics. It gives you a bit more control over the audio coming out of your mic and cleans up the signal so you get less "noise" from the usb interface. Quality is good without it, but with it, it's noticeably better.

Hope this helps some! I spent quite a while researching things when I put my own setup together. :)

You have TWO options

1)If you have cheap motherboard and dont have add-on sound card and you dont want to buy any equipment, the BEST one bar-non, praised in every review is Samson Q2U, it has both USB interface [so you dont need to buy anything extra] and XLR port so you can upgrade if you want like buying 50-70USD Mixer or USB Audio Interface or if you have good sound card 10$ XLR to 3.5mm cable and record directly to sound card in 24bit/48hz, you should Yyoutube search its model name and see big YT channels benchmark it and listen to their vocie.

On Amazon USA, its 59.99 for microphone with cable and there is "secret kit" for 62USD with free Samson Studio headphones and anti-wind ball

Mic: https://www.amazon.com/Samson-Handheld-Microphone-Recording-Podcasting/dp/B001R747SG

Bundle for just 3$ more: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FWN32HI

2) If you have good sound card, or you want even better sound for same price then the 20$ Behringer Ultravoice Xm8500 Dynamic Vocal Microphone is the best in this category, its not worst then Samson Q2A it just dont have USB, nor cables bundled so its cheaper, its just the microphone and plastic box, you can also search in YT and listen to reviews.

Then you also buy 40USD BEHRINGER Audio Interface 1x XLR/TRS 1x 1/4" 2X RCA USB, Black 1-Channel UM2, and for 60USD you have the best cheapest combo possible, just dont forget XLR to XLR cable, they go from 6 to10-15USD depends on length, Amazon Basics cables is great option, quality, but you can buy whatever you want, but amont cheap cables Amazons are known quality, no gamble.

So i guess it all comes to 70USD with the cable and youll have semi-pro beginner setup.

In any case, if you going to record on your desk and will do keyboard typing you want some space, you may add 23USD Microphone Boom arm that screws on to the table and has your MIC on it, you can lift it up when you dont use, also microphone "improves" sound quality because you wont have to touch the mic and it wont pass your touching noises or keyboard typing to the mic and it comes with Pop filter bundled.

Personally I was going to buy the first one but decided to buy the second one with XLR to 3.5mm cable since my sound card is good and will allow me 24bit/48hz and even 96hz recording

Also if it wont be good trough my sound card sicne it was so cheap i can always add good USB Audio interface.

Mic: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002KZAKS

Cable: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QMIT1YK

Audio Interface: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EK1OTZC

Microphone arm/Boom with Pop filter: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JHCL3KS



P.S. No matter what, DO NOT BUY ANY MICROPHONE TYPES Except Dynamic! Otherwise you'll be cursing yourself.

Dynamic doesn't need phantom power [its a separate headache that most mics need 48v phantom power] and its the least sensitive type made for Voice, when you talk it will record just you, all others, especially the USB popular Blue brand mics will record your scratching, air conditioner, your cat, your neighbors and mouse farts across the street, they all good to use-in Audio treated room, when people isolate the room for audio or audio booth, in regular peoples room, Dynamic mics is the Best way to go.

Okay.

1 - Take a breath.

You are overwhelmed and rightfully so, shooting is not easy and weddings are not easy either.

If you are doing interviews you need a mic. DO NOT USE ON CAMERA AUDIO! YOu can rent a rode videomic maybe from a local camera store, or buy this it is cheap, if your camera take audio in it will work. Keep in mind it would be Mono so in post you would need to make it stereo by duplicating the audio and sending it to the opposite side by panning it over or using a effect. Audio is very important it will be hard for you not having done this before.

As for video goes always have a camera rolling as a safety net. Sometimes when I do handheld for a concert or live event. I stick a go-pro on top of my camera in wide mode as a safety net incase something happens and I miss something.

I am not going to lie this will be very hard for you to do and you will be stressed out, a lot. Your friends will be better off hiring someone who has experience in this, but if they are content on having you do it I will walk you through.

Get lot of footage, if you don't ind editing a lot, then shoot a lot. Stick a camera up on a tripod during the ceremony frame it nicely hit record. Then go shoot something else with a different camera. That camera on sticks would be your safety net. Zoom in to get shots of the ring and face. Weddings are very emotional so the face, eyes and mouth are key to capture.

You said you don't know how to use the reflector. It has two sides as your know a silver and a gold. This is used to get light on people in the sun (or even from a light if you need to). You bounce the light from the sun into the subject. It is used a lot on sunny days to counter shadows the sun would cause on people's faces. The reflector would be bounce light from the sun onto the subject. You have to hold it or have a friend hold it. Keep in mind the sun moves so you constantly have to adjust your angle of reflection.

• There are other editing programs that are free. Search around I don't know off the top of my head, but I have heard of some.
  
• Gear wise, as I said a mic of some sort, you will need better audio then your cameras can record.
  
• the ring exchange depends on the layout of the wedding, if you are the only shooter I would do the wide from your safety camera and get a close up with another camera. Remember to get the smiles, the ring is important, but the emotions are more important.
  *Movie templates are always available, if you want a DVD template or open credits you can find something for free especially for weddings online.
  
• Common pitfalls include, shaky footage, out of focus footage, poorly framed footage, forgetting to record, BAD AUDIO.
  
• how you prevent it ending up like crap, PRACTICE. Go film things with your set up test audio test zooming, test editing test everything so when you are out and shooting you don't get the "Oh shit" moment. PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. Watch other wedding videos see what you like what you don't and how you can make a good video with your tools you have.
  
  
  TL;DR be prepared, plan, practice.

As a Youtuber who's invested in the wrong gear before the right gear, here's a quality list that I've found works for my needs and will likely be great for you.


Camera

Panasonic GH4: This is a great camera that shoots 4K. If you are shoot in 4K, downscale to 1080p, you have the option to reframe and zoom into a closer shot without losing quality. It has a flip out screen so you can see yourself, focus peaking to show you on screen if you're in focus, and can record longer clips (in select modes) than the Canon T3i to make syncing easier. This camera is also great for when you want to deliver in 4K one day.
$1699


AC Power adapter: No worrying about batteries for the indoor shooting. $20


Lens

Panasonic 12-35mm: Versatile lens that gives you great range. $1000


14-42 kit lens: Cheaper alternative. $120


Audio

Zoom H4N: Great recorder for your mics. Monitor each mic's level independently. $250


Rode NTG-2: Shotgun mic. $270


Sennheiser Wireless Lav: Expensive, but great quality. $640


Audio Technica ATR-3350s: Cheap corded lavs with long wires. $30


You'll need one long XLR cable, a light stand to use for the boom, and some kind of shotgun mic shock mount. $60 for all.


Lighting

3-light softbox kit: Great kit, been using it for a year with no issues. I don't use the over head light, as I don't have the space. I can use the light stand to boom or for another light. $170


Neewer CN-160: Small LED light to help light certain situations or to use as a hair light. $30


Tripod

Manfrotto Tripod w/Fluid Head: Great set up, worth the investment, but there are cheaper alternatives. $350


Memory Card

64GB Sandisk Extreme Pro: Great card which will allow for smooth 4K recording. $100


____



If you have any questions about any of this gear, let me know and good luck with everything!

I have Reason 7 and a Mac Book (13 inch, non retina, 2012). Everything is just fine and projects from Reason 3 can be used with no problem.

When I was buying a Mac Book the retina was like $600 more than the base model so I went with that, and I'm glad I did. You don't need a retina display to make music.

Also I use an external display, so I never even open the Mac (actually I could probably have just bought a mac mini and it would be the same).

So, you're an engineer...be careful - just get a limited rig and then start making music. Do NOT start reading about everything that's available, your engineering brain will take over and you'll never get around to making music - instead you'll just fall into gear acquisition syndrome.

I would also advise getting the following:

A bluetooth Mac keyboard, a blue tooth mouse, and 4 or 8 rechargeable AA batteries (the batteries are key), and an external display.

For monitors a pair of Jbl LSR305. These seem to be the best "bang for your buck" monitors and in online reviews people will not shut up about how good they sound for $150. Avoid Rokits.

As for midi, I'd say get a good midi keyboard and a good set of drum pads. If you want cheap and easy I'd go for a nanoPad2
If you want something a bit more involved (and actually this is what you should get) go for the padKontrol

You'll need keys. Since you say you're a composer you'll need at least 49 keys (61 and 88 are obviously better, and best). When I was buying stuff the MPK49 was pretty much the best thing you could get (except for the pads). The MPK249 is coming out soon and supposedly has better pads, but we'll see.

And finally an audio interface. I have an Echo Audiofire4 which isn't made anymore (btw it's fucking awesome so if you can find one used, do it). It seems the focusrite 2i2 is the most popular choice among newbies...personally I'd go for something with more inputs. RME and MOTU seem to the best but you'll pay a lot more (though in the long run it's worth it).

I would also say, go slow. There are a ton of cheap midi controllers (like $50-$100) so just get one, see what you like and move on from there. DO NOT cheap out on your audio interface. Your audio interface is the most important part of the whole chain.

So, Reason 7 on a Mac and an external display/mouse/keyboard, some keys and pads, an audio interface, and a good pair of monitors and you're set.

Hope this helps.

Shure PG58 Mic $59. Good cheap mic that I used for years until I retired it for no reason other than I wanted two mics and could afford a more expensive one.

Behringer XENYX 502 Mixer $45. Really all you need this from is the preamp, but for the price it's cheaper than any decent stand-alone preamp I've seen. As a bonus you get a mixer (!) so you can record your bluegrass band...or...something. Also the EQ for the mic is a bonus I guess, not that your speech recognition will care. The Shure PG58 is a little bassy though, so you can use the EQ to tone that down a bit.

Stereo 1/4" TRS to Stereo 1/8" TRS cable $6. Plug this into the headphone jack on the mixer and the other end into the microphone jack on your soundcard. Then turn the 10db boost off on your soundcard. (FYI if you end up getting this, the only volume knobs you need to worry about is the upper-left white knob for the mic gain, the lower-left one for the channel volume, the Phones knob (which is your output) and the Main Mix knob. All those together will all affect the volume of what you hear going out.)

Microphone Scissor Arm Stand $16. I don't personally own this one but it comes with the necessary mic clip holder for a dynamic mic (most other stands of this type only come with the gear to hold the larger condenser mics). Also it's a lot cheaper that other stands, which means the cable in it is probably cheap, and some reviewers say the stand doesn't hold up the weight very well. This is the one I own but I don't use the shockmount that it came with. You'll need something like this to hold your dynamic mic. So that route would be $58 total for a better stand. Anyway, good news with either of those stands is the XLR to XLR cable is included, which you'll need to connect your mic to your mixer/preamp.

So in total for the mic, preamp, cable, and desk stand you are looking at $126 or $168 for a better stand and XLR cable.

I'm sure all of these products I linked to on Zzounds are available at Amazon too. I was just lazy and found the ones that were on my blog/browser history. It also reflects where I got them. Erm, except for the Mixer; I got that at my local Guitar Center because it was the same price.

Since I saw other people wanting to do voice acting and you yourself might be unsure about what gear to buy, here is advice from a musician:

Try to practice with what you have, when you start to feel more secured about your skill, try to buy a better microphone, do NOT buy a condenser microphone, those are too sensitive if you are starting out, buy a dynamic microphone instead!

Recommended microphones, both made by the brand 'Shure':

SM58

SM7B (If you really can afford it)


To be able to use a microphone that is from an XLR cable to maintain quality you need an audio interface, there is a market solution that brings you to a prosumer level very cheaply and it is called a 'focusrite scarlett solo' it is one of the cheapest but also most durable and stable interfaces in the industry that is worth having! You can hook your electric guitar too if you want to.


The interfaces:


Focusrite scarlett Solo

Focusrite scarlett 2i4 (If you really can afford it, options like the Pad button make it amazing for general use outside of recording)


Now you need a DAW if you want to upgrade from audacity, a DAW (Digital audio workstation) is your workfield, it is what provides you what you want in terms of FX or samples (if it delivers them)


Good cheap DAWs:

Reaper by Cockos

Ableton live 10 intro (more expensive but you get more fx to it, it is less userfriendly for beginners from my experience though)


VSTs are what you will be using in your arsenal for FX and voice processing, you got tons of free VSTs that work like a charm and you got tons of paid ones that obviously work better but you can get them for cheap at plugin boutique! or sign in for emails of the sellers! PM me to request the list for free VSTs, if the demand is high, I'll make a list for it here and edit the post!

The plugin boutique website

I have never owned an XLR mic but when I researched, everyone says XLR is better. I don't know about that but the at2020 is a great microphone especially for $20. If you can get a power supply and mixer and stay under the price of the yeti, I would do that. BUT the Yeti, which I have, is great in its own right. Super easy, USB, plug and go. As far as the arm, you don't need it but it is a great upgrade. I got this and it works perfectly fine.

It is nice to have the mic off of your desk and easily out of your face if it is on the arm, for that price, it's a no brainer.

The Amazon Basics Video tripod (make sure it's the video one with the pan handle) is a good starting point, $23.49. You'll need some sort of iphone to tripod adapter too - they're available at price points from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. No need to overspend if you're just starting out.

I'd recommend you keep that iphone on a tripod at all times - it's so small and light that hand-held footage will be shakey and offputting.

