Podcast
Features
Commentsby Jeff Towne
It’s easier and more affordable than ever to set up a
small studio, whether at home, or as an auxiliary production space in a
larger facility.
The Computer
Large or small, today’s audio production
environments are almost always centered around a computer. Baselines
for chip speed, RAM and storage space have increased to the point that
it’s no longer necessary to get the biggest, fastest flamethrower of a
computer in order to do basic audio editing and mixing. Audio-editing
applications often have specific system requirements, so check the
compatibility requirements for the program you want to use, but in most
cases a moderately powerful off-the-shelf computer will be sufficient.
Macintosh
computers have long been popular for audio work, but in January of
2006, Apple muddied the waters by announcing new machines with Intel
chips sooner than anticipated. These computers will surely soon be good
foundations for audio editing, but at the time of their announcement,
there was very little software written to run natively on these chips.
Audio software generally does NOT run in emulation modes, and so
although many programs originally designed to run on the earlier Power
PC G4 and G5 chips will be useable under “Rosetta,” most audio programs
will not. Yet. There will surely be updates to most programs within a
few months, and for basic recording and mixing, the program Garageband
that ships with all new Macs as part of iLife’06 is reportedly working
now.
If one needs to get working right away on a Mac on
other programs, a computer with a G4 or G5 chip is the only practical
option. Although new Mac software will inevitably move toward the
Intel-based machines, current computers and current programs are still
perfectly functional, and it’s not always necessary to have the newest
latest biggest fastest model in order to do productive work. All G4 and
G5-based Macs that are currently for sale are good platforms for a
basic home studio. This hardware will certainly be outdated at some
time, but that’s true of all computers. How long the G4 and G5 systems
will remain viable is anybody’s guess, but in the context of putting
together a small studio, it’s more important to have a system that
works than one that is always on the cutting edge.
On the Windows side, recommending a specific machine
is difficult because there are so many possible different
configurations, but most currently-available systems running Windows XP
should have sufficient power to run most editing programs. Check
the requirements of the particular application you would like to use to
be sure. As with most computer issues, faster chips and more memory are
always helpful.
If your studio will include ProTools LE, Digidesign lists recommended specs for ProTools here.
Adobe lists requirements for Audition and Cooledit here (Windows only):
These specs are good general guidelines for buying a
new computer, but it’s also worth keeping in mind that a less powerful
system might be sufficient.
Even if starting from scratch, one should be able to
get a sufficiently powerful computer for $1,000-$1,500 at most.
Building or buying a less elaborate system can save lots of money and
still be adequate for many audio editing programs, if you’re confident
about doing some tweaking to the systems yourself. Adding extra RAM (a
total of 512 Megs is highly recommended, a gig of RAM isn’t a bad idea
these days) might add a few hundred more, and a second hard drive on
which to store audio projects will be another $200 or so. So one should be
able to get a new audio-ready computer for $1,500-$2,000.
Most of us already have a computer for other uses,
and while devoting a machine solely to audio editing is an excellent
policy, it’s not always practical. So in some cases, your existing
computer might be just fine to host your audio editing, requiring no
additional expenditures, or only minimal ones, like adding RAM.
The Interface
In
order to get sound in and out of the computer, you’ll most likely want
an audio interface, which could be a card installed in the computer, or
an external device that connects via USB or Firewire. Many computers
have a built-in audio input, usually for a microphone, but those inputs
are rarely of sufficient quality for reliable use.
Most interfaces are bundled with some kind of audio
editing software, but it may not be the one you want to use. Some
software requires the use of specific interfaces, most famously
ProTools LE, which must have an approved interface attached to the
computer in order to run the program.
Other software will accept audio from almost any interface, provided it meets ASIO or Core Audio standards.
M-Audio makes a wide range of USB and Firewire
interfaces, some of which can work with a special version of ProTools.
Edirol also makes a number of good USB interfaces, which can be used
with many editing programs (but not ProTools.)
Buying an M-Box or 002r from Digidesign gets you both
a good interface and the ProTools LE program. The USB-based M-Box is
about $450. The 002r, which is firewire, allows more simultaneous
channels of input and output, if you need that.
Computer-based editing and mixing has become so
central to the audio production experience that sometimes little else
is needed. A decent computer with a CD burner, an interface, a pair of
headphones, and an internet connection might be all one needs. But for
greater flexibility there are a few more pieces that can be helpful.
