Reviews, guides and buying advice for microphones, audio interfaces, studio monitors and acoustic treatment for UK home and professional studios.
- 101 topics
- 731 articles
Inside Studio Recording
All 101 topicsThe 12 most-searched of 101 topics. The full index is at the foot of the page.
Acoustic Panels
Acoustic panels absorb reflections and improve clarity, making studios sound more accurate and professional.
Monitor Stands
Place studio speakers at the right height and reduce resonance with sturdy monitor stands.
Soundproofing Panels
Shape your room for cleaner sound with soundproofing panels for recording, monitoring and mixing.
XLR Cable
Professional XLR cables for clean, balanced microphone and studio connections in home and commercial recording setups.
Audio Interface
Audio interfaces connect mics, instruments and monitors to your computer for recording, playback and mixing.
1 topic
Dictaphone
Record voice notes, lyric ideas and quick demos with a portable dictaphone for simple studio and mobile use.
Mic Stand
Shop mic stands for stable microphone placement in recording sessions, rehearsals and live performance.
Focusrite
Discover Focusrite studio gear for recording, monitoring and producing music with dependable sound quality and easy ever...
4 topics
Sound Proof Panels
Improve studio acoustics and listening accuracy with sound proof panels for recording and mixing spaces.
Apogee
Apogee is a premium studio brand known for high-quality audio interfaces, conversion and professional recording workflow...
1 topic
Cable Management
Keep your studio neat, safe and easy to patch with practical cable management solutions for any recording setup.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
Shop Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interfaces for compact, reliable recording of vocals, guitar and small studio sessions.
Articles on Studio Recording
All news
The Best Shure Sm57s for the Money
One mic, no real “versions” — here's where the genuine value lies when kitting out a Shure SM57 for the money you've got.
The Best Presonus for the Money
Not a single winner but a guide to where the sensible money goes across PreSonus's interfaces, mixers and monitors.
Soundproof Panels: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Before you spend a penny on soundproof panels, make sure you're solving the right problem. Here's how to choose material, thickness and quantity properly.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A calm, step-by-step introduction to your first session with the Scarlett 2i2, for anyone who's never used an interface before.
In Ear Monitors for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Your first in-ear monitor should be wired, simple, and easy to adjust. Learn what to ask for, how to build your mix, and what not to worry about.
Common Corner Bass Traps Mistakes to Avoid
Most bass trap installations that don't work aren't failing because bass traps don't work — they're failing because of specific, avoidable mistakes. Here are the eight most common ones.
Krk Rokit 5 for Beginners: A Complete Guide
The KRK ROKIT 5 is a brilliant first studio monitor — but it sounds very different depending on how you set it up. Here's a straightforward guide to getting started properly.
Adam Audio Studio Monitors: A Complete Guide
Adam Audio studio monitors deliver professional-grade accuracy for serious producers and mixing engineers. Discover their innovative technology, specifications and how to optimise them in your studio.
The Best Focusrite Scarlett 2i2s for the Money
New, secondhand or bundled: how the value actually breaks down across the Scarlett 2i2's generations and price points.
Common Headphone Splitter Mistakes to Avoid
I've heard the same headphone splitter complaints so many times I can predict them — here's what's actually going wrong.
Shure Sm57 Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Unglamorous and everywhere for a reason — here's what the Shure SM57 actually is and why it still sounds the way it does after 60 years.
Meze Headphones for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Most beginners should start with the 99 Classics. Before buying anything else, understand the difference between dynamic and planar-magnetic drivers, and between open-back and closed-back designs.
How to Set Up and Use Corner Bass Traps
Setting up corner bass traps properly — right position, secure mounting, verified result — is straightforward when you know the steps. Here's the complete practical walkthrough.
Word Clock for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Word clock is the timing reference that keeps digital audio devices in step. This guide explains what it is, how to set it up, and whether you actually need extra hardware.
Everything You Need to Know About Pirate Studios
A 24/7, self-service network of rehearsal, DJ and recording rooms, booked entirely online. Here's exactly how Pirate Studios actually works.
Headphone Splitter: A Complete Buyer's Guide
No hype, just the checks that matter: here's exactly what to confirm before you buy a headphone splitter.
Audio Technica Headphones for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A calm, encouraging start for anyone buying their first pair of Audio-Technica headphones — no jargon, no pressure.
Everything You Need to Know About Audient Id4 Usb Audio Interface
Audient audio interfaces deliver professional-grade sound quality in compact, affordable packages. This guide examines Audient's design philosophy, explores their popular models, and helps you choose...
Studio Monitors for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Common Kick Drum Mic Mistakes to Avoid
Soundproof Panels for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Just starting to treat your first recording space? Here's a gentle, honest introduction to soundproof panels – what they'll do for you, and where to begin.
Monitor Speakers: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A practical guide to selecting monitor speakers based on room size, budget and your studio setup needs.
What Studio Recording Covers
Studio recording brings together the equipment and techniques used to capture, edit, mix, and produce music to a professional standard. From a compact home setup in a spare bedroom to a purpose-built commercial facility, this discipline is the foundation of virtually every release heard on UK radio, streaming platforms, and beyond. This category covers the microphones, interfaces, monitors, and acoustic treatment that make great-sounding recordings possible at any budget.
Microphones and Signal Chain Essentials
The microphone is the starting point of any recording chain. Dynamic models from Shure and Sennheiser handle loud sources and live applications, while large-diaphragm condensers — from Sontronics, RØDE, AKG, and Neumann — capture the detail and air that vocal and acoustic instruments demand. Ribbon microphones add vintage warmth for strings, brass, and room ambience. The signal then passes through a preamp: either the built-in circuitry of an audio interface or an outboard unit from Neve, API, or Universal Audio that adds character and clean gain before conversion.
Audio Interfaces and Monitoring
An audio interface is indispensable for this process, converting analogue signals into digital audio while providing inputs, outputs, headphone monitoring, and phantom power for condenser microphones. Focusrite's Scarlett range is the UK's most popular entry point, with Audient, Universal Audio, RME, and Apogee offering more headroom for professional use. Accurate monitors from Yamaha, Adam Audio, Focal, and Genelec are essential for making mixing decisions that translate well on other playback systems — placement and room treatment matter as much as the speakers themselves.
Acoustic Treatment and the Recording Environment
Acoustic treatment is frequently the most overlooked element of home and project studio recording setups. Broadband absorption panels, bass traps in room corners, and diffusion panels control reflections and standing waves that would otherwise mislead your mixing decisions. Treatment is not the same as soundproofing — you can significantly improve a room's sound quality with relatively modest investment in panels and corner traps before spending thousands on additional microphones or monitors.
Building Your Studio: From Home to Professional
A UK home setup can begin with a computer, an audio interface, a condenser microphone, closed-back headphones for tracking, and a DAW such as Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, or Cubase. This foundation covers songwriting, demo production, and basic mixing for a few hundred pounds. As requirements grow, investment shifts towards more microphone options, a higher-channel interface, outboard preamps, monitor controllers, and patchbays. Professional commercial rooms additionally require isolation, extensive acoustic treatment, robust backup systems, and client-ready acoustics that justify their hire rates.
