Best Studio Microphones
Yeti is the most advanced and versatile multi-pattern USB microphone available anywhere. Compatible with Windows 10, Windows 8 (including 8.1), Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP (Home and Professional), and Mac OS X (10.4.11 or higher), and requires a minimum of 64 MB of RAM(remove existing and upload).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Here is my full video review of the Blue Yeti microphone that I made for my YouTube channel."
"If you ever tried to stream through a Windows pc you will notice a delay between your live voice and what goes through the mic. There is no delay when you plug your headphones directly into the mic."
"I was able to pick one up on a lightning deal for $89 and it's well worth that price, however, I've had a few problems with it from day one that have since been rectified. Number one, I had to ship the first one back because one of the screws that holds the microphone into place was stripped out. Finally we can talk about the good and what should matter most when you are purchasing an expensive USB microphone and that is the sound quality -- it's excellent. If you are streaming a podcast or recording scratch audio for video production like I use it for, this microphone is really great."
"You can Google strategies for minimizing the surrounding hiss / hum interference... once you get all the outside sounds minimized, this mic is amazing!!"
"It will pick up outdoor noise from A/C compressors and lawn mowers a block away, so use a good mic shield or sound box."
"It records sound so accurately and is flexible enough with its various settings to adapt to different recording situations (e.g. solo, group, interview, acoustic, big room, small room, etc.). While I don't notice a huge difference in the recording sound quality during playback, I do see it when I start editing and mixing the audio."
"My son loves it!"
Blackout Yeti is the gaming industry’s #1 premium USB microphone that delivers unparalleled depth and clarity to your Twitch streams. NOTE: Kindly refer the Instructional Video from the Image Section and User Manual from the Technical Specification before use which is highly recommended.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Here is my full video review of the Blue Yeti microphone that I made for my YouTube channel."
"If you ever tried to stream through a Windows pc you will notice a delay between your live voice and what goes through the mic. There is no delay when you plug your headphones directly into the mic."
"I was able to pick one up on a lightning deal for $89 and it's well worth that price, however, I've had a few problems with it from day one that have since been rectified. Number one, I had to ship the first one back because one of the screws that holds the microphone into place was stripped out. Finally we can talk about the good and what should matter most when you are purchasing an expensive USB microphone and that is the sound quality -- it's excellent. If you are streaming a podcast or recording scratch audio for video production like I use it for, this microphone is really great."
"You can Google strategies for minimizing the surrounding hiss / hum interference... once you get all the outside sounds minimized, this mic is amazing!!"
"It will pick up outdoor noise from A/C compressors and lawn mowers a block away, so use a good mic shield or sound box."
"It records sound so accurately and is flexible enough with its various settings to adapt to different recording situations (e.g. solo, group, interview, acoustic, big room, small room, etc.). While I don't notice a huge difference in the recording sound quality during playback, I do see it when I start editing and mixing the audio."
"My son loves it!"
At home, the office-or anywhere for that matter-the Snowball ice USB microphone delivers audio quality that’s light years ahead of your computer’s built-in microphone. Add crystal clear audio to recordings for YouTube.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm not like, some bonafide super special feller who knows that of which he speaks of when it comes to mic quality, but I find this instrument one of the best I've messed around with while dabbling. I have chosen to completely ignore all the other reviews explaining safety and secure desk holds, and I just stick the dang thing anywhere. I'm gonna crunch some fresh snow from outside so you can hear how crisp it is though, with a metric you can actually copy, probably. and I can already tell this little cutie (and it is cute, my aging mother saw it and started giggling and wanted to hold it) is going to be a fine part of my vocal life."
"It's great to be able to keep my headphones and microphone on separate cables, and you don't have to have to wear a bulky headset to record!"
"It works great for what I'm doing."
"Otherwise, this is a great product!"
"This is an excellent quality microphone and, in fact, I am using it right now to dictate this review."
"I've seen some comparison tests between the Snowball mic and the Yeti mic, and as far as I'm concerned there is no difference in the audio quality."
"I DON'T KNOW IF I JUST GOT A DEFECTIVE UNIT OR WHAT BUT WHEN I OPENED IT UP OUT THE BOX IT WOULDN'T REALLY RECORD SOUND THAT GREAT, I THOUGHT MAYBE I JUST NEEDED TO TWEAK SOMETHING BUT REALISTICALLY THERE IS NOTHING TO TWEAK."
