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 Genelecs for the Money
There's no single "best" Genelec — just the tier that matches your room, budget and how seriously you'll actually use what you're paying for.
Audient Id14: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Yamaha Hs7 for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Just got your first pair of Yamaha HS7 monitors? Here's everything you need to know to set them up properly and start using them with confidence.
Akg Acoustics Headphones: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying AKG headphones well comes down to matching design to job and headphone to source. Here's the practical checklist before you spend anything.
Studio Monitors Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Studio monitors reveal the truth about your mix. Here's what they do, how to choose a pair, and how to set them up correctly.
Krk Speakers Explained: Features, Types and Tips
KRK has been a studio staple for decades. Here's what the range covers, what the characteristic sound is, and who these monitors are best suited to.
Iloud Mtm Studio Monitors: A Complete Guide
iLoud Studio Monitors deliver professional accuracy at an affordable price. Perfect for home studios, they reveal mixing problems and help create translatable mixes.
Monitor Controller: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing a monitor controller means matching speaker count, input sources and precision requirements to a price point. From entry-level Mackie to the Audient Nero to professional passive units — here'...
Handheld Microphone for Beginners: A Complete Guide
How to hold it, where to position it, how to soundcheck and how to avoid feedback: a practical beginner's guide to microphone technique for live vocals.
The Best Studio Desks for the Money
No invented rankings, just an honest look at what you actually get at each studio desk price tier, and who each one suits.
The Complete Guide to Acoustic Guitar And Stand
A quality acoustic guitar stand protects your instrument whilst keeping it accessible during practice. Learn which stand type suits your setup and playing style.
Podcast Microphone: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Choosing a podcast microphone doesn't have to be overwhelming. Learn what questions to ask about your space, your setup and your workflow, then make a choice you won't regret.
The Ultimate Guide to Budget Studio Monitors
Budget studio monitors provide flat, accurate frequency response for mixing without premium pricing. At between £50 and £300, they bring professional monitoring within reach for home studios.
Presonus: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Interfaces, mixers or monitors — here's exactly what to check before you buy any PreSonus gear, and where the Fender rebrand catches buyers out.
Universal Audio Company: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying into Universal Audio means choosing an ecosystem, not just an interface — here's how to work out what you actually need.
Common Akg Acoustics Headphones Mistakes to Avoid
Most disappointment with AKG headphones traces back to a mismatch between the model and the job, not a flaw in the headphones themselves.
The Ultimate Guide to Behringer Ecm8000 Measurement Microphone
Measurement microphones are precision instruments for capturing accurate acoustic data without colouration. Discover how the Behringer ECM8000 transforms your studio monitoring and room tuning.
Everything You Need to Know About Jbl Professional Studio Monitor
JBL studio monitors deliver accurate sound for professional mixing. Discover which models suit your studio size and how proper room treatment maximises monitoring accuracy.
A Guide to Audio Technica Headphones
From the closed-back M-Series to the new open-back R-Series, here's what Audio-Technica actually makes — and which pair suits which job.
Common Beyerdynamic Mistakes to Avoid
Common Adam Audio Mistakes to Avoid
Good ADAM Audio monitors, undone by avoidable habits — here's what to fix first.
Pirate Studio: A Complete Buyer's Guide
There's no manager to guide you through the options, so the decisions land on you. Here's exactly what to check before you book a session.
Beyerdynamic for Beginners: A Complete Guide
The Ultimate Guide to Pop Filter
A pop filter is one of the simplest tools in vocal recording — here is how it works, the different types available, and how to position one correctly for clean takes.
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.