For lighting, assuming you're in a bedroom-sized space then a 3-point photography CFL lighting kit like this will be great. Nice, soft light which will make whatever you're reviewing look good. Cheap too - $46.99

Although I may be biased, I think sound is probably where most of those funds should go. People will happily watch 240p, grainy, blocky, blurry video on youtube but if they can't hear what you're saying then they're gonna switch off.

For piece-to-camera shooting I'd recommend getting a Rode Smartlav for $71.90. You can plug that straight into your iPhone for sync sound recording.

I'd also suggest getting a large-diaphragm microphone for voiceover work - i.e. whenever you're not filming yourself while talking at the same time. The Behringer C1-U is a great budget option that plugs directly into your computer's USB port for recording for $59.99. You'll need something to put it on such as a Suspension Boom ($17.99) and to make sure your audio is clean you'll need a pop filter. ($8.99)

So that's the very basics covered for $157.45 give or take though you can probably get that cheaper if you shop around. That leaves you $242.55 for some more specialist gear...

Depending on what you're reviewing, I'd recommend looking at lightboxes (5-walled cubes that you put the product in to give yourself a white background and even, soft lighting), and a motorized lazy susan (turntable) to give you some interesting options for b-roll.

If you're filming bigger stuff, then a white backdrop would work as well. You could go for something in optical green for chroma keying but keying is a pretty precise art and chances are if you're a total beginner it won't look that great until you really get the hang of it - so go for plain white first.

Chances are you'll still have some money left over after that too... iPhone footage is pretty damn good but you should start putting together a kitty for upgrading to a proper interchanagable lens camera.

I need a phantom power supply for a Beringer C-1. Right now the Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 looks pretty good, but if I could save $20 and be good with something like the Neewer that be great. I have already had this C-1 for a while now (traded my blue snowball for it and a mixer) but after some research I have found out that my mixer only supplies 15v of phantom and the C-1 needs 48v. I am only using this mic to talk on discord with some friends so nothing too crazy.

What recommendations do you have for something between $20-$40? For my situation I'm looking for the best bang for my buck type of thing. I'm pretty good with tech but audio is just another beast that I don't really want to tackle myself so any help would be very appreciated!

So I'm relatively new to both (producing for about a year and DJing for a few months). Put out one song and done a couple mixes, hoping to play a show soon. In my brief experience, DJing is way more immediately gratifying. It's a lot easier (imo) to throw down a mix that sounds pretty good and just experiment when the songs themselves are already there for you to play with.

Producing, on the other hand, has a much steeper learning curve; you will probably have to put a lot more time into it before you enjoy what you can do with it. But at the same time, I find finishing a song or even making a nice-sounding beat that never gets finished more deeply satisfying since it feels very original.

So what I'd recommend is:

1. Learn the basics of DJing. Beatmatching is the essence of this, but learning good transitions and song choices is another skill that will take some time to develop.
   
2. Spend most of your serious work time on production. First step is getting a DAW e.g. FL Studio or Ableton. Then I'd recommend picking one synth and learning it very thoroughly; I'm a big fan of Serum because of its rent-to-own plan through Splice. Honestly, you don't need much equipment to get started; my best investment was a small MIDI keyboard that helped my creativity.
   
3. Any time you want to chill or aren't feeling as into the whole sound design/composition/arrangement side of things, go do some mixing.
   
   This is just what works for my workflow though. If you've got any other questions, I'd be happy to answer from a relative beginner's standpoint.

Can't go wrong with a Behringer. They're specifically what I use. I originally started with console capture, having both PS3 and 360 so I sprung for the xenyx 802 for the extra channels. This is a list of their small mixers. I know a couple people(larger streamers) Running the 502usb...it seems nice. I'm using a 1622fx atm but that's big. I got it second hand at guitar center, it's fairly safe to check what they might have that's small, you might get something cheaper than online, or something better for the same price, but you ARE taking a chance.

Another option if you're going for a traditional XLR mic(since windows mixer w/ OBS/Xsplit is strong for PC gamers) you can get an audio interface. This basically is a piece of equipment that turns your XLR into a usb device. The Behringer 302usb is just an interface/small mixer that looks like it might be nice to use. There are also things like the babyface that is expensive as shit but absolutely wonderful, or the much more budget focusrite that are both solid devices. These are actually best as you're taking balanced audio directly translated into a digital signal through a device designed to eliminate interference, but they can get expensive.

Good audio costs money, but you can alleviate the cost some. Don't by a snowball...get something you can shockmount and popfilter and boom to eliminate ambient noise...that is if you don't have a good mic yet.

^_^

for a build JUST for audio production, you could honestly probably get away with a pretty barebones motherboard. This is because the main question will be what outboard audio interface you will use with it. The audio interface will completely bypass the motherboards audio chipset, and if functioning properly, will provide far higher quality audio and much more routing options/customization than any motherboard chipset can claim. Fortunately you don't need to spend much to get something like that. This focusrite scarlett series is a particularly popular choice: https://www.amazon.com/Focusrite-2i2-GENERATION-USB-Recording/dp/B005OZE9SA/ref=sr_1_12?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1491458677&sr=1-12&keywords=audio+interface I don't really recommend something like this though since it has no external power supply - if your friend intends to power and record a microphone that requires phantom power this interface will both transmit the data and 48 volt over usb 2.0. It works, but seems like people have mixed results with it. This Behringer Umc404hd is outrageous value for the $99 dollars its currently priced at. https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC404HD-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00QHURLHM/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1491459101&sr=1-1&keywords=umc404hd. Pretty sweet with those 4 inputs and all those output options on the back.

I would say as long as the mobo has enough usb and sata connections you'll be fine. Just depends on whether your friend is interested in overclocking or gaming which will definitely increase the cost. For an overclockable motherboard Id get something like this https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130993&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID= If not overclocking, you could go as cheap as this $46.99 ASRock H110M-HDS LGA 1151 Intel H110 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard and not run into problems as long as it has enough I/O for your friends needs. https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157685&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-PCPartPicker,%20LLC-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

This is just completely off the top of my head, but there are the Audio-Technica ATH-M40x's , on sale for $99 on amazon. I only have experience with the ATH-M50's but if they're comparable I'd recommend them. Another thing that I've heard good things about are the Sennheriser HD 280 PRO's. Stat wise, the 280 PROs supposedly have a lower base range, but in practice that could mean anything.

Since I haven't used either, I have no idea what they'll end up like and can't recommend either, but I hope that's a pretty good starting place. If you can, try them out and figure which you like more. Under that 100 limit, your choices really start to drop off in terms of actual quality.

Also, just final word, I'd seriously get a second opinion on this. I'm not the best person to ask about headphone quality, I just figured I throw some links your way since I saw there wasn't really anything here before. I hope what I've given you helps, but the best place to ask might be Head-fi.org. Good luck!

Most DAWs like Ableton and FL don't really require an equipment thanks to VSTs and plug-ins (been using nothing but my laptop's keyboard as my main input for years now), but it does help if you have a controller to work with.

If you're new into the production scene, I would recommend this. It already has a few drum pads there, so you won't need to spend more money on another drum pad. Borrowed it from a friend a while ago, and it's pretty good for its price.

That one works with pretty much any DAW, but it works best with Ableton. Another alternative would be this. Best thing about this one is that you can practically bring it with you anywhere (perfect for the road)

If you only want a drum pad, get this. It's the most common drum pad out there, so if you need any tutorial on how to use it, you won't have a hard time finding one.

I'm going to be a little bit different from these other comments. I think there are some pros and cons to this bundle. I clicked on your thread out of curiosity but ended up realizing this was the bundle me and my friend bought during college when we first started rapping. While this bundle is a good starter kit, we had a lot of issues with monitoring. Monitoring is the ability to hear yourself while recording. Its not super necessary but I prefer to hear myself within the headphones while I am recording. There is something called latency, which is the time you speak to the time you hear yourself in the headphones. With this bundle sometimes we couldn't monitor ourselves at all, and other times we could but the latency was so large that it sounded like we were rapping over our own echoes.

​

I would recommend purchasing audio technica M50 as headphones. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HVLUR86?aaxitk=cVQsljyy61ps.jPMCOqbVQ&pd_rd_i=B00HVLUR86&pf_rd_p=44fc3e0f-4b9e-4ed8-b33b-363a7257163d&hsa_cr_id=9643844680501&sb-ci-n=asinImage&sb-ci-v=https%3A%2F%2Fm.media-amazon.com%2Fimages%2FI%2F81Hajq6vPiL.jpg&sb-ci-a=B00HVLUR86

​

AKG perception microphone. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00160PRBU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

and this behringer audio interface. https://www.amazon.com/BEHRINGER-Audio-Interface-1-Channel-UM2/dp/B00EK1OTZC/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=audio+interface&qid=1571236325&refinements=p_72%3A1248939011&rnid=1248937011&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-5

​

It comes out to the same price kind of. I have the M-audio M - track audio interface. I dont think they make it anymore but I really like it so if you find it on ebay or something it might be worth it.

If you are looking at a DAW to start recording. I suggest reaper. Its literally free and insanely robust software considering its free. Theres a 60 day limit on the software but you can really use the software past that date. I used it for like 1000 days before i ended up paying like the 60 bucks for it.

Linux MultiMedia Studio (LMMS) is another option, despite the name there's also Mac and Windows versions. It's more like Fruity Loops so there's support for audio tracks and loops but also sequencing for MIDI and virtual instruments, it comes with a bunch but then there's also hundreds of free plugins available on the net and hundreds more paid in VST format. It's a little more fun than Ardour I think and you can get a song started up pretty fast in it.

As far as a mic goes, Shure SM58 is pretty much the industry standard vocal mic but there are lots of clones too available for cheaper. With that you'll need an audio interface the Focusrite Scarlet Solo is pretty solid assuming he only needs to record one thing at a time. There's lots of bundles available though for cheaper if you look at the related products.

For a keyboard something like this Nektar 49 key controller should be good, there's of course more compact ones for cheaper or fuller sized ones for more. There's ones with more controllers like knobs, sliders and drum pads for a bit more, for controlling and automating plugins etc. If you have a second hand music store anywhere around you can probably score one for a lot cheaper.

You want a 4 input mixer with a USB out. Brands will cause an uproar in this sub but I've had 3 different Behringers and never had a problem and they are cost effective. You want a USB out for sound clarity. If you go with line out to a PC, it will sound like shit.

This is a great mixer for the price. It's has USB out to your pc and 4 xlr inputs for mics as well as a couple for your pc or whatever audio in.

This mic will do what you need it to. It's not a condenser, but it will sound great.

With cables and windscreens you should be able to keep it under 200 with those 3 items. But, you may want to look at some cheap mic stands (holding a mic makes too much noise that will annoy your audience) and balanced Y cables for your pc inputs. I'm pretty sure the mixer will come with the USB cable. Also you will need a good headphone splitter/amp. Or you can get a cheap 4 way headphone splitter, just make sure it's stereo.

You have a low budget so you will have to sacrifice on some of the equipment. Not to say this stuff is shitty, just that five hundred would get you more bang. I realize you only have 3 people now but a guest will happen over time. Chances are though, you will do 10 shows and quit - someone will not have the time or life will get in the way, it happens. The equipment I linked to will work in many applications so it will be easy to move if you decide to get rid of it.

Again, people here will argue for days over brand name and set ups. My suggestions are suggestions that will work. I've used them for years and have had a few incarnations of each. I personally use completely different equipment now, but I know this stuff works on a budget. No - I do not work for Behringer, but the shit works for its price. Good luck, guys. PM me with the first show!

Get one of these, it is inexpensive. I use it with Audacity. My difference is that I record out of a home tape deck, not a box like yours. I think I can help you up to a point. The Behringer has a ton of reviews and very high ratings. I have the one in Red also, it came free with another device, a guitar effects pod.


https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-BEHRINGER-U-CONTROL/dp/B000KW2YEI/



I've read your manual, although they combined it with ES23 model. Cycle through the Sound settings to EQ Off when dubbing. Turn off or Cancel the sound virtualizer effect. On this Panasonic you have an advantage in that you can control the volume digitally. Start at 6. Level 7 might be better. You will be able to figure out which is best, but adjust it depending on the volume of the entire tape when you move on to another tape. Simon and Garfunkel would be a different setting output SLIGHTLY than Metallica, etc.


On your computer, reboot. Don't have the jack plugged into the computer. Do have the playback Panasonic prepared. You want to test one song. You want to monitor at the end of the chain, so you want to use your computer speakers, or connect via bluetooth to speakers or headphones, somehow.


My laptops now only have one port for sound In and Out. When I plug into the jack it opens a box with a question of how I want to use it. I'll go see the options on mine after I post this, but you don't want Microphone in, you want recording in or something else if you have a choice. If the Audio Device selection doesn't pop up, google it, there is help "How to get a popup when device is plugged into audio jack" - Or if you know your computer pretty well, open the sound panel options for the input/output to see what options are there.

You want LINE IN.

>Here are the options in the sound panel on my Acer with one jack:

>The current connected device is:

>Which device did you plug in?

>Line In [this is the one you want to use]

>Mic In

>Headphone

>Speaker Out

>Headset


This is where the Behringer USB device will come in handy. Audacity will find it, and you can simply monitor via the interface or on your computer.


Audacity, if you are new to it, it defaults at fresh install to 48khz sampling rate in my experience. You want to set that to 44.1 khz, the CD Audio standard. You can google that. I personally record to WAV file on a clean partition, but recording to high rate MP3 or something else might be what you want to do.