"I tried another similar connection and still feels like it is loose inside the snowball mic."
Best Condenser Microphones
Yeti is the most advanced and versatile multi-pattern USB microphone available anywhere. Compatible with Windows 10, Windows 8 (including 8.1), Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP (Home and Professional), and Mac OS X (10.4.11 or higher), and requires a minimum of 64 MB of RAM(remove existing and upload).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Here is my full video review of the Blue Yeti microphone that I made for my YouTube channel."
"If you ever tried to stream through a Windows pc you will notice a delay between your live voice and what goes through the mic. There is no delay when you plug your headphones directly into the mic."
"I was able to pick one up on a lightning deal for $89 and it's well worth that price, however, I've had a few problems with it from day one that have since been rectified. Number one, I had to ship the first one back because one of the screws that holds the microphone into place was stripped out. Finally we can talk about the good and what should matter most when you are purchasing an expensive USB microphone and that is the sound quality -- it's excellent. If you are streaming a podcast or recording scratch audio for video production like I use it for, this microphone is really great."
"I do a lot of audio recording so I needed to have something more focused on vocal work. I love how the most important features are built into the hardware of the mic so I don't have to do a lot in my audio software. This mic cuts back on a lot of the work I had to do with the other mic by recording precisely in the directions I need it to. The swivel design of the mic makes it really easy to get to the USB and headphone jack. Placing it in a boom stand would likely reduce some of the bending of the cords but I will be using it as came, in its original stand, as a tabletop mic. With the 4 different directional recording modes it's appropriate for just about any type of audio recording; I can't think of anything else I could possibly need. If I have any issues with it over time, I will certainly update my review, but my Yeti has been working great for all my audio needs."
Best Ribbon Microphones
About TONOR Microphone Use them everywhere! Great for Podcasts: The wide frequency response and focused pickup pattern are ideal for desktop recording, particularly podcasts. TONOR microphone delivers incredibly low distortion, high fidelity, balanced frequency response and exceptional l HD audio.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"- Sitting on the desk, the microphone on the tripod is a pretty good height - you don't need to lean down too much to speak into it although you may need to prop it up by placing the stand on some books or something to get it to exactly the right height for you so that you don't have to lean down into it at all. * Plugging it into computer: When you plug it in, there is no indicator or light on the microphone to show you if it's plugged in properly - I think having that indicator would have been useful because at first I wasn't sure if it was working. Next I used Audacity to record the sound. But with a +10dB post-edit, I thought that it's not a bad sound especially for a microphone at this price range. Because it mostly picks up sounds very close to the mic, it doesn't seem to be sensitive to background noises as far as I can tell."
"PROS: + Simple to set up and use (Windows) -- it wasn't plug 'n play for me; I had to tweak some of my audio settings. + Does a respectable job at noise cancellation -- though don't expect it to weed out a riding lawnmower outside your window or anything. + The angle of the mic can be adjusted while in its tripod (see Cons). + Doesn't require batteries or other external power source. + Better sound quality than I expected for the price point (see Cons). NEUTRALS: * This thing feels like a toy -- this could be good or bad depending on whether you're looking for something very lightweight (which this is) or need a bit more heft with your microphone. CONS: - Recordings tend to have a tinny hollow quality, especially in the higher range. - Tripod legs aren't adjustable. - Forget about recording anything at more than a couple feet away. Notes: This isn't a USB microphone--it requires a dedicated 3.5mm microphone jack (or a splitter if your device combines mic/audio); for this microphone, the sweet spot is around 6 inches from the audio source. Disclosure: Sample provided for review purposes."
"Stand is stable, but legs have only 2 positions together or separate, so you cannot adjust height of stand (you can adjust position of mic itself)."
"I ran the set up 3 times, you have to have mic next to your mouth to get it to pick up your voice, there is a lot of static in background(during test for setup) and when in solo actual use as in gaming or recording, it did nothing. If you like my review just like it if you don't I don't care, and keep all comments to yourself not interested your opinions for something I received that has nothing to do with some idiots dimwitted view or thoughts."
Best Studio Audio Monitors
KRK's Rokit 5 G3 (Generation 3) powered studio monitors offer professional performance and accuracy for recording, mixing, mastering and playback. This Bundle contains 2 items: Pair of KRK RP5G3-NA Rokit 5 Generation 3 Powered Studio Monitor.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The only thing I didn't like was they didn't come with cables to plug into your interface, but that was only an extra 20 bucks, and a trip to Guitar Center."
