Sweetwater offers all of the audio recording equipment necessary to take your music production to the next level. Begin with finding a microphone suitable for recording acoustic instruments or vocals, then build your recording rig using studio interfaces and consoles from industry leaders – including preamps, channel strips and more for even greater control.
Microphones
Microphones are essential components in any recording setup, whether you’re recording vocalists, guitarists or drummers – their placement can make all the difference in your recordings. Sweetwater offers a range of microphone styles to meet any budget – from high-end condenser mics for studio recordings down to budget USB mics designed specifically for streaming and podcasting purposes.
Microphone technology has dramatically advanced over time, yet its roots lie in sound transmission over long distances. Back in the 1600s, scientists were looking for ways to amplify sound waves so as to record and hear them back through microphones.
Soon thereafter, they invented the microphone as a means of transmitting sound waves over shorter distances and this allowed them to record music, radio shows and dictation.
Microphones record sounds by having soundwaves strike the diaphragm and vibrating it in response. This movement causes voice coil vibrations that cut through magnetic fields created by magnets to generate electric current that can be recorded by microphones.
Dynamic and condenser microphones are two main categories of microphones. Dynamic mics utilize a thin diaphragm connected to a voice coil suspended over a powerful magnet, and when sound hits this diaphragm it vibrates, creating an electrical current in the coil which the mic captures and transforms into sound signals.
Preamps
Preamps are essential components for any microphone system as they amplify a weak signal from it. Preamps come in many forms such as Rupert Neve Designs Shelford Channel or can be integrated with other recording equipment like mixers or audio interfaces; some even come equipped with additional features like equalization and compression such as Avalon VT-737sp that offer multiple high-quality processing features in one box – these preamps are often known as channel strips for this reason.
Preamps work by converting mic-level signals (60dBV to -20dBV) to line-level (1.78 dBV), through a series of transistors or vacuum tubes designed to produce gain. This makes for strong signals capable of travelling over long cables and being utilized by other equipment.
Mics require 30-60dB of gain in order to produce line-level output due to being delicate streams of electrons that can easily become distorted by electromagnetic interference and other electrical signals. Depending on how loud or distant a source may be, various mics require additional or reduced amplification.
Many standalone preamps feature common features such as high-pass filtering, phase reverse and mic input that supports both XLR and TRS connections; some even offer phantom power for condenser microphones. For something with more character try the Warm Audio TB12 Tone Beast which features both solid state input/output stages as well as 12AX7 vacuum tube input/output stages to add tonal variations to your recordings.
Channel Strips
Channel strips are a collection of functions designed to process an audio signal. These functions may include microphone preamps, equalization bands, compression, noise suppression and de-essing capabilities. Channel strips can often be found on large-format mixing consoles but you can also purchase them as hardware or plugin versions.
Channel strip plugins provide an efficient means of bundling several processing functions together into one user-friendly software package, typically featuring an intuitive user interface and presets that can be saved to suit specific preferences. Utilizing a channel strip plugin can save significant time over using individual plug-ins while eliminating the need to write down or remember settings for your favorite effects.
Modern DAWs often include an integrated channel strip for processing input signals, with features such as level meters and an EQ thumbnail display to help process them. You may also be able to configure its routing configuration.
If you want to add channel strip power to your digital workflow, Reverb offers several high-quality options from its top proaudio stores. For instance, the SSL Native Channel Strip creates the sound of an iconic large format console through preamp emulation and classic VCA compression; alternatively, API Vision channel strips offer iconic sounds from over ten console designs with timeless EQ and compressor sections.
Computers
Computers are essential elements of modern recording studios, enabling musicians to use virtual instruments, effects and music production software programs such as DAW for editing and manipulating their recordings.
Beginners looking to set up their first home or mobile recording studio should invest in a computer equipped with enough RAM and storage to support a DAW, audio interface, and plugins – this set-up will enable them to gain hands-on experience while expanding their skills with expert online tutorials.
The ideal computers for music production require sufficient processing power and cooling solutions to handle the heavy processing needs of DAW and virtual instrument software, while being quiet enough with regard to cooling solutions and case design to minimize vibrations and unwanted sounds. There are also audio production laptop options with powerful features at affordable prices.
For those not in need of portable audio recording computers, there are desktop PC towers like the Skytech Archangel that are more than capable of meeting the requirements for a small to mid-sized home studio setup. For larger studio environments, consider Dell XPS series towers as they have enough power to run all necessary software for professional-level studio environments and can easily be upgraded with more RAM or hard drives as necessary. When connecting your computer to other studio gear such as speakers or XLR cables, make sure they carry signals without distortion or interference – these cables must have enough power so your signals reach where intended – without distorting or interfering.
Monitors
Quality monitors form the cornerstone of any audio recording setup. Studio monitors typically feature an internal amplifier and crossover that’s tailored to match up perfectly with speaker drivers for optimal performance, providing clearer and more accurate sound than typical hi-fi speakers while having lower maximum SPL levels to prevent hearing damage.
Studio monitors come in all shapes and sizes. Larger models may feature larger woofers for bass and low mid frequencies that are essential for certain genres of music, while smaller studio monitors might rely on tweeters instead for providing high frequency details.
Modern studio monitors often include trim controls to help balance your listening environment. This can be especially helpful if you use home stereo equipment or work from a spare bedroom where reverberation and echo effects could compromise their accuracy.
Most monitors feature a “sweet spot”, or ideal listening distance, for optimal sonic performance. Some models will detail whether they’re designed for near-field (comfortable at close distances) or far-field use (for pushing audio across larger spaces). They may even come equipped with onboard equalization controls so you can tailor their sound profile according to personal taste – though training your ears to identify audio properly may prove more helpful than relying on studio monitors with equalizers to correct room-related issues.
Headphones
Headphones are electroacoustic transducers that convert an electrical signal into sound. Headphones have become one of the most widely-used audio devices worldwide and allow one person to listen privately, unlike loudspeakers that emit sound out into the environment for all nearby to hear.
There are various headphone types, such as circumaural, supra-aural and in-ear headphones. Circumaural and supraaural headphones feature ear cups connected by an over-head band; in-ear headphones simply plug directly into each ear canal. Most models also include microphones for communication purposes as well as noise cancellation technology to make recording more convenient.
Earphones are small wireless headphones powered by mobile devices that are often used for gaming and online chatter. Additionally, they’re great for working out or commuting; some even feature ambient sound mode to record and amplify sounds from around you.
A quality pair of headphones should be comfortable enough to wear for extended periods, fitting snugly over your ears and padding with soft material. A heavier headset may provide more substantial feel while lighter models may provide greater flexibility and comfort when worn. When investing in premium quality headphones it will make an enormous difference to the quality of recordings made.