1: That's just a controller. It doesn't have sounds of its own. I would suggest considering something that does have sounds of its own (such as a synthesizer, a piano, or something more like a normal student keyboard like this) so that you aren't tethered to a computer+software any time you want to practice. That said, you can still get by with a controller only and your laptop. Whatever you get, you probably do want Midi so you can use it with your software. (Unless it's a real 88-key piano, which is probably the best for learning IMO). For the "portable keyboards" with midi support, like the one I linked, Yamaha and Casio make some pretty good ones. A little pricier than the one you linked, unfortunately. 32 keys might feel a kind of limiting, but maybe not. You can probably find a 61-key one with MIDI on craigslist pretty cheap. (Yamaha PSR series is pretty good, nice sounds)

2: Learning some music theory is definitely a helpful tool, and that generally means studying an instrument. It's pretty much essential for collaborating with other musicians, since you'll need to speak "the language of music." (Keys, chords, etc.) One thing I've always enjoyed for learning is going to guitar chord sites (like ultimate-guitar.com), looking up some songs I know, and playing the chords on piano. If you don't know how to play a chord, look it up. You'll start noticing patterns (how to play a major chord, minor chord, 7th, maj7, etc). That combined with practicing scales can take you pretty far, and give you some tools to explore when writing songs. /r/musictheory seems to be a good community for resources, too.

3: Piano is so fun. I played other instruments before picking up piano, but learning piano has improved my understanding of other instruments (and theory in general) dramatically. So I think you definitely have the right idea looking at keyboard instruments.

4: If you do get a MIDI controller that doesn't have built-in sounds.. I noticed that the one you linked doesn't have any pitch bend or modulation wheel. I'd consider getting one that does. Pretty handy when working with synths (including the ones in your DAW). Another nice thing to have is pads for banging out drum beats. Much more intuitive than using the keyboard. Neither are essential, but they're fun, and something to consider. M-Audio Axiom series is a good one with both of these features. Oxygen series, too.

5: Interestingly, Keystation 49 II is the same price on Amazon as the Keystation MIni 32 you linked. Out of the two, I would definitely go for the 49. More keys, and real pitch bend+modulation wheels. (The pitch bend buttons on the mini look kind of lame IMO.) Unless the more portable size is just super important to you.

6: If the keyboard you get has traditional (round) MIDI I/O ports but no USB port, then you'll need a MIDI interface for your computer. They're cheap, and you don't need anything fancy. Something like this is fine. You can also get an audio interface that has MIDI built-in. If you go with an audio interface, you should do more research, as a good audio interface (unlike an expensive midi adapter) does make a big difference in the sound that gets recorded. But that's probably farther down the line if right now you're just trying to learn and get better at composition. At that point you'll be looking at good monitor speakers and/or monitor headphones, too.

No hard and fast rules, here. Just a few things to consider.

So, I don't know the most technical differences, but I can tell you the major difference between Condenser and Dynamic.

Condenser mics are going to pick up a lot of ambient noise. You'll probably see these in a recording studio, and they work well in that setting because studios are designed to incorporate them. Some condenser mics require phantom power to power them, the Blue lineup does not as they are powered by the computer.

Dynamic mics are going to be more focused, picking up the sound directly in front of them. I prefer the Dynamic, as I think you can get a better, more isolated sound. Especially if your recording space isn't ideal or acoustically treated.

The Blue Microphones (Snowball and Yeti) are condenser mics. So, if you're using a Yeti, you're going to be picking up a lot of the noise in the room, and outside the room (and even the building, depending on your recording space). So, if you have animals, roomates, Air Conditioning, fans, any little thing that makes noise, it will be picked up.

We used to record with a Blue Snowball, and while it's nice for capturing the sound of multiple hosts, the cons outweigh the pros.

Now, if you're able to treat the space with either acoustic foam, or even something as simple as hanging blankets up, and putting some on the floor if you don't have carpet, this will help your acoustics.

Or, if you're a one-person show, you can record in a closet, as well Just be mindful of any ambient noises you might not think of.

However, depending on how many people you're planning on having, here's the setup I recommend, for your price range:

1. Behringer Xenyx 1202 with 4 XLR inputs. - This $80 mixer gives you some room to grow.
   
   
2. Behringer Ultravoice 3-Pack - This affordable $40 dynamic microphone bundle will let you and any additional hosts get started with a decent sound. You could always upgrade to more expensive mics later, but even the affordable Behringer XM8500 is a great mic that comes in at $20.
   
   
3. Pick up the cables, which should run you between $20–$30: 3 XLR cables, plus the line out from the mixer to your laptop/computer.
   
   
4. Audacity. Free, easy-to-use editing software that I've been using for 6 years and is perfect for my show's needs. There are a lot of online resources to support Audacity and all of its functions.
   
   
5. A hosting site: Podbean, Shout Engine, Libsyn, Archive.org, etc. This is where you'd upload your show and use your RSS feed to get into iTunes. I personally use Podbean, but to have a decent go of it, you'll have to pay. We pay around $100 a year. Shout Engine and Archive.org are free alternatives, and I've personally used Shout Engine without issue.
   
   
6. Some people like to use headsets to monitor their sound, but it's not super necessary to start. You can gauge your volumes by watching the recording track in Audacity and see if anyone needs to be turned up or down. Using dynamic mics and a mixer will give you a lot of volume control pre-recording. Down the road, you could look into an Audio Interface which would allow for multitrack recording, giving more control over everyones levels post-recording.
   
   And there you go. For about $150, you'll have a decent starter setup which will capture a good sound right away.
   

>Im worried that being that the AT2020 is a cardioid mic

I think you mean that the AT2020 being a condenser mic not a cardioid mic. The AT2020 is both a cardioid and a condenser mic, but the "cardioid" refers to the polar pattern and "condenser" refers to the type of transducer. You definitely want to get a cardioid or hypercardioid microphone.

Condenser microphones are much more sensitive than dynamic microphones. That means that they pick up your voice from further away but also pick up more background noise. Condenser microphones also general will record a more accurate respresentation of the sound input (they sound better). Generally you want a condenser mic about 6-8" from your mouth pointed directly at you (or slightly off-axis) and directly away from any background noise.

Dynamic microphones are less sensitive so they don't pick up as much background noise but they also generally need to be closer to the sound source. They also don't have as good audio quality for lower end microphones. Generally you would want a dynamic mic 3-4" from your mouth pointed directly at you (or slightly off-axis) and directly away from any background noise.

If you have $300 to spend on an interface and microphone then I suggest spending more of it on the interface and less on the mic and then upgrading the mic in the future if needed. That is because some of the lower priced interfaces will introduce noise into your system. There are two main styles of interface. There's the tube amp style (think Scarlett 2i2 or Presonus audiobox 2x2) and there are mixing boards (think Behringer Xenyx or Yamaha MG10XU). For your price range the tube amps will give you better sound but you won't be able to adjust it as much hardware-side. The mixing boards will give you much more control over your audio but with slightly reduced quality. since you are streaming I highly recommend going the mixing board route, but that is up to you. Personally I love my Mackie ProFX8V2 ($200) but the Yamaha MG10XU ($200) is basically made for streamers. I like my Mackie because it has audio inputs which allows you to easily add hardware effects (EQ, compressors, gates, etc). The Yamaha has a very simple built-in compressor that you might find useful.

If you want to go the audio interface route then I highly suggest the Steinberg UR242 ($170) or the Presonus Audiobox 44VSL ($200). These will give you the best sound for your money. I have tried every one of these interfaces and mixing boards and these 4 are my favorite. The Scarlett gave me huge problems and has also given all of my content creator friends issues.

Now for microphones. You mentioned that you wanted the SM7b but did not want to price tag. The SM7b is basically an upgraded version of the SM58 ($100) and SM57 ($100). The SM58 is geared slightly more towards vocals while the SM57 is geared slightly more towards insturments, however they are very similar. These microphones are nearly indestructible, are the go-to microphones for live stage performances, and the SM57 is what President Obama used for every one of his speeches. It has This cover on it. I highly recommend either microphone and they will pair well with your $200 interface and sits right in your $300 budget.

If you have any questions please let me know, I would be happy to help.

/u/libvideoguy - congratulations on stepping out on your own! A few thoughts on your B&H list (Silver Panasonic G7, Rode VideoMic "Pro", Polsen VHF wireless mic, Benro S6 tripod, GoPro Hero 4 Session):

Camera and Tripod

The silver G7 is a great starter camera, but I would [get it for $597.99 with the 14-42 lens and a $100 gift card] (http://adorama.evyy.net/c/60286/51926/1036?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.adorama.com%2FIPCDMCG7SG.html) - and use the gift card to get a [$99.95 3Pod V3AH] (http://adorama.evyy.net/c/60286/51926/1036?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.adorama.com%2FFP3PV3AH.html). That will save you $299 over buying the Benro separately - which you can use to buy better mics.

Audio

I would avoid VHF wireless mics - I have a couple of them (from Azden and Audio Technica) and they have serious interference problems.

Instead, you might want to consider a [$179.95 Boya BY-WM6 UHF wireless setup] (http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Omni-directional-Microphone-Continuous-Operation/dp/B01BY1IT24/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20).

Here is an in-depth test of the Boya's range and susceptibility to interference from nearby cell phones [starting at 4:20 in this video] (https://youtu.be/Cb39csJwR6I?t=4m20s) - this mic does a great job out to over 200 feet, which is pretty darned good for a UHF mic in this price class.

I would also avoid consumer mics with 3.5mm unbalanced outputs (such as the Rode VideoMic "Pro").

Instead , I recommend a battery powered pro XLR mic such as the [$229 Azden SGM-250 with a free hot shoe/shock mount] (http://www.amazon.com/Azden-SGM-250-Professional-Powered-Microphone/dp/B00XWG2YBW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) and a [$20.95 Hosa MIT-156 XLR to 3.5mm adapter/impedance matching transformer] (http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-MIT-156-Impedance-Transformer-XLR3F/dp/B00FC4YR58/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20).

I also recommend you invest in a [$38.99 mic boom] (http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-PMKSB06-Microphone-Telescoping-Extending/dp/B011FOMA02/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) and 20 feet of [$5 XLR cable] (http://www.amazon.com/CBI-MLC20-Microphone-Cable-Foot/dp/B000VJJQUU/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) to get the mic off the camera and closer to your subjects.

With the addition of the GoPro, this setup will cost you $1270.88 - and give you more value for your money.

When budget permits, you should add a ~$200 [external preamplifier] (http://www.amazon.com/Saramonic-SR-AX107-Channel-Transformer-Adapter/dp/B00SSLCON4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) or a [external recorder] (http://www.amazon.com/TASCAM-DR-70D-4-Channel-Audio-Recorder/dp/B00OY6718K/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) plus a set of [high quality monitoring headphones] (http://www.amazon.com/Senal-SMH-1000-Closed-Back-Professional-Headphones/dp/B00ASWZO6U/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=battleforthew-20) to improve the quality of your sound.

You will also need to think about lighting.

But for now, this setup should get you started.

Hope this is helpful and good luck!

Good monitors are huge. Headphone sound is fine, but you want to mix using unbiased reference monitors so you know what things are going to sound like. Then you make sure it sounds good through headphones, in the car, etc. Even something like these will make a huge difference. If you've got some extra coin, go for something better. I found a pair of Mackie HR842 monitors on eBay for $250 (the old ones, not the new mk2 model). They're amazing.

You don't need more inputs than what you're actually using. If you're trying for a cheap home studio, your Apogee will work just fine. Just switch cables/inputs when you're recording something new.

But anyway. Here we go. What I would buy (of note, these are all Amazon affiliate links):

Mics:

• Shure SM58 - $100 (for vocals)
  
  
• Shure SM57 - $100 (for guitars/vocals)
  
  
• Sennheiser e609 - $100 (for guitars, so you can double-mic)
  
  
• 20' mic cable - $7.50 (2 for $15)
  
  Monitors:
  
  
• M-Audio Studiophile AV 30 - $85
  
  
• Auralex MoPAD monitor pads - $44
  
  
• OnStage SMS6000 monitor stands - $100 (if your desk isn't large enough)
  
  Bass:
  
  
• Tech 21 SansAmp Bass Driver DI - $200
  
  I've been out of the "assorted percussion" game for a while, so you'll have to use your best judgement for that.
  
  All that I've listed is $744 off of Amazon. You can DEFINITELY find cheap used mics and the Bass DI. Look for Gear Talk: Classifieds on Facebook, for example. This is all stuff that you can use today to get your home studio off the ground and functional. You also have $256 to spend on other stuff that you might need (percussion, surdo, etc.)
  
  Logic and Pro Tools are built from the ground up to be recording suites. Ableton, while certainly being a live-sound-first option, works just fine. Nothing wrong with getting your feet wet using Ableton, and switching over to a bigger/better suite later. I recorded my first EP using GarageBand before making the transition myself.
  
  Start with the basics. Start with what you NEED to record, not what you want. While what you already have is basic and not feature packed, it works and will get you in the game. (Related: stay away from plugins until you know how to really mix well with the basic compressor and EQ your recording suite comes with.)
  
  Hope that helps!

It can be done, but it takes some pretty hefty effort.

Now... I know I said avoid any and all hardware mixers, before, and I stand with that statement. But a great budget solution for this particular scenario is to grab one of these

NOW BE AWARE.

Yes, it will record all of you at the same time, HOWEVER, it will record you all on a single channel. Meaning individual EQ, edits, and adjustments will be impossible. You can get 2 channels, by mixing one input all the way to the left, and one to the right, then splitting them and making them mono, but that still leaves 2 odd men out.

The very best solution for the home podcaster is to find a 4 input interface like this one. This will split your channels nicely, and do everything you need it to do. If you're on a tight budget, but need full interface capability, you can use this guy. I used one at the start of my podcast, and loved it. It looks AMAZING, and it worked great for me, but unfortunately, it's pretty obviously not as good as a Focusrite, thanks to their absolutely stellar preamps.

EDIT: Fixed USB mixer link, original was NOT USB capable

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 :)

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!

Help with audio equipment for live vocals

Hello, I could really use some help thinking thru the best setup for right now while having some flexibility to upgrade easily in the future. I'm thinking of buying either 1) a portable PA w/ built-in mixer and speakers or an 2) acoustic guitar amp or 3) just a mixer and use existing speakers.

Here's what I want to accomplish right now:

- Karaoke nights with kids/adults. I have both a condenser and a dynamic mic and we'd (I may buy another dynamic so we don't need a stand). I'd like to throw some karaoke parties in our basement supporting, at least, duets along with backing track input (YouTube to the rescue!).

- Mini-gig nights with family/friends in my house supporting 1-2 mics for vocals and 1-3 instruments like acoustic-electric, mandolin, and digital keyboard.