"I finally got around to buying mixing monitors for my home studio and it has made all the difference. I can't say for certain that they are "accurate" but what I can say is that after mixing my song with these, it finally played back on every device, including car stereos, without and harshness or muddiness. I know that if I remove the muddiness and harshness I hear on these monitors, it will be removed on others too without changing the overall sound."
"I have these speakers as my computer speakers, along with the S10 subwoofer, completely worth it."
"I am not a professional, but the sound quality, craftsmanship and price was worth every penny."
"Super happy with this choice , fast delivery , product new in the box with no damages."
"Love the sound quality."
"The bass punches at high volumes, but is accurate to pitch rather than artificially amplified."
Best Studio Subwoofers
LOW CUT switch, LOW CUT control (80-120Hz) HIGH CUT control (80-120 Hz).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Industry standard performance with a limited edition uniqueness I really enjoy, especially since they match my white Native Instruments Maschine Studio production hardware."
"It came packaged really well and fast delivery."
"Great speaker for a good price."
"sounds great for my home studio and you can mount them."
"Just as described."
"Very compatible to what a normal person with a decent sound system would hear out of your recording."
"They look nice and have knobs on the back where you can change the settings."
Best Studio Multitrack Recorders
Each channel is conveniently loaded with volume, pan, reverb-send knobs, auto-punch in/out, 2 XLR Mic inputs with +48V phantom power and built-in high-quality stereo condenser mics making the DP-008EX an ideal take-anywhere solid-state recorder. 8-track Portable Multi-track Recorder.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I thought this recorder might recapture some of that simplicity while still allowing me to manipulate the final tracks or master recording in a pc program if I wished. 2 stereo tracks doing the primary guitar part, 2 stereo tracks doing a bass part, and two tracks of background chords and harmonics. You tell the unit which inputs you are going to use (mic, line, guitar), press the 1+2 track record buttons, set your levels, press PLAY and RECORD together and you’re off. The previous tracks automatically play back while your are recording new tracks AND THERE ARE NO LATENCY ISSUES! No need to start from the beginning to record new tracks. The unit has a built in metronome and tuner, you can bounce tracks with no degradation (freeing up tracks for more recording), mix 8 tracks down to a stereo mix, and then mastering effects (auto or manual) can be applied to the final master. The "mixer" is used to set levels for recording the 2 active tracks and/or playback levels of previously recorded tracks."
"it wont be, your beast of burden/ records your songs/your feelings wont be hurtin/ now that you got something to record your masterpiece. (im sure i didnt have to tell you to sing that with the stones song in mind now did i?"
"I recommend getting the Tascam power adapter as it's NOT included with the recorder. However, if you want to take your multi-track and mix it down to tape and give it that analog warmth..... go ahead. Tascam has put a lot of features into this unit and they all work."
"given the size and price, a lot of the EQ and other sound options are accessed through some nerve-wracking menus."
"Great Unit, easy to use..works as my ideas recorder when im on the road with either my Keyboard or Guitar."
"Love this little unit."
"Returned and upgraded for the 8 track model."
"It's a great little unit."
Best Stage & Studio Cables
Fender cables are designed specifically for live performance - engineered to avoid twisting, kinking, and having any "physical memory" and ultimately delivering the best sonic balance between your performance and your equipment. 23AWG Oxygen-Free Copper Conductors.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a really nice, thick guitar amp cable with very nice quality jack plugs."
"I have used the Fender cables for several months, and am very please."
"I haven't used this enough to test the durability but, it seem good quality."
"Solid cable, no buzz or crackle or fuzz...except the fuzz i put in there myself."
"Cable material is nice and think, with some spring to it -- perfect for something that gets dragged around as you move."
"Works as should."
"Excellent heavy easy to manage cables."
"I use a small blackstar amp in my living room next my couch and needed a shorter cable."
Best Portable Studio Recorders
Direct recording to SD cards up to 128GB.Display 2.0-inch full color LCD (320 x 240 pixels).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I’ve been recording interviews for a podcast, and having the ability to mic four subjects at once is awesome."
"I use it to record classical music played on a grand piano in a room."
"This is a wonderful recorder."
"Great Audio Recorder."
"I upgraded from a Zoom H4 n. Zoom makes great products and this H6 is no exception."
"Amazing little recorder!"
"Takes some learning but it's a wonderful recorder."
"Amazing recorder and perfect for anyone who needs to record on location."
