Time for another installment in my Home Studio Equipment Reviews and Recommendations series. Today, in Part #2, we're talking computers.
So here's the list; In the order of importance as I see them they are as follows:

1. Microphone
   
2. Computer
   
3. Audio Interface
   
4. DAW Software
   
5. Power Conditioner
   
6. Headphones
   
7. Acoustic Treatment
   
8. Studio Monitors (speakers)
   
9. External Hard Drive
   
10. Cables & Accessories

First - I had some feedback in regards to the microphone section, so I'll cover that before we talk about the second most important piece of equipment, the computer in your studio.

The questions I was asked were mainly along the lines of , "How do I 'demo' a microphone?" There are many options available, especially if you are in a metropolitan area. Many businesses rent AV Equipment - and mics are something they may have available. If you have a friend at a local radio station, that's another possible option - I recommend bringing a laptop, interface and XLR/mic cable with you to insure you're bypassing all of the compression, de-essers and limiters that are likely in the mix. Music stores are another option, many will let you rent or demo a microphone either in house, or at yours, so long as you put down a deposit. Call your local studios. It will cost you, sometimes as much as the lower end microphones, but you can rent a studio out, and test their mics. Tell them you want to test a variety of mics, bring in a short 15-20 second script and read it with each microphone. If you stumble, do it again. Try to keep your reads as similar as you can. Pick the microphone that captured you the best. Many studios have a partial list of microphones available on their website, but ask if you don't see one as they may have it available. Lastly, only because it takes time, build yourself a network of other talents. If they have one, maybe you can borrow it or arrange to test it.

2 – Computer – Mac or PC? This is a big argument to get into - so I'll tell you that your preference is the most important.  The bigger question to ask yourself is, "Do I want a workhorse for all around use, or just a computer to record with?" Sometimes, an inexpensive computer, loaded with RAM and outfitted with a large 250-500GB Hard Drive (that isn’t used for emailing, surfing the web, etc.) can be better used than a top of the line computer, which you want to use for everything and can eat up much of your budget. Many people ask, "What do you use?" It's a valid question, until you realize I may be doing very different things with my computer(s) than you will be. The answer, though, is both. I have mainly PC's in my house, but one MacBook and one Toshiba laptop. I use them for different types of work, and love them for what they each do. The Toshiba laptop I have, though, cost about $600 less than the MacBook. Also - don't forget about used and refurbished. Craigslist.org, again, is a great site. If you haven't used the site before, look over the 'scam warnings' and such. My rule - ever buy anything from Craigslist 'online' or have it shipped. Only buy it in person, only meet with other people present or on neutral ground, and always make sure it works before you pay them.

Ok, on to the personal computers that started the great debate!

Macs - The true benefit to Macs is that they are ‘all the same’, they all (except the Airbook) are designed to meet a series of minimum standards. This can be a very desirable thing because, no matter which model you have – if it can run the more recent updates – it can run any Mac software you throw at it. However, Mac’s are expensive. Why? Well - all the parts are built and tested to meet the minimum requirements of Apple before making it to final assembly. This is the biggest reason people who use Mac's love them. It takes a lot of the questions out of the process, but you pay for the convenience. Many people, funny enough, find Mac's much more intuitive once they learn how to use them. One computer in the Mac lineup of particular note is the Mac Mini. Quiet, powerful and extremely compact - it's a great fit in a studio.

PC – The more affordable option, at first, are PC's. Most PC’s are capable of running the same software you find on Mac's (with a few specific exceptions), however as tens of thousands of companies manufacture parts and build PC’s - the parts are not all tested to meet minimum requirements. As a result, you can have issues – especially with inexpensive laptops & desktops. Depending on which DAW you will use, you may need to modify or apply updates before the software will work properly. I caution people to do their homework prior to buying a PC, especially if it's one of the very inexpensive ones, and make sure the store has a good return policy. Many 'Big Box stores' charge you a fee to restock computers. I know several people who bought a $300 laptop PC only to find the sound card isn't capable of handing off control to an external device - ruining any chance of using it for audio. So why do I recommend PC's - well if you have a $1600 budget for your studio, and you bought a $400 microphone, a MacBook takes up the rest of your budget. Doing some homework and buying a $600 PC means you still have $600 left over for the interface, Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) Software and (perhaps) the rest.

In both cases, at least 4GB of RAM is recommended. If you need more for your computer, Crucial.com is a good website to find memory for your specific computer.

Hi Everyone - My name is Mel Allen and I'm a voiceover talent and coach. It's great to be sharing my own personal experiences with everyone here at the Your Audio Pro Blog. I started in Radio in 1987 and have been involved in broadcasting and recording, in one form or another, ever since. I have been blessed to work with some amazing people along the way, and I have turned all the advice and tips and techniques I have learned along the way into various forms of advice I share with my clients. Through that work I have provided my voice to thousands of projects and helped people get into voiceovers or podcasting for several years. You can find out more about me at my website The Real Voice.