- Solo performance at the house: just like the above but 1 mic and 1 digital keyboard (or maybe the acoustic piano instead)

Here's the struggle I have: the decent all-in-one PA systems are pretty damn expensive and overkill for my needs right now (basement / smaller rooms in house don't need that much juice) although a longer term goal (say 1.5 years out) is for me to be a keyboardist in a band (but seems silly to make such a large advance purchase for future dreams). A ~60W acoustic amp seems nice but they're much more expensive for combo XLR/line inputs (allowing for 1-2 mics + 1-3 instruments).

What are my best options with the current equipment I have to meet the use-cases I mentioned above?

- Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB (only supports 1 mic)

- Audio-Technica AT4040 Cardioid Condenser

- Shure M58

- Edifier R2000DB

I threw in the Edifiers because here's an idea I came up with that's least expensive, for now, while allowing me to upgrade to my own PA speakers/acoustic amp later on: could I buy a Behringer XENYX 1202FX mixer and hook that up via RCA to my Edifiers? It should be sufficient to fill the basement/living room in my house for karaoke + mini-gig-nights, right? The Edifiers are powered w/ amps so it should be fine to feed the mixer, yes? Would an acoustic amp/PA speakers give much better "live music" sound when thinking about karaoke/mini-gig-night?

​

Please help!

I jsut made the switch from a Blue Yeti to a Dynamic mic and XLR set up. I'll post what i picked up. May be a little over kill for solo but gives plenty of room for expansion.

First up, the MIC

Audio-Technica AT2005USB Cardioid Dynamic USB/XLR Microphone

This as it states is a DUEL USB and XLR Dynamic Mic. Since I got it i have loved using it for LEt's plays to just Team chat in games and at Lan Parties. It's got what you expect from a USB Mic. Has a Headphone jack and on board volume for the headphones, And an ON/OFF switch. But then it is also XLR compatible. So it's not something you will toss out the door when you move to XLR.

To go with it i got a desk mount Etubby Adjustable Desktop Microphone Suspension Boom Scissor Arm Stand Holder and some better Mounts for the stand. I have it set up so i just push it out of the way when i don't need it.

As for a mix board i have picked up this
Behringer Q1202USB 12-Channel Mixer.

As in the name as well this is a USB mixer. This does have phantom power if needed, has 4 XLR Inputs , and 12 Channels. And it's only 100 bucks or less depending on Amazon's Mood. And if you got any Music stores around you, This is also sold by GUITAR CENTER in the states, So you may be able to find it locally for same or cheeper.

Since i got it, I Had a little bit of a learning curb and the need to turn up the Compression on the mic channels. First recording with it was well a little blown out. I use this even when solo now cause I get more control over the MIC levels. It's easy to use in windows as it is very much plug and play. Shows up as USB AUDIO CODEC in windows. And if you want to, you CAN send you audio back out through it. Though that part i'm still learning on if it's usable in recordings or not.

I'm Not sure how much Cost wise that will Translate into £'s. But this over all Cost me $180 just for the mic and Mixer. The Mic did come with an XLR cable with it, so you do not need to buy one unless you need it to be longer.

Long post, I Know, But hopefully that gives a few useful suggestions for ya.

In the recent past, I did a deep dive into audio recording as a hobby / avocation. (I actually made some money being a sound person for some indie movies). At one point, I probably had somewhere between $5K - $12K of audio equipment.

Here's what I learned:

1. Capturing quality audio is very difficult (it's actually one of the most difficult parts of making movies)
   
2. In audio, you get what you pay for
   
   You're in the range of $300 - $500, it sounds like. The Zoom H5 is $300. A pair of microphone and mixer is going to run you more. I'm not familiar with the Jabra 510, but it's $100 on Amazon. (I'd be skeptical of this based on your needs.) Unless you're prepared to spend significant amounts of money, I would really recommend:
   
   
3. Use your cell phone (I've been impressed many times with the quality of the audio capture ability of the iPhone (which is doubly impressive since it completely sucks as a phone). I've had clients who are in sound design who have used an iPhone for a voice over mike in a pinch. Just make sure you have enough storage space on your phone for a full hour session.
   
4. Manage your environment.
   
   1. Pick a client who speaks up.
      
   2. Chose a room (if you can) that lends itself to audio capture. Recording studios walls are 'padded' for a reason. A gymnasium is an absolute nightmare for capturing audio. Pick a room that is more like a recording studio (soft furniture, carpet, etc) and less like a gym (bare walls, bare floors, nothing soft to absorb the soundwaves bouncing around a room.)
      
   3. Move your chairs closer together. Put your iPhone on a table in between the two chairs, microphone facing both of you. If I had to record a client for supervision, I wouldn't pick a client who is too soft or speaks too rapidly.
      
      Clients are going to speak too softly or too rapidly at times. That's life. Again, capturing pristine audio in the wild is very, very difficult. (Movies make it look easy, in part 'cause actors learn how to work with the mics for audio capture. If they just talked "normally", much of the dialog would be lost. And recording studios spend tens of thousands of dollars on acoustical treatments for their rooms. For a reason.)
      
      Hopefully, your supervisor does not unreasonably expect perfection. When I've listened to recordings made by my supervisees, I don't expect perfect audio. I expect words to get lost sometimes. Again, that's life.
      
      If you're bound and determined to spend money ....
      
      
5. If you buy one microphone you want what's called an "omnidirectional microphone" (there are different kinds of mics)
   
6. If you are buying two mics, consider Rode microphones. They're an Australian company and make excellent, low-cost (relatively speaking) microphones. Their NT3 microphone is vastly under-rated. If I was setting up an interview room on a lower budget, I would get two NT3 microphones.
   
   1. https://www.amazon.com/Rode-NT3-Medium-diaphragm-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0002PSCQW/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=rode+microphone+nt3&qid=1555285885&s=gateway&sr=8-3
      
7. If you buy a mixer, you have to have something to record from the mixer into. Phones and laptops are possibilities here. For the price, Behringer makes decent stuff:
   
   1. https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-802-Premium-8-Input-Preamps/dp/B000J5XS3C/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=audio+mixer+xlr&qid=1555286107&s=gateway&sr=8-4
      
8. Don't forget the mic stands. And cables.
   
   ​
   
   Again, bottom line: I recommend saving your money and use your smart phone. You can use the money you save for your student loans. And a smart phone is far, far less intrusive on the client's space than a dual microphone set-up with a mixer. (Which is sort of important, no?) And less of a distraction for you. With less things to go wrong.
   
   I'll be curious to hear what you decide.
   
   Good luck!

Destiny's mic is a condenser AFAIK which means it's more detailed, the SM7B that Reckful has is a dynamic which means it blocks out background noise quite well but requires a lot of gain to power it.

The Blue Bottle that Destiny has is good and so is the SM7B, they're just different. The SM7B definitely has "legendary" status like other mics like the RE-20, U47, etc have even though the Blue Bottle doesn't but it's still a nice mic.

I must say, though, Byron's voice sounds REALLY fucking good on the SM7B and I'd love to know his entire audio and video setup.

edit: Byron has this mixer: https://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-MG10XU-10-Input-Stereo-Effects/dp/B00IBIVL42 it seems really good and has USB.

Gonna preface this with I don’t know if a mixer board that you want for that price range is possible, so I cannot answer your question.

If you still choose to read then what I can’t stress enough is not getting a cheap mixer. If you ever plan to upgrade your stream it’s wasted money on a this starter mixer that even if you find you will quickly outgrow or wish you had more options.

It’s better to save money and buy a quality used one from Ebay, I cannot be more happy with my audio setup but it wasn’t cheap. But like quality lighting, and a good DSLR camera, this is not something you will change for years (If ever) and will survive ifnyou decide to do a two PC setup.

I do wish I could link you something in that price range with those outputs and faders instead of knobs but even doing an Amazon search I am not coming up with anything. There are a couple Behringer ones but not with the faders you seek and the quality is nowhere near that of a Yamaha, Mackie, etc. the best I could find was:

Behringer Xenyx 802 Premium 8-Input 2-Bus Mixer with Xenyx Mic Preamps and British EQs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J5XS3C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Ygl6Cb8C45CWN

If you can wait I would highly recommend the Yamaha MG12XU. The quality is superb, I have full dual PC functionality. It’s pretty amazing and you can get one open box/used for 225-250 on Ebay (not including the price of cables/sound cards). I wrote a guide on setting it up below

https://www.reddit.com/r/Twitch/comments/bjpatc/you_too_can_have_professional_audio_yamaha_mg12xu/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ios_share_flow_optimization&utm_term=control_2

Wow, that's super interesting. I understand why you have the sound routed as you do and I didn't realize the limitations of the various recording softwares when combined with screen readers. I gotta say, that makes for an interesting challenge. Man...

Since you have a setup that works and all you really are looking for is to replace the mixer, I'd suggest something like this Yamaha MG10XU board. That one will set you back about $200, and while I don't have any personal experience with it, I like Yamaha stuff. Another I'd suggest, and this one may be even better for you, is the Soundcraft EPM8. Now, this is a little more expensive at $250, but this is a nice mixer, especially at the price point. I had one for a couple of weeks, but ultimately I didn't keep it because it's an analog mixer. Because you're recording directly to SD and don't need the USB connection back to the computer for data transmission, this may be a better choice. I recall it having a nice pre-amp as well.

If you're looking to spend less than either of those, I'd suggest instead of buying a new X, Y, or Z, look at used gear. While I like "new" stuff as much as the next person, often times in the music/audio world you can find quality used gear at good prices. My microphone you'd never know I bought used, and I saved $100 versus buying new.

For a last couple of other options, maybe an Allen & Heath ZED-10 or a Peavey mixer, though I'm having trouble finding a specific one I think might work for you. Just the same, Peavey makes good stuff.

Good luck.

/r/audio is a sh*tfest of un-modded bad information... try /r/audioengineering/ instead or one of the pro audio or AV boards

-


The Yeti is a great mic, when used properly. But it's still a USB mic, not a true sensitive condenser you'd run off a mixer with phantom power.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzHW6Jybp9g
  
  The 8500 is a good stage mic, (like the Shure SM58), but probably not so good in a podcasting situation, unless you have some signal processing. With some gain and EQ from mixer, and proper placement (to your mouth) it can sound great.
  
  Even an inexpensive Behringer desk mixer with some EQ on the mic can work wonders on either a condenser or dynamic.
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-802-Premium-8-Input-Preamps/dp/B000J5XS3C/
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Q802USB-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B008O517IC/ (with 48Khz USB interface)
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-Premium-5-Input-British/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ (less channels and only 2 band EQ on the mic input)
  
  The 8500 does not require phantom power and will tend to sound quite different from a condenser mic both with speech and singing.
  
  For recording vocals (singing), I'd recommend a condenser - in a quiet, controlled environment - (Pillows, hanging blankets/comforters and standing mattresses up work wonders for a impromptu vocal booth).
  
  For straight up talking / podcasting, I'd recommend a dynamic, but a higher end Shure, AT or EV mic, or if going with the 8500, learning how to position yourself and how far away to get the correct sound from it.
  
  Start searching youtube videos on dynamic vs condenser, vocal EQ'ing and microphone pickup / polar patterns. There's quite a bit more info out there that will help you sound good with cheaper equipment.

Hi /u/griel1o1 - it's taken me several years and a lot of trial and error - but I have put together a little studio that works. Using what I've learned, you can put together a complete production studio for less than $1000. Here is what I recommend [Referral Links]:

CAMERA:

• [Panasonic DMC-G6 camera with kit lens - $710] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=201073493366&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg). This is the best value for money large sensor, interchangeable lens camera with a video-capable viewfinder, hours of continuous recording and a mic jack below $1000. Links below the equipment list show what this camera can do. DSLRs such as the Canon T2i/T3i/T4i/T5i have viewfinders that go blank when you switch to video mode (blocked by the mirror, which is useless for filmmaking). This forces you to use the LCD for composition and focus - which can be a chalenge outdoors, where the LCD can be washed out by bright sunlight. Many Canon shooters buy expensive LCD viewfinders or Electronic Viewfinders (EVFs) to shoot outdoors. The G6, on the other hand, has a built-in EVF - so outdoor shooting is not a problem.
  
  DSLRs are also limited to 12-30 minutes of continuous recording before they have to be restarted. The G6 can record for hours continuously, without interruption. This can be very helpful for long interviews and speeches.
  
  This camera is also compatible with power zoom lenses, when you can afford them. There are no affordable power zoom lenses for low-end Canon DSLRs.
  
  SUPPORT:
  
  
• [Ravelli AVTP Professional Tripod - $130] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00139W0XM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00139W0XM&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20). I own this tripod, and it is professional quality, with a 75mm bowl - which allows you to level the camera without adjusting the legs. A huge time saver.
  
  AUDIO:
  
  
• [2 Rode Smart Lavs to plug into iPhones - $120] (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-53200-19255-0/1?icep_ff3=2&pub=5575034783&toolid=10001&campid=5337235943&customid=&icep_item=181244511796&ipn=psmain&icep_vectorid=229466&kwid=902099&mtid=824&kw=lg) With the [free Rode Rec LE App] (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/r-de-rec-le/id590021166?mt=8), you can plug these mics into iPhones, sync the audio tracks in the editing suite, and have a pro quality recording solution without buying an external recorder.
  
  
• [SmartLav to camera adapter - $17] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L6C8PNU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00L6C8PNU&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20). For shots where you need to plug one of the lavs directly into the camera.
  
  LIGHTING:
  
  
• [LimoStudio 3 point Umbrella Lighting Kit - $50] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005FHZ2SI/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005FHZ2SI&linkCode=as2&tag=battleforthew-20)
  
  TOTAL STUDIO COST:
  
  $1027
  
  Here is the image quality this camera can produce:
  
  Documentary:
  
  http://vimeo.com/97274302
  
  http://vimeo.com/73561266
  
  http://vimeo.com/87978429
  
  http://vimeo.com/78507820
  
  Narrative:
  
  http://vimeo.com/78037118
  
  http://vimeo.com/81339712
  
  Music Video:
  
  http://vimeo.com/88584840
  
  http://vimeo.com/84436275
  
  Slow Motion/Sport:
  
  http://vimeo.com/76503135
  
  Travel Video:
  
  http://vimeo.com/88543042
  
  http://vimeo.com/86145944 (shot with a power zoom lens)
  
  Compared to the $3000 Canon 5D Mark III: http://vimeo.com/82318903
  
  There are many more examples on the Panasonic G6 channel I moderate over on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/groups/dmcg6
  
  It's a pretty good still camera too:
  
  https://www.flickr.com/groups/lumix-g6/pool/
  
  https://www.flickr.com/groups/2217639@N20/
  
  Hope this is helpful and saves you some time and money!
  
  Bill
  

I've been sitting here for a few minutes now considering this, and I genuinely don't know what the best way to do this is.

​

First thought: You'd need to build a full HTPC with a pretty good video card to drive 5 TVs. That seems pretty expensive. Probably min $600-800. So let's go to idea 2.