Your cables need to be good, and you need to notice if there is dust affecting the signal in the headphone port or the port on your computer. When you are monitoring at the business end DURING A SILENT PAUSE MODE, you can rotate the plug that is in the jack, you will hear if there is a crappy connection. You can clean the mini headphone jack ports just google it.


I hope you have got a way to monitor what is coming in to your computer after you do all this, it is really the only way to go. Like I said, considering the disadvantage of recording from a boombox headphone output, your advantage is that digital level control on the output, so you might turn out a fairly good recording.

The answer is.... it's compicated.

First off... where are you (country)? And what do you want to use the microphones for? And what is you budget?

1. "the at2035 will still sound better than an at2020usb mic right?"
   
   No-one who reviews microphones likes to say that one microphone is better than another (annoying right?). This is because sound and how a human interprets it and "hears" a thing is entirely subjective. So most reviewers will say "They sound different and personally I prefer this one....". It is generally true that a more expensive microphone will have better, more sensitive components, less self noise, better frequency response and will handle sound better. You are unlikely to notice a huge difference, though, if this is a microphone for you to stream games with...
   
   The frequency response of the AT2020 is 20-16'000Hz, the AT2035 has a frequency response of 20-20'000Hz. The power requirements for the USB mic is 5v and the XLR mic is 11-52v. When looking at the Audio Technica technical specifications for both microphones there is not much more information for the 2020 whereas the 2035 lists Low Freq Roll-off, circut sensitivity, impedence, noise dynamic range, etc. Audio Technica either do not provide that information for the USB mic as an oversight, or because it is not important/nothing to write home about. There is no doubt in my mind that AT2035 is the better microphone and a more worthy investment.
   
   AT2020 USB - http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/c75c5918ed57a8d0/
   
   AT2035 - http://www.audio-technica.com/cms/wired_mics/cebb57a269d232ee/
   
   There are also loads of links on YouTube where people compare microphones. One tip is that if you go and watch these, unless your PC has good monitor speakers try to listen to these videos using a pair of decent headphones (like these - https://www.whathifi.com/akg/k92/review). If you are streaming or producing music you will need a good pair of headphones anyway, good does not have to mean expensive. Just check out reviews, the K92's are fairly cheap and are good.
   
   YouTube link 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4784ITB8WFI
   
   YouTube link 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8wCHEe3m2E
   
   You will also find plenty of reviews there of the AT2035.
   
   
2. "I dont understand what I need to buy to make it work, like a mixer or something?"
   
   So... You will need something that provides phantom power to the microphone and then connects to your computer, usually by a USB. I use a Focusrite 2i4 2nd Gen. (note if you go done the Focusrite route there are plenty of units on Ebay as well as new, but make sure you get 2nd Gen.) Again it depends how much you want to spend and what you plan to use the microphone for... there are cheaper and more lightweight units (that does not mean that they are poor quality) and you can go right the way up to expensive and more complex units.
   
   

1. Blue Icicle XLR-USB Adaptor, a good leightweight solution - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Microphones-XLR-USB-Microphone-Condenser/dp/B001EW5YQS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502188957&sr=8-1&keywords=USB+XLR+USB+Adaptor
   
   
2. Music Authority Best Audio Interface Buying Guide and Review summary page - https://musicauthority.org/audio/best-audio-interface/
   
   
3. Similar review product summary from musicradar.com - http://www.musicradar.com/news/tech/the-best-budget-usb-audio-interfaces-in-the-world-today-570850
   
   Good luck.

That monitor is 144Hz stock, and it is overclocking up to 180Hz but not all panels may hit that speed. I recommend paying $20 more and getting a 1440p panel that is 144Hz stock but usually goes up to 165Hz.

R5 2600 is a $25 more and gives a nice performance bump.

That CPU cooler is overkill.

Get some faster memory for Ryzen.

The Crucial MX500 is a better value SSD.

Over $300 is too much for a GTX 1060 6GB.

You can get a fully modular and gold rated PSU for $5 more, that also has higher power quality.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | AMD - Ryzen 5 2600 3.4GHz 6-Core Processor | $199.99 @ Amazon
CPU Cooler | CRYORIG - H7 49.0 CFM CPU Cooler | $34.99 @ Amazon
Motherboard | Gigabyte - X470 AORUS ULTRA GAMING ATX AM4 Motherboard | $139.99 @ Amazon
Memory | Team - Dark 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-3000 Memory | $159.99 @ Newegg Business
Storage | Crucial - MX500 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $121.99 @ Newegg Marketplace
Storage | Seagate - BarraCuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $44.28 @ Amazon
Video Card | EVGA - GeForce GTX 1060 6GB 6GB SC GAMING Video Card | $299.99 @ Amazon
Case | NZXT - S340 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case | $69.99 @ Amazon
Power Supply | EVGA - SuperNOVA G3 550W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply | $69.99 @ Amazon
Monitor | Dell - S2417DG 23.8" 2560x1440 165Hz Monitor | $369.95 @ Amazon
Keyboard | Corsair - K95 RGB PLATINUM Wired Gaming Keyboard | $169.99 @ Amazon
Mouse | Corsair - M65 PRO RGB FPS Wired Optical Mouse | $49.99 @ Amazon
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $1731.13
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2018-04-26 16:03 EDT-0400 |

Those Logitech speakers are junk, same with pretty much everything intended for PC use. Use some decent headphones or studio monitors. You get what you pay for with audio. Keep them a bit away from your wall and desk surface for best sound, this goes for all speakers.

https://www.amazon.com/Mackie-CR-CR3-Reference-Multimedia/dp/B00KVEIY4E - $100.

https://www.amazon.com/PreSonus-Eris-E4-5-Powered-Monitors/dp/B00GP56OYA - $200.

https://www.amazon.com/JBL-2-Way-Powered-Studio-Monitor/dp/B077N2GQXC - $300 (you need 2)

/r/budgetaudiophile if you want more recommendations.

Very new to the microphone world, but I am curious as to what you guys might recommend to fix the noise/static issue I'm getting.

My headset microphone was dieing and I decided to upgrade to a microphone that isn't just a headset mic. The intention is to use it as my mic for gaming as well as giving me the option to record guitar/vocals, and possibly to do some streaming. Over black friday I got a pretty good deal on a Floureon BM-800 Condenser mic (nothing fancy, I know). I also picked up a phantom power supply for it as well.

So my current setup is XLR to phantom power supply, and XLR to 1/8" into my PC.

I had to turn the gain way up to get a decent volume and I'm guessing this is to do with not having a preamp. With the gain this high, I get a lot of noise from a fairly quiet room (even if I move the mic into the hallway the noise is constant). I was looking at the following preamps.

ART TubeMP Tube Microphone Preamp


Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface

So, my questions are...

1. Did I just buy too low of a quality of mic in that, even with a preamp, the noise/static will still be there?
   
   
2. Would either of those preamps cleanup the noise/static from the mic? (The Scarlett is appealing with the 1/4" hookup for my guitar as well)
   
   
3. Is there any software I can run my mic through to filter out noise? I would assume this would not be the ideal way to deal with noise though, and that a preamp would be a better solution for this.
   
   I can provide an audio sample when I get home from work. Thanks!
   

I have had a fair bit of experience in the field of audio engineering, and so hopefully I don't talk out my ass when I say this but:

If this build is audio-orientated, why haven't you included a sound card or other audio interface? This kind of equipment is pretty much the most important part of your setup if you are seriously seeking to create high-fidelity recordings.

Unless you already have an external audio interface or a decent sound card that you're planning to recycle from a previous build, I would highly recommend investing in one. A mid-to-high end sound card will reduce hiss/buzz/interference and will allow you to sample audio at much higher bit-depths.

When it comes to the actual gear (as per usual) your budget dictates the hardware you should purchase, but I give some general guidelines. If you are only planning to do simple recordings (guitar + 1 or 2 vocal mics), I would go with an external soundcard like the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. If you're interested in richer recordings of perhaps larger scale (drum kits, bands, etc), something similar to a Focusrite Clarett 8pre X or other rack gear would probably suit.

At this stage, we're talking about spending more on an interface than your actual PC, and I'm guessing you came to this sub to find computer advice. Nevertheless, I hope what wrote helps in some way. Good luck with your auditore endeavours!

"Preferred Tonal Balance" is simply how do you like your music, example: "I listen to Rap so I want as much bass as possible!". With your taste it would be safe to say you want a bit more bass.

Personally I wouldn't recommend buying something from Bose unless you really wanted good noise-cancellation (tip: you don't). They are a bit pricey for what you get.
At that price range you might want to check out headphones from Audio Technica, specifically the M50's or the M40X's. Now I like the M50's because they have nice slightly punchy bass but it doesn't overpower the rest of the song. Sounds pretty good with Glitch-Hop and other electronic music in general IMO. I've had them for 3 years now and is a solid common go-to with their sweet price tag.

The list goes on and on since around $100 is where you start getting good headphones but i'll throw in another two headphones for you to consider: Shure's SRH440. For more bass, check out the V-MODA Crossfade LP. They're quite stylish, come in lots of colors and have a more bassy sound. V-MODA has a few other headphone line-ups you might like if you like their headphones.

Hope that helps, give us updates!

I would stick with a USB condenser microphone. They're phenomenal as they have a built in condenser and some have built in noise reduction. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do post editing to the show (like running a condenser and noise reducer over your audio), but it helps shave a lot of post work off.

I run the XLR version of the Audio-Technicia AT2020. What I'm linking is the USB version and you may be able to find it used, or cheaper, elsewhere. It's a phenomenally powerful microphone for little cost.

If you want to go XLR, because you feel like you need to do some on the fly mixing, a Scarlet interface + the XLR version of that microphone is a great combination. You can go more advanced with a Behringer Xenyx Q802USB (what I am running), but if you're just starting out keep it simple.

Also pick up a microphone boom, pop filter, and a shock mount (that particular shock mount has a pop filter with it). Keep it off your desk and about 5-6 inches from your mouth when podcasting. You want to reduce all extra noise including mouse clicks, keyboards, or bumping your desk.

If that's too expensive, a Yeti or a Snowball are great introductory microphones. There is a reason everyone uses them. I cut my teeth on a Samson CO1U, but eventually upgraded to the AT because the sound quality is a bit better. Just...always get some kind of arm or tripod or something and keep the microphone suspended.

At the end of the day, as long as you're using some kind of condenser microphone, it doesn't really matter. Post production can help make the whole podcast sound a lot more enjoyable. Just make sure you're consistent, have decent audio quality, and are excited to podcast. I wrote up some dirty tips and tricks here if you're interested.

Good luck!

That X/Y mic is great for recording in stereo, but that would make for a weird listening experience I think. If it was all you had, then you'd make it work, maybe combine the L/R tracks into one Mono track so as to avoid being distracting, but since you're not intending to try that, I'll shut up about it.

You've got the right idea wanting ISO tracks of each speaker. Makes editing MUCH more effective. It's also SOP these days for stuff like this. (In the old days of analog recording up through even a few years ago, you wouldn't have the data-writing speeds or bandwidth to record 5 high-quality digital audio tracks to the same hard disk at the same time, so you'd have a dedicated mix engineer whose main job would be to constantly 'ride the faders' on the five people speaking so that the output was clean, clear, and easy to listen to. MAYBE you'd edit, but if you did, you did it with a razorblade and scotch tape. Post-processing was minimal compared to what a lot of folks do today as well. Especially for radio.)

ANYWAY. Forgive the wordsalad.

WAIT! More wordsalad: I should offer up a bit of a correction to my last message, too, because I was using cardioid/omni reasoning that would apply more to standard mics, not lavs. So I changed my mind. Go with omni :-). Reason: Because of how microphones get built, and how lavs are used, the 'dead zone' on the cardioid version would just...point at the floor. So. Not much in the way of rejection in any case. Plus, the more directional the mic, the more careful the speaker has to be not to move their head while they're talking, which is harder to remember than it sounds. With that in mind...

Movo LV4-C: Get these, I think. Maybe just buy one, test it to make sure it's not utter crap, and then buy the rest. There's a favorable comparison to MXL in the comments, and they have some of the best budget-mics I've used. They're never going to replace a lectrosonic or sennheiser or electrovoice or shure or or or...but they'll get you there if you don't have $2000 to spend on mics alone. And by the looks of it, the LV4-C mic may well be a copy of the MXL mic referenced, if not the exact same hardware with different branding. So, even better. Not a pro mic by many measures, but it'll do the job and be an improvement over nothing.

As for the rest:

Shure CVL: The adapter you'd need to run these costs a minimum of 20 bucks apiece. Doesn't justify the cost, plus: adapter. More stuff to forget, more stuff to break.

Behringer XM1800: These are probably ::choke:: fine? But You'd need stands and cables and also they probably don't sound any better than your laptop mic. So...they could work, and 80 bucks for six mics is just a ridiculous price. Couldn't hurt to try, I suppose. Still, with the lavs, as long as you affix them correctly, you'll have the least amount of stuff to worry about while you're recording.

Goliton Cardioid Lav: NO. No. Please just...not these ::Cries::. These would be WORSE than just screaming really loud and hoping your neighbors can hear and enjoy your show.

