Building Your Home Studio

What I use, what I trust, and what I’ve seen work — organized so you can buy once and get to work.

This page includes gear I personally use and gear I’ve seen work well for other actors. Not everything here is required. Everything here is functional. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s a setup that lets you record clean, usable audio without overthinking it.

You don’t need to spend thousands to build a solid home VO studio.

There are plenty of ways to make this work at different budget levels. My advice is simple: start with what you need, upgrade when it makes sense, and let your income justify the next step. That’s exactly how I built my own setup over time.

The most important part of any studio is a quiet space. Full stop. Don’t get distracted by what other people are using, and don’t assume expensive gear = instant VO jobs. I’ve worked consistently with a setup that costs far less than what some online forums insist is “required.” Spend intentionally. Buy for function, not status.

Rather than rehash generic gear lists, I’m sharing what I’ve actually used at different points in my career: what worked, when it worked, and why. This includes gear I still use, gear I’ve outgrown, and gear I’ve seen hold up reliably for others.

If your budget isn’t unlimited, shop smart. Retailers like Sweetwater have knowledgeable reps who can steer you away from bad purchases. I’ve bought from Amazon when speed mattered, and from brick-and-mortar stores when I wanted to see gear in person. The goal is the same either way: clean, reliable audio that lets you focus on performance instead of troubleshooting.

IF I WERE SETTING UP MY FIRST HOME STUDIO TODAY

If I were starting from scratch and setting up my first home VO studio today — knowing what actually matters and what doesn’t — this is the shopping list I’d start with. No filler, no prestige gear, nothing here you’ll immediately regret buying.

Microphone

AKG P120 ~$85

Solid entry-level condenser. Clean, affordable, and nice for the price.

Audio Interface / Preamp

Focusrite Scarlett Solo ~$99

Stable, reliable, and more than enough for single-mic VO work.

XLR Cable

Mogami (6’) ~$60

Cables matter more than people think. Cheap cables fail. Buy once.

Recording Software:

Audacity $ Free

Perfectly functional for auditions and basic recording.

Headphones

Sony MDR-7506 ~$90

Clear, honest sound and comfortable for long sessions.

Mic Stand

Basic floor stand ~$26

Stability matters more than style.

Pop Filter

Any basic pop filter ~$10

No need to get fancy.

Estimated Total: ~ $369

HELPFUL (BUT OPTIONAL) UPGRADES

Mic Isolation Shield ~$33

Helpful if you’re in a larger or untreated room. Not magic, but useful.

iZotope RX Elements (~$99) or RX Standard (~$399)

Post-processing tools for cleanup. Powerful, but only worth it if you’re willing to learn them. Solid cleanup if you’re producing audiobooks. They sometimes have sales.

USB vs. XLR, or Why You Should Have an XLR Mic:

A USB mic can get you started. An XLR mic will grow with your career.

USB mics like the Blue Yeti can record audio, but they’re built for convenience, not professional voiceover. The microphone and interface are combined into one unit, which means less control, noisier electronics, and limited upgrade options.

An XLR mic runs through a separate audio interface. That gives you cleaner gain, better control over levels, and a more stable signal — the things clients actually care about. It also lets you upgrade one piece at a time instead of replacing the whole mic when you outgrow it.

Can a USB mic work in a pinch? Sure. Is it the best foundation if you want to be hireable and flexible long-term? No. That’s why XLR is the standard.

MICROPHONES I’VE USED (AND TRUST)

What matters: reliability, forgiveness, and noise control.

⭐ personal recommendation

Samson CO1U (USB)
My first mic ever. Affordable, functional, and fine for learning. USB limits flexibility long-term.

Blue Snowball (USB)
A decent value USB mic. I used this for years. The Yeti is similar — some people prefer it, but functionally they’re in the same lane.

Sterling ST51 / ST55 (available used)
My first step into XLR mics. Required an interface, but offered more control and better signal. The ST55 has a -10dB pad, but sonically they’re similar.

AKG P120 ⭐
Bought as a backup/travel mic. Excellent value for the price. Still recommend it.

Sennheiser 416 ⭐
One of my current main mics. Expensive, but exceptional. If the Neumann TLM 103 is the gold standard for large diaphragms, this is its shotgun equivalent.

Neumann TLM 102 ⭐
Also in heavy rotation. I chose it over the TLM 103 after testing both — saved money, lost nothing I could hear.

Neumann TLM 103
A studio standard. Warm, lush, and excellent — but absolutely not required to start.

Audio-Technica AT2020
I’ve never owned one, but I know many actors who use it successfully at an entry level.

MXL 990
A solid large-diaphragm mic at a very accessible price. Despite Guitar Center opinions, it’s perfectly serviceable.

AUDIO INTERFACES (PREAMPS)

Avid Mbox Mini (may be available used)
Expensive and unreliable in my experience. Not recommended.

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 ⭐ / Scarlett Solo ⭐
Reliable, affordable, and widely used. The Solo is plenty for VO.

Behringer U-PHORIA UMC22
Cheap and functional. Works fine if you treat it gently.

Universal Audio Apollo Twin X ⭐
A serious investment later in my career. Excellent noise handling and build quality. Overkill for beginners.

Universal Audio Volt ⭐
A sturdier step up from the Scarlett without Apollo pricing. Easier onboarding.

What matters: Clean gain, stable drivers, no drama. You don’t need bells & whistles. You need consistency.

⭐ personal recommendation

SOFTWARE

The best software is the software you know.

You do not need to know all the ins and outs of Pro Tools to record auditions. Use what you can learn and operate confidently.

  • GarageBand (Mac users)

  • TwistedWave (what I use; simple, single-track recording)

  • Audacity (free)

  • Audition (if you use the Adobe Creative Suite)

  • Reaper, Studio One, Logic, Pro Tools (if you want to go deeper)

They all do roughly the same job for VO. Master one; no need to dabble in them all.

ACCESSORIES THAT ACTUALLY MATTER

⭐ personal recommendation

Pop Filter ⭐
Non-negotiable. Brand doesn’t matter. Buy the cheapest one.

XLR Cables
Cheap cables fail. I like Mogami cables and still use the first one I ever bought.

Headphones
Studio monitors only. Avoid noise-canceling or consumer “enhanced” headphones. Always wired, never bluetooth! I prefer the Sony MDR-7506 ⭐, which is what you’ll wear in many studios, including mine.

Mic Stands & Mounts

Buy for stability. Gravity always wins.

NOTE: You do not need headphones to record. You're not in a soundproofed studio where the only way to communicate with your engineer/director is through cans. I often record without them and use headphones only for editing.

SOUND DAMPENING

Before buying pallets of sound-dampening foam:

  • Try a closet you’ve already filled with clothes

  • Try a stack of blankets (moving or cuddly) next to or surrounding your mic

  • Depending on your space, Ikea rug/carpet squares on the walls can work surprisingly well

You can spend hundreds on off-gassing egg crates here and still lose to a quiet room with clothes in it. If that’s not your thing, check out The Foam Factory or if you’re aesthetically or geometrically inclined, sound dampening panels.

STRAIGHT TALK

Good audio gets hired. Expensive audio gets debated.

If you want help choosing gear for your space, let’s talk.

Work With Me