​

Second thought: Streaming sticks. In theory, with enough streaming services and and HDHomeRun, you could handle this really easily... except depending on your wifi you may start saturating things pretty quickly.

​

Third idea: Raspberry Pis. As long as you are only using HDHomeRun and PSVue, you could run Kodi on all those Pis, plug each one into a gigabit switch, and everything would work great. If you are depending on services not available in Kodi though, this wouldn't work.

​

Fourth idea: Cheap wintel boxes! https://www.amazon.com/ACEPC-T8-x5-Z8350-Graphics-Computer/dp/B07D9YX3W6?keywords=windows+stick+ethernet&qid=1540840765&sr=8-18&ref=sr_1_18 Each one of these is about $100 and already comes with Windows and can theoretically play 4k content. They also have ethernet. Plug them all into a gigabit switch. Install Synergy (a mouse and keyboard sharing program) on all the devices, so a single mouse can control them all. Profit.

​

You can also accomplish the same thing with Fire TV Cubes (current version with ethernet). Except there you'll need 5 different remotes. It's also slightly more expensive. https://www.amazon.com/Fire-TV-Cube-hands-free-with-Alexa-and-4K-Ultra-HD-and-All-New-Alexa-Voice-Remote/dp/B0791T9CV7?keywords=fire+tv&qid=1540841484&sr=8-5&ref=sr_1_5

​

Each of these ways would probably be pretty fun and impressive for friends.

​

Edit: Just saw the goal of being able to also stream audio to a receiver. No problem. Grab the audio out from either the TV or device depending on what you are using. Pull it all into a 5 channel mixer. Send that to your receiver. For e.g. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M68UK38/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B01M68UK38&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=f52e26da-1287-4616-824b-efc564ff75a4&pf_rd_r=YMRFG6VP060T8G9TPEZT&pd_rd_wg=o8OkC&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=VothI&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=f5532ae8-dbb2-11e8-9a6a-33a8eee8b3d9

​

At this point, you could probably start charging for beer and popcorn.

That might work out better than what you have, but if you really want quality audio, you need to invest a little more into it. Getting a proper condensor mic like the Audio Technical AT2020 here would be a great place to start. You would then probably need an audio interface to connect it to like this or a mixer like this. Do your research and a lot of it. There are a lot of good options out there to improve your audio quality, but all options involve investing a descent amount of money as hard as that is to hear. Research, find what you really want no matter the price, and save, save, save until you have it.

The Making of

I decided to start making videos because a friend of mine (who happened to be roommates) decided that we were fairly funny and that it wouldn't be a bad hobby to just try out. Originally we started with hour and something long podcasts 4 years ago. At some point we decided that playing games for people on a regular basis wasn't a bad thing so we started streaming daily got to 150 viewers but we lost our home and had to move over 100 miles from one another and it got harder to stream on a regular basis and fell back into Youtube a little over three months ago. So that is how we started oh so many years ago

TL;DR We thought it was a fun hobby and really enjoyed making people laugh

Hardware

• 3 MXL R144 Ribbon Microphones
  
  
• 1 Nady VHM-7 Harmonica Microphone
  
  
• 1 Behringer Xenyx 1202fx Mixing Console
  
  
• 4 25-Foot XLR Microphone Cable
  
  
• 1 Elgato Game Capture HD60
  
  
• 1 Mono Jacks Cable Lead Laptop 3.5mm Jack To Mixer 2 X 6.35mm 1/4 Inch 1m
  
  
• 4 Microphone stands of different sizes
  
  
• Wii U
  
  
• Playstation 4
  
  
• Playstation 3
  
  
• Sega Genesis
  
  
• 2 Pop filters
  
  
• 1 2011 Imac
  
  Software
  
  
• Adobe CS6 (Audition for vocals, Premier for editing, Photoshop for thumbnails)
  
  
• OBS
  
  
• Elgatho Capture Software
  
  
• Manga Studio (for thumbnails)
  
  Sorry if I have rambled on but this is something I am passionate about and in no way do those links support me. This is just something I thought I would include so if you wanted to know exactly what we are working with, in case you wanted a visual or if you were looking to start yourself and liked our quality.
  
  Thanks for the Question :)

Hola! I set all this up last year so it’s a bit rusty!

This is a shopping list for an Xbox One mixer setup similar to mine and you may need some help filling in a few gaps and the wiring!

So the idea is to build a setup to be able to use an awesome mic to talk to the stream as well as party chat ‘at the same time’ (which I prefer over using a headset) but to also be able to hear game/chat/PC audio though a single pair of headphones and control their volume levels in one place with ease.

I don't need sound going out to my PC as the Cap card is getting that from the Console via HDMI.
Streaming Xbox to PC then the WORLD!

Xbox – hdmi into a cap card in the PC Avermedia live gamer hd
http://www.amazon.co.uk/AverMedia-61C9850000AE-Avermedia-Live-Gamer/dp/B007SRYAPO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1447858313&sr=8-2&keywords=live+gamer+hd
This grabs the game audio and that’s that bit done, stream using OBS and boom!

Here's is my shopping list for party chat:

Mixer

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Behringer-802-Premium-8-Input-Preamps/dp/B000J5XS3C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415150891&sr=8-1&keywords=behringer+mixer
Headset Buddy (Real name, I didn’t make that up!)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Headset-Buddy-Adapter-PC35-PH25-Computer/dp/B002D41HKS/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421341934&sr=1-3&keywords=headset+buddy

Xbox Chat Thing:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Xbox-One-Stereo-Headset-Adapter/dp/B00IAVDOS6

Cable from Buddy to Mixer:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hosa-CMP159-Stereo-Breakout-10-Feet/dp/B005HGM1D6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415150937&sr=8-1&keywords=hosa+cables

Cable from Mixer to Buddy!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HosaTech-CMS-105-3-5mm-Stereo-Interconnect/dp/B000068O35/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447857349&sr=8-1&keywords=3.5mm+TRS+to+1%2F4+inch

Xbox Mixer(s)

Astro Mixamp (I use)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ASTRO-Gaming-3AM99-HBU9X-975-ASTROGAMING-MIXAMP/dp/B004L6C6BK/ref=sr_1_4?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1447856882&sr=1-4&keywords=astro+mixamp

Earforce DSS (an option!)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Force-Channel-Dolby-Surround-Processor-Mac/dp/B003O0KICS/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1421378828&sr=1-1&keywords=dss1

Ground Loop things:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Headphone-Ground-Isolator-Filter-Stereo/dp/B00INV5LB6/ref=pd_sim_sbs_23_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=41-9H3Hc3mL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1TTNMJANJDTK26VVSAE7

Although I have used these ones because I didn’t see the ones above!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/AV-Link-201-086-Skytronic-Isolator/dp/B000NVWB9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447857227&sr=8-1&keywords=Ground+Loop+Isolator

Mic wise any XLR mic is fine!

Here is a link to a image i found that kinda helps piece it all together! http://imgur.com/UYaQQUZ

Here is a quick vid of my setup, happy to help if i can! http://www.twitch.tv/drunkiemunkie/v/26306849

Heres is my latest Xbox One vid with party chat but it picks up the Public Lobby if they speak!
http://www.twitch.tv/drunkiemunkie/v/31799799

dM

Disclaimer: We were/are complete amateurs and I had zero experience with anything related to editing before I started so take what I say with a tremendous grain of salt.

I just used Garageband on a Macbook to record and edit. Never had any complaints with that program. I paid for a license to use someone else's music as the intro theme and paid an artsy friend draw up our logos.

This is the mixer I used. I don't know what a lot of the knobs are dials are for, but I learned the basics and it worked fine as far as I can tell. I bought Audio Technica dynamic microphones and I liked them for a while but two of them just stopped working eventually.

I hosted it on Libsyn. They have several options depending on how often you'll be releasing episodes and how much subscriber statistics you'd like to see. Loved this service.

In terms of "getting it out there", I don't have a ton of advice. We never reached a lot of folks, but we didn't really try to either. Our goal was to just watch fun movies and sit around joking about them. I still have a few people who reach out every so often and ask about new content but that's about it in terms of our "listener-base".

If you're going to record with other people, make sure you're on the same page in terms of quality and style. If one person treats it seriously and the other is just winging it, it can make for a frustrating experience. All this being said, I think the best thing you can do is to make a podcast that you'd want to listen to. Good luck, and sorry I don't have better information.

Tascam user here, DR-40 and DR-60D, though I've been wanting to upgrade to the DR-70D. It's like a slightly better 60D.

Anyway, what you'll need is three cables to cover your bases, there's no telling what board the DJ has:

1. RCA to XLR (I use a stereo set, just to be safe)
   
2. Your standard XLR cable (Guitar Center has cheap ones since you don't have time for Amazon)
   
3. Basic 1/4 inch cable (again, Guitar Center will have these cheap)
   
   My RCA has only been used a couple of times, but when they were, I was glad they were in my work box/bag. You never know what someone else is bringing, so there are all the ports you'll have to contend with.
   
   Now, the unit itself. You want to use the XLR ports, either 1 or both 1&2 depending on what cables you get and the DJ's output. I wouldn't worry about stereo here, he's likely working in mono, so we'll focus on input 1. I'm using my DR-60D for refference, but Tascam generally uses similar menu systems for all of their devices, so it should be close.
   
   First, go into the [Menu] and select [Rec Mode]. Use the scroll wheel to select and click on [Rec Mode], then scroll to [Dual Mono] and click the wheel. Make sure the source is Ch 1. What Dual Recording does is it records the same file twice, but one has reduced volume. I have mine set to -12dB. This has saved my ass more than once, especially on mics I have set up that I can't access once the ceremony has started.
   
   Back in the [Menu], select [Input Setting], and make sure the settings are up for Ch 1. Set gain to Med. Make sure to get a level test before recording and leaving it be, you may need to switch it to Low.
   
   Next, make sure the input for Ch1 is set to Mic Input. My unit has a switch for this, but yours doesn't seem to, so it's probably in the menu, maybe in [Input Settings]. Mic is for general inputs (like a sound board or a lav mic receiver), Line is for things like amps (I don't use Line much), and Mic+Phantom is for mics that need power, like shotgun mics or voice-over mics.
   
   You should be set to record. MAKE SURE THE RECORD LIGHT IS SOLID. MOST TASCAM MODELS ALLOW FOR PRE-RECORD, WHERE YOU CAN MONITOR AND THE LIGHT BLINKS. IF THE TIMECODE IS NOT MOVING FORWARD AND THE LIGHT ISN'T SOLID, IT ISN'T RECORDING. Next, flip the [Hold] switch on the side so no one accidentally stops the recording (it's the same as a hold switch on an iPod, restricts input). You can still adjust levels while in [Hold] mode, since you have dials, but you won't be able to cut or make adjustments. I find it handy to idiot-proof it, or make sure my hand doesn't slip.
   
   Have fun, and use your H1 as a backup ambient mic. Always have one or two backups. And get a Rode VideoMic pro if you already haven't, saved my ass on more than one wedding.

To add on to this:

Xenyx 802 - $60

This will be good for a stereo application. It is cheap and will sound great. Plus it will give you the needed control for a stereo setup, of using one mic for left and the other for right.

Samson C02 pair - $75-$140

These microphones are relatively cheap, even at their price ceiling.
They use a Cardioid pick up pattern that is seems slightly Super Cardioid. They're sold in pairs, so you will only need one order.

Lyxpro SDPC-2 - $100

These microphones are packed with features at their price point. Plus they sound great, so they're extremely competitive. They come with 3 capsules for both microphones so you can choose between Omni, Cardioid & Super Cardioid. You'll likely want to use Cardioid or Super Cardioid, depending on your use case.

SDPC-2 or C02?

Mainly comes down to this: Price at time of purchase - are they the same? Which is more important to you - Omni & Super Cardioid pick up patterns or a good shock mount? The patterns means purchase the Lyxpro, the shock mount means purchase the Samson.


Are they different prices? Do the features justify the price gap?

Accessories

Stereo Microphone Bar - ~$10

You'll need one of these or something similar.

Scissor Arm - $20

You'll want one if you don't have one yet. Or if it is better suited go for a Boom Stand.

2 XLR Cables - $12

Cheap cables. They aren't OFC so you can look into slightly more expensive options. Maybe even make some yourself! :D

RCA to 3.5mm - $8

YOU NEED THIS. This is how you are going to connect from the mixer to the computer.


--EDIT-- You are looking at roughly $210 for the entire setup. Which isn't all that bad seeing as it will be 2 microphones.

• I started out with just trying to get it going on my laptop with kjams & a microphone.
  
• But that didn't sound good and look good, so I hooked up my laptop to my tv through a receiver
  
• But using my mic through the laptop mic hole, caused a delay between the audio of the song and the mic
  
• This is why you need a mixer. You need the sound of the laptop and the sound of the mic to arrive at the same time. I got this one. Mic goes in channel one, laptop goes in channel 3 or 4 (get the right cable)
  
• That mixer's output goes into my receiver now. My receiver allows to get the audio from a different input than the video. This was essential in my setup. I have a basic yamaha 4 hdmi receiver. I turn it to hdmi1, but get the sound from one of the audio inputs, where the mixer goes into (get the right cable)
  
• sweet, now I have music and mic arriving in my receiver, and it's going to the speakers and the tv is displaying my laptop
  
• now people are tripping over the mic cable and they want a second mic
  
• get yourself some wireless mics. the ones i bought are no longer for sale but they are "dual channel" and "uhf" or something
  
• now you need some songs though I have to say, just opening youtube and searching a song title + ' karaoke' works pretty darn well as well
  
• and some disco lights!
  
• my friends like it and say it's the best home setup they know
  
  
  Btw, nice effort on the è but you want the other one: fiancé
  It's easy to remember: é the stripe goes on and so does the sound. è the stripe stops and the sound is short
  
  

I got this one. Works great 👍

It just takes a regular 3.5mm trs (Tip ring sleeve) cable like everything usually uses and it converts it to 3.5mm trrs (tip ring ring sleeve) which some devices like iPads and iPhones and tablets and such need in order to know that it’s an incoming signal and to be able to record instead of like when you plug in a pair of headphones for example, which the phone senses as outgoing and will then push audio.

Movo MC3 3.5mm TRS (Female) Microphone Adapter Cable to TRRS (Male) for iPhone and Android Smartphones https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9CJDVE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_-X3tDbRJ8HNW7

It’s worth the investment. I use mine al the time for quick recording sessions for music ideas. Sound quality is much better than the built in mic on the phone. Do some reading, it’s fun to learn. It’ll definitely do you good and if you need better quality you can get into different interfaces and stuff. It’s not difficult to learn, it’s just a lot of little things,
just take it in pieces and have fun with it 🙂

You need a very specific type of cable - known as a "DJ splitter cable" - to do this.

Regular headphone splitters plug in to an output which has L and R channels, and it splits both of those channels to both sockets. So each socket gets a copy of L on the L-wires and a copy of R on the R-wires.