The mixer
Although
most functions formerly handled by a mixer –– adjustment of levels,
stereo pan and EQ –– are most often done inside the computer these
days, a mixer is still a very useful tool in a small studio. Having
several sound sources permanently wired for auditioning or feeding into
an interface with only a few inputs can be a big help. Having a few
good-quality mic preamps can overcome a common deficiency of audio
interfaces. Relatively compact mixers are fairly inexpensive and very
capable.
Mackie mixers have long been favorites in small
studios, for their balance of price, quality and flexibility.
Ironically, these mixers that were originally revolutionary in their
low cost are sometimes now considered to be on the expensive side. And
indeed there are less expensive options currently available, but Mackie
remains an excellent value because of their high-quality mic preamps
and solid construction. The 12-channel Mackie Onyx 1220 is their
smallest model, and sells for about $530. They sell larger mixers, with
14 or 16 channels or more, but for most small studios, twelve channels
are sufficient. One advantage of the Mackie Onyx mixers is that one can
add a firewire card to them (approx $400) that makes the mixer into a
multitrack audio interface.
Sadly this will not talk to ProTools, but it’s worth
keeping in mind, just to have that functionality for recording into
Garageband, or Logic, or Soundtrack, or Mackie Tracktion (or almost any
audio editing program except ProTools) if you ever needed it. It
would be an easy way to record 4 simultaneous mics if you ever needed
to record a roundtable or a meeting or something else that had many
simultaneous sources. You could record into Tracktion or another
supported application and then import back into ProTools for editing if
you were a ProTools based studio.
As we move more and more toward using data recorders
that allow fast transfer of soundfiles as data, we’ll really only be
recording voice tracks in real time, and then playing back, all of
which can be done with a simple interface. So carefully consider
whether you really need a mixer, in many cases you can do good work
without one.
If a mixer would be helpful, but the budget is tight,
Yamaha makes some inexpensive models that are still very functional.
And at about $100 for a 10-channel mixer it could be worth having one
just in case.
Speakers
Although
it’s tempting to save money and space, and avoid annoying the neighbors
by doing audio work on headphones, good monitor speakers are a crucial
part of any studio. They don’t have to be huge, or especially powerful,
but getting a pair of speakers designed for the purpose is an important
part of getting a good mix. Headphones are excellent for checking fine
detail, but mixing is better done on speakers. Small plastic computer
speakers are adequate for basic auditioning, but will not accurately
present the full range of the sounds you are working with, and are
really not up to the task of serious mixing.
What you specifically want in a small studio are
called “Near-Field Monitors,” which are designed to be placed fairly
close to the mix position, to minimize the effects of the surrounding
space. That said, the acoustical environment still has some effect, but
less than with speakers placed far away. There seems to be some sort of
arms-race on among the manufacturers of compact, self-powered monitors
right now. These speakers, which contain their own amplifiers, making
set-up and wiring even easier, are excellent choices for a small
studio. Simply plug the line-level output of your mixer or audio
interface into the powered monitors, adjust your levels, and you’re
done. M-Audio, KRK, Tapco, and many other companies have self-powered
speakers (sometimes called “active monitors”) with 5” or 8” woofers at
excellent prices, from $300-500 for a pair, and remember, you don’t
have to buy an additional power amplifier.
Discussing acoustical treatments for your listening
space is more complicated than we can cover now, but if your space is
not overly hard and reflective, or extremely resonant at a particular
frequency, the proximity of the near-field monitors should overcome
most acoustic problems, One doesn’t need a perfectly-tuned space
in order to make decent mixes. Place the speakers so that the two
monitors and the spot where you’ll sit will make an equal-sided
triangle, and position them at about ear-level when you’re in your
working position. Keep a clear path between you and the speaker, and
try to soften or break-up any hard, flat surfaces between you and the
speaker (like your desktop), which could create interference from sonic
reflections. Don’t get the speakers too close to a wall or too far into
a corner, or the bass response will be affected.
External Processing
Most
large professional studios have racks of high-end preamps and
processors, and if you will do a lot of voice recording in your studio
and the budget allows, having at least one high-quality mic preamp
might not be a bad idea. Microphones put out a very low-level signal,
and the preamp that raises that signal to line-level makes a big
difference in the sound quality. The preamps built into mixers or
interfaces are often perfectly sufficient, but rarely as good as a
dedicated external unit.