-----

If you do get the lavs, check out this pic of a 'Broadcast Loop' for an example of a good way to minimize cable noise and strain on the cable. (Although with a cheaper mic, I'd use a bigger loop than you see in the pic to avoid breaking the cable. You're not doing this on video are you?)

And for that 5th mic, the inline preamp /u/matgoebel doesn't actually supply phantom power, so it wouldn't work for your setup. Keeping it cheap, something like this might do the trick, but it's one more piece of kit.

So here's a question(s) to consider, in no particular order of importance:

• Will all five of you be recording all the time, every single session?
  
  
• Why did you decide on lavalier mics to begin with?
  
  
• Is finding a phantom power workaround really worth your time?
  
  If it is, then it is. But if it's not, you could always go the dynamic mic route, which means you wouldn't need phantom power on ANY channel, hell—even handheld would be fine if you don't want to mess with stands, just be careful to have some slack in the cable coming off the mic—don't let the mic support the weight of the cable. Those Behringer mics are worth a shot, although after listening around I think if you go that route you might want to check out these Behringer 8500s instead. They're a little meatier sounding, not quite as harsh, which I think you'd end up preferring in the long run. (Until you can afford THE VOICE OF GOD)
  
  EDIT: fixed my own stupid markup mistake.

Once you get audio taken care of you'll have a good enough setup to get going. H1 is a good choice for audio and if you can swing it get this to go with it. It's a cheap lavaliere mic but sounds pretty decent for the price.

Those kinds of lights aren't the best, since a lot of light is spilled (wasted) out the sides since CFL bulbs put more light out the sides and not out the end (into the umbrella). But they are certainly better than nothing if that's all you have and can't buy better gear. Since you’re going for daylight balanced bulbs, I would definitely try to arrange it so you’re getting sunlight from a window to at least act as your fill light. Ideally you’ll start with a room with a ton of windows and sunlight. Then you can use your lights to add modeling to the subject.

Camera settings are subjective and dependent on the environment. You want to start with a good guess and adjust from there using your histogram for exposure. Don't trust the LCD. I'm sure you know that if you're a photographer. If it were me, I would start with f4 or f5.6 and try not to go wider than that. It can be a real challenge to keep the subject in focus if they move at all when you're shooting wide open. Set your desired shutter speed. And start at minimum ISO. Is it too dark? Then bring up the ISO until you have a good exposure. Is it too bright? Then choose from the following: stop down the aperture, increase the shutter speed, or move your lights farther away.

Not sure about software. I use FCPX. If you have a mac, iMovie should be more than adequate for this.

I have a Blue Yeti Blackout on a microphone arm (cheapy $20 version like this one (https://www.amazon.com/NEEWER-Microphone-Suspension-Scissor-Stand/dp/B00DY1F2CS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491413327&sr=8-1&keywords=blue+yeti+mic+stand) but without the black adapter at the end of it, and it has worked beautifully for the last three years, I can even invert my microphone to where it's hanging upside-down over my monitors and it's still steady as a rock. The arm can extend for about two and a half to three feet in every direction and is very easily adjustable.

I would definitely recommend checking to make sure whatever arm you buy is compatible with the microphone though, as some aren't. There's plenty of cheap versions on Amazon that can clip to your desk and easily support the weight of the microphone.

It's cleared up a lot of my desk space, made it easier to cable manage and use my microphone, and you don't get any of the infamous desk vibrations coming through your mic that the Blue Yeti is so well-known for.

TL:DR; A cheap Blue-yeti compatible mic stand can be found on Amazon, and it's a much better recording experience on a mic stand than on the desk stand that comes with the Blue Yeti.

So when recording vocals and guitar at the same time, like you'd like to do, the debate on what to do is really about how much control you want over editing in the end process.

- If you don't care about control on the individual levels of guitar and vocals AND want to record in one take with both instruments, all you need is one mic, XLR, Mic stand, headphones, and an interface to get the signal into your computer.

In this situation, you need A. and Interface that is cheap but not a POS because it really affects the sound of your recording. Behringer makes a cheap interface for 1 Input (microphone) and actually has a decent Preamp in it. B, you need a microphone and cable (XLR, Balanced) to capture the sound and send it to the interface. This area people could talk forever about, but for just getting the job done and a decent sound, AT2020 Condenser (Currently On Sale) is a great option for capturing both your voice and guitar. any XLR will do $10 or something like that.

- If you wanted to track the guitar and vocals separately, one at a time, the only change I would make is the microphone. Shure SM57 would do great for vocals and guitar individually. There have been many singles and albums in the rock, acoustic, and folk category recorded on these mics alone with fantastic results.

​

- If recording the guitar and the vocals at the SAME TIME is the route you want, it's definitely possible. 2 Input interface, Two mics, Two XLR's, Two Mic stands, headphones.

- a change in interface is needed from the first behringer to this one because they have the same sound only difference is the amount of inputs for ~$50 more. Next would be buying two microphones, both options listed above are probably going to be the cheapest you'll find with a decent sound. You can find packages like this on guitar center and other audio retailers, but the mics come with a lot of bad frequencies in my opinion, but hard to argue $99 for two microphones. get the cables, plug everything up and record enable two live tracks in you preferred DAW.

​

As far as the computer goes, Ableton hands out free versions of its "lite" program, and I believe you can record in that version. That would be the best route in my opinion for DAW, Reaper is a good option, I'd stay away from fruity loops if you are mainly just going to be recording audio.

Most of these solutions will put you under or around $250 so I hope this helps, if you have more questions let me know.

The best microphone I know of for this type of use would be the Sennheiser MD-46. It is one of the best if not the best interview microphone around. It has low handling noise and is a dynamic microphone with a super Cardioid pattern. It was specifically design by Sennheiser at the request of NBC Sport for their Olympic coverage a few decade ago and is the favored microphone for many NFL sideline reporters.

However, the Sennheiser MD-46 is an XLR microphone and not a USB microphone. So you'd either have to pick up a portable recorder such as the Zoom H5 or a USB Audio Interface such as the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 to make it work.

If you are thinking of just a USB microphone one of these microphones I tested would be my recommendation. The Knox Podcast Microphone is currently running for $40. But you can also pick up a Audio Technica AT2005, a Audio Technica ATR-2100 or a Samson Q2U. These microphones have a higher handling noise but do record great sound in a stable environment. They are also dynamic cardioid microphones but will pick up a bit more background noise than the Sennheiser MD-46. The bonus with these microphones is that they have both USB and XLR capability and output with both simultaneously so are extremely useful for any podcaster.

Let me know if you have any questions and good luck!

My current go-to in this price range is a mix of a Yamaha MG10XU mixer or Scarlett Solo interface with a Shure SM57.

SM57 is a really nice sounding dynamic mic for $100, and sounds pretty much equal to the SM7b and 58 in some videos I watched. This fuzzy thing will also act as a nice pop filter for it and is pretty cheap. I've got one of those big round mesh ones and it still lets some heavy Ps and Ts through, so look at some videos if you go that route.

I personally like to tweak with things in hardware, so i'd go with the Yamaha board since it has a ton of features, but if you just want to plug in the mic to something nice then the Scarlett is also fantastic. I've also been using this Neewer arm for about 6 years, and it does the job.

Headphones wise, I've used the AudioTechnica M50x a few times before and honestly they're the best headphones I've ever heard myself. I also see a lot of people praising the Beyerdynamic DT 990s too.

At this price point, don't go with a DSLR. The T6 isn't going to be that good. Instead, I recommend getting 4 things:

1. A Canon VIXIA HF R800. This is a good camcorder that can record at 1080p 60 frames per second. This does split the files after a certain recording limit, but that limit happens to be 12 hours, so you're fine.
   
   
2. I recommend you also add B-roll footage, where you show off a product using smooth footage of it. This adds interest to your videos, and improves your audio retention and such. You could start with a Magnus VT-300.
   
   
3. You need good audio, I can't stress that enough. To get started, use a portable audio recorder. The best option for around $100 is the Zoom H1. This will record all your audio and has built in microphones. You can plug it directly into the camera from there, or sync in post, whichever is easier for you. Don't plan on using the audio from camera mics. Even high end cameras aren't meant to use the built in mics for high quality audio.
   
   
4. Last you need some lights. A good all-rounder to get started is the Viltrox L116T. They have adjustable brightness and color temperature + they can be powered by a power adapter or batteries, both of which you need to get separately.

A question before I start; will you be using an editor to sync things up in post or would you rather take things together(audio and video) and have them all sorted out at one time?

Here's a list of things that I think would be beneficial, but not an encompassing list. If you're trying to go for a cheap list that could still get the job done, I find that these items have decent reviews on Amazon and websites and they do offer a good starting point for a budget.

1. The Camera: Canon EOS M2 ($250)
   
   I feel like the Canon EOS M2 would be a strong contender. It is actually a mirrorless camera that has the same sensor as that of the more expensive T3i. Due to it's lack of popularity with photographers due to the slower autofocus, it has seen multiple price reductions. Although it contains autofocusing issues in the photography modes, it's video modes are what really helps this camera out. You have a good starting lens with an 18-55mm lens, which may be wide enough for that room at 18, but it could even be close enough for a closer image. You can even be more technical and add in other features. Also this camera has a direct mic-in line for use of an external mic, like the shotgun mic below.
   
   
2. The Audio: Zoom H1 Portable Audio Recorder $99 OR TAKSTAR SGC-598 $29.99
   
   Audio is key here. You want to be able to hear the pastor as he gives sermons, so you have two general models. You can place the portable recorder closer to him, giving you crisp audio at a very minimal distance, or you can attach a shotgun microphone to the camera and pick it up from a distance further away. The only thing is, would you rather have the camera do it all for you or would you rather have to sync up the audio in editing? The Zoom mic is nice because you can purchase one of these ($21.38) and mic the pastor up before service to give a very crisp lapel audio.
   
   
3. The SD Cards: Sandisk 64GB 80mb/s ($22.49)
   
   This should be a given.
   
   
4. Power and Adapters: AC Adapter ($15.50) OR 2-Pack Spare Batteries($28.99)
   
   You can choose to have it either plugged in the whole time during recording, or you can have it run off of batteries. Your personal preference.
   
   
5. Tripod: AmazonBasics 60" tripod ($23.49)
   
   You requested a tripod for the ease of use.
   
   Given that you live in the US, after taxes, you're essentially looking at a $500 setup for all of that equipment. That may not be the best equipment for people or even be suggested by anyone else here, but that is just my $0.02.
   
   
   Source: Use the EOS M1 and most of the gear listed.

As everyone else has said--always go with the microphone first. Good audio quality is paramount to a good stream. If you're on a budget, I wouldn't recommend getting a Blue Yeti right off the bat. A lot of people think that the Blue Yeti is cruise control for great audio quality, but it requires a lot of work to get it sounding good because it's so sensitive.

I'd recommend getting a cheap dynamic mic as well as an audio interface. Those combined will be about 50 bucks--much more affordable than the Blue Yeti, and will be a lot easier to work with in the long run.

You'll also need a microphone arm, which is also why I recommend a cheaper mic. The Neewer 20 dollar arm is perfect for those starting out--if you went with the Blue Yeti, that same arm wouldn't work as well because the Yeti is just so heavy, and you'd need to buy an adapter because the arm isn't compatible with it right out of the box.

When you're ready to get a new webcam, I'd recommend with Logitech C270. It's only 20 bucks right now and you're able to stream at 720p without any issues. You're a small streamer, so you shouldn't really worry too much about 1080p--especially since even the bigger streamers only stream at 720p anyway.

Thanks again! I had noticed on the back they had a "external mic input (plug in power)", but somehow didn't comprehend what it meant... great to know. Great tip about clip-ons for guests too, just the stuff I need :)

That mic you linked was somewhat pricey though... would something like this $22 ATR-3350 lavalier be OK? (I've heard good things about them for the price (mixed on amazon though!), but unsure if they count as 'powered' as in this application))

I will get the remote control too: had found a good deal for an accessory pack and I was wondering :)

Hi /u/nerdress -

The Rode Videomic Pro is a pretty good mic but the t3i is really, really bad for audio no matter how good the microphone. I'd strongly suggest getting an external recorder like the H4N or, at the very minimum, a H1N. You may want to pair it with a XLR shotgun mic like this if you can find the $$$.

A tripod is something that can last for many years, but the one you linked to is really bottom of the barrel. This is something I'd suggest investing a little more money into, you are going to want a universal fluid head specifically if you plan on doing video work semi-regularly. I'd get a semi-compact Manfrotto tripod like that one, you won't regret it.

Lastly, do you plan on using the kit lens? I'd suggest grabbing the famous nifty fifty. It's a legend for many reasons (super sharp, great lowlight, durable as can be).

Also you are going to want to get this battery grip for the t3i if you don't have one already. I remember when I shot on a t3i I purchased that out of whim, and I'm pretty sure I never took it off for 3+ years. It not only extends your battery, but it makes the camera much more comfortable to hold.

Hope some of this helps, sounds like you'll be in good shape! Remember, audio is just as important as video, so it's smart to invest in that type of gear.

Honestly, the Blue Yeti is actually a slightly better mic but it is USB and thus gives you no options to expand when you realize that recording guitar and vocals separately is so much better.
The XLR version of the Blue Yeti is twice the price, making it not worthwhile. Since you're already saying you want to record two things, you should discount the idea of the Yeti immediately.