A DJ splitter cable sends L only to one of the sockets and R only to the other. They're either mono sockets or the signal is bridged across what are normally "the L and R wires".

This means software can send the "finished mix" out of only the computer's LEFT channel, your headphone/cue track out of the RIGHT, and the special splitter cable sends those sides to entirely different sockets plugged in to different devices. Typically, speakers for the finished mix and headphones for cueing.

You don't absolutely need an external soundcard, but moving forward that is certainly a better solution. It's far easier if you get a controller with in-built soundcard, as that will take care of it for you (and won't require an extra box and USB connection and complication).

Something like this one by Native Instruments or this one by Griffin is what you're looking for. If the description doesn't talk about "Allows separate headphone cue and master output" or "Wired to enable Split Output mode" then you probably aren't looking at the right sort of cable.

These cables are often sold as iphone/ipad accessories, as they are very valuable if using ipad DJing apps to give you the split-mode output. But they work just fine on general computers - they're just a special configuration of wires and plug/sockets.

Go to a music shop or guitar center and play with some guitars. The first thing I over looked was the mass of the neck, they very slightly. The Ibanez SR's and a many others have a thinner "fast neck," which is fantastic for me. I managed to buy a guitar and a bass that had thicker necks and were uncomfortable for me to play starting out, it would not be in a traditional posture while you're trying to learn.

Then talk to them about finding you something used. You can get a used guitar for 1/2 to 1/3 the MSRP. It's really awesome..

I just picked up my Ibanez SR800 today and am euphoric.. It was $265, came setup, new strings and excellent intonation, no buzz or action. So I didn't have to do much other than tune it in, which it was just off. Very little cosmetic scratches, no dings or bad scratches, fantastic condition. :)))))))))))))

So going used you may have some extra fees like doing a setup at the store or buying strings and intonation, but you still save a fortune. Learning to do it yourself is imperative, that's a few bucks in tools. Pro's will set up your guitar strings within a millimeter, probably not, they're supposed to though. The tuning key's for intonation are like $45 for the set.

Amps (10-20watt is fine for a bedroom, I had a 100w too)and phones and things are a bit trickier used. They can be blown or have other electrical issues.

Most amps come with headphone jacks 1/4th inch or 3.5mm, you can get a 1/4th adapter for a few bucks for your 3.5mm headphones. I haven't seen much USB. Oh, types of headphones.. Regular stereo is fine, but you will want "monitor" headphones like Audio Technica A31's or something like that. These are for audio production, which have various higher and lower frequencies than ordinary stereo phones, so you will hear every imperfection in audio, they aren't for ordinary listening. x_x

Also, Instrument Jack to USB Cable, these are 16 bit and sound terrible but you can hook up directly to your computer.

Make sure you have a return policy with your gear!

I am also playing you the software "Yousician" (1 free lesson a day, $9.99 a month) it's like "Rocksmith" they're fun games and you will learn a lot!

Oh wise audiophiles,

Forgive me in advance for any ignorance, this is going to be my entry-level purchase into the hifi world. This is not necessarily a 'puchasing advice' inquiry, but more of a knowledge inquiry on what I need to power my setup. I'm looking at buying KRK Rokit 5 G3s and the Beyerdynamic DT770 250 ohms purely for near-field music listening (no producing, mixing, DJing, etc.) at my PC. I was recently gifted the Xonar DX 7.1 PCI sound card for my rig which I believe is a sufficient DAC for Rokit 5s (correct me if I'm wrong), but I'm unsure if I'm losing some quality by hooking my monitors in with an unbalanced line via an XLR or 1/4" TRS to 1/8" TRS. Further to that, the Xonar DX does not split to mono inputs so I would need an adapter to plugin directly to my soundcard. I do enjoy having an external interface to control my sound devices and a friend suggested I buy a mixer such as the Behringer XNYEX502 as another possibility.

First question: is it worth buying an external DAC/mixer for my Rokit 5s compared to using only a Xonar DX soundcard?

I also understand that they DT770s need an amplifier to be properly used. The recommendations I've researched typically consist of the fiio portable headphone amplifier series or the O2/ODAC JDS Labs combo. I do not need a portable amplifier as these headphones will live at my station and I have separate headphones for portability. The O2/ODAC combo sounds like a great piece of hardware, but at $279, they greatly exceed the price of my DT770s.

Second question: Are there other solutions that I can look into that aren't portable or expensive?

If the O2/ODAC combo is recommended and is worth the price in combination with the DT770s, then I'm perfectly fine making the purchase. Just want to be sure it's not overkill.

Now for the (longshot) third question: Since I'm potentially looking into both a DAC and a headphone amplifier, is there a piece of hardware that can satisfy both in one tool? Seems like I could find a way of mitigating the cost by purchasing a device that could be both a DAC/mixer for my Rokit 5s and a headphone amplifier for my DT770s. If not, is there a stack I could purchase that have similar designs that would look aesthetically pleasing on my station (I'm a fan of clean looking and matching hardware)?

Again, sorry for any groans I may have caused and thank you in advance for your expertise.

I enjoyed it! I had a question though, what mic are you using? I think the audio quality could be GREATLY improved with a condenser mic. Some of the voices sounded tinny and actually kinda hurt my ears because of it. It's not your voice, it's the mic.

A great condenser mic I can wholeheartedly recommend is the Shure SM58 Get that and a mixer, I use the Behringer Q1202USB Mixer. With those you will have FAR superior quality. They're really not that expensive either, I recommend getting the 4 channel mixer in case you ever want to expand with more people. But they do offer cheaper 2 channels. The SM58 mic is amazing quality for the price you pay.

If you fix the audio then I'll listen in every week for sure, also having the good audio will really allow you to compete with bigger podcasters like PFW.

Steam's a legit service. It's the most used client/store for PC gaming. If you don't trust Steam you could use Uplay as well, which is Ubisoft's client. I'm pretty sure Rocksmith's on Uplay. It doesn't really matter which you get it from if playing a PC game's like a one time thing for you. A second hand copy will work on a console but there's no second hand when it comes to Steam and Uplay. FYI you'll need a 1/4" to USB cable if you get it on Steam or Uplay.

Rocksmith on Steam

Cable that should work

Official cable

Apart from being able to learn some select songs on Rocksmith, one sorta cool feature on it is session mode which lets you jam with the game itself. You choose what instruments you want to be playing in the background and it'll play certain riffs and shit according to what you're playing. Another cool thing about the game is you can learn bass guitar as well. Only downside to the game imo is the DLC's expensive. Some song that ain't in the game by default's like 3 or 4 USD. Also take a look through the song list of the game before buying to make sure you'd be satisfied with their selection.

I think my bookshelf speakers are slightly larger than average, basic 2 way speakers with a 6.5 inch midrange. My subwoofers are pretty big and heavy.

For normal listening and movies it isn't bad. But if you play something with really heavy bass the vibrations become noticeable. I'm still conflicted about the setup myself but I am not unhappy.

I purchased some cork from home depot to try to reduce vibrations and it is okay but not great


I think the next step is possibly some type of Sorbothane. Apparently it is amazing for isolation BUT you need to do calculations based on the weight of your speakers to determine exactly how much you need to use.

http://www.amazon.com/Isolate-Sorbothane-Vibration-Isolation-Circular/dp/B0042U8P9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451966315&sr=8-1&keywords=isolate+it


Another alternative I am looking at is purchasing a set Isoaccoustics. They look like a gimmick but they got pretty good reviews, and they would also raise my bookshelfs to ear level.

http://www.amazon.com/IsoAcoustics-1004209-ISO-L8R155-Medium-Pair/dp/B008GOP79G


Post back if you end up with some solution. I'd love to hear it as I am in the same predicament.

Amazon has a couple good deals on really good setups. Here's a good example AT2035 + interface, cable, and pop filter for $200. Just get a $12 mic stand and you've got yourself a really, really good setup.

Going to also go and reccomend the Sure SM57 ($99) because I just found out how amazing this thing sounds and it's dynamic so it won't pick up that much background noise. For a mixer the Scarlett Solo is pretty standard and works well, just be sure to get a stand like this one to prop it up on, and a cable to plug it in.

The best thing I have used is an isolating in ear headphone and a microphone. With this setup you can play all-out while still being at a comfortable ear volume. Not only is there no muffling/distortion like regular earplugs but you can have super sensitive, low volume, hearing depending on your mic placement.

I use a single SM57 on a mic stand over my head. Plug it into a mixer, one like this would allow you to mix in a track to play with. Then I out to a pair of Shure SE215s that have decent sound response but best feature are they isolate well and are less the $100. If you were going for this setup from scratch it would cost about $250. But isolation with input is by far the best sounding ear protection I have ever used.

I'll just preface by saying that the fullest extent of my knowledge is amateur voice over/acting and having ran a small YouTube channel however with that being said there are a few recommendations i can give.

Headphones: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017H00ZJG/ref=psdc_12097479011_t2_B0179H8SDC


I was unable to find an exact match to the 7dayshop Aero Freedom which is what i wound up using after my Bose Quietcomfort 25's wound up broken due to an internal wire becoming loose, regardless i found that with getting these headphones i was more making a trade off rather than a downgrade, they're louder than the bose, "base-ier" than them and have only a slightly softer high end and about the same in terms of the mid frequency. Overall if the Quietcomfort 25 is 100% then you're getting 85% of that experience for much less (And the noise cancelling is a must if you like me are extremely sensitive to noise).



Audio Interface: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000J5UEGQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER


Now as to why you should be looking into getting an audio interface? well this mostly has to due with the microphone pick but generally you will be getting a quality pre-amp, decent EQ and later on you can use the 2nd track to process the audio to your headphones (great for listening to music) all of this results in much lower background noise (increase volume with the preamp then reduce it on the main out/windows) and the ability to make decent adjustments to the high and low frequencies of your microphone.


Microphone: https://www.amazon.com/Pyle-Pro-PDMIC58-Professional-Handheld-Microphone/dp/B003GEBGA0/ref=sr_1_1?s=wireless&ie=UTF8&qid=1491787539&sr=8-1&keywords=Pyle+PDMIC58


So the reason I would pick the PDMIC is tri-fold, 1st even with very cheap dynamic microphones the design is so similar (and i suppose easy to manufacture?) that the quality difference between a $20 dynamic microphone and a $100 microphone is minimal at best and once your signal has been through the audio interface it should be nearly indistinguishable to a pricier model (https://youtu.be/_Vqz44dijw0?t=213)

All that's left is a TRS to 3.5mm cable which you can get for about $7 this is just to connect the interface's main out connector to your PC.

Good luck!

This was a surprise to me, too, when I got my first Volca after collecting a few Pocket Operators. They still play nicely together, but not in the same way. If you plan on getting more Volcas, a Volca Mix <https://www.korg.com/us/products/dj/volca_mix/\> may not be a bad idea (it can power three additional ones), though it is more expensive than other solutions.

Otherwise, there are a number of affordable mono mixers out there. I've seen people mention the Behringer Micromix before <https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Micromix-MX400-Low-Noise-4-Channel/dp/B000KGYAYQ\>, but you'll need some adapters for 3.5mm to 6.35mm jacks. This will strictly be mono, however, so if you plan to add some stereo devices to the mix (pun intended), you'll hit a wall pretty quickly. Behringer has a range of other mixers, and you may want to check something out in the Xenyx range <https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-Premium-5-Input-British/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ref=sr_1_9?crid=120WM7ZC873VD&keywords=behringer+xenyx&qid=1555091076&s=gateway&sprefix=behringer+z%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-9\>, where even the lowest-end one (linked) will give you plenty of room to expand.

Personally, I just bought a Roland GO: Mixer <https://www.amazon.com/Roland-GO-Mixer-Smartphones-GOMIXER/dp/B01MYC4DVP/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=roland+go+mixer&qid=1555091001&s=gateway&sr=8-1\> to use between a Volca, a few PO's, and a microphone for straight-to-phone video/audio recording purposes, and I've enjoyed it. If you don't plan on recording things and just need something to mix, this will be super overkill for you.

You could always try this Behringer ULTRAVOICE XM1800S Dynamic Cardioid Vocal Microphones, 3-Pack (at 30-40 bucks a pop you can buy two for SIX mics) and TASCAM DR-40, and as many of these splitters as you need. We've put our mics into these splitters and they work splendidly. You'll also need XLR cables for the mics as well. If you have two friends who are louder than everyone else I guess you could also buy a mixer for a little more control.

Anyways, I have the DR-40, Behringer mics, and the splitters. They work pretty damn well for how cheap you can get them. You get great portability, as well.

A lot of these guys are probably a lot more pro than me, so they're probably the ones to listen to if you want to be super legit. If you are on a budget, though, I can confirm that this setup works quite well! Minus the mixer you could probably get everything for six people having a their own mic for ~$300.

Edit: The DR-40 comes with a 2GB memory card but you might want to upgrade it a little bit just in case. SD cards are pretty cheap now, though!

Edit Edit: You'll also want some stands, too... and these windscreens.

It might end up around like $300-$400 bucks. But when some of those Blues cost $100 per mic for the cheapest ones, it's kinda a good deal for all of the stuff you'll get. Also, if podcasting doesn't work out you now have all the equipment to start a karaoke bar.

I'm not Brett, but I do host my own show that sounds pretty fantastic and I didn't have to break the bank for it.

For microphones, I'm using the Ultravoice 1800s dynamic mics.] (https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Ultravoice-Xm1800s-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B000NJ2TIE) They come in a 3-pack, which is $40 right now but I waited until they went on sale for $25. Really decent microphones that don't pick up a lot of background noise.

For a mixer, I'm using the [Behringer Q1202] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008O517IW/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1474221402&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=behringer+mixer+xenyx+1202&dpPl=1&dpID=5153d6epzTL&ref=plSrch). It's about $100 bucks, but again, it'll go on sale if you wait awhile.

I'm only using a mixer because I often have guests in person, though. If you're doing the show alone and don't want to bother with fine-tuning your sound, you can just use a pre-amp [like this one] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002KEAT78/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1474221560&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=xlr+preamp&dpPl=1&dpID=41fdibotlHL&ref=plSrch). I can't recommend any specific one, but just search amazon for "xlr pre-amp" and look for models with good reviews.

The other stuff you'll need is pretty cheap. Some xlr cables (5 for $20) foam mic covers (6 for $3 on ebay) and a mic stand (around $20).

You won't be able to get earwolf quality sound out of this stuff, but [I use it all on my show and it sounds great.] (http://www.futurehorsepod.com/ghostbusters/) I'm the only one using this setup in the episode though. Jackson is in Australia so he used his own stuff.

If you want to throw money at this thing and get the exact sound they have at Earwolf, they're using the Shure sm7b microphone, which usually runs $300-400 bucks and requires much more expensive equipment to run it through.

Hope this helps!

I'm pretty sure the problem you are having is trying to use multiple USB microphones on one computer. There are ways to do it, but even when you get it set up, it's a completely unreliable set up and you will findself regularly having technical troubles and losing recordings from crashing software.