In general, rather than compressing and limiting and
de-essing and EQ-ing at the point of recording, it’s safer to just go
in clean and find plug-ins that process the voice the way you like,
saving the settings for each announcer you work with. There’s
something to be said for recording through “voice channels” which put a
nice preamp, a compressor, some EQ, and a de-esser all in one box, but
it means you have to commit at the time of recording, and if you get
your settings wrong, you have to live with it. The voice track
might be over-compressed, or have no high end or be lispy from
over-de-essing, and you’re stuck with it! If you just get a nice
clean voice recording, say via the very good mic preamps in the Mackie
Onyx mixer, you can tweak it later with some plug-ins in your editing
program.
Microphone
For
a studio announce mic, the best choice depends on how your small studio
will be used. If it’s mostly production, with very little recording of
important voice tracks, there are loads of cheap, decent condenser mics
out there. Find one you like from the Transom mic shootout!
Studio Projects B-1 mics are very good utility mics for $99. Or drop
$300 on a Shure SM7 or EV RE20 for a classic radio sound. Or if you
want warm and silky, the Neumann TLM 103 sounds pretty amazingly close
to a U87 when used as an announce mic, but for $999 instead of $3,000.
The Package
Once you have the computer and software you want, here’s what we’d recommend:
A Mackie Onyx 1220 mixer – $530
A Digidesign M-Box (comes with ProToosl LE) – $450
Waves Native Power pack software plug-ins – $375
KRK RP8 or M-Audio BX8 monitors – $380-500
Shure SM7 mic – $350
That’s about $2200ish without a computer.
Still a little pricey? This would still be pretty good:
Yamaha MG-10 mixer – $100
M-Audio Audiophile USB interface – $200
KRK RP5 or M-Audio BX5 monitors – $300
Studio Projects B-1 Microphone – $100
That’s only $700 total, without the computer.
Of course, there are many more pieces of gear that
would work just fine. We’ve concentrated on a few that we’ve had
good luck with here at Transom, and that we find to be good values. You
might have good luck with different specific pieces, but hopefully the
rough guidelines we’ve drawn here will still be helpful.
i am proposing to set up a home basic studio and all the necessary equipments are not readily available. Please I need your advice on what I should do, is it wise to buy and ship in from overseas, I reside in Nigeria.
in my situation i cannot buy a desktop i have to buy a laptop is it possible to run a studio effiecently with a laptop.
is it possible to make a studio with a laptop? and if so what would be the best type of laptop to do so?
i am basicaaly trying to put a studio together for rap music and to make instrmentals on abudget can anybody tell me what i need and whats the best laptop i could get for that. thank you.
Hi,
I am hoping to find out if I need some type of preamp equipment or mixer in order to lay tracks using an Electrovoice RE27 mic in a small home studio.
I don’t want to spend much, but will be using the RE27 for voiceovers.
For field recording, I have a Beyer 58 and a shotgun.
I remember using a MobilePre in the past. But what is the latest and cheapest way to record to a Mac (will be a new IMac) for live recording (Voice, not music). This may be for podcasts or for laying tracks for feature stories.
Thanks much for the assistance.
Dianne
Hi, Can I use my stage Mackie cfx 16 mixer in the studio I am building. I am looking at the pro tools option listed in your article
Regards, Paula.
I have been to your site and I found that you have a very good information but could you advice on the following:
1- I need to add a very good music keyboard can you suggest one
2- good quality head set
3- Also I need to cover the wall in my music room what is the suitable wood or carpet or something else
I think this page is geat help for new producers wanting to set up studios at home…thanks guys
Hi guys
I am setting up a radio production company.I need help finding the right equipment to get started.Any advice is welcome.
Thanks
Tony
+27796267504
Jeff Town’s article was written in ’06. We’re now at the end of 2010. Any changes in your advice re latest equipment recommendations? Also, my studio will be used for narration. Want to narrate books I’ve written, enhanced with music and sound effects. Any suggestions for best software to accomplish this Many thanks,
sandra
in my situation i cannot buy a desktop i have to buy a laptop is it possible to run a studio effiecently with a laptop.
Read more: http://transom.org/?p=7488#ixzz1PYHuqlN0
After reading transom gear reviews and renting some equipment for a recent project I chose to create a portable studio. I already had the following:
- 13″ macbook pro with the least expensive CPU (I later upgraded the RAM to 4GB)
- Rode NT4 stereo mic, not ideal for interviews but it works.