What is your price range?
The best recommendation is the Focusrite 2i2.
This is easily worth the $50 more than the next option worth considering, the M-Track, even though the Focusrite 2i2 does not allow you to plug in an electric guitar without going through an amp or DI box and the M-Track does.






If you're wondering what the best use of your money is to get the sound you want to get, I can't tell you. If you're wondering if $50 for the AT2020 is a good investment, the answer is yes and you should buy two for stereo.

Look it up on YouTube, see if you like what you hear. I have 3 of them and like them but you can hear that they are rather "bright" almost in a tinny metallic way.

If you want to get the most out of your new gear, you should buy a DAC. On-board sound cards are not high quality and you'll be better off getting your DAC chip out of the electrical shit storm going on inside your computer. You can spend anything from $30 or so up to the price of a new house on a DAC. The Behringer UCA202 is popular at the $30 range. If you want a nicer one, I'd recommend the Schiit Modi. And it goes up from there.

As for an amp, opinions vary. Most audiophiles will tell you an integrated amp is better than a receiver, and separates (a power amp and a preamp) are better, and dual mono all the way through is even better (separate amps for the left and right channels).

You could get a craigslist or eBay special and be perfectly fine. If you want a popular and solid integrated, the Emotiva Mini-X a100 is on sale for $170. Emotiva is the kind of the go-to for a lot of budget-minded audiophiles.

Lastly, while those speakers are going to sound very nice, "absolute best" is not only a relative term, it costs a lot more to achieve. Check out /r/zeos/ for a lot of good information.

Like /u/ulgreswo, I used a different card; the Xonar DG. In my case, it did work under linux alright, but I'd always have to tamper with a setting under alsamixer in the terminal to get it to output sound on any fresh install of linux. Not sure if the DGX would be any different in that regard.

Also the audio-quality wasn't really all that spectacular, as I would still get buzzing and beeps due to interference from the LAN port.

In the end, I sold it and instead replaced it with this external USB DAC (Digital to Analog Converter), which was very affordable, and put out excellent sound. This particular DAC interested me due to the well written review on the Amazon page from Jayteck, where he describes replacing the capacitors on the board for even better sound quality. I followed the instructions contained in the comments, and found that it does indeed sound quite superb when these modifications are done (though it sounded better than the Xonar DG even without the mod).

Alternatively, I've also read great things on various audio enthusiast forums about this Behringer DAC, which is also quite affordable.

Due to using USB, both of those DAC's are plug-n-play with Linux, and require absolutely no configuration to get working. The only potential downside is that they do not have microphone inputs, and only output stereo audio.

Okay then what I would do is buy a guitar headphone amp they are cheap like less then $20 USD, and plug it into the out for the fx loop, and your headphones into that. This only utilizes the preamp portion of you amp but it is probably the most cost effective. If you do this and the guitar headphone amp has a gain option turn that all the way down. A similar option to this would be to plug your fx out into a DAW or some kind of audio mixer this would also give you the option to record yourself on a computer without being effected by room acoustics. If you want to you can use the other output but that will damage your headphones unless you buy a line level converter. Then the analog from the converter to a headphone amp, and from there to your headphones. This would require you to do some simple wireing, but hey if your up for it why not try.
I also want you to make sure you know the people on this thread including me are NOT professionals and you should do you own research and only do what you feel comfortable doing with your money and equipment.
If you would like to do more research here is a good place to start.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_level
Also here are links to example of the things I mentioned
Guitar headphone amp - Monoprice 611500 Mini Headphone Amplifier for Guitar, Clean https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AJHE5E6/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_95ZExbPNDRWFP
Electro-Harmonix Headphone Amp Portable Practice Amp https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003UIBQEI/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_E6ZExb9S9N2V7
DAW - Focusrite Scarlett Solo (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface with Pro Tools | First https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E6T56CM/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_N7ZExbDTYTZC7
Mixer - Behringer Xenyx 302USB Mixer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EHILV4/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_58ZExb4RMVW9V
Line level converter - PAC SNI-35 Variable LOC Line Out Converter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EAWS3W/ref=cm_sw_r_apa_O9ZExbPEZPHXN
Hope I helped in some way and hope you find your solution!

Keep in mind that if you want to upgrade to a higher-quality microphone or bigger setup, you may have trouble integrating USB gear into that setup, and a better USB microphone will cost much more than an equivalent analog microphone. So, if you see yourself upgrading to a better microphone in the future, or getting a more "professional" sound system, you may want to stray away from USB. If you go for an analog microphone and an audio interface, you will usually have better sound quality at the same price points as well.

With that said, I would go with the MXL 770 and a Focusrite iTrack Solo. I use a Focusrite product myself. These are very capable and well-regarded budget home recording devices.

Now how do we get this in budget? In audio, it's not a bad idea to go used or open box. For example, you can grab a Focusrite iTrack Solo from eBay right now for for $70 or less. Buy the MXL 770 from Amazon, a Neewer boom stand, and a XLR cable, and you've got yourself a very capable and easily upgradable kit for $165. Then, if you want to upgrade in the future, you can jump up to a more pro-level microphone and still support it on the iTrack, or if you need to plug in more microphones or instruments, you can get another interface and still use the MXL 770.

TL;DR I would highly recommend going for a non-usb microphone like the MXL 770 and a budget audio interface. With an extra $25 and some smart shopping, you can get some equipment that sounds better AND will save you money with future upgrades.

Feel free to ask me any questions you have.

Source: Amateur radio producer, person who spent too much and thought too little on his initial audio purchases.

Shit is getting expensive here. I managed to buy my pair of m50x for 120 not that long ago on amazon.ca. But I doubt you will be able to find them for that price now.

I can list a few options for you based on popular products.

Closed headphones:

Sennheiser HD 280 PRO
They are 112 right now, so a good deal. The only thing with them is that they are super analytical, so they have a very flat response.


Audio Technica ATH-M40X
The little borther to the m50x. Still a good pair of cans. A little less bass but still have the same sound stage as the m50x. Going for 130.

Open Headphones:

Audio Technica ATH-AD500x
These are a no brainier if you want them for gaming. Open sound stage really makes for good location accuracy. Still great sound quality for other uses. They are super open, so they won't be good for walking around. 130.

In Ear:

RHA MA750
No one will argue with these. They sound amazing, come with all the tips you could want. Have a great sound stage for in ears. A little pricey at 150 but so worth it.

Shure SE215
I loved these. I used them until they fell apart, then I upgraded to the MA750. Warm mid forward sound. I would recommend getting some comply tips for them. They go for 125.

tl;dr maybe try separate outputs for each pickup

If you want to go for something unique and versatile without spending much cash, you can go for a two-output configuration. On the Fender Jazz, this would involve putting a second output jack where the tone knob currently is. You can decide how to wire up the remaining knobs... maybe you don't need volume control for one pickup, but you do want tone control for it, or maybe you don't need tone control at all.

The idea is to have one pickup going to one output, and the other pickup going to the other. That way, you can put the effects on the sound of only one pickup.

I do this on my main bass. It has a fat mudbucker at the neck position, and it has a P-style pickup at the mid position, and the P-pickup is wired to a 0.0047 μF capacitor to kill the low end, so that it doesn't interfere with the mudbucker. The mudbucker runs clean to provide a huge low end, and the P-style pickup runs through an overdrive pedal to boost the treble and add some crunch, and also a phaser when I want something a little different. This way, all the effects only act on the attack and the fret buzz sound, while the low end can just be what it is.

Maybe you want something different, like putting thick fuzz on the neck pickup while the bridge pickup provides a clean, treble-rich attack with a little bit of chorus. Maybe you set up one pickup with a reverse tone knob... if you wire it up like it's a volume knob, and then bridge the terminals with something like a 0.0047 μF capacitor, you'll have a knob that turns down the low end while leaving the high end. There's a lot you can do, and this is a fairly easy mod that's fairly easy to undo if you don't like it. But if you like to use a lot of effects, having two signal chains with different frequency profiles can provide a lot of versatility.

If you have two amplifiers, great, but to combine the signals for one amplifier, you'll need something like this, which runs about $25: https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-MicroMIX-MX400-Low-Noise-4-channel/dp/B000KGYAYQ

Here's the thread where I describe the two-output mod I made to my bass: https://www.reddit.com/r/Bass/comments/5mn5my/gave_my_cheap_ibanez_a_new_paint_job_a_second/

When buying a new bass, the biggest thing to look for is how it feels. You can always change pickups and electronics and such, but finding a bass that's just fun and comfortable to play is the challenge. If you're interested in a Rickenbacker, it already has dual-output capability, so go to the music store with your pedals, and try a bunch of configurations with the effects, and you'll see what's possible.

I commented about this in a thread about the new Razer mic... not really a big deal but here goes.

If you are looking for truly good audio, these USB mics wont cut it. It's not that they sound bad, it just bugs me that they are marketed as "studio grade," when they really are not. It is like buying a "Gaming PC," from HP.

If you plan to use it for any real content creation, you'd do yourself a favor by buying an inexpensive interface and inexpensive mic. Yeah, this option puts you over $200..... but those are two very cheap options considering that they are viable for pro audio. And they specifically are strong in features that people in this thread would use. The Focusrite Scarletts have amazing (for the price) microphone preamps, and the MXL condensers are amazing (for the price) VO mics.

Everyone in this subreddit is familiar with the price/benefit curve of buying video cards etc... this setup is probably 4x better than a USB mic at 2x the price. From here, you'd have to jump to $800 before you saw any real benefit.

Simply put: Amplifiers add amplitude. Mixers/interfaces cut back, if needed, on the amplitude, to preserve/achieve ideal dynamic range. If your signal isn't loud enough when it hits your mixing board/audio interface, you need to amplify it first, that's not the mixers/interfaces job. So Your amplifiers/other equipment should be fine tuned for ideal signal first (as best as can reasonably be done), and THEN mixers second, to achieve this dynamic range. The closer your signal(s) are to ideal before they hit the mixing board, the better when it comes to recording quality. Naturally, this is rarely the case (especially if you're playing with multiple people at the same time/for an audience), and why Mixing/Mastering/Recording is such a complicated field that requires experts, engineers, experience, and talent.

So, if your signal is not loud enough before it hits your mixer/audio interface, then yes, you need an amplifier. Period.

> so if there's a way to just run my guitar into my computer

You need an interface of some sort (this can just be the sound card mic-in input on your pc, but it's far from ideal)

> (using something to boost the signal)

That something would be an amp.

You could always get a small combo practice amp and run the headphone out to your computers mic-in port, and then have your computer "listen" to that mic-in (thus playing what it "hears" through it's speakers). Assuming there isn't appreciable play-back delay this is probably your best bang/buck solution.

I'd try that, and if that fails, get a Behringer U-Phoria UMC22, a Behringer XM8500, an XLR cable of appropriate length, and a mic clip/stand to position the mic in front of your amp speaker. That gets you a practice amp, a decent recording interface, and a very good budget mic for about $120. It'll be far far better quality than what you've got now form the sound of things, not to mention getting you some versatile equipment that you can use in future ventures.

There is other non-behringer alternatives as well of course, but I've got many XM8500's and they frankly are damn near the same quality as the $100 near-infamous Shure XM58's for 1/5 the price, and I've got two of the U-Phoria 400HD's and can't recommend them enough for people looking for quality multi-channel computer audio interfaces on a budget, so having used everything I've mentioned here extensively, I feel comfortable recommending them, as I know they work.

Just a few thoughts: If you are a beginner and especially if you are going to be both operating the camera and doing interviews at the same time, don't use a DSLR. You need a regular consumer camcorder, the nicest one you can afford. Be sure it has an external microphone input and a headphone output. So, you will need at least one external microphone, a shotgun and/or a lavalier. The most important thing in your documentary is good sound!

This little Audio Technica lavalier can sound just fine:
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATR-3350-Omnidirectional-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B002HJ9PTO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382119845&sr=8-2&keywords=audio+technica+lavalier+mic

This inexpensive shotgun also works well:
http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATR-6550-Condenser-Shotgun-Microphone/dp/B002GYPS3M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382119920&sr=8-1&keywords=audio+technica+shotgun+mic

A little explanation: A consumer camcorder has pretty good auto focus and usually face recognition, so you won't have to worry about keeping things in focus. Also, you'll have pretty good auto exposure and auto white balance. If you are shooting your first documentary with limited experience and/or a very small crew, you need to think about content and let the camera help you instead of having to think about too many things. It's true a DSLR with a good operator can make your documentary look better, but it won't matter if the story isn't there. If your story is good, the audience will accept a lot of shortcomings, especially in the picture.

When shooting, use the external microphone whenever you can. If you have only one subject, use the lavalier, otherwise use the shotgun. Always monitor the audio in the headphones. I have a friend who accidentally plugged the microphone into the headphone jack and didn't know it until too late!

Good luck!

That has a single XLR input, and onboard effects. Doesn't seem very flexible to me. For the price, I'm not at all interested.

Unless you are specifically wanting an 'all in one' outboard solution like that, which requires quite a bit of compromise in terms of price, flexibility, and usually quality... I personally would rather go with a modular solution and software effects, as that would remove all limitations and be more easily upgraded at a later date... Not to mention it would be cheaper.

Free effects are abundant on Linux. A nice all-inclusive option would be something like Guitarix. It's a full suite of 'guitar' effects (which would work fine for vocals as well.)

You'll need the following hardware (examples included:)

1. XLR input:
   

• Scarlett Solo has 1 XLR and 1 line in. Great sounding preamps.
  