Ideally you should record to a dedicated audio recorder like a Zoom or a Tascam, they are the most reliable.

If you want to record to a computer, you need a usb mixer and xlr microphones. Behringer can get you started for cheap, if your podcast becomes successful you can upgrade to better quality later.

The q1202 USB mixer is a great cheap place to start.

You can grab yourself a 3 pack of microphones as well. They aren't amazing but they will sound better then an expensive condenser microphone in a room where you can't control the sound (aka open plan living spaces).

Your best bet is probably a really long mono 1/4" cable run of 50 feet (shouldn't be too terribly long for the laptop to power without interference, since "sound quality does not have to be perfect" as you say) with a 1/4" to 3.5mm adapter on one end.

Alternatively you could get a smaller 3.5mm headphone extension cord from RadioShack or Monoprice (the latter being preferred, with RadioShack as always being for time-sensitive emergencies only). Then put a 3.5mm to 1/4" adapter on the end of that to plug the speaker into.

Basically, any way you can adapt those jacks to fit the cables should get a signal across for one channel. All you need is two conductors and the right connections.

Then you should just figure out if your soundcard or OS or audio player has the option to "mix down" the stereo to a single channel (mono), or figure out how to put whatever audio you want to play in a single channel. I believe a stereo-to-mono adapter will take everything from the Left channel, so use that if possible.

If that doesn't work, or if it's important to have the data for both channels accurate, you could get a Mixer like the Behringer 502 for super cheap, and plug the stereo laptop into that using a 3.5mm to 2x 1/4" Y cable such as this.

Should work if you just connect it :)

Ah I see, I noticed that the first time I DJ'd for a party. My friend had a set of wires that worked as a mixer, but no mixing controller like this. I have kept an ipod ready, because crashing and malfunctions happens far too often without a legit setup, but never considered having it ready in a separate channel, so that's awesome.

So most speakers have cords which go into mixers? if not what kind of wire setups do they have, and do most speakers need separate adapters to plug into a laptop?

and Do mixers have their own separate programs which connect straight to the computer/laptop?

I've seen preview buttons on some programs, now I can see how they are useless without having two audio outputs. I've always wanted to mix with Ableton-esque programs, so I can make legitimate remixes, rather than just looping sound and adding in samples :)

My problem is, when I watch most DJ's with professional controllers and equipment, I hardly ever see them doing any work. Many times I have seen DJ's be working on the mixing (the previews) and nothing looks live (For example, I often see a DJ scratching and changing EQ traits, while the current song is playing and never hear an alteration later). I'll definitely try out some equipment at next opportunity, unfortunately, I'm in Northern Japan for the summer and access to a good store is distant.

Thanks for the links!! I'll do some research!

Hi, I have a Pyle Pro PDMIC58, a Shure SM-58 Knockoff. It's really fulfilled the purpose I wanted it too when I bought it, a cheap and surprisingly clear form of voice.


I do YouTube videos with my friends using gameplay recordings, and I used to have a lot of static with my mic. It is worth noting that I record my videos using Shadowplay, which means that the audio cannot be ' cleaned up ' afterwards, as Gameplay audio is there as well, and it leaves the sound a bit mushy.


I connect my microphone to a small USB Soundcard, from my old Logitech G430. This cleaned up immense static, and that sample can be heard here.


I then decided that I was done with static, and am using Adobe Audition's Adaptive Noise Reduction feature to clean audio piped in, and output it through Line 1 using Virtual Audio Cable. The end result is extremely satisfying static free music... but with a couple of caveats. Here's a sample of the post-processed audio.


There are 2 caveats. 1) The post processing takes up a small amount of CPU, usually negligible, except for when I'm playing taxing games. 2) The audio coming out of Adobe Audition will occasionally be extremely distorted and buzzing. I believe this is due to the CPU being over taxed when playing the aforementioned games. ( Sorry for the lack of context and dumb Prequel Meme! ) Sample here.

Vocaroo doesn't have the absolute best quality sound, and I can assure you there's far more distinct crackling, like my words are being distorted but not at the same time. It's odd. Also of note, the audio glitch and distortion is only in recordings, which is the only thing that uses Line 1. Teamspeak, the program I use for my VOIP, is using my mic before post processing. So the distortion is obviously occurring in Adobe Audition somewhere.

The question I seek to ask, is I want to make my microphone have the quality of the Adobe Audition post-processing, without having to actually run the software. I'm not sure, but I think a pre-amp / USB audio interface would help me greatly here? Would this be an adequate product for my needs, or am I in the complete wrong area?


It's worth noting my Pyle Pro is an unbalanced mic, and that pre-amp provides 24/7 phantom power. There are other pre-amps where I can toggle that off, however. Please advise, thanks. My brother in law is also proficient with a soldering iron, and from what I've seen on YouTube, balancing this mic is extremely easy, moving one cable and removing the solder connection on pins 3 and 1.

It's gonna be hard to get it in under $75, but in your position here's what I'd do:

Get one of these Audio Technica cardioid lavalier mics. While it's designed to be a lavalier mic, it is directional and can be used on a boom when needed. This mic requires "plug-in" power and will work with most DSLRs. (Check your camera first). You can record on a smart phone with this adapter.

You'll also need an extension cable. While a headphone extension cable will work, one made for a microphone will be shielded and less likely to pick up noise. Since this is an unbalanced microphone, you should be careful to keep the cable away from any kind of power cord.

Because this mic is so lightweight you can use almost anything for a boom. I have used an old fishing pole, but a broom handle or even a straightened coat hanger will work. Let the mic hang straight down from the boom, leaving about 6-10 inches of cable. Hold it just above the people's heads, just in front of them, as close as possible without being in the shot.

I have used this mic on quite a few films and commercials (including a film that's now on Amazon Video) and the quality is remarkably good. Working on several films in Europe where it was essential to travel very light, this mic was a lifesaver.

That's about as close as I can come to $75!

Hope this helps.

The headset that broke was the G35 headset from Logitech which goes for about $90 these days. It's a great headset but this would be my 3rd set in 4 years. The mic quality is average and often requires fussing with in post but overall it's a great headset.

While rocking this backup setup I've been using ear buds and I quite like it compared to the closed ear noise cancelling headset so I don't think I want to go the headset route again.

I've always wanted to go the XLR/Mixer route. This would allow me to manipulate any volume/noise issues with the mic on the fly and not touch it at all in post. I never settled on a solution that was afforable and always went with what I knew the G35.

This is the goal. It's not much more expensive than the G35 headset but is the correct tool for the job :Þ

• Audio-Technica AT2020 XLR ^USB ^version ^exists ^too
  
• Behringer Q502USB 5-Channel Mixer
  
• XLR Microphone Cable
  
• Microphone Suspension Boom
  
  A few notes about these choices. The 5 channel mixer is total overkill but this one functions as a USB audio interface meaning when you plug it in to your PC it shows up like a USB mic would. Behringer makes a 3 port USB mixer but I don't like the way it looks lol.
  
  Not all mixers have the ability to function as a USB device. On NON USB mixers you would have to run the output of the mixer into the input on your soundcard on your PC.
  
  I prefer the audio device approach. You plug your XLR mic into the mixer which is acting as the USB audio device. This allows you to control on the mixer what the computer hears on the audio device interface.
  
  Totally a long and involved answer but some might find it useful if in the market for audio upgrades :Þ

Some suggestions:

• Focal Aria 906 ($1500)
  
• KEF R300 ($1800)
  
• Dynaudio Excite X18 ($1800)
  
  While these are all great speakers, they will only sound good if they are powered correctly, and so I am concerned about how well your 10-year-old receiver can power them. In the worst case scenario, you will have to shop for a new amplifier/receiver if the old one doesn't cut it.
  
  So if you'd like a safer and also easier approach (connect directly to PC, no separate amplifier/receiver needed), consider buying a pair of active speakers instead:
  
  
• Genelec 8330A ($1790 per pair)
  
• Focal Shape 65 ($1800 per pair)
  
• KEF LS50W ($2200 per pair) < Yes, the LS50 are also available as powered (and wireless to boot) speakers.
  
  Either way, adding these to the setup at any point would be well worth it:
  
  
• IsoAcoustics ISO-L8R155 Stands ($110)
  
• Schiit Modi 2 Uber DAC ($149) < Only if you go for active speakers which aren't the LS50W

I've only used it once or twice myself, but Karafun isn't bad. It's a stand alone karaoke application with an online subscription service to their song library.

You will still need microphones, mixer, amp etc.

A good simple home setup can be:

• Cheap 4 channel mixer with two XLR inputs and two phono/rca or 1/4" jack plug inputs (something like this shouldn't break the bank)
  
• Two moderately decent microphones (I recommend wired over wireless as you get better sound for the money) (Another amazon link to something not too over priced that should fit the bill)
  
• Lastly, a PC headphone out to 1/4" TRS connector cable (Amazon link again)
  
  Now you can mix the Karaoke software on a PC with the microphones, individually adjust the levels of the microphones to accomodate different volumes of singers, mix stereo tracks down into mono tracks (some karaoke songs are muxed with backing vocals).
  
  Just install the software on a laptop, connect the laptop to your TV or a second monitor and the audio out of the mixer to your amplifier and you're good to go.

I hope I'm posting this in the right place.

I'm looking for a low-end solution for recording vocals, connected to a PC.

I have absolutely no experience whatsoever with audio hardware. My wife loves to sing - and though I am of course biased, I think she's pretty good at it - and so I want to get her a gift of some recording equipment.

I'm not looking for anything high-end; I'd like for it to be "decent", but it doesn't have to be professional level hardware. I'd like to be able to get everything for somewhere between $300-400 if possible. So, specifically, I'm looking for...

1. A microphone for vocals (with a stand, or stand separate)
   
   
2. A way to hook everything up to the PC (for use with something like FL Studio or Audacity)
   
   I assume there might need to be an amp in there somewhere? I don't know, I don't know anything about this stuff.
   
   Would anyone please be willing to give me some recommendations on parts, and what specifically I will need? Thank you.
   
   Edit: Okay, what about this?
   
   AT-2020 Mic
   
   Scarlett Solo USB Interface
   
   Mic Stand
   
   Pop Filter
   
   XLR Cable
   
   Seinnheser HD280 Headphones

Recording two people with one mic is tricky to keep levels right, and worse still for three people. I don't have that mic, so I can't say how well or not it would work. It might be great, but I just don't know either way.

One other option to consider is getting multiple individual dynamic mics (dynamics can exist relatively close to each other without being picked up by their neighboring mic). Most 3+ port interfaces are $200 and up, but this one is about $100 (and maybe less if you can find it used?).

Pairing that with three entry-level dynamics (like the PG48) or similar, again, search for used) may give you a more flexible end result than a single condenser (albeit at a slightly higher price point).

I'd be curious to know what you go with and how you like it, if you don't mind updating me. Improving information in my creator's guide regarding recording multiple people is something I 'm very interested in!

Thanks for this. I just ordered a whole pile of stuff on Amazon with Prime. Came out to be a good bit cheaper than your estimate. I traded down on a couple of things like the vocal mics (Behringers for 1/3 the price) and direct boxes (half the price). The big thing I skimped on to make my budget was the mixer - I got a Behringer 12-channel mixer with great reviews for about $90. Hopefully it will get the job done.

Definitely couldn't have figured out what to buy without you. Hopefully this is everything we need for a great summer and beyond!

Those are definitely some of the best value speakers I think you can get for a desktop system.

You definitely don't need to drill any holes for stands. You have a few options.

Auralex MoPads (If you buy the 4pk you'll get some extra inserts that will allow you to either angle them up to point them more towards your ear.)

Iso-Acoustics small desk stands. I'd recommend these even at their price. They work really well to decouple the speaker from your desk and the amount of adjustment you can do will work for any setup you use now and in the future. Read a few reviews and I think you'll justify the costs ...

Good luck.

Copy/paste of a budget setup I've been putting together lately:

• 1 x Pile Pro PDMIC78 for snare
  
• 1 x CAD KBM412 for kick
  
• 2 LDCM's for overheads, AT 2020 is a classic, but you can certainly go cheaper with some no-name condensers.
  
• Behringer UMC404HD for an interface. It has 4 mic preamps, which will work much better for drums than the 2-in AudioBox or the Scarlet 2i4 that always comes up on these threads.
  
• 4 x mic cables
  
• 1 x low profile boom stand for the kick mic
  
• 1 x mic clip for the snare mic
  
• 2 x Boom stands for overheads
  
• Download Reaper, use the free trial
  
  I think all told that runs you about $400, but you can use that to set up a solid Glyn Johns set up. If you want to multitrack the rest of a band, the Pyle will work well on guitar cabs, you can DI the bass and use the kick mic on the cab, and condenser mics will do pretty much anything else. I have a better setup for doing final takes, but this is more or less my current setup for demos.
  
  Also, if you're really strapped for cash, you can start with just the interface and one condenser mic, although it won't be great. From there, get the kick and snare mics, then a second OH when you have the money.

Ok you'll need 4 mics then. Using a cheap AT2100 will still deliver great audio quality.

Now you plug those 4 mics either into a Zoom H5 or a Behringer mixer. From there you can feed the signal into a laptop for recording.

Obviously you'll need XLR cables for this too.

Then you can use Audacity or Garageband which are free editors to edit the show to get started. You could use a free trial of another one like Hindenburg if you want to try a better one.

That should be all you need equipment wise.

Then you need to host it somewhere. Maybe your company can whip up a website and let you host the files there somewhere. Otherwise you're looking at Libsyn at $7-$20 a month.

About getting an amplifier:
A power amplifier is basically a device that converts a low power signal to one that is directly fed to the drivers of a loudspeaker, otherwise you wouldn't get any sound ('mic level' and 'line level' signals are too low for loudspeakers)!

Since the B112D is a powered loudspeaker, the amplifier is included in the unit. This means you don't have to go out an buy one separately.

About getting a mixer:
A mixer is a device that takes multiple audio inputs, performs some modifications to the signal (e.g. equaliser, compressor), combines the signals, then spits it out.

You don't really need a mixer if you only have one audio source (sounds like you'll only need one since you're planning to use it for music). Even if you're hoping to mix several sources, the unit itself has individually adjustable gain settings for two discrete inputs. If you need any more than two inputs, the Behringer Xenyx 802 should suffice.

If you're hoping to get a mixer to use multiple speakers, you can simply daisy-chain the speakers together (this means you won't get any stereo separation but 1. it's a pool party, who cares and 2. you probably won't get a stereo signal anyway if you use most mixers). Plug the main input into 'Input 1', then connect your second speaker to the first by connecting an XLR cable to 'Mix Out' on the first speaker, to 'Input 1' on the second.

My advice would be to go out and buy a 3.5mm to XLR male cable, and use that to connect your phone/computer to 'Input 1' on the speaker. If you have a second set, follow the instructions for daisy-chaining above. Do that for however many speakers you have. Good luck!