Best Audio Mixers & Recording Accessories
The Bluetooth headset can easily and quickly connect with smartphones, tablets, TVs and other Bluetooth devices within 33 feet. Designed for an excellent listening experience, Mpow Bluetooth headset with CSR chip and around-ear cushion design can provide robust, immersive and Hi-fidelity sound. In the wireless mode: With a built-in 420mAh battery which provides 13 hours' continuous wireless playback and let you get rid of the tangled cables on the move; In the wired mode: Used as a wired headphone with an audio cable. 1x Mpow Bluetooth Headset. 1x 3.5mm Audio Cable. 1x USB Charging Cable. 1x Packing Bag. 1x User Manual. To have better Hi-Fi stereo music experience, please try diverse music genres and volume in sound test and make sure the ear cushions seal around your ears. Besides, Mpow Thor also has a backup audio port, you can use the provided audio cable to connect to your phones without worrying about running out of battery.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've had great experiences with Mpow earbuds previously, so I was very happy to see these new upgraded Thor over-ear headphones. UPDATE: The first full charge (from when the item started chiming to let me know the battery was low, even though it did still play) took 310mAh at 0.2A. When I am wearing them and playing music, I can hardly hear any outside noises, which was a problem when the doorbell rang. The carry bag fabric doesn't feel as quality as I expect and it clings to any dry or rough parts of my hands. Mpow's customer service is stellar and gives me high confidence should any issues ever arise."
"They are very secure for me, even when moving around vigorously (haven't worn them during extreme movement though)."
"However, I bought them FOR the bluetooth capability. I will post another edit if I have any issues, but as of right now I am satisfied."
"Second pair of Mpow bluetooth headphones I have purchased."
"Only took three days for the cat to eat through the cord on these, not sure if steel-braided cords are a viable option for future models."
"Sure they'll post Comments like the one below - anything to make them look good to a potential customer surveying the Product Reviews - but when you actually reach out to them, you get no response."
"I cannot review how they actually work(sound quality etc) as there was no point in pairing or trying the device as I woudln't be keep them."
Best Power Conditioners
AC noise filtering reduces RFI/EMI. Furman's AC noise filtering reduces RFI and EMI interference to deliver a cleaner sound without pops, crackles and the local radio station coming out of your amp.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Fits my Gator 4U case perfectly, and I use for live stream setup with the Blackmagic ATEM 4K."
"This worked perfectly to go with my New computer and desk build."
"I have notice a discernible increase in sound quality, and no longer worry about surges, remember- it take but one to wipe out your equipment."
"peace of mind for all my computer and electronics."
"Absolutely fantastic for powering my rack setup."
"Works as advertised."
"I had to build another shelf in my desk just for this, then had issues plugging in wall warts since they hang down."
"Has only a few electronics inside but the main protection is the varistors which clamp the AC signal when it gooes to high."
Best Recording Studio Environment Equipment
1U universal shelf is designed to accommodate both non-rack mount equipment and half-rack width equipment. Model: UNS-1.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Inexpensive tray for your Rack Mount."
"It's made from heavy gague metal and the screw holes line up properly."
"I noticed too it can bend pretty easy, so you need to be cognizant of what you are placing on this rack, not anything too heavy."
"I have a number of components (Roku, FireTV, switch, cable modem, router, etc.)."
"I don't believe it will ever break and I'm going to keep it, but would be nice to be a bit sturdier."
"I am using this network rack tray to hold a 5-port Netgear managed switch, a Ubiquiti ERL-3 and a Raspberry Pi with no issues and plenty of room to spare."
"I don't know what weight it'll hold, but mine is holding lighter products."
"Have bought several of these now."
Best Recording Headphone & In-Ear Audio Monitors
The HD 280 PRO is a pair of closed, dynamic stereo headphones that deliver accurate, linear sound reproduction with ambient noise attenuation for critical monitoring applications. Dynamic, closed-ear headphones.Weight w/o cable: 285 g. Lightweight and comfortable, ergonomic design, Cord Length - 3.3 - 9.8 feet Coiled.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Cons: The bass is hard to hear unless you EQ it, and volume is not very high. ( great isolation , but very poor sound and bass response from a $300 headset !). Pros: I record music at home, so a flat signal helps ( hence the Pro name). These Senheisser HD Pro 280 are great for the price,and probably a neutral signal that works for recording, but you can explore other options, specially for portable listening , both in regards to comfort and getting a lively sound. I tuck the coiled cable on my side, using my belt, and walk around with them all day. Popular music like John Meyer or Dave Mathews Band, Cake, Pantera, pop, Jazz, sounds as good as piano music now."
