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
Behringer Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Behringer's catalogue spans synths, mixers and interfaces at a fraction of premium prices. Here's what it actually offers and where the trade-offs lie.
Headphone Amp for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A dedicated amp transforms how your headphones sound—clearer, louder, more detailed. Here's everything a beginner needs to know before buying one.
Common Focusrite Scarlett Mistakes to Avoid
The most common mistake with Scarlett interfaces is not understanding the few critical setup steps that actually matter.
Shure Sm57: A Complete Buyer's Guide
One of the safest gear purchases in audio — here's what to check before buying a Shure SM57, from bundles to what else you'll need.
Headphone Amp: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The right amp reveals details your interface's headphone output missed. Here's how to pick one that matches your impedance, your budget and the way you actually listen.
How to Set Up and Use Podcast Microphone
Setting up a podcast microphone correctly—positioning, pop filter, headphone monitoring—makes the difference between a muddy recording and a clear, close vocal. Follow this practical guide from stand...
Sony Mdr 7506: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The Sony MDR-7506 is a studio and broadcast monitoring classic — but it is not the right headphone for every buyer. Here is what you need to know before you purchase.
Nt 1 Kit: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Everything I wish someone had told me before I bought my first proper microphone, applied to the NT1 Kit specifically.
Lewitt Microphone: A Complete Buyer's Guide
The Lewitt range is well organised by use case — this buyer's guide covers the key models and which recording applications each is best matched to.
Boom Microphones: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buy in the wrong order and you'll compromise somewhere important. Here's the sequence that actually gets you the right microphone.
The Complete Guide to Digital Mixer Console
A digital mixer console is the control centre for modern audio production. Explore types, essential features, and mixing workflows for studios and live events.
Everything You Need to Know About Acoustic Foams
Sennheiser Headphones: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Sennheiser makes excellent headphones for almost every purpose — but only if you pick the right one. Here's how to buy wisely.
Common Krk Rokit 5 Mistakes to Avoid
Most problems with the KRK ROKIT 5 aren't really monitor problems. Here are the eight mistakes that consistently trip people up, and what to do differently.
The Best Nt 1 Kits for the Money
Not just 'which is cheapest' — which NT1 configuration actually gets you the most for what you're spending.
Nura Headphones for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A completely normal place to start. Here's the plain-English version of what makes these headphones different, no jargon required.
Focusrite Scarlett: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A Focusrite Scarlett is one of those rare pieces of gear where the beginner-friendly option is also genuinely competent.
Monitor Speakers for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A beginner's guide to monitor speakers, covering room basics, speaker selection and proper placement for accurate mixing.
Yamaha Hs8: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Everything to check before buying a Yamaha HS8 — room fit, spec sheet, pairing, and the extras most buyers forget to budget for.
Shure Sm57 for Beginners: A Complete Guide
New to recording and just got handed a Shure SM57? Here's a friendly, step-by-step guide to your first session, with nothing assumed.
Shure for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Everyone says to 'get a Shure' when you're starting out. Here's why, and exactly what that should mean for your first purchase.
Common Rode Wireless Pro Mistakes to Avoid
The avoidable habits behind most ruined recordings with this kit, from trusting the wireless link alone to overestimating its real-world range.
Active Subwoofers for Beginners: A Complete Guide
You don't need to understand every spec before you plug one in. Here's the gentle, honest starting point for beginners.
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.