DO NOT get the Yeti. (I have so many firends using the yeti and its sounds like garbage)

My honest recommendation would be to get a USB audio interface (cheap: $100 One I would buy myself: $200 Best money can buy: soem stupid high number like $20,000) and a XLR mic. (these also range from $20 to $2000)

The interface I would recommend: Yamaha MG Series I personally like the MG10XU since it has a built in compressor (and if I remember correctly limiter as well) which is not a normal thing to find at this pricepoint. Barnacules over at Nerdgasm has this exact board too. The great thing about this board, it is something that you wouldn't need to upgrade so all upgrades would be mic based.

If I was to remove the word "USB" from your question then hands down the answer would be the SM7B from Shure, this is a professional mic used in podcasts and radio alike. You can see it being used in:

Joe Rogan podcast

H3H3 Podcast

Nintendo Voice Chat

If I looked hard enough I am pretty sure I could find tons more. Now do not get me wrong, this mic is pretty expensive BUT you didnt put a budget down sooooo........ yea. You could get that mentioned interface and a decent like $100 mic (like Shure SM58, literally the most common mic in the world) and be good until you upgrade.

My experience: I am a university trained audio engineer

A few things:

• To set your expectations, spending $400 on a recording setup is like spending $400 on a car. It will get the sound from point A to point B, but it won't be pretty. That being said, if you really get into it, you can always upgrade ($400 is a drop in the bucket compared to what you'll end up spending, if you're serious). At least this way you can have some fun with your friends.
  
• You can condense to a couple channels if you run it through a mixer first (something like this) but you will have no control over the individual levels once you've recorded. If you're going to condense down to, say, 4 channels, better to stick with 4 mics.
  
• Your list looks good in terms of hooking everything up. As others have mentioned, have you considered what audio program you're going to use when you start recording? You might try Reaper or Ardour if you're looking for something free. Otherwise, the cheapest you'll probably get is Live 9 Intro for $99.

How much desk real estate are you willing to commit to this sound system? Those speakers are designed for far-field listening and may not present a coherent sound field in the near-field. There are smaller amp solutions made for the desk environment also.

May I suggest that if you won't connect to a TV in the near future (years?) why not get the tool for the PC sound situation at hand and purchase an up-to-date tool for the future TV situation vs. compromising the PC solution now for a future "maybe."

So my advice is to get a 2.0 or 2.1 desktop solution tailor-made for this application and let tomorrow's you deal with tomorrow's TV solution.

To save desk space I'd go powered monitors on stands. My thinking on the powered vs. passive is the powered monitors have the amp/speaker electrical interaction accounted for during the engineering phase which prevents any complications from a lean/bright speaker being paired with a lean/bright amplifier or vice versa and saves you space on the desk. Looked at another way, what more easy to engineer situation is a desktop listening experience? Most of the variables of speaker separation and distance to listener are minimized to very finite distances, especially when compared to a living room setup. Why not let the engineers do their job and provide you the best listening experience they can provide for your setup and price point?

I've got the JBL LSR305s and isoACOUSTICS L8R-155 stands https://www.amazon.de/IsoAcoustics-ISO-L8R-Studio-Monitor-Stand/dp/B008GOP79G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473713476&sr=8-1&keywords=isoacoustics and like the combination very much. Had to go with an outboard controller as my sound card is noisy, went with the Scarlett 2i4 but could've used the 2i2 but that wasn't available locally.

The speakers and stands will be a little over your 500 Euro limit but well worth it in my book to spend the extra Euro to get the final solution on the first go round.

You do need an XLR for mixers.

I bought the AT2020 USB mic first, and I had the same problem you are having, my PC fans were WAY TOO LOUD. And so I bought This Mixer and the XLR version of the AT2020

USB mics are great when you have a studio or if they are dynamic. USB condensers are only great if you use a studio.

The benefit of condensers is that they are great vocal mics. The pick up a very good range of frequencies, and allow your voice to come in crisp. But that also means that a lot of background noise will come with it, so you need to be able to reduce way comes through, and even still post editing is a must.

> That's the primary reason I got the 2i2 in the first place.
Also, what do you mean by line level?

"line level" is a particular standardized signal voltage/etc that is generally used over 3.5mm/RCA cables for connection between DACS/Amps/etc.

> Seems like just too much equipment overall hahah. Do you have any other ideas for me?

if you are against using software to switch between devices then your options are sort of limited, you could go with a higher end audio interface that should include a more powerful headphone amp, like the Mackie Big Knob Studio Monitor Controller or the JBL ACTIVE-1 the JBL monitor one doesn't have an XLR input, but you could continue to use your 2i2 for your mic.

you could also go with a dac+headphone amp that has a line out like the Fiio E10k then connect the line out to a passive speaker control like the JBL PATCH or Mackie Big Knob Passive then the output from that to your LSR305's with this solution you would also continue to use the 2i2 for your mic input.

you could also consider a USB Mixer, like the Yamaha AG03 but I don't know if the headphone amp in it is great or not.

I'm not sure about listening to both through the TV itself, but you can output your TV's audio as well as your phone's audio through an audio mixer or an A/V receiver and into a speaker system. A mixer like this or a reciever/amplifier like this would work just fine.

There are benefits for using both. A/V receivers are optimized for home theatre systems (processing both audio and video signals from separate devices, hence "A/V") and can output audio to a surround sound system, whereas mixers are usually used to process audio only (used in music studios/concert venues/home recording.)

For the simple purpose of playing two audio sources at the same time I'd go with a cheap mixer, but if you are looking to upgrade your home theatre system in the future, then maybe consider investing in a receiver. You'll need a set of speakers for either one, and probably adapter cables if using a mixer.

I tried a mic last fall after launch. No go. I asked for support for this by email and in an early AMA. It wasn't really acknowledged. Someone else asked in a much later AMA (Spring maybe), Essential said "good idea" but haven't seen anything of it yet... I haven't tried again either.

Thing is, if using a 3.5mm jack, make sure you're using the proper plug. You may need an adapter like this one - https://www.amazon.com/Rode-SC4-inches-Microphone-Cable/dp/B00L6C8PN0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539095571&sr=8-3&keywords=rode+smartphone+adapter

​

Notice the "pins" (or separators in the jack). There's 3 black lines that separate the connections in the jack. I don't remember the order, but each section is for left audio out, right audio out, mic in, and ground. If you don't have all 3 sections on your jack, then the sections aren't lining up properly to the phone's jack connection / adapter. Mic In might be being treated as an audio out or ground instead.

You can test mic recording support with standard headphones with inline mic. Tap the inline mic while recording. The audio should "pop" when you tap it if it's recording through that mic. If it's recording through the phone's mic, it won't hear that tap since you're not hitting the mic that's recording.

I'm not sure why it worked on the S7 or how you're connecting your mic(s). It's always possible Samsung might have implemented a dynamic 3.5mm jack that can change from output to input like a lot of modern laptops. I don't believe that's built into stock Android.

Also, I want to add that just because the Essential camera app doesn't record from an external mic doesn't mean a 3rd party camera app can't. I don't know of one to recommend, but something to explore.

Regarding USB-C mics, I'm not sure if/what will work. Same for Bluetooth. I'd assume they'll work, but again it might not with the stock camera app.

Hey, just wanted to follow up on this. I got this working using a standard stereo aux cable and a TRS Female to TRRS Male adapter. I got mine at a local shop, but I'm pretty certain this is the exact same one. though I only paid $5 for mine.

So, yes, the iPad Mini 2 has a mic input in the headphone jack (TRRS), you just need to convert the signal from TRS to TRRS.

Thanks for everyone's help, I might still pick up one of these iRig adapters, but this is the smallest and cheapest I can find.

I would highly suggest getting a Dynamic mic. I have used a condenser mic in the past, and I had the same issue as you with white noise and it hearing every possible noise in the house. Currently I use the atr 2100 by Audio Technica. I picked it up for $100 and have not regretted it since. It comes with both a usb cable and an xlr cable (if you use a mixer, which i also suggest getting.)
Edit: http://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-ATR2100-USB-Cardioid-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B004QJOZS4

I use a mixer, to mute my mic, for the moments when someone barges in my room or i have my parents yelling at me from outside my door. Its also a great way to change the levels of your mic (for example the highs and lows. I currently use and suggest the Yamaha ag03 as it doesnt take up a huge amount of space and has a perfect amount of space for a single pc stream setup and ive made it work for two pc's. http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-AG03-3-Channel-Mixer-Interface/dp/B00TY8JE60

Hope this helps and good luck on your search for a new mic!

Awesome thank you! I'm on a MAC so I think the audio interface would be better than software. What about these other ones from amazon? I'm a cheapskate what can I say. Would they be just as good, or would the one you recommended be better because it works with Traktor?

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-302USB-Premium-5-Input-Interface/dp/B005EHILV4/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1409689712&sr=1-1&keywords=audio+interface

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UCA202-Audio-Interface/dp/B000KW2YEI/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1409689712&sr=1-2&keywords=audio+interface

http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-XENYX502-5-Channel-Mixer/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1409690145&sr=1-5&keywords=audio+interface

Cheap if you don't mind swapping cables:
2 input Interface (one mic one line) but pairs nicely with the mixing board I suggest below for more inputs - 99$ https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E6T56CM/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_boEu3_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=EZHZBK8WK13BRVK7F6FK&pf_rd_t=101

Microphone - $94 - https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT2020-Cardioid-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B0006H92QK/ref=pd_sim_267_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0006H92QK&pd_rd_r=YC9JK5873KG0PKYJ97JP&pd_rd_w=cB3Pr&pd_rd_wg=V6k1t&psc=1

Alternatively the Shure SM58 for vocals and 57 for drums are worthy checkouts at a similar price point.

MIDI controller w/drum pads - $99 - https://www.amazon.com/Akai-Professional-MPK-Mini-Controller/dp/B00IJ6QAO2/ref=pd_sim_267_16?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B00IJ6QAO2&pd_rd_r=YC9JK5873KG0PKYJ97JP&pd_rd_w=cB3Pr&pd_rd_wg=V6k1t&psc=1&refRID=YC9JK5873KG0PKYJ97JP

You can spend your remaining $200 on:
Cables (xlr/trs) ($10-20)
Mic boom or desk mount ($25)
Pop filter ($10)
A second microphone ($99)
A pretty sweet small mixing console ($99) https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Premium-12-Input-Multi-Fx-Processor/dp/B000J5Y214/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1485406829&sr=1-1

Hey there :) thank you so much for your reply

The reason for which I wanted to go for for an amped signal into onboard sound card was that I wanted to eventually get a good PCI-E sound card for virtual surround sound for gaming. I was looking at mixers like this.

I'm now going to start to look for a USB sound card that facilitates good ingame sound -> virtual surround sound capabilities. In case you have recommendations (I need to make full use of the potential of the Teufel Real Z, I want good audio quality, and at the same time I want to be able to have it calculate virtual surround from gaming audio output), please tell me what you would get!

Here's a mic that is good for cancelling out background noise while picking up voice really well. It needs a nice audio interface too. That's the setup I'd go with. The interface mixer combo allows for precise equalizing to your satisfaction and the mic is a neat entry level vocal mic that can be upgraded later on if you feel the need for it. Great starter kit around the desired price point if you ask me.

Sorry if this question is coming in a little late. I'm looking at two audio interfaces to use for 4 mics for a podcast and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with them.

The first is the Behringer U-PHORIA UMC404HD.

The second is the Behringer Q1202USB 12-Channel Mixer.

I'm leaning towards the UMC404HD, it's got a smaller footprint and is lighter by 4 lbs (so it'll be easier to transport), but it seems to be on perpetual backorder pretty much everywhere. The Q1202USB is available and about the same price (and most importantly available), but I don't really need the mixing board aspects. I'm also seeing varying reports of whether or not it outputs via USB to a single or separate tracks. Help? Thanks!

Nice setup man!

If you're trying to get better performance out of your loudspeakers, I highly recommend getting them on some stands. You want your tweeters to be at ear-level or close enough that you can tilt the speakers a bit to make a difference. This is because treble is very directional. The other reason that stands make a big difference is mechanical isolation. When your speaker cabinets make direct contact with your desk, their vibrations transfer out of the cabinets and into your furniture, which muddies up the sound.

If you want something cheap, AudioEngine DS2's would probably do the job. If you want something a bit better where you can tweak it a bit more to your liking, I highly recommend getting a pair of IsoAcoustics stands. I was able to A-B several loudspeakers on and off of the stands before I bought them, and they make a very noticeable difference. They come with 2 different heights of poles as well as two different size spacers for fine tuning or tilting. The correct size for your monitors according to the IsoAcoustics site would be a pair of ISO-L8R155's.

They're these guys https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Support-JS-MS70-JamStands-Monitor/dp/B005JTV358

Pretty happy with them! They're relatively unobtrusive, stable, and the top is pretty large so even for relatively large bookshelf speakers like mine there's plenty of room. Plus the feet are adjustable which is an absolute necessity in an old apartment with uneven floors like mine.

What controller models?

I have a Hercules MK4 that has inputs and outputs. I can select whether each of my channels is dedicated to an analog input or to the USB Midi interface. I've done it in the past where I hooked up a friends controller to my input on deck 2. When we're getting ready to hand off I make sure my last song is played on deck 1, then I hit the button to switch deck 2 to the analog input and crossfade into his set.

If neither of your controllers have this capability you'll need an standalone analog mixer like this: http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-XENYX502-5-Channel-Mixer/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1346170758&sr=1-1&keywords=mixer

Not to name drop but I met Maron at one of his shows a few months ago and he gave me a few tips for my setup. He recommend a good stage mic if you don't want to drop too much money. I went with these mics https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IEVDOXC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and this mixer https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008O517IW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 this mixer price is good the mics are a little pricey. You can get a shure set for cheaper. Hope this helps.

I use

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Q1202USB-12-Channel-Mixer/dp/B008O517IW

And its always been good to me. To be fair I haven't really tried others but this works well just grab a couple splitters for the headphones. The compressors on the 4 main inputs is quite useful although I'm sure there are better ways to compress it makes it easy for a noob

Perfect! Ive just done some research and I wont need a USB version will I, so i will go with the cheaper one.(https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000J5XS3C/ref=dp_cerb_1)

Yes I would like to use it for my game chat, I have thought about this and think it would just be best to use a webcam mic or something similar. Please tell me any alternatives.

Thank you so much for the response.

I can be your google: direct from Native Instruments or from Amazon. They’re cheap and great for newbies, as well as awesome super emergency backups or minimalistic “I don’t feel like using other gear and my laptop soundcard is good enough” events.

Sorry if this isn't the right sub for this

Reposting due to formatting issue in previous post.

So I'm currently trying to figure out how to split audio from all of my consoles.