"Don't kid yourself into thinking they'll sound as good as higher-end headphones (after comparing them to my not-even-that-fancy HD 600s, I can definitively say that they don't, the clarity just isn't there) but if the price is right for you and you need sound isolation (they block out even more sound than I was expecting) then these should be at the top of your list."
"I was looking for a great set of headphones that would block out noise from my coworkers. This is more of a general issue with closed-ear cans rather than this specific model, but since it is my first pair, I happened to notice it."
"While I can hear sounds, I can no longer follow a conversation, as I could with my on-ear headphones. As other reviewers have commented, when you get quality headphones, you can hear what's missing when you don't have a great sound source (Pandora free, Youtube)."
"The sound on these headphones is phenomenal. After ten years of use it in no way draws away from the quality of these for the price."
Best Mastering Recorders
style: CD-RW901 MKII. 24 bit A/D and D/A converters.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Recording to CD's has worked satisfactory to date."
"Have had it for a couple years."
"Unlike my HHB CD unit which is made in England, and when I bought it in 1999 was $1,000.00 then."
"TASCAM Products are always good."
"Can't get a better one even if they made them."
"Absolutely fabulous piece of equipment!!!"
"Wonderful addition to studio."
Best Recording Signal Processors
Whether you need a mic to voice call from home or you need to record outdoors on your iPhone, PowerDeWise has built our microphones to perform in any situation! The extra durable wind muff and metal clips will make this microphone the last mobile external microphone you ever need to purchase! Specifications: Package: - Sensitivity: -46±2dB - Microphone x 1. - Directivity: Unidirectional - Clip x 1. - Operation Voltage: DC1.0V - 10V - Wind muff x 1. - Current Consumption: < 0.5mA - Deluxe pouch x 1. - Signal to Noise Ratio:≥ 56dB - Extra long 78" extention cable x 1. - Frequency Range: 50-16,000Hz - Microphone Jack Adapter 3,5mm x 1. 3.5 MM TRRS COMPATIBLE JACK Simply plug the microphone into your Apple MacBook, iPad, iPod, iPhone, Android or Windows smartphone and clip on to your shirt. 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED If you are not absolutely happy, for any reason, with your experience recording on our lavalier microphones, simply send it back for a full refund.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I shoot videos for my youtube channel in outdoor locations, so I needed a microphone which would emphasize my voice and not the ambient noises surrounding me."
"Best Features: - It has great sound quality. - Comes with 3 muffs for the mic. - A metal mic clip that should last a long time. - It even has an adapter to use it both with your phone or your computer!"
"Gave this to my son for Christmas, so far it works well."
"Glad to see that it contained an extension cord, too, as the standard cord is only long enough to connect to a phone in a subject's pocket; with the extension, you can easily sit across from a subject."
"The sound is good and what you would expect from any high quality Mic."
"It is omnidirectional so it might pick up things around the room if they are loud sounds."
"Very happy with this simple solution to my need for a lapel mic to extend and improve the recording quality/capacity of my iPod Touch 6."
"Excellent microphone."
Best Computer Recording Equipment
Includes VIP3.0 - the ground-breaking, award-winning music software platform that provides musicians and composers with a powerful hands-on control solution for their virtual instrument and virtual effect collection.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Unlike a synthesizer, MIDI controllers do not produce sound without software. So after you've downloaded the software and plug it in, you will still not have any sound generated until you've set everything up properly and loaded sounds onto the pads. It would be nice for them to take the time to make more tutorials. Everything I found just had to do with setting up the software, nothing really about HOW to actually use it. I am still learning to use this but it has gotten significantly funner to use as I have learned more about it and found sounds I like."
"A unique feature is the 4 way joystick for modulation and pitch control. It really helps keep the size of the keyboard down since you don't have to include those bulkier pitch and modulation wheels. Of course this is not the manufacturer's fault, they list "mini keys" in the first description of the product so I am not going to knock any stars for that. But the upside is that it makes the overall footprint very small, smaller than my computer keyboard infact. I think would be really neat if they made this same controller with normal sized keys. They make one similar (Akai Professional MPK25 25-Key USB MIDI Keyboard Controller with MPC Pads) but it has a lot more going on and is $80 more."