I just purchased the following for my portable studio:
- Sound Devices USB 2 audio interface for my laptop ($650)
- Sony MDR7506 Headphones for monitoring and mixing ($90)
- Glyph 500GB 7200 rpm External Hard Drive to record live audio ($160)
The Sound Devices USB preamps: After reading Transom’s glowing review of the Sound Devices 722 Digital Recorder (http://transom.org/?p=7506) I chose to rent one for a recent project. This recorder sounds amazing. The preamps are very quiet and the LED signal indicators are nice and clear so that you can check your levels and adjust as you’re recording. The only problem with this device is the price, $1900.
Sound Devices makes a USB interface for your computer with the same preamps and LED level indicators as the 722 for $650. It’s not as portable as the 722 since you also have to haul your laptop, but I do my interviews in living rooms not out on the street, so this works well for me. There are many dual preamp USB audio interfaces that are cheaper than this but the Sound Devices stuff is built from metal, not plastic, and the preamps are really fantastic. Since I’m traveling with my setup the ruggedness of the interface is really a welcomed feature.
The Sony MDR7506 headphones are an industry standard and I’ve used them before. For under $100 they are are great value.
The external hard drive: I’ve been told that it’s best to record to a fast external hard drive instead of your laptop’s internal drive. My Mac Book Pro has a 5400 RPM drive and this Glyph is 7200. I’m not so sure if the speed makes a difference, but since audio projects can get large I needed some extra space and chose to go with it. There is no particular reason I went with Glyph, there are other hard drive options out there.
Microphones:
While my Rode NT4 sounds pretty good, using a stereo mic for an interview is a bit awkward. I’m looking to buy something to better suit my needs. I took Transom’s Mic Shootout: Blindfold Test (http://transom.org/?p=7517) and these were my top 3:
1) Schoeps P48 preamp with MK-21 capsules ($1300)
2) Neumann U-87 ($2600)
3) Electrovoice RE-27 ($450)
I recently rented the Schoeps CMC6 with MK4 (cardioid) caps and the recording sounded great, but since it costs more than my laptop I’ll probably buy the Electrovoice RE-27 sometime soon.
I’m really pleased with my setup so far. I’m able to get a very professional sound without breaking the bank. Hope this helps those of you looking to put together your own studios, portable or not.
hey, I’m only 18 years old but I’ve decided to take up music production and engineering as a career. i have a lot of decent equipment and a setup that works but i don’t think I’m using everything to its full capacity. i would just like to know the best possible way to utilize everything i have to get the best results.
these are the things i have:
Power Mac G5 Computer
Apple Logic Pro 9 Software
Digidesign Digi 002 Mixer Board
M Audio Delta 1010LT Sound Card
Yamaha HS50M Monitors
Yamaha MM8 Synthesizer
AKG C214 Condenser Microphone
i have other things but i feel these are the most important. i have a pretty good idea of what goes where and what it would do, but i want a professional input on this. in other words, how would i wire it? if there is anything you would recommend me getting to improve or complete my setup, please let me know. as far as budget goes, anything that isn’t too expensive but has great result would be awesome. thank you.
My budget is almost zero, Here’s my no-budget list and it works well for me, a one man band doing song demos. It is very difficult to get the noise levels down with a computer in the recording room, so expensive, microphones, software, & soundcards won’t matter much. I’ve made great sounding demos, minus the drums with this stuff. Good sounding headphones are a must. Once you work out a number of songs, burn them to a CD and play them on your home stereo unit…if ok ? you can go buy some real studio time.
Computer: Windows XP
Soundcard: soundblaster Live 24 bit -$12, I know theres a lot better.
Software: Audacity -free online-
Microphones: 2-Allied Dynamics M3311, 1960′s $20-ebay
Headphones: Sennheiser HD-420 vintage 1980′s
Cords: I’ve got long cords for everything
Speakers: not-used
Can you provide us with specifications on cheap but good and durable soundproof materials??
HI guys……
I’m just a teenager who is interested in pursuing my career as a music composer.
I have set up a small studio in my room. I have windows 7 and i use FL studio and mixmeister. My keyboard is Yamaha PSR-295. Can anyone give me suggestions to improve my equipments sine I am doing albums(I write songs) and scores for dramas.
Am buying a sony vaio laptop for my mini studio, I need to buy midi keyboard, speakers, headphones,sound card, microphone. All at a cheap rate under £450.