The best setup I can think of at the moment is splitting the audio off of the second output from my HDMI splitter I use for my PS3. I could try to move the HDMI splitter after my capture card, so then I'd still hear all audio from the currently active console.
The above visualized: Current into new

My main issue is finding a cheap stereo mixer that takes single, stereo, 1/4" plugs to the Mini-mixer, as the one I recently got is exactly what I need, except that it's mono only. I've been able to find a few passive mini-mixers, this one being the most likely. The reason I can't go with that, is because it's likely the game's audio will be too quiet for me and I'd to boost it, which requires an active mixer.

Every single other alternative has been the Behringer Xenyx 502, which may work, but I'd need to buy 3.5mm/RCA to L/R 1/4" adapters, which would be an extra $20-$30 plus I want a bit more scalability for future audio inputs.

Lastly, for a bit more info, I use the VST plugins within OBS Studio, so I sadly cant just plug these into my current mixer, a Yamaha MG10XU, or else it'll come out of where my mic is, as well as likely being too loud for viewers when I boost the volume for myself.
The only alternative would be to upgrade to a Yamaha MG12XU for the extra Aux bus's, which would be an extra $130 for only the extra aux bus's I'd be using, since there's nothing else that i feel warrants the extra cost.

So in summary, has anyone found a better way to get console audio to headphones while keeping it separate from the stream audio?

I have this set and its absolutely great, crystal clear audio in games. Picked it up to try and get into podcasting. I've also upgraded to a pair of Sennheiser HD 598s and they are wonderful, sound great through the Focusrite interface.

If you just need a cheap budget mixer for a few mics and game input I would look at this.

The best (and often only) way to improve your sound on no budget is to move your existing microphone closer to the source. There's no cheap way to get good audio from mics that are 10-15 feet away from the audio source.

Can you put the snowball on the boom closer to everybody? You say you're thinking about a shotgun on a stand, so it sounds like everyone is stationary. A usb extender would let you get it closer to everyone.

A shotgun might pick up everyone equally at 10-15 feet, but it isn't going to sound much better than the Snowball. If you can set it up closer, it isn't going to be good for 5 people because it's very directional, so it'll pick up one person fine and the rest will sound wrong. The Snowball Ice is directional, but has a wider pickup than a shotgun so it might work ok.

It sounds like you're doing some kind of talk show? You could get a non-Ice Snowball and set it between everyone, kind of like Rhett and Link do with their much nicer mic (A Moue by Blue).

Here are two other options that might work, but are probably bad ideas.

You could get cheap lavs on Amazon for everyone and run them into everybody's phones, though that's prone to user error.

You could get a bunch of cheap lavs and 1/4 inch adapters and find a cheap mixer like this and run that into your computer.

Depends on what outputs you have on your controller. I have a DDJ-SX2 and it has XLR outputs, which is what most PA speakers use for input. My setup is Laptop->Contoller->Speakers. This is all assuming you have powered speakers as well. If your controller doesn't have XLR you'll want to go Laptop->Controller->Mixing Board w/ XLR outputs->Speaker. When I say external mixer I mean one of these. It has inputs for unbalanced connections and outputs for balanced. If your speakers are unpowered or "passive" you'll need to hook the outgoing signal into an amplifier before going to the speakers, so always get powered speakers if you can

The main advantage of XLR cables is reduced signal degradation. 1/4 inch and RCA cables work, but there's just two wires: signal and ground. When you have a single wire carrying electrical signals it essentially acts as an antenna. Any sort of background noise in the area will be picked up and heard on the speakers, usually a hissing or a hum.
With XLR you have three pins for each channel. One is a ground, and the other two have the same sound data but one is flipped. The receiving gear will flip the inverted signal back into its original orientation. Because both copies of the signal picked up the same noise as they traveled along the cable—and that noise is identical on the two wires in the cable—flipping the polarity of what arrives at the receiving gear will produce the original signal intact and noise which now has reversed polarity. Summing that gives you a welcome result: signal that’s preserved and noise that’s canceled. You can run an XLR for hundred of feet with very little noise, while unbalanced cables like RCA and 1/4 inch are recommended for no longer than 15-20 feet. It also means it takes a bit more power to use which is why they aren't on every controller, especially ones that connect just over USB and don't have an external power source. Converting unbalanced to XLR is pretty useless if you have a cheap adapter, but hooking it into an external mixer adds that extra power to the signal.

I don't know of a hardware capture card that accepts 1440p in any way. You're going to need some sort of scaler to handle it or just run in 1080p(which is a waste I know). Scalers can run a pretty penny for one that isn't going to shit out on you in a week. I don't know how well you're gonna get on with the 1440p and hardware capture as most hardware devices related to streaming are locked in at 1080p atm. What GPU are you using btw? You shouldn't have any issues with the image quality when down scaling.

I suggest upgrading to this mixer for only 15 bucks more.

I suggest investing in an XLR condensor mic if you're going to go with the mixer/audio interface. The nice thing about OBS is it can mix your mic as well as another audio input which makes it not a problem to use a USB mic but I PERSONALLY like having my mic controls external so I can rapidly adjust them.

If you find you need a pop filter I cannot recommend this

Edit: If you have any questions, feel free to ask, I'm interested in how this goes off as I've wanted to switch to 1440p for a while now.

I own two of those mics (along with 3 other mics). You're best off getting a mixer or audio interface, but you just need a basic one. Look at a Behringer Xenyx 502. It's $40 but worth it, and if you ever go to a better mic (I use an ATR2100 now, but honestly, I like the pyle ones almost as much) you already have a decent mixer.

For sound examples, a lot of my early videos are using a pyle and the 502, and I still use a pair of pyles for any of my couch recording stuff (Nick and Alan Show).

Another option is to go with a USB mic (my aforementioned ATR2100 is USB p or XLR) and a digital mixer (Voice Meeter Banana, etc). But a standard XLR to USB or 3.5mm ends up being too quiet (believe me, I tried out of curiosity).

Edit: no matter how you go your looking at being $65 into it. But it's worth it.

>Both have the small bar on the cord with the volume up and down buttons.

Well, I'm not too familiar with these, so I'm not sure if that's where the microphone is. The best way to make sure is to see if the cable end you're plugging into your receiver looks like this - or if it looks like this. If it's the latter, you'll run into the problem I've described earlier. You'll could obtain a cable from Bose for a hassle free solution, or experiment with adapters - I say experiment because pinouts can vary.

I think the general consensus of budget mixers with included FX is that they're not very good. I don't have firsthand experience with the 1202fx, but I'd rather handle the fx separately anyway as I have a lot of pedals. If you want fx, consider looking at one of the Zoom multifx pedals as they're pretty cheap but offer a lot of freedom in what you can do with them.

I have a Dude. I like it and use it with my portable stuff, but if you weren't aware, it's mono only and powered. I were to get another smaller mixer I'd probably go with the Maker Hart Loop Mixer. 5 stereo inputs with a lot more options, and you can stack multiple mixers together should you need more room.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M68UK38/?coliid=I2O0YX9QG0HL2U

Yeah, having a small interface can make those mics actually sound really good. For future proofing of better mics, i would recommend these at one point or another. If latency free monitoring is important, Use the first one

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-UMC22-BEHRINGER-U-PHORIA/dp/B00FFIGZF6/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520099372&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=behringer+uphoria+umc202hd
https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1520099360&sr=8-3&keywords=behringer+mixer&dpID=51GyTA4WTHL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

Having your speakers on top of stacked books is generally not a good idea if you want to get value from them in terms of good audio reference.

IsoAcoustics ISO-L8R155 Home and Studio Speaker Stands - Medium - Pair https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008GOP79G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_tDl1Bb6R0DR5X

Try these desk stands that will greatly reduce the vibration your speakers give to the desk and will sound “better” overall, which is more transparent to the monitor intended sound.

Those are an example, I got something similar for my home studio back home but you can try look for similar options :)

Hope it helps.

I don't believe that there is a way to have a zero delay software solution. Since it has to pass through your computer, it needs to be processed in some way before it can be played back. Perhaps an external mixer like the one that i'm currently using would work well for you, if you need a mic monitor with no delay. I'm using a XENYX X1622USB in the pic, but for your needs, a simple XENYX 502 could suit your needs perfectly.

EDIT: the Zalman mic that you mentioned requires a boost if you want to plug that into a mixer. Something like this and a 3.5mm to 1/4" audio adapter would be required.

Just a quick thing to mention, the AT2020 is not a Dynamic microphone as OP requested. The Shure SM58 ($100) would be a great starter, it's a solid microphone and priced well.

I personally use a Rode Procaster ($230) and Yamaha MG10XU ($200) and think the sound is great, though the mixer is almost certainly overkill so it ends up a little out of budget there. The Scarlet 2i2 u/Triksterism mentioned is a very popular and solid choice for the interface.

Edit: Either I'm stupid or reddit's new interface makes it a pain in the butt to create links compared to the old system.

I just got the maker hart loop mixer delivered last week. I was gonna get the Volca Mix but read a lot of complaints about it, so ended up on the Maker Hart.


The little I've tried so far is reasonable. Of course it's not going to be the best mixer ever at that price, but it's certainly portable and solid enough. Having 5 stereo inputs is great, too.


https://www.amazon.com/Maker-Hart-LOOP-MIXER-Portable/dp/B01M68UK38

Your absolute best bet is an external audio interface with XLR mic inputs if you want more than a single in mic input to a pc. You CAN use something called 'Voicemeeter' to try to use three USB microphones...but you're opening a headache inducing can of worms unless the PC has killer specs.

This interface is about $100US https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-1202FX-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B000J5Y214

Couple that with 3 super cheap mics: https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Professional-Broadcasting-Recording-Microphone/dp/B00XJF56O8

You'll need XLR cables as well but they're cheap too.

Best of luck.

OK awesome, thank you I will keep that in mind a long with the picture / diagram that I made. Looks like I will be investing in a smaller sound mixer - Are you aware of one any smaller / essential for this task other then the Behringer q502 USB?
ORRRRRR
Wouldn't the Behringer 1202USB Sound Mixer allow me to use the microphone pass through AND the whole task I am trying to get right now at the same time on this sound mixer?

Hello, I am looking to buy a mixer to reduce background noise, equalize my voice, and add a bit of treble and bass to it. Normally I do all of this in audacity, but sometimes it's just not enough if something isn't quite right with the source.

I have a phantom powered microphone that outputs through a 3.5mm auxiliary.

I'm still pretty new to audio and broadcasting, so I was wondering if there was a mixer I could get ~$60 or less that would help make my audio quality sound better. I'm just looking at this right now, as it's cheap on amazon https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B000J5UEGQ/

Thoughts? Suggestions? Tips?

Don't apologize for giving it to me straight! I took everyone's word here and decided to help myself out a little. Snagged a $70 gift card from amazon and that helped my budget out immensely, ended up getting a sweet deal on a Yamaha MG10XU (got it used for $160 dollars well within my budget when combined with the gift card)

There is a way using Soundflower if you're on a mac or try this other reddit thread if you're on a PC.

However, that is definitely going to be a bit of headache. The much easier, but obviously more expensive solution, down the line would be to use two XLR mics and a mixer. A mic like the ATR2100 that is USB / XLR is a very good choice and what my wife and I use on our show. From there any of the inexpensive Behringer mixers are really all that you need. So for just over $200 you have a very scaleable set-up. Add in a Zoom H1 / H4 and you don't even need the computer anymore.

You can't turn one down without turning down the rest of the chain. At least, not without some likely menu-diving. You also have to try to manage all that gain-staging, creatively. You might be reducing your dynamic range, compositionally, for the sake of dancing the line between too quiet and clipping. There's just no beating a mixer, when it comes to, well, mixing.

I highly recommend getting a mixer. They have some reasonable portable ones now- the rolls and nady mixers come to mind. More featured ones have recorders built in, which could be helpful. Consider the Zoom R16 for this, as it gets plenty love. 8 inputs at a time. If you don't mind being plugged in, nab yourself a cheap behringer mixer used and keep it pushin. I'll link u in a sec, I'm at work lol.

edit: yeah, highly recommend a mixer, but you'll be find daisy-chaining while you research and save up. just be mindful of your needs and how you'll need to route your audio so you're minimizing compromise.

After doing quite a bit of research, the ctrl out is independent, so if anyone is looking for a solution to this problem, this mixer is a perfect solution. It allows you to independently control the two outputs!

Thanks again to /u/Dodgeballrocks for the help!

Your best bet is to save up a little more and buy a stand alone mic that will last years.

This mic you can connect via a usb and xlr. Once you buy this and save more money up you can buy a cheap mixer/preamp to connect this to. It will make your mic sound a lot better.

https://www.amazon.com/Technica-AT2005USB-Handheld-Dynamic-Microphone/dp/B007JX8O0Y/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Audio+Technica+AT2005USB+Handheld+Dynamic+Microphone&qid=1565335068&s=musical-instruments&sr=1-3

Scroll down and buy all 3 of the frequently bought together items for under 90 bucks. The arm, windscreen to put on the mic, and the mic.


When you're able to save up more money you should buy a preamp/mixer and use that xlr cable to plug into it. Here is a cheap one for down the road:

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-Premium-5-Input-British/dp/B000J5UEGQ?ref_=Oct_BSellerC_11974871_&pf_rd_p=86c5a16b-d588-5ae0-b0bf-f9999489ccdd&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-6&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=11974871&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=40F5EHBSEKR7GBG77VK3&pf_rd_r=40F5EHBSEKR7GBG77VK3&pf_rd_p=86c5a16b-d588-5ae0-b0bf-f9999489ccdd

i would suggest getting a mixer over a strict interface like the 2i2 or Mtrack, a mixer will give you all the features of an interface as well as a ton of extras like on board EQ, vocal fx, and multi channel support.

something like this is very popular with Twitch streamers

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-Q1202USB-12-Channel-Mixer/dp/B008O517IW/ref=sr_1_4?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1483156636&sr=1-4&keywords=usb+mixer

As far as a mic. You have a lot of options. You can go with a USB connection. Which is a reasonable option with good quality in products like Blue Yeti or going with a much better studio quality mic like MXL or even Audio-Technica however going with the studio mica I have listed you will need an audio interface. Like the scarlet or Yamaha

What mic should I buy?

Budget = <300

I want a nice condenser mic at less than 300 (less than 200 is preferred)

And also, would an audio interface such as this one http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-XENYX502-5-Channel-Mixer/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1344058823&sr=1-3&keywords=mixing+board

work with any sort of condenser mic I choose? The description says it has phantom power , and I know you need that for a condenser mic, but can I connect it to my Mac? And is there any other accessories I need like cables and whatnot?

And final question, if I want audio quality like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOn1vY7_2b0

Just judging by your ear, would you say that was recorded on a thousand $ mic or what? can I achieve vocal quality like that with a condenser mic that costs less than 300?

• I just used "Alexa add cat food to my cart" and she said "sure, cat food is now in your cart" but when I pulled up the Amazon app it asked me to choose what kind to get. I'm not sure if this would change had I any cat food in my history but there doesn't appear to be any default brand that gets added.
  
