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
Handheld Microphone Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Dynamic or condenser, wired or wireless, cardioid or supercardioid: a complete explanation of the handheld microphone format and the choices it involves.
Presonus Eris 3.5 Explained: Features, Types and Tips
The PreSonus Eris 3.5 is an active near-field monitor pair designed for home studio use. Here is what the specifications mean, what the monitors do well and where they are limited.
The Best Headphone Splitters for the Money
There's no single best headphone splitter — here's how to pick the right category for what you're actually doing.
Common Monitor Controller Mistakes to Avoid
Most monitor controller mistakes come from incorrect setup habits rather than equipment problems. Here are the errors that consistently cause issues and how to correct each one.
Neumann Tlm 103: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The Neumann TLM 103 is exceptional for vocals in a treated room — but its forward presence and high sensitivity mean the room and signal chain matter just as much as the microphone itself.
Shure Microphone for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Getting a useful result from a Shure microphone on day one is genuinely achievable. Here is everything a beginner needs to know to start recording well.
The Best Audio Technicas for the Money
Audio-Technica makes strong microphones at every price tier — but some models punch harder than others. Here is an honest look at where the best value sits in the catalogue.
The Complete Guide to 1 4 Audio Jack
The 1/4 audio jack is the universal connector powering guitars, amplifiers and professional audio equipment worldwide. Discover its construction, varieties and how to maintain trouble-free connections...
Uad Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Universal Audio's plug-in world explained in plain terms: Native versus DSP, what Unison actually does, and the classic hardware it all tries to recreate.
Common Noise Cancelling Headphones Mistakes to Avoid
Most problems with noise cancelling headphones are avoidable — here are the errors that come up repeatedly and how to prevent each one.
Shure Sm7b: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The Shure SM7B is a fine long-term buy, but only if you buy it with the right gain behind it. Here's a practical, no-nonsense look at what to check first.
How to Set Up and Use Adam Audio T7v
Correct placement and setup are as important as the monitor itself. Here is how to go from unboxing to accurate monitoring in a few steps.
Boom Microphones Explained: Features, Types and Tips
A boom microphone isn't a type of microphone at all — it's how one is mounted. Here's everything that follows from that one fact.
Podcast Microphone for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Starting a podcast doesn't mean becoming an audio engineer. Learn the few things that actually matter when choosing a microphone, then focus on recording great content.
Shure Headphones for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Studio monitoring headphones reward a few hours of adjustment. Here is what to know, do and avoid when you are using your first pair.
The Best Adam Audios for the Money
Matched to your room and budget, not a lab test that doesn't exist — here's which ADAM Audio range genuinely suits which setup.
Vocal Booth for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Headphone Splitter for Beginners: A Complete Guide
It's simpler than it looks — here's the one decision that matters before you buy your first headphone splitter.
Adam Audio: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buy for your room first, not the spec sheet — a hands-on guide to choosing between ADAM Audio's ranges.
The Ultimate Guide to Austrian Audio Microphone
Austrian Audio microphones deliver transparent, accurate recording for professional studios. Engineering precision meets affordable pricing—find the right model for vocals, drums, instruments and room...
Audio Technica Microphone: A Complete Guide
From the AT2020 to the AT5040: what Audio-Technica microphones are available, what each series is for and how to choose between them.
Marshall Earbuds: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Marshall only makes two earbuds, so buying one well is about matching fit to how you actually listen, not chasing the flashiest spec sheet.
Common Rode Nt1 Mistakes to Avoid
Most disappointing Rode NT1 results come down to setup, not the microphone. Here's the honest list of where owners most often trip up.
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.