• Behringer UMC22 is similar in features, very inexpensive.
  
• Depending on what you'll be using this for, you may want to consider an option with two XLR inputs in case you want two people (or just two mics) simultaneously.
  
  

2. Control surface: These have knobs/buttons/sliders that can be assigned to anything in your software.
   

• Akai MidiMix - Lots of sliders and knobs.
  
• Behringer Xtouch Mini - Inexpensive and portable
  
  So if you went with the Scarlett Solo + Akai MidiMix, you'd have more flexibility, better preamps, and more easily portable setup for less than half the price.
  
  With the Behringer options listed above, it would be 1/4 the price, again with all the benefits I listed.
  
  FYI, the example products in this comment are just that: examples. There are dozens of other options available.

Depends on what you want to do. This seems to be a great consumer product but I wouldn't be sure that this is a right choice for a producer. From all the reviews I've read, it sounds good, but that's not what you want as a producer, you want it to sound true. It's the same case as with the bass in your headphones. You want a true sound, not something that is made pleasing to the ear. You need to hear your mix clearly without boosts in certain frequencies, you need to hear your mistakes so you can fix them. Plus when the bass is artificially boosted in your headphones, it makes by default the low mids and mids distorted and muddy, thus hurting your ability to truly hear what's going on in the music.

Second thing is that this interface doesn't have any inputs, so you can't use it for recording at all. But if you don't ever plan on using microphones for recording vocal lines, samples of whatever, talking, perhaps collaborating musician's instruments, then it shouldn't bother you. (I'd recommend having them just in case anyway)

One more thing that you might appreciate in the future is a separate output for headphones and for monitors. Once you get them, you'd be glad you don't have to unplug them every time you want to use headphones.

In the end, I'd recommend going for a traditional audio interface. Those things are made for producing music so they deliver a sound as uncolored as possible with I/O and features that are practical for a producer and a musician.

In the same price, category check out these for example:

Focusrite Scarlett Solo

Behringer U-PHORIA UM2

Presonus AudioBox

or simply type "audio interface" into the search bar and look for yourself. Hope this helps.

Sure!

So I'll assume you guys have the absolute bare bones in equipment and work from there. Since these are voice recordings from the 60s\70s there won't be much fidelity to capture so you should be pretty safe.

I've only done this with a Windows machine but I think there are similar settings on Mac. If not this will at least give you an idea of what to Google.

You'll need to get the audio from the tape deck to the computer. Technically you should use a line input. If you have a desktop computer it might be the blue connector. If you have a laptop you can use one of these things or something similar. If you're a cheapskate like my Dad you can just use the microphone input (if you have a headphone/microphone combo jack you'll need this doo-dad).

Note that the Mic input is "hot" in the sense that it's very sensitive to the noise coming into it and a line level input from a tape deck with clip out all the audio. You'll need to dial the mic sensitivity down. In Windows 10 right click the audio icon>Sounds>Recording>Select your default mic input>Properties>Listen>✔Listen to this device (to monitor)>Levels>Adjust levels. How to adjust levels should be apparent soon.

If you're using a Walkman type player you can connect with a simple auxillary cable (double sided male headphone jack). If you have a big tape deck just hook it into the Mic or Line jack with one of these. Toss a tape in there and let it play. Check to see if you can hear it with the "Listen to this device" checked. Adjust the levels to where it sounds normalish. You'll fine tune it next.

Install Audacity. In the top bar you'll see a mic input drop down, select your line in or mic input. Click the audio meter for the mic next to check your input levels. Advice on this varies but in general keep the green bar bouncing on the low end between the -12 and -6 during normal audio levels on the tape. This gives some wiggle room when people on the tape get antsy. You can adjust that with the OS input levels and fine tune it with the Audacity mic levels.

Restart your tape, hit record, and play it through.

When exporting I like to use FLAC for lossless audio but if you're looking for something more practical just use a high quality setting for MP3. FLAC is built in but you'll have to install the MP3 exporter (which I just linked wiki instructions for). You can also use WAV but its a lot bigger and doesn't support tags. When you export you'll have options to tag the artist data. I like to input as much data as I have about the tape in these fields. It will display in any compatible media player and it keeps things generally more organized.

If you don't want to bother with any of that you could try visiting local music shops and recording studios and I'm sure there's someone there that you could pay to have it done. I've never tried that though.

Hope that sets you down the right path. Preserving old audio like that of our parents is important. I have a box of old "love tapes" my Dad mailed to my Mom when they were dating. I should digitize them... but it's really weird to hear. Maybe I'll send them out.

Hey guys, I hope this is the right place to ask this.

To make a long story short, I'm looking to buy a mic to use for Skype/TS/VoIP type stuff, mostly while gaming. I'm also looking to try something nicer than the low grade desk mics that I've used in the past. I was previously planning to just buy something like the Audio Technica AT2020 USB, but I'd like to try to find a solution that will allow me to reduce the level of sound that my mic picks up from other sources, primarily my mechanical keyboard, which is loud as hell.

To this end, I was thinking about picking up a fairly cheap shotgun mic and hooking it into a USB mixer that I could plug into my computer. I think the shotgun mic's directional nature would be an improvement on the mics I've been using (and that my friends have been complaining about) and would have less sound picked up from my keyboard (although I know it won't go away entirely).

Keeping in mind that I'm on a college student budget, and that this isn't for any kind of recording/voice over work for music or anything, here's what I had planned:

Audio-Technica ATR-6550 as the mic. It's low-cost and has reasonably good reviews. I've owned a few different pairs of AT headphones before and never had any complaints about their build quality or performance, so this seems like a good pickup at my price point. If this setup works, I could consider picking up a nicer mic later on in time.

Behringer Xenyx 302USB as the mixer. Again, low cost and obviously not stellar in performance or options, but I don't need it to do very much.

My understanding of it is that I can hook the mixer into my computer via USB, and it will register it as a recording/playback device. Then I can hook the shotgun mic (with a 1/4in adaptor on it) into the XLR/TRS mic input and that will serve as the new mic. I also should be able to plug my headphones into the headphones jack and my speakers into the output of the mixer, so that all of the recording and playback devices are handled by the mixer.

Ultimately, however, I don't actually know anything about audio equipment, including the mic and mixers. So if anyone has any advice to offer or suggestions to make, that'd be greatly appreciated. Also, if I'm completely wrong about how the inputs/outputs or something like that on the mixer works, then it'd be awesome if someone could help explain it to me.

I run a project studio that I built the PC for myself. From my research, for music production, intels are recommended. As usual, people will/can argue about this, but i7s have worked great for me. I ran an i7 2600 for a 3 years without even hitting the limit of its capabilities. Ditch the video card, use onboard i5/i7 graphics. Cheaper, quieter.

Like others have recommended, an external sound-card with ASIO support will be a big help in reducing latency (delay of sound being played on your speaker/headphone). You can always get one later though. It's more important if you're doing real-time recording, rather than electronic production.

I threw together a quick build, but I'm by no means an expert, so maybe there are better motherboards/RAM sticks at the price, but this should be a good starting point. Sound card is not included, so add from below:

A basic sound interface would cost $80, and a decent one $150.

If you can afford to, throw in another 8 GB of RAM and you should be golden.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Type|Item|Price

----|:----|:----
CPU | Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor | $224.99 @ SuperBiiz
Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-Z97X-SLI ATX LGA1150 Motherboard | $114.99 @ SuperBiiz
Memory | G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory | $59.98 @ Newegg
Storage | Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive | $64.95 @ SuperBiiz
Storage | Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive | $44.99 @ Best Buy
Case | Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case | $59.99 @ NCIX US
Power Supply | Corsair CX 430W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply | $49.99 @ Amazon
Operating System | Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) | $91.71 @ NCIX US
| Prices include shipping, taxes, rebates, and discounts |
| Total | $711.59
| Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-03-19 12:52 EDT-0400 |

Edit: Had used PC1333 RAM by mistake, replaced with 1600.

Forewarning: I'm only a hobbyist. If you want more info, definitely go to the subreddits I linked as well as the resources in their sidebars.

---

Mic: $100

Shure SM58

Video of SM57 and SM58 sound test starts at 3:30

With either of these mics you'll need an XLR cable and a device to deliver phantom power to the mic. They're the same price but I linked to the SM58 amazon listing because that's the more popular one for vocals. These two mics are industry standards so you can't really go wrong with them.

---

Interface: $130

Shure MVi Digital Audio Interface

When getting your DAW, I recommend getting some sort of microphone amplifier / hardware interface. I'm not too familiar with the budget options of these but if you have any questions about DAW hardware and software, head over to /r/audioengineering and post in the appropriate stickies.

I linked to this shure interface because it does both XLR (microphone cables) and 1/4" TRS (Guitar/instrument cables). I highly recommend reading reviews and opinions about it to see if it's the right one for you because, again, I'm not too familiar with the budget options in this category.

---

Which leaves $170 left in your budget for your choice of headphones and other gear:

Mic stands, mounts, cables, and pop filters can be pretty cheap, get your preference for your work space. Get a floating mount if you're having problems with translation through the stand. (I.e. desk bumps, people walking in adjacent areas, etc.) If you get a wire mesh pop filter, make sure it has a bevel around it (I've cut myself on mine too many times).

My recommendation for headphones would be some type of closed monitors. Audio Technica M-series headphones are popular entry level cans. If you have any questions about them or how they compare to other cans, head over to /r/headphones and post in the sticky.

ATH-M40x $80

ATH-M50 $133

ATH-M50x $125

---

As for the DAW itself, any decent computer will work fine for single-channel recording, these days. If your computer can run minecraft then it's more than enough.

What's important is that your software and hardware can use ASIO drivers. ASIO drivers will help reduce any latency on the computer's side, which is really helpful for live recording and playback. Definitely read up on how to use ASIO devices for live recordings. Depending on what you get and what version driver you're running, you may have to mess with the driver settings manually from time to time.

Hey guys,


The DAC and amp guide here seems a bit old and I'm a bit of a newbie so I figured I'd ask here.


Here is my current equipment at my work desk:

• Dell E1505 laptop - crappy, giant, old school enterprise laptop. Only audio output is 1/8th headphone jack and the sound card is awful
  
• M-Audio Studiophile AV-40 Active Studio speakers with built in amp
  
  
  These are currently connected using a simple 1/8th to 1/8th audio cable, but the end result sounds awful and looks ugly as well since the 1/8th cable has to be plugged in to the front.
  
  
  I would like to hook up the laptop to send audio to the speakers, I don't usually use headphones. The speakers use RCA and 1/8th as input, but I'd like to use RCA because those inputs are behind the speaker and won't clutter my desk. In an effort to accomplish this AND improve the sound quality a bit, should I get a DAC? And should I consider switching speakers or do you guys think these are ok?
  
  
  
• Audio source: laptop.
  
• Audio type: music, mostly metal, some IDM, some hip-hop.
  
• Willing to buy used: yes.
  
• Budget: ideally <$150, the lower the better.
  
  
  
  Ideally, I'm looking for the DAC to run off of AC/USB power since I intend to leave it plugged in 95% of the time. A rotary volume dial would be ideal but isn't strictly necessary. Do I need something like these? And if yes, which one would you recommend?
  
  
  
• Syba USB DAC
  
• Nuforce Icon UDAC-3
  
• Modi USB
  
• Fiio E10
  
• Audioengine D1
  
• DAC destroyer
  
  
  
  
  PS - Could something like this Fiio D3 work maybe? Not sure what kind of adapter would be needed, but it seems unlikely.
  

I really have no beef with AMD, but have always been the guy who wanted to invest in what shows the results; and Intel has always done that in my opinion (Not to knock AMD).

Interface wise, I have the perfect solution for you. It's what I have, as well as many others and it's very affordable and reliable. The Focusrite 2i2

Small, sexy looking, and great audio quality. I suppose you can say it doubles as a soundcard, because I just run all my audio through it, meaning when I launch Live, I select the Scarlett as my audio device, and it takes care of everything for me. No latency, and great audio. Check it out man!

I have a few recommendations for you to get you started:

1. This book: Music Theory for The Computer Musician , it's a great way to start off if you're unfamiliar with music theory. It gives you the basics and foundation of theory and while showing you how to apply it to various DAWs. It's a fairly easy read and there are quizzes and a CD with examples from the lessons. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
   
   
2. Here are some good subreddits:
   /r/edmproduction/
   /r/WeAreTheMusicMakers/
   /r/abletonlive/
   
   
3. As others have mentioned, there are no shortage of resources online. There's tons of Youtube videos and forums where you can find tutorials.
   
   
4. I also recommend listening/reading up on different types of EDM to give yourself a better understanding of what differentiates each genre. For example, check out the "House Music" wiki. Look at the description and try to understand what the "elements" of House music are: Rhythm structure, characteristic sounds, etc.. Do that for the genres you like first, and then venture to others you may not be familiar with.
   
   
5. Lastly, if you're serious about it, stick with it. Just like anything, the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it. Also, keep in mind it's not a cheap hobby or easy (time wise). You can do a lot of basic stuff with you Macbook and Logic (or whatever DAW you prefer) to get yourself started. I would hold off buying much hardware until you are comfortable with basics. If anything I would start off with some headphone and speaker monitors. (the links are to what I'm using and recommend to get started).
   
   
   I hope at least some of that is helpful...Good luck with everything!