• I just used "Alexa make a phone call" and she asked for which contact name but also accepted a phone number.
  
• To splice my computer audio with my Alexa into the same speakers, I bought this and it works great, just make sure to get the right cables

You could use something like this: A mixer with a sound-card from ASUS, or Creative to take the output from that mixer as input for your computer. This won't let you edit each mic separately after the fact, without sticking one mic on the left channel, and the other two on the right channel, then later making the audio file mono, after you do whatever editing it is you want to. I believe that this is one of the best ways to do this, if you really need multiple microphones. A lot of podcaster duos just sit pretty close around one mic.

Hi /u/The_Movie_Kid - congratulations on your new camera. As a start, here's a great tutorial on microphone selection from Wistia: http://wistia.com/learning/choosing-a-microphone

Sadly, your T3i has noisy preamps that will degrade your sound quality even with an external microphone.

The least expensive solution is probably to buy a [$50 mic with a TRRS jack] (http://amzn.to/1v6obcz) or a standard mic with a [$20 TRS to TRRS adapter] (http://amzn.to/1wwaBSR) and plug it into your phone. If you have an iPhone, you can use [Rode Rec LE] (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/r-de-rec-le/id590021166?mt=8) (free) to record your audio and match it to your video in the editing suite with software like [PluralEyes] (http://www.adorama.com/RDGSHOPLURD.html?KBID=66297), which is about $179 for a non-student version.

Good luck!

Very cool. I wasn't 100% sure those existed until I looked. Something like this will only work with powered studio monitors (not passive ones, those would require a separate amp).

This is a much nicer suggestion than that other one I looked up - both of these were just quick Google searches, not well researched on my part. https://www.amazon.com/Rolls-MX42-Stereo-Mini-Mixer/dp/B00102ZN40/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1539275837&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=stereo+mixer&dpPl=1&dpID=517QoJlNM0L&ref=plSrch

And the cheapest mixer you could go with

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-BEHRINGER-XENYX/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1539276002&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=mixer+audio&dpPl=1&dpID=51GyTA4WTHL&ref=plSrch

Although, honestly, I'm not sure I'd get a behringer for something that I would trust to be on all the time. Their build quality isn't great (they're the cheapest for a reason). If it were me, I would get that $50 rolls above. It's simple, unpowered, and will probably be reliable for decades and the extra inputs and volume attenuation would make it far more usable. Just my 2 cents!

Hey there dude,

You're going to want a mixer for that. The quality of audio going from audio out on one pc to mic in on the other will sound terrible, and most likely cause some ground noise loop problems.

If you're not looking to spend any money, I would recommend checking out NDI. It's an OBS plugin that would allow you to send your game video and audio over to your streaming PC over a wired network connection. As long as both your PC's are hardwired to your network, you're good.

Here is a permalink to another thread where I explain how NDI works, and how you can learn about it. In this thread i'm talking about VR, but the process would be the same, just capturing normal game play instead of VR.

Alternatively, you could spend as little at $60 on a mixer to make what you need happen, if you decide to go that route. Good luck!

I guess a mixer maybe.
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-802-Premium-8-Input-Preamps/dp/B000J5XS3C/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1426823016&sr=8-2&keywords=behringer

But honestly you should really just use a DAW and a sound interface to record the guitar. It sounds like you're trying to use your OP-1 like its a DAW and thats simply not how it should be used for. Its a synthesizer and sampler. You'd be better off recording into a cheap standalone recorder then to use the OP-1 as a recording tools. Its better at taking samples.

But the mixer would at least allow you to plug both your mic and your guitar into the OP-1 and manage the levels of each. But be careful I've heard that ghost power can blow out the Op-1. I'm not sure if thats input or output that does it.

For for a behringer mixer, best price and they are pretty awesome.

Edit: Check this out. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000J5Y214/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1419909593&sr=8-3&dpPl=1&dpID=615fg7u4QVL&ref=plSrch&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

OK your best bet is to Buy a separate microphone, a mixer and headphones.

Gaming anything is just marketing you will end up paying a premium for something that you really don't need.

For first timers I would recommend a cheap XLR microphone into a cheap mixer. DO NOT GO WITH USB MICS or USB AUDIO INTERFACE.

If you buy a USB device that uses a regular windows generic driver. windows will muddle your audio. This is commonly known by advanced users.

Instead plug in your mic using your mixer to your mic jack on the back of your motherboard.

Here are some affordable but great mic/mixer combo you can even maybe get them on eBay for Hella cheap.

Neewer NW-700 Professional Studio https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XOXRTX6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_iDwIAb8DBK7RA

BEHRINGER XENYX 502 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000J5UEGQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_BFwIAbG6B1SAT

Yeah, that list contains a set of quality sound cards, but you should ask your friend more specifically what he needs recording-wise. If he needs to record something like 4 devices at once, he might just need a hardware mixer instead. Something like this.

If you have the ability to mic your drums and mix that signal with what you're playing with it will help, a lot.

But the 215's dampen the volume, but don't completely block it out. So you can still hear your drums at a lower volume but can easily hear the music. For the price they cannot be beat.

If you have some cash flow check out a small mixer, something like this, it will allow you to add a mic and control the balance. When you play with a mic you can really hear every little thing you do. It forces you to pay attention to the details.

You could do something like this:

• $99 Behringer USB Mixer
  
  
• $54 x 4 Audio Technica ATR2100 USB
  
  
• $13 5-Pack Foam Pop
  
  
• $26 5-Pack MF XLR Cables - 10'
  
  
  Then you just need mic stands. You could probably even find cheaper Pop filters and/or XLR cables, I just did a quick search. Those mics are both USB and XLR and they are actually pretty decent for the price, so not a bad investment. You might want to look at different mixers, but that Behringer is one of the most affordable USB ones. I prefer using a Focusrite, but those are 3x the price usually.
  
  Edit, those mics actually come with XLR cables! I forgot. Not sure if they are long enough, but they should work fine too. Although some pack in XLR cables are super cheap.

I plug the Chromecast Audio into the aux-in for my PC, then in Windows' Sound -> Recording -> [your sound card's aux-in] -> Properties -> Listen, flag it as "Listen to this Device"

Also confirm your levels and whatnot.

This introduces a small latency (I forget... maybe 400ms) in Windows' mixer for that input, so you may need to tweak your Google Home setup to delay the other Chromecast Audios a little bit (if you have multiple Chromecast Audios). Otherwise if it's just the one, it won't matter one bit!

Though on that note, just being in another room will necessitate a bit of latency tweaking anyway; that's just how sound works over distance.

Edit: I think using two different Sources with a normal splitter will introduce interference/noise. It's fine splitting to two outputs from one source, though. The Chromecast Audio is technically a source since it's outputting streaming audio to your speakers. The right way to combine two sources is using a mixer. Steinberg-Yamaha makes pretty good ones, but generally you can get a couple of channels mixed together at a good quality for $70-200 CAD pretty readily.

Edit 2: Here are some examples in Canada:

A small mixer: https://www.amazon.ca/Premium-5-Input-2-Bus-Preamp-British/dp/B000J5UEGQ

A USB audio device with built-in mixer/amp: https://www.amazon.ca/Steinberg-Advanced-USB-Studio-Interface/dp/B003WI3LNU/ref=sr_1_8?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1511565564&sr=1-8&keywords=steinberg (I use one of these for other purposes, but I don't remember it costing this much)

Any size restrictions? Rythmik makes some great stuff, slightly over budget though. You've got a sealed / ported option with a minor price difference. The sealed digs deeper at the cost of output, but both claim below 20hz anyway.

As for speakers, check out the Mini Philharmonitor. The ported version of the speaker costs $750 (50 more than the sealed), but you're getting a bit more bass to start. Comes with a very well reviewed tweeter that he uses in his $1300 speakers.

For stands, its mostly dependent on your setup. Isoacoustics stands are great for on desk. For floor stands, Sanus makes a billion stands in different heights.

Excellent thanks for the help. I found this which I am hoping will work.

https://www.amazon.com/Behringer-502-XENYX502-5-Channel-Mixer/dp/B000J5UEGQ/

You need something like this. A TS instrument cable to USB with analog to digital converter built in.

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Guitar-Cable-Adapter-Recording/dp/B00834KJ60/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1481562843&sr=8-3&keywords=guitar+usb+cable

It's generic there are lots of them rebranded but essentially the same.

https://www.amazon.com/VAlinks-Interface-Connector-Instruments-GarageBand/dp/B01EV0V58A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481562843&sr=8-2&keywords=guitar+usb+cable

For regular Rocksmith 2014 on PC you just need https://github.com/Maxx53/NoCableLauncher

The launcher switches the hardware ID for your interface so Rocksmith thinks its a rocksmith cable. I have one of those but prefer using my interface. That will let you use the $10 with rocksmith.

The neewer cable in the first amazon link has the review I did on my wifes account with the screenshots of bias FX and the settings I used in ASIO4ALL which is why I linked it.

To get low latency you just need ASIO4ALL drivers which are free. ASIO is a low latemcy Audio streaming standard for the PC developed by steinberg and is what all the high end interfaces use. The ASIO4ALL drivers let you use ASIO4ALL with any kind of input.

http://www.asio4all.com/

The PC specs don't have to be too high since the cable electronics takes care of converting the signal to a digital one. You just need an ok CPU to handle the modeling amp and effects software. Your I5 and onboard sound should be fine assuming it has some kind of realtek audio chip on the motherboard.

You're asking for a lot of pieces here. How much are you looking to spend? Seems like you're already pretty invested on the amp side.

A mixer like this will set you back $200 but might be overkill.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IBIVL42/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_S2bLDbAS9B86G

You plug the output to your amp, and then plug in everything you want into the different inputs. You will need some extra cables for your phone. This amp also lets you plug your computer in as an input (so you could play music from there).

Hook everything up right and you'll be able to control the volume of each input (along with a bunch of other stuff) to get the sound coming out like you want it.

Once you get it all sounding right, write another post about your setup and how to record it. That's a whole other matter.

Ah right, absolutely then. yes, you can use your keyboard to control any software instrument, most of these are called VST instruments.

You will need either a midi interface like this:
http://m-audio.com/products/view/midisport-2x2-anniversary-edition

and a midi lead
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000068NTU/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_boEpr_c_x_2_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=R6PNXDH5RM040WAQNS86&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=99ef2030-b386-50e5-bf67-36b72f770aed&pf_rd_i=11973431

or an all in one solution like this

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ACGMOA6/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_boEpr_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-4&pf_rd_r=QQCDXH8WPKS6ZHCWB6TS&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=99ef2030-b386-50e5-bf67-36b72f770aed&pf_rd_i=11973431

you could start with FLstudio, there are loads of tutorials and a good unlimited demo

http://www.image-line.com/downloads/flstudiodownload.html

FL studio has its own instruments, but you can get a whole load of VST instruments for free

http://bedroomproducersblog.com/free-vst-plugins/

The short answer is yes, the Philharmonitor is great for near-field listening (and should you decide so later, great for sitting further away as well).

The long answer is that the goal for any speaker should be a flat, neutral frequency response, giving no preference to bass, treble, or the midrange - it'll play the source accurately, as it was intended to be. The sound coming from speakers isn't just a direct line from the speaker drivers to your ear; it's actually a combination of reflections around your room and the objects within it. A speaker designer must account for the speaker's off-axis response. When sitting near-field at a desk (assuming you have some sort of stand to minimize reflections off the table surface - I use and recommend these btw: http://www.amazon.com/IsoAcoustics-ISO-L8R155-Medium-Pair/dp/B008GOP79G) you are sitting mostly on-axis, directly in front of it, minimizing the effect of reflections on the sound you hear, so its on-axis frequency response is especially relevant in this case.

Get the cheapest keyboard you can, imo. I think the money would be better spent on monitors (speakers) or headphones, depending on whether you have any already. If you have decent listening devices already, then don't splurge for sure and just use what you have. By decent I basically mean not the earbuds that came with your phone, or speakers that can relatively play everything in the frequency range from ~50 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

The DAW (Digital Audio Workstation.... i.e. FL Studio, LMMS, Ableton, or whatever you choose) is going to be where the real heavy lifting is done. The keyboard will basically be a controller for using the software. You could make the same stuff without it, albeit you would have to draw the notes in.

So, my opinion would be to go as absolutely cheap as possible. I have one of these and I just plug it into my roommate's ~$100 keyboard he got from Costco when I feel like it. Basically, my advice is to get the USB-to-MIDI converter and find a keyboard with MIDI outputs on the back.

You said you play piano? On, like, a real piano? If it is electronic you might just be able to use what you already have. Look on the back and see if it has a MIDI OUT port.

Ok you got me thinking. If you can follow my build, at least size wise, look to these stands IsoAcoustics ISO-L8R130 - Small, Pair https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CODRTNC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fgoszbTKEVBS2. While a bit pricey, they are for a pair, look like they'd fit on left and right of monitors and can provide the canting to get the sound positioned for your size when you sit. The size of the speakers will the raise the height a bit further, depending on your speaker choice. Besides, they look awesome, deaden unwanted vibration and can hide wires. I have these exact stands for my Audioengines.

I personally use this.

I have my PC on one input, and my TV on another input (so I can watch a movie or something on my PC and play console games with one pair of headphones)

With the mixer I linked, you can have three inputs and two outputs, which is perfect for your setup.

You'll need three of these to connect to inputs 2/3 and 4/5 as well as the main out output. Then you also need two of these to go to the first input, and the other output.

I highly recommend that mixer, it works fantastically and is built tremendously.

All told it will run you about ~$50

If you have any questions let me know!

I purchased an FX Audio DAC-X6 a couple years ago based on this review. It's a good value pick and has been great with my Beyerdynamic DT 770 80 ohm headphones. It has an optical input that I use with my PS4 and a USB input for my PC with a switch to toggle between the inputs. If you don't get this one, just make sure you find a DAC/amp with optical input.

As for your microphone, most budget DAC/amps don't have an audio input or relay so you still need to run your mic into the controller, or get a USB microphone adapter. I got this TRS/TRRS adapter and plug the boom mic attached to my headphones into it.

TL;DR

Headphones > FX Audio DAC-X6 \> PS4 optical out

Microphone > TRS/TRRS adapter \> PS4 controller headphone jack

EDIT: or you could just get this: https://us.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blasterx-g5

I have some Adam F5's speakers and they are excellent, really excellent active speakers and I use them on my desktop too. Have you thought about these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/IsoAcoustics-Studio-Monitor-Stand-ISO-L8R/dp/B008GOP79G , as they are supposed to make quite a difference.

Hey thanks so much for the help! Just for clarity, would something like this allow me to run 2 speakers connected only to my controller? (that way I don't need a mixer?)

https://www.amazon.com/Stagg-STC3CMXM-Male-Twin-Cable/dp/B003SOR6UC/ref=pd_bxgy_267_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=0CSYMG319ZZ5KGDXQ0G7