Build a Home Studio for under $650 January 29, 2008
Posted by ConnorSmith in : Project Studio, Studio Setup , trackbackI get a lot of questions via email and forums about buying equipment to setup a small home studio. Many people will say “I have X dollars, what should I buy??”. Well, here it is, the first installment of the “Build a Home Studio” posts. This particular post is all under the assumption that you have a computer (either Mac or PC, desktop or laptop) that you will be using to record. For studios with a little bigger budget, I will make recommendations on computers.
I give two examples for audio interfaces in this sample setup. This is simply because one is FireWire and one is USB (and also because they are bundled with different DAWs). They are both great devices, just choose the one that suits you better. This setup will include an audio interface, recording software, studio monitors, a MIDI keyboard, a condenser microphone and the necessary cables to hook everything up.
“The $650 Studio”
Interface Options:
-PreSonus FireBox ($299)
This is a firewire audio interface that you will use to connect to your computer. The FireBox is a very versatile interface. It offers 2 mic/instrument inputs, as well as 2 line level inputs. It also has MIDI input, and can record at up to 96k/24bit. It comes bundled with Cubase LE. Overall, this is a great value!
-Digidesign MBox Mini ($295)
Unike the FireBox, this interface connects via USB. This is also a great choice, as it has plenty of inputs and outputs for its small size, and comes with the powerful Pro Tools 7.4 software. This interface does not have a midi input. If you want to record MIDI with a keybord, you will either have to buy a MIDI interface, or just choose a keyboard that connects to your computer via USB.
MIDI Keyboard:
- M-Audio KeyRig 49 ($99)
This is a simple and compact keyboard from M-Audio. It offers many features, including octave jumping, pitch wheels, and USB connectivity. This was my first MIDI keyboard, and I loved it.
Studio Monitors:
- KRK Rp-5 Rokit ($150)
These little monitors pack a big punch. They are compact enough to fit in small studios, but they sound a lot better than their price would suggest. In this price range, you will be hard pressed to find better sounding monitors. These also have 1/4″ inputs, while many similar monitors only accept RCA inputs. With the RP-5 Rokits, you will be able to use balanced cables to keep your audio clean and without interference.
Microphone:
- Samson C01 Condenser Microphone ($70)
This is a great entry-level condenser microphone. For around $70, you get a nice sounding mic that is suitable for a variety of applications, including vocals, guitars, drum overheads.. etc.
Cables:
Well, the only cables you will need are two balanced 1/4″ cables to connect the main outputs of your chosen interface to your speakers and a microphone cable. I would suggest THIS for the speaker cables, as it is such a good buy. You will just need to pull the ends apart a bit so that it will reach both speakers. Then just pick of one of THESE for the mic, and you will be all set.
That’s it! With that setup, you can do many different types of music production with very professional sounding results. There are obviously many many more options than these, but the choices I have listed here will work very well together, and are all great products. Soon, I will post a “Setting Up Your Studio” guide, which will help with speaker placement, room acoustics, and many other problems that can be encountered when setting up your equipment. And, as always, feel free to email me with questions and comments.
C
Comments»
The mxl 990/991 set is not a bad mic choice either. It sounds a lot better than it costs, and you get a large di and a small di condensor, so you have a little more versatility.
^^Very true.
I don’t have a 990, but I do have a v67g that I like a lot, especially for the $100 price tag.