I mean Imma be real with you, I think you should invest in good headphones. These ATH M40x headphones are great, and they're only 100 bucks. I know 100 bucks may sound like a big investment, but these headphones are actually on the cheaper side, and provide great value for your money. I personally have the ATH M50x headphones, which are maybe like 30 bucks more expensive, but those M40X's are actually even better for mixing, since they have a nice balanced audio response.

Edit: You should also get an external audio interface I recommend this. I have one and it isn't very expensive and works great, very simple to use too.

I have the game one headphones (the semi closed one, not the zero) and it's alright. I prob wouldn't suggest it. The one I have I hear some plastic particle moving in there. it feels overall very "gamery" where it looks nice but has a cheap plastic feeling to it. Earmuffs are really comfortable and so is the actual cup itself, however, the clamp i find overpowering and have to switch headphone. Sound is good. Not spectacular, but good. It sounds like its got a sennheiser house sound but i can't confirm. Mic quality is passable, not the best (comparing to an xlr mic into an actual interface which gets way more expensive) but it doesn't matter for discord or voip in game, just don't do podcasts in these. I don't know if my unit is defunct, but when hearing recordings back I often cut out. I don't if that's a mic issue or pickup issue.

I have no impressions on the SHP9500 or the SHP9500s since i missed the train. My opinion is worthless here.

I usually avoid mic and headphones integrated together at all costs, they don't do each job better and are harder to find what the issue is. They are cheaper overall.

If i can add suggestions, I would say the m40x is fine. It's 15 dollars more but Audio Technica is pretty no frills and reliable. Granted, hit or miss on how they handle their marketing and lines. This will sound flat, they are monitoring headphones. It's audio the way the audio engineers heard it. Flat, boring, excels at nothing, fails at nothing. As for quality, it's really good. Very presentable outdoors as well (then again, so are the SHP9500/s) and function well for public commutes, etc. These are closed set, so less sound goes out (leakage), but the soundstage is more narrow. If these are too much, go m20x or m30x (mixed reviews) just to try them. m20x are 70 or so dollars, so way cheaper then the shp9500 is currently but the shp9500 would dip below that frequently. m20x has a really long heavy aux cable that is non swap able and comes with a 6.3 jack converter if you're into that.

And then get a cheap mic and the sound quality should be close to the same. If you want a more headset like feeling, get a modmic. this has better quality anyway, but is more expensive. Can be attached to any headphones. comes with stick on magnets that it can stick to so you can make your headphones civvy friendly again by detaching them. this comes with a mute switch. cheaper version comes without one. If you have any questions, let me know.

I recently asked a very similar question and a fellow /r/guitar redditor turned me on to [Revalver4] (https://revalver.peavey.com/) and I have to say, it doesn't suck at all. If you just want to dabble, you can download the Amp Sim for free from Peavey's website and only purchase the amp models that you are interested in running (or can afford). That makes it pretty cheap to get into the virtual amp game, but you'll be money ahead buying the $99 combo that unlocks all of the amp sims and stomp boxes.

The [Behringer UM2] (https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-U-PHORIA-UM2-BEHRINGER/dp/B00EK1OTZC/) does not suck at all and the price is pretty reasonable. The preamp in the Rocksmith is pretty cheesy and old tech compared to most modern USB inputs.

What kind of PC do you have? Many (not all) amp simulators these days do "virtual component modeling" instead of sound sample-based modeling. The big difference is the virtual component modeling sounds far superior, at the expense of using up a ton of CPU cycles.

Best of luck on your new adventure.

Ok, my original suggestion still stands. Here's what's the used market looks like on Reverb. Most are under budget, and you can buy an inexpensive interface and play through your computer for the time being. If you have a Mac, GarageBand is free and has a few amp models and even effects. If not, AmpliTube is another popular option, plus there are many more. I would think you would get much more enjoyment playing a better guitar, than by buying a cheap guitar and cheap amp.

If you'd rather not go the used route, here's some other suggestions, in addition to the Jazzmaster (obviously shop around for prices:)

Squier Vintage Modified Telecaster

Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster

Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar

Squier Standard Telecaster

G&L Legacy

G&L Tribute ASAT (My pick of the bunch.)

Basically, I would spend most of your budget on the guitar, and play through an interface. It'll be far less frustrating learning on a subjectively better quality guitar, then buying one that's half as much.

Hope that helps! (For what it's worth, I play similar music, and I have a Telecaster and a Strat style guitar.)

Here's are three reasons you shouldn't use the 3.5mm jack on your soundcard.

1) A microphone NEEDS a pre-amp. The signal generated by a microphone is too weak to use, so a pre-amp amplifies that weak signal into something that you can use. the 3.5mm jack on your motherboard does not typically include a preamp. it's made for line level signals.

2) The bm-800 is a condenser microphone, which is a type of microphone which needs to be powered to use. This is sometimes called "Phantom Power" or "48v". The 3.5mm jack won't supply that power to the microphone.

3) The signal that comes from a microphone like the bm-800 is an ANALOG signal. Your computer only understands DIGITAL signals. Now, your motherboard, or soundcard does have a converter, but typically they aren't the very best quality of converter because they aren't meant to deal with Microphones of this type.


So here are some options.


Buy a USB interface for your microphone
You could get one second hand for as low as $30 or cheaper. New you could look at something like the Behringer UM2.
An interface does all three of the things I mentioned before. It can provide the Power your condenser microphone needs to operate, then amplify the signal with a pre-amp, AND convert that signal to a nice digital signal. They can also include all sorts of other handy features including software to record your audio. This would work with your BM-800.

Buy a USB Microphone
This would be the easiest option in my opinion. Here's why. A USB microphone is as simple as plugging into your computer and your good to go! No need for an interface because they fit all of that into the microphone. It will convert your signal to digital, power your microphone and amplify the signal to a usable level. And if i'm being honest here, (And I absolutely am) Almost any USB microphone over $30 is going to be better quality than the BM-800 in every way. The BM-800 is the cheapest of the cheap and it wouldn't last you very long. Apart from the cheap build, they also have cheap electrical components which add some hissy noise to the audio that you record. There are so many good choices for a USB microphone. Take a look on Amazon and read reviews.

Hope this helps! Feel free to pm me if you have any questions

Budget - $125. Really don't want to spend more than $100 unless you can convince me.

Source - Dell laptop

Requirements for Isolation - All the isolation. I don't want to hear around me, and I don't want them to hear me.

Preferred Type of Headphone - Closed. See above. I want solitude and I don't want to bother others with my music.

Preferred tonal balance - Probably can't really tell the difference in mids and highs, but I love bass.

Past headphones - Grado SR80i. Sounded great, but they're open so they didn't block out noise and everyone could hear me even at low volume, which is not what I want. Also the pads pressing against my ears for awhile hurt pretty quickly.

Preferred Music - Alternative Rock, Hip Hop, Ambient/Post Rock, Trip Hop

Misc - I tried my friend's Audio-Technica ATH-M50 and it was incredible. A little big, but I did like the coiled cable. The cable on my SR80 has gotten twisted a lot from storing it in various places. I will use these primarily for studying and occasionally watching TV or movies on my computer. I love the M50, but the price tag may be a bit too high. Should I go for the M40x or the M30x? How much "worse" is the M30x than the M50? Are there alternatives that are better for the price? Also I have Amazon Prime which is why I keep linked to Amazon haha. Saves 10-15 bucks.

the "Devil's Canyon" versions of the Haswells allegedly have better thermal design, though the i5-4460 is probably good enough, but spending $40 for the ability to upclock to 4GHz if & when I feel like seemed like a wise investment.

Stay with the socket 1150 generation, 1151 is too new still.

Getting an H vs. Z motherboards are fine (if you don't want to OC). tonymac has a thing for Gigabyte over other mfg choices, and maybe that preference is justified.

Gigabyte BIOS does seem pretty compatible, and I didn't run into the USB issues people were seeing with 10.11. I don't have any fancy SSDT stuff, just some config.plist settings and the EFI drivers.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i07ofpvfz8agl20/CLOVER.zip?dl=0

is a link to the Clover files I have for my Gigabyte Z97-UD3H-BK w/ i5-4690K w/ no GPU.

>After initial setup do you face any issue in hackintosh?

Very smooth sailing since June when I installed 10.10 and the 10.11 beta. Gone MUCH better than I was even hoping.

I installed Windows 10 again recently and that took out Clover on my O X boot disk (I forgot to detach the OS X SSD first), but I was able to boot from my Clover USB OS X installer and reinstall Clover onto the EFI partition of my main OS X boot drive with no issues.

10.11's security addition is something of a pain but I guess Clover has that sorted out for new installs too.

Note I have a BCM94360CD-based PCIe 802.11 wifi / bt4 combo card I got for $65 from Hong Kong via eBay. This has been working great OOB. I also spent ~$20 on a Behringer USB sound dongle to not have to futz with the onboard audio driver install hassle.

Not that I can think of. I just took mine out of the case, just the device and the USB cable. It draws power from the USB, so no power cord. Comes with some software too, but it's not a real DAW or anything really good tbh.

----

FYI-
The Akai MPK Mini pretty cheap (new) on amazon, btw ($100). Goes on sale sometimes (was @$80 at xmas IIRC). Same price on sweetwater.

https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Mini-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2

White limited edition is back in stock too ($100). Only differs cosmetically, but some people like it.
https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-Mini-MKII-White/dp/B01M13A6JT

Also, for the sake of diversity, the Launchkey Mini 25 at @$100. (New) Launchkey comes with Ableton Live Lite (a DAW). They make quality stuff, too but it's Ableton oriented. That's a plus because you basically get a free version of the introductory version of a great DAW. That's a minus though if you try Ableton and decide it's not for you (the major DAWs are all good, it's really preference at the high levels of stuff like Ableton, Logic, FL, etc).

https://www.amazon.com/Novation-Launchkey-Keyboard-Controller-LAUNCHKEY-MINI-MK2/dp/B00VVNOMGI

> arturia minilab

Is there something particular in the Arturia that you are looking for or is it one that you have settled upon? They make amazing gear, but there are so many products out now that you can find one that directly fits your needs.

For instance:
http://www.amazon.com/Novation-Impulse-25-Controller-Keyboard/dp/B005M02VJG

This is a bit more, but has transport controls and rocker-style pitch and mod wheels and some extras. It can be found used but new for $139.90.

I personally was at Musik Messe in Germany last year; Largest Electronic and Audio Expo in the world. There are so many people making gear now that you really can find pretty much what you are looking for. Additionally there are tools like

http://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-MINI-MKII/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=pd_cp_MI_0

Not trying to sway your vote one way or another. I just have spent thousands over the years on all sorts of controlers over the years, have been doing this for a very long time, and want to help educate those who are pursuing similar paths.

One word of advice, having a hopped up gaming computer is great. However, the "tuning" I was speaking of in the thread pertaining to digital audio recording is a lot different than how one would tune a computer for gaming. Both can still be achieved well on a single computer, but there are some major differences that have to be lived with on the gaming side to ensure best recording experiences possible.

plug something like this into this and then run it via USB to your computer. any mic and interface will do, but those 2 happen to be pretty basic and easy to handle. as for software, i recommend Reaper as you can use it for free for awhile and pay once you've decided it's worth it (which it will be, so make sure at some point you throw 'em the cost).

point mic at amp speaker, select track on Reaper and press record. rock out like the glorious rock god you are, and then press stop. File menu>render (i think, can't remember right now)>pick format and save.

very, very rough walkthrough!

Budget - Prefer around $70 but can go upto $100

Source - Laptop (Dell 15RSE) or Mobile (iPhone SE)

Requirements for Isolation - Some isolation needed

Will you be using these Headphones in Public? - Yes

Preferred Type of Headphone - full-sized, or on-ear

Preferred tonal balance - overall balanced

Past headphones - Panasonic HJE120E (purchased and used multiple times over past few years) - Found them to be relatively neutral and giving more detail than "standard earphones that come with the mobile". But since they are IEMs, they are not comfortable for very long durations. Also, looking to step up to higher quality sound now :)

Preferred Music - Varies from Progressive House to Metal to Acoustic to sometimes just audio books. This is why I am looking for a good balanced pair of headphones.

What would you like to improve on from your set-up - More detail. More comfort for extended duration (for example, listening to music while working throughout the day, and while commuting).

Additional info - I'd prefer ones with removable cable.

Currently considering - NVX XPT100 or ATH-M40x

I had posted the same info yesterday and /u/username1615 suggested the M40x, which is why they got added to the list today. I will be making my final decision within 24 hours now, and have been doing quite a bit of reading of reviews, but am still uncertain about which one of these two would be good.

Please let me know if it would really be worth paying the 25% extra for the M40x (since I am still a college student and every dollar saved counts).

Ok well I won't explain everything in mine because it's a little over the top, but that's because I recorded music before I got into Twitch so I already had all my equipment. But what it essentially is a dynamic mic w/ XLR cable -> audio interface w/ USB cable -> computer. Here's the cheapest possible setup I could find on Amazon:

Shure PGA48 w/ 15' XLR cable: $40

Behringer Xenyx Q502USB: $60

Neewer Suspension Boom Stand: $14

total: $114

Do keep in mind that this mixer only has one pre-amp, meaning you'd only be able to plug one mic into it. If you wanted to plug in more than one mic (for instance if you have a friend coming over or something), you'd need a different mixer with more preamps. But yea my setup is essentially the above, just with more expensive stuff haha

If you wanna hear what my setup sounds like (getting a setup like the one above would get you a similar sound), here's a short highlight to see what it looks and sounds like (I chose this one to highlight the fact that you can move the mic around): https://www.twitch.tv/kvyngaming/v/106103644

Note how even when I grab the mic and move it, you barely hear anything. That'd never happen with a condenser mic.