Let's get started - before getting into the specifics of gear, there are ten basic things you need in your studio. It's important to keep in mind that this list is skewed a bit more toward the beginners. It's not meant to cover all the bases, just the real basic needs to start out with and give you some options and knowledge on what to look for and why. As these Blog postings roll out, we'll link them all from this posting.

So here's the list; In the order of importance as I see them they are as follows:

1. Microphone
   
2. Computer
   
3. Audio Interface
   
4. DAW Software
   
5. Power Conditioner
   
6. Headphones
   
7. Acoustic Treatment
   
8. Studio Monitors (speakers)
   
9. External Hard Drive
   
10. Cables & Accessories
    

Now that you have the list - let's start!

1 - Microphone – In my opinion, it is the most important piece of gear you will own. Many people have a top of the line computer, interface and DAW software - but spend $100 on the microphone. You can buy a cheap computer, max it out with RAM and get by with Free DAW software. If, however, you start recording from a bad source – no matter what’s in the middle – you get a bad recording. There are two basic types of Microphones - Condenser and Dynamic. Each has it's own distinct advantages and disadvantages. One of the most important is the environment you are recording in. Dynamic Mics are a bit more forgiving and Condenser mics seem to capture subtle nuances and give your voice a bit more 'warmth'. This is, of course, an oversimplification, but one of the best things I can recommend is to rent, demo or try out microphones before you buy one. Record yourself without pre-amps, compression or other gear so you know what the mic sounds like, if you decide, you can add gear into the equation, but always work from a good mic first, and make sure the other equipment helps you.

Condenser Mic* - needs 'phantom power' from your interface. Cheap mics can be plagued by self noise. Need to protect the environment around the mic to prevent sound from seeping into recordings – great at picking up traffic, fans, running water, etc. I only recommend the Large Diaphragm microphones for most people. Small diaphragm and 'shotgun' mics do have a place in the studio, but often prove very fussy in their placement and usefulness. For those reasons, I hesitate to recommend them. They are amazing in the right environment and for the right voice, but most people will do well to avoid them.

Lower End - Studio Projects B1, typically surprises people in how little 'self noise' it makes for a low end mic. As this is a mass produced microphone some manufacturing runs can make this an occasional miss – Studio Projects B1

The Audio Technica 2035. While this mic is, essentially, a step above the AT2020 – many have seen an enormous leap in the quality. This is still a very affordable microphone and it's often left out because of issues with its sibling. This is a much better 'budget' microphone choice Audio Technica AT2035

Mid Range - Rode NT1-A Microphone (comes with mic cable, Shock mount, pop shield) called ‘The World's Quietest Studio Condenser Microphone’: Rode NT1-A Anniversary Edition

Higher End - The Audio Technica AT4050 None of the self noise of low end mics this captures a wide range of voices quite well: Audio Technica AT4050

Dynamic Mics* - no need for phantom power and no self noise. They aren't as sensitive to the environment around the microphone (though still need basic protection of the environment), but as a result may not capture all the nuances and subtleties of your voice. Typically less sensitive to 'plosives' (i.e.- popping P sounds)

Low End - New to the Electro Voice family is a microphone called the EV RE320 – these will be available April 8th 2011 and are selling for an average price of $299 – this promises to be a great mic for, among others - broadcast, podcast, house of worship and voiceovers (though I have not tested it yet). Now available from our shop the Electro Voice RE 320

Mid Range – The Shure SM7B is one of the standard broadcast microphones, and for good reason. It does its job well. I've used it, I like it and it handles my deep voice (that can overload some mics) very well, but I've also heard it handle high pitch voices quite well. Like most Dynamic mics, it's more forgiving of the environment when compared to condenser mics. You need to be close to this microphone, but I have found you don't need to be quite as close to it as the next mic - which can make some people uncomfortable: Shure SM7B

Higher End - The Electro Voice RE20  is another Broadcast Studio Quality as it's great for a variety of voices and environments. Some make the mistake of calling it 'bullet proof' but it should be handled with care like any quality instrument. It has built in protection against 'plosives' like the old popping P's, but that can also be its Achilles heel. If you get this mic, you will find it very forgiving of the environment. This is a microphone that you need to be very close to, when compared to many other microphones, to record well with: Electro Voice RE20

That wraps up the post for today. I'll post these once a week for the next several weeks until you have information on the things you *need* in your studio. Then, maybe you can start making a list of the things you *want* to add to the list.

Best - Mel Allen