In this blog I’m going to answer a question that I’m often asked. And my one-sentence answer may come as a non-answer, glib, a cop out, maybe even a bit woo. But I shall explain it if you read on!
THE QUESTION:
What Equipment Should Voiceovers Use?
There are actually a few questions that I get asked that I can summarise as one. And here it is:
‘What microphone/audio interface/software should I get for my voiceover recording?‘
And once we’ve got over the caveat of it needing to be professional quality my (non-answer, glib, a cop out, maybe even a bit woo) answer is:
‘Whichever one gets you the best results quickly and easily.’
Isn’t that a terrible answer?! ‘Just get whatever you want.’ No guidance there at all.
Why Voice Actor Equipment Advice Is So Confusing
There are a lot of people who want to give you advice about your studio in the voiceover world. Some are qualified to do so, some are less so (there’s nothing more dangerous than a little knowledge).
Forum Recommendations vs Reality
I see in forums all the time people quite aggressively demanding that EVERYONE in VO should be using the same kit that they have – they’ve done their research and they’ve concluded that the gear they’ve opted for is the best there is.
But here’s the rub – what works brilliantly for one person in their specific situation might be completely wrong for you in yours.
Producer Advice That Misses the Mark
Also I see voice artists taking advice from producers and studio owners who claim the voiceover needs the same spec kit that a post-production and/or music facility needs (big i/o counts, built in DSP etc.).
I see people taking advice from random YouTube videos or forums where the focus is hobby-level music recording rather than professional audio production.
Confusion abounds. So I do understand why people are asking the question, but in giving my glib, cop out, maybe even a bit woo non-answer I’m hopefully being more honest and definitely not backing anyone into a corner of buying equipment that they don’t need and won’t enjoy using.
Your Home Studio Should Be Your Happy Place
I wrote a blog about how my studio is my happy place a few years ago, and it’s still true. Your studio is a creative space and you need to be as comfortable and confident in there as you can be in order to create your best work. It’s really important that you are at ease in your studio or else your performance could be compromised. The blog addressed studio aesthetics, but it’s also true of our equipment. If something is over-complex and stresses us out it has no place in our studio. If the workflow of a piece of software is foreign to our thought patterns there will be one that works more sympathetically for us. The freer and easier you are in your studio (not like that – get your mind out of the gutter) the more energy you’ll have to put into your performance and the more you’ll enjoy your work.
The Best Equipment for Voice Actors: It Depends on You
Can you be a bit less vague and actually answer the damn question?
Yes I can. I do have products that I recommend, but I’m not telling anyone what they should buy. Everyone has their own situation and their own needs (and – let’s be honest – their own budget). There is no One Size Fits All with audio products. If there were there’d be no need for so many products other than inter-brand competition.
Equipment Choice for the Technophobic
I realised very quickly when I started advising voiceovers about their studio just how technophobic a lot of voices are. This isn’t a criticism. You don’t get into voice acting (or other performance-based vocations) because you want to be a technician or an engineer. I do tend to recommend the simpler hardware partly in recognition of the technophobia, but also because a lot of the features on more expensive bits of kit are great for geeks like me who love the nuts and bolts of a signal chain and manipulating audio. But most of the time these things would be useless for a regular jobbing voiceover. There is no doubt that some of the pricier audio interfaces are fantastic bits of kit, but a voice over only really needs a mic preamp and AD/DA converters (analogue to digital and digital to analogue converters before you ask). Other bits can be handy for those who know how to use them, but if you don’t then aren’t they just going to cause anxiety and distract from the studio being a happy place?
Audio Interfaces and DAW Software
Similarly with software, I love ProTools, but I’ve virtually stopped recommending it to voice actors as it often outfaces those who aren’t as technically minded as me. DAWs in general are great tools for our recording, but very often an editor looks simpler and more manageable. File management in a DAW is a lot simpler, but the day to day usage of an audio editor is simpler because you don’t have to navigate the multi-track environment.
Choosing Your Equipment: Practical Considerations
Before choosing any equipment, honestly assess your relationship with technology. Are you someone who enjoys learning about signal chains and audio processing? Or do you prefer to plug something in and have it just work?
There’s no wrong answer, but there is a wrong choice if you pick equipment that doesn’t match your preferences. In choosing equipment for your studio you will need to acknowledge your own technophobic/technophilic level. And then you can find a solution that works best for you to allow you to fulfil that, glib, a cop out, maybe even a bit woo non-answer to the question and create the happy place you need your studio to be.
And remember: The Room Trumps the Gear
Regardless of what equipment you choose, your recording environment will have more impact on your sound quality than the specific microphone, interface, or software you use. The most expensive equipment in an untreated room will sound worse than budget equipment in a well-controlled acoustic space.
Because the best studio isn’t the most expensive one; it’s the one where you feel confident enough to deliver your best work, every single time.
Want to read more? Try: What are noise floors are and how to reduce them.
Ready to create a studio setup that actually works for you instead of against you?
Stop second-guessing every piece of kit and start focusing on what really matters – your performance. Book a Home Studio Consultation Power Hour with me, and we’ll design a setup that matches your technical comfort level, your budget, and most importantly, makes your studio the creative happy place it should be. No overwhelm, no unnecessary complexity – just honest advice tailored specifically to you and your voice.