Why not both! The theory is the same, it's just the hand skills that are different. You'll probably find yourself gravitating to one or the other which is fine. Practice 30min - 1hour a day and you should pick it up pretty quickly. Tons of online tutorials for both instruments, just make sure you actually play along and do the exercises because just watching isn't good enough. Money wise you could get both a uke and mini keyboard for under $200 total.

​

Kala makes cheap ukuleles that sound pretty damn good. Their more expensive ones are good too, but no need to spend that much yet. Lohanu's are super popular and sound good as well.

Soprano is the more traditional size, Concert is a little bigger with a bit more fret spacing which is nice if you have big hands.

Ukes:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F543PAW

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015XD4YLY

Useful accessories:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JI3XDDK

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001QL1EZC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MC5TMJB

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01D1N49MC

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004RALL

​

Midi Keyboards (Note: these connect to your computer):

Komplete Kontrol M32 (best software bundle by far)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N2VQ1NH

Arturia MiniLab MkII 25

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MSNIVKE

Akai MPK Mini MKII

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IJ6QAO2

Novation Launchkey Mini 25

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VVNOMGI

​

Too lazy to do useful accessories for this at the moment.

IF you arent trying to spend too much money on it, I'd recommend just heading to a local studio and renting some time to record what you need. That is, unless you are trying to make this a regular thing.

I'll go ahead and throw some links up on what I list as good, low-budget options to get you going.

I'd recommend getting a cardioid condenser mic (AKG AT2020 ~$100), an audio interface with at least one mic preamp and phantom power (Scarlett Solo ~$100), and a pop filter (Audio 2000s AWS4071 ~$10). You'd also need a DAW to edit the tracks, such as cutting out long pauses and words you didn't intend to make into the final cut, and adding a bit of compression and EQ changes. Most likely the audio interface will come with an intro DAW that'll do just enough for what you want to do. For better results you can also pick up an acoustic shield (Monoprice 602650 ~$65) to help isolate the sound, which doesn't seem important just getting into it but once you hear the difference you'll see why its important. Oh, and you'll need to get an XLR cable (~$8) to plug the mic in, but you may or may not want one that's a bit longer than the one I linked.

Something I want to throw in there as well is you'll also probably want to learn how to get on de-essing. In a vocal take, often times an "s" sound will come out very harshly if left unedited. A method to avoid this is to not talk directly into the mic, but slightly off center. Alternatively, you can buy a VST or program that can do it automatically for you. Also, a good thing to do is to reduce noise either through careful automated eq cuts or by using a program such as reafir which can be downloaded for free from the developers here.

If you do get involved with all this craziness, and I know its all pretty intimidating, I'd be happy to help you get on your way to making some great recordings. Just send me a message any time.

hey, i enjoyed the report. Good to know that even with a stomach full of food the DXM works. I listened to your song, trippy haha. What program do you use to create? I am not a well versed in midi keyboards/pads but I did do a bit of research before buying the one I did and I love it. https://www.amazon.ca/Akai-Professional-MPK-Keyboard-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2?th=1&psc=1&source=googleshopping&locale=en-CA&tag=googcana-20&ref=pd_sl_8ui5vlk1ju_e. It comes with some free downloads for sound banks and had its own DAW. I've hooked it up to FL studio and it worked. I think you'd like this keyboard for many reason but mainly the little knob/stick in the top left corner is able to distort sound by pitch and speed, is super satisfying warping sounds while baked. Also everything including pads are really sensitive to the pressure you are trying for and play well with real time sound.

Hey dude. Great video. You might also crosspost to /r/cars. I bet they'd dig it.

My wife and I do a YouTube car show called Crossthreaded. We subscribed and retweeted and facebooked it.

We're by no means experts, but two things you can really easily do:

1. Grab a lavalier mic. The cheap (~$30), wired ones on Amazon really help get all the "room" out of your audio. We have two of these going into a H4N.
   
   
2. Be a little more dynamic. If you talk to the camera exactly the same way that you'd talk normally to a friend, for some reason it looks wooden.
   
   More shots of the car would have been good like the other poster said.
   
   Great work, though.

This is probably a question for /r/WeAreTheMusicMakers - They're usually pretty great for answering music production questions :)

That said, Logic, Reason or Pro Tools are your 'staple' DAWs - They are all equally powerful (for your intents and purposes), and Logic is the cheapest, so Logic is a good idea. You're also going to need a USB Audio Interface (I recommend the Scarlett 2i2 for small projects, or the Saffire Pro 40 if you plan on micing a drum kit) to get signal from mics/guitars into the computer. Look into getting some cheap-ish mics (AT2020 for acoustic guitar/vocals/overheads, and the SM57 and SM58 for whatever else, at least for starters).

There are oodles of great Youtube tutorials that will teach you how to use Logic, and eventually you'll want to invest in studio headphones and studio monitors (unless you already have them), which are built specifically to give you an objective sound to accurately mix.


I'm not an expert producer, but I do freelance stuff locally out of my home studio - My work for reference

Feel free to PM with questions, and you should definitely post in /r/WeAreTheMusicMakers! They'll probably have better answers than me, but I hope this helps.

To build a system using the minimum recommendations from this sub, let's start with this diagram: http://i.imgur.com/Z8FMJ.png
DAC is optional, so is a subwoofer but I recommend one.

DAC: Behringer UCA202 $29.99 Link: http://amzn.com/B000KW2YEI

Amplifier: SMSL SA-50 $68.99 Link: http://amzn.com/B00F0H8TOC

Subwoofer: Dayton Audio SUB-800 $99.00 Link: http://amzn.com/B0063NU30K

Bookshelf Speakers: Micca MB42X $89.00 Link: http://amzn.com/B00E7H8GG2

Wire: 16-gauge Speaker Wire $8.00 Link: http://amzn.com/B006LW0WDQ

With DAC, this cable: Stereo Male to 2 RCA Male $5 Link: http://amzn.com/B00I0HPK6O

Without DAC, this cable: Monoprice 105597 3-Feet Premium Stereo Male to 2RCA Male $5 Link: http://amzn.com/B0094A1F3S

This is a great starter system, I would have loved to had something like this starting out.
All of these pieces can be upgraded, do your research. Look for sales etc. Good luck and have fun.

The problem with the design of the PSVR is that although you really want a set of closed over-ear headphones like the Audio Technica M40x, they tend to not exactly fit underneath the strap quite perfectly if you have a fat head (like mine) or if you use thick replacement ear cups for better sound quality. Sure things sound amazing and immersive but it's not exactly the most comfortable option.

I've also tried Phillips SHP9500s which sound amazing (especially for their price) but again, you'll run into a situation where it might not fit perfectly tucked under the head band of the PSVR headset. These actually work well for me, but not so much for my son. The only complaint I have with them is that they are open headphones so I hear the outside world extremely easily.

Honestly, unless you're swapping the PSVR around frequently, I would say that a good set of ear-buds are going to be your best bet for isolating and giving you quality sound while not being too uncomfortable. Unless you just hate earbuds.

Hmm... To clarify, my set up is as follows from input to output:

electric guitar (Epiphone Casino) -[TS cable]-\> Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 -[USB output]-\> MacBook Pro 2013 Laptop -[Software: Garage Band]-\> output audio jack from Laptop to Headphones (Audio Technica ATH-M30x)

My original comment was intended to inquire about the OP's Behringer UMC204HD (better version than mine) to see if it also experienced the issues I was experiencing with the cheaper alternative (Mine was $40). The UMC22 only has one Mic/Line, along with 1 Inst port. Both of those ports with their own Gain knobs. Then there is the Monitoring output with its own output knob and Direct Monitor button which I referenced earlier. That monitoring output knob does nothing to the USB output.

So I do not have Pad switches on those ports, a Mix knob, or a main output knob. With my set up of all the knobs turned down, I do get an input from the guitar (along with the static), the guitar is pretty quiet though. This input is visible in Garage Band's audio input visualizer measuring the Decibels.

Thank you for taking the time to help me out with this.

To Clarify my experience for any and all people looking at the cheaper option of Behringer U-Phoria UMC22:

This noise is not Ground Noise due to my Laptop because I do not have my MacBook Pro grounded/connected to an outlet. I have read other comments around on this product that mentioned it may be some sort of Ground Noise within the unit itself due to lesser quality, but nothing definite.

The tests where I found increasing the gain knob (this was the gain to the Mic/Line1 port with Midas PreAmp) was what I mistook for the increase in the volume of the static. That is the fuzz/noise of the typical increased gain. However, this does not increase the noise/whine of the unit. That is simply constant. I can tell the frequency and pitch of the two noises are different now when listening close. My other comment about the change in the whining noise of the unit on by itself when the gain knobs are turned still holds true.

my boyfriend has been really into music (mostly hip hop/rap) since he was a kid and has recently expressed an interest in the producing side of things. he’s mentioned a couple of times that he’d like a keyboard or synthesizer, so i thought i’d get him one for Christmas this year.

i should emphasize that he’s never played an instrument before; i’m sure he doesn’t know how to read notes or anything. i played the piano for about 10 years growing up so i at least can help him out with some of the basics, but what i don’t know anything about is keyboards or synthesizers.

i just want to get him a solid option for beginners. i don’t want to spend too much money (hopefully $150 or less?) in case he tries it and isn’t into it. i don’t know if a keyboard or a synthesizer would be a better fit for him and his interests. below are a few options i pulled from amazon, but again, i don’t know anything about any of this so if you have suggestions please let me know! i really really appreciate all your help in advance, i’ll send gold to a few of those who reply later this evening :)

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2

3

4

5

6

7

The other replies here are good suggestions, but everyone is suggesting new lenses. Personally for someone starting out I would suggest crawling craigslist or KEH for some used nikon or super-takumar lenses. You'd have to buy an adaptor ring but even with this you can get two or three solid lenses for the cost of one new one.

There would be no automatic/electronic components meaning you would have to do everything manually, but if you are interested in getting into cinematography this is good as it forces you to learn how lenses work and what looks best.

Audio is best recorded separately, but in a pinch having a mic that attaches to your camera is better than nothing. I would suggest a Rode Videomic as they can be used with a small external recorder or your new camera.

Lighting equipment is expensive, but a DIY set can provide great results on a budget. Some wax paper, PVC, and work lights from Home Depot can look good if used correctly.

The Rode video mic is great, but if you're only going to do interviews, consider getting the Rode lavalier mic. I own them both, and while a shotgun (the video mic) is great for getting directional sound, the lavalier is specifically intended for capturing somewhat localized sound, like one person talking. The Rode lavalier is actually omnidirectional, so you just might be able to capture decent sound from several people, depending on the environment.

Should you chose the Rode lavalier, don't forget to buy the appropriate "Micon" adaptor (probably either the XLR-version or the standard minijack).

You could plug the lavalier directly in to your 60D, or even better into some typer of recorder, like the Zoom H4n or H1, for better quality sound and more control over levels and such. The H4n gives you the added option of recording additional ambient sound (four channel recorder) as a backup, just in case the mic fails, while the H1 (two channels) is very simple and straight forward. If possible, run a minijack-cable from the recorder to your camera, so you can easily sync sound to video in post (also, you'll get a backup recording of the sound in-camera, perhaps even good enough to use without syncing).

I'm guessing there's a ton of cheap alternatives, but the Rode and Zoom combinations have worked well for me.

Samson makes some desktop monitors that feature bluetooth input. I haven't really seen any reviews for them yet. The MediaOne

Take a look at reviews for those and get at least the 4" ones. I can't expect the 3" ones would have much bass response.

Everything else listed lacks bluetooth, but you could add a standalone bluetooth reciever to any of them.

The M-Audio AV-40s get good reviews, and the Wirecutter calls them the best computer speakers.

Those are active monitors. They will be good for near field, and the amp inside them is designed with the speakers.

If you go passive plus amp you can upgrade components down the road. Maybe get the Micca MB42X and a Topping TP20, or find a good reciever (70s Kenwood, Pioneer, Marantz, Teac, Technics, etc. are great) for super cheap (0-$20) at a yard sale or thrift store or craigslist and get the Panasonic SP-BS22

Well the HD600 is the most obvious upgrade choice.

They need amping, but they're not hard to drive and they scale well with amp quality. This means you have some flexibility when it comes to the amp. If you plan on upgrading to a better amp in the future, grab an UCA202 for the time being, and save for a $100+ amp for later. If you want an amp now and are not looking for an upgrade in the near future, get a FiiO E10K or SMSL SD793-II.

You can also try simply using them straight out of your PC for starters, if you happen to have a higher quality motherboard by any chance you may be pleasantly surprised by its ability to drive them, and you can postpone getting an amp and save the $30 for the UCA202.

these mackies are at your limit but they're gorgeous, I use the CR4's(same thing slightly larger) Good balance and clarity, and surprisingly good bass, though you won't get the pounding bass a sub will provide. I feel like that is not a big deal, I get plenty off these speakers for enjoyable movie, gaming and music.

One of my favorite features, they're reversible, you can set them up in either orientation both speakers can serve as a left or right speaker via a small switch on the back.