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
Beats Studio 3: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Everything worth checking before buying a Beats Studio 3, from battery health and accessories to the specs that genuinely make a difference.
Audio Technica Explained: Features, Types and Tips
Audio-Technica has been making precision audio gear since 1962. Here is an honest look at what the brand offers, from the ubiquitous AT2020 to the professional AT4040.
The Ultimate Guide to Kali Audio Studio Monitors
Kali Audio studio monitors deliver professional-grade accuracy at home studio prices. Discover how these speakers help you mix recordings that translate reliably across all playback systems.
Common Guitar Audio Interface Mistakes to Avoid
Most guitar recording problems trace back to the same few interface mistakes. This guide covers the errors, why they happen and exactly how to fix them.
Krk for Beginners: A Complete Guide
A calm, step-by-step start with your first KRK monitors: placement, connections, DSP basics, and giving your ears time to adjust.
Open Back Headphones for Beginners: A Complete Guide
The first time I heard my own room through the music, I thought something was broken — turns out that's the whole point.
Common Krk Mistakes to Avoid
The mistakes almost everyone makes with a new pair of KRK monitors, from buying too big for the room to trusting them before your ears are ready.
Trs Cable: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying the wrong TRS cable is a genuinely common way to lose an afternoon chasing a fault that isn't there. Here's what to actually check.
Monitor Stands for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Setting up monitor stands correctly is primarily about accurate height measurement, correct stereo triangle geometry, and isolation between speaker and stand. Here is how to do each step.
Sony Mdr 7506 for Beginners: A Complete Guide
The Sony MDR-7506 is one of the most recommended studio headphones for beginners — but it can surprise you if you don't know what to expect. Here's everything you need to know from day one.
Everything You Need to Know About Acoustic Diffusers Diy
Acoustic diffusers scatter sound reflections to improve room acoustics whilst maintaining natural liveliness. Discover how they work, how to build them cheaply, and where to place them.
Rode Nt1 for Beginners: A Complete Guide
Your first proper microphone doesn't need to feel intimidating. Here's a calm, practical guide to getting started with the Rode NT1.
The Best Boom Microphones for the Money
"For the money" means genuine value, not just cheap. Here's how to think about each tier, from first camera rig to paid location work.
The Best Akg Acoustics Headphones for the Money
The best AKG headphones aren't one model, they're whichever tier actually matches your job. Here's how the range breaks down, tier by tier.
The Best Sennheiser Headphones for the Money
Sennheiser makes excellent headphones at almost every price point, but the value isn't evenly spread. Here's where your money works hardest.
Common Genelec Mistakes to Avoid
Most Genelec problems are habits, not hardware faults. Here's what actually trips people up, and the simple fix for each one.
The Ultimate Guide to Sound Recorders Portable
A portable recorder combines microphones, preamps, storage and monitoring in a battery-powered device. Choose based on your workflow: songwriting, rehearsals, field recording or professional productio...
Audio Technica At2020: A Complete Buyer's Guide
Buying the AT2020 is simple if you know what version fits your setup and what supporting kit you actually need alongside it.
Shure Sm7b Explained: Features, Types and Tips
The Shure SM7B has become the default broadcast-style microphone for podcasters, singers and voiceover artists. Here's what it is, how it's built, and what makes it tick.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2: A Complete Buyer's Guide
A practical look at which generation, bundle and price point actually suits your recording, and when to look elsewhere.
Mic with Recorder: A Complete Guide
Mic with recorder can mean three different things. Here's how to tell which setup you actually need, and how to get a clean take either way.
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.
