Tips For Home Studio Users

Oct 10, 2025

Discover essential tips for setting up a home studio! Improve your room acoustics with simple treatments and learn how to use headphones effectively. Find out why duvets can be your best friend for reflection control. Choose the right speakers and ensure proper placement for optimal sound. Dive into the debate of mics versus preamps and the importance of quality cables. Explore the advantages of using plugins over hardware. Finally, get insights on how to prepare your music for streaming success!

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ADVICE

Decouple Monitors With Proper Stands

Use properly rated isolation platforms (e.g., IsoAcoustics) to decouple monitors and tighten the bass.
Match the isolation device to the speaker's weight for correct performance.

INSIGHT

Preamps Less Critical Than You Think

Modern interface preamps are far better than vintage gear and rarely limit sound quality.
Spend money on acoustics and monitoring before high-end preamps.

ADVICE

Match Mic To Voice, Not Brand

Match microphone choice to the vocalist; a cheap mic can outperform classics on certain voices.
Consider spending a few hundred pounds on a condenser for more detail than a typical SM57/58.

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In this episode, Paul White and Hugh Robjohns address some of the most frequently-asked questions about home studio recording and production. They share practical, experience-based advice to help you get the best results from your setup, whatever your budget or space.

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:14 - Improving Your Room Acoustics
02:29 - Working On Headphones
04:13 - Dampening With A Duvet
05:50 - Choosing The Right Speakers
06:50 - Mics And Preamps
09:02 - Cables And Connectors
11:28 - Hardware Vs Plug-ins
14:09 - When To Add A Patchbay
16:18 - Preparing Music For Streaming
18:59 - Bass Drivers And Room Size

#IsoAcoustics #AKGC414 #NeumannU87 #AudioTechnica2020 #ShureSM57 #ShureSM58 #Neutrik #Cannon

Paul White Biog
Paul White initially trained in electronics at The Royal Radar Establishment in Malvern then went on to work with Malvern Instruments, a company specialising in laser analysis equipment, before moving into technical writing.

He joined the Sound On Sound team in 1991 where he became Editor In Chief, a position he held for many years before recently becoming Executive Editor. Paul has written more than 20 recording and music technology textbooks, the latest being The Producer’s Manual.

Having established his own multitrack home studio in the 1980s he’s worked with many notable names including Bert Jansch and Gordon Giltrap. He’s played in various bands over the years and currently collaborates with Malvern musician Mark Soden, under the name of Cydonia Collective. Paul still performs live claiming that as he has suffered for his music he doesn’t see why everyone else shouldn’t too!

http://www.cydoniacollective.co.uk/

Hugh Robjohns Biog
Hugh Robjohns has been Sound On Sound´s Technical Editor since 1997. Prior to that he worked in a variety of (mostly) sound-related roles in BBC Television, ending up as a Sound Operations Lecturer at the BBC´s technical training centre. He continues to provide audio consultancy and bespoke broadcast audio training services all over the world, lectures at professional and public conventions, and occasionally records and masters acoustic and classical music too!

Catch more shows on our other podcast channels: https://www.soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts