The Pro Audio Suite

Everyone wants a great sounding room, but no one wants to spend more on a studio than they need to. So where's the balance? CJ Ringwall sent us a video of his setup after listening to our recent episode with Nick O'Rourke and Christa Lewis. It's a room that he built himself, and is justifiably proud of. With George sidelined for a week, Robert, Robbo and AP took the opportunity to discuss how the...

AP makes no secret of the fact that he loves his OC818 from Austrian Audio, and I have to agree that it is a beautiful match to his warm tones. But at $1200 USD it's not exactly a bargain. So what about its little brother the OC18 ($850)? Not quite as many bells and whistles, but is it even in the same league? AP has one in his hot little hands so we aim to find out. We also thought we'd throw him...

If you've ever built a studio at home, you know that it's not as easy as it seems. There are so many expenses, and (to be honest) choices to be made. In this episode, we talk to two hard-working Voice Actors who have great home setups, and deep dive into whats worked for them, what hasn't, and what they could probably have done without. What follows is a fairly definitive "How To" episode for what...

Given the ISDN is the lifeblood of a home studio, and those networks are rapidly closing. What's the next big thing? And more importantly what are your choices? In this episode, Robert, George, Robbo and Andrew take a look at what's out there and what's coming. George even gives you the lowdown on how to build your own "ISDN" box with a mac mini. And Robert explains why your ISDN box may struggle...

So you've got a script that involves a bit of close mic work and some really brash and loud dialogue. How should you tame those nasty peaks but at the same time maintain a good level for the softer bits without compression? Plus we dive into the mailbag, and things get very silly...

There are a bunch of them out there, clones of some of your favourite mics. You can buy them online as a kit or straight from the designer. But do they stack up to the real deal, and are they worth the $? This week we take a look!

In the Southern Hemisphere, it's that time of year, flu season. While he hasn't got COVID, AP does have the dreaded Flu, and his voice is paying the price. Snotty and sinusy, it sounds like there's a bunch of cotton wool balls shoved up his nose. Is there anything you can do to save it, or is it just a case of suck it up and get on with it?

The mic chart! If you're looking for a mic the one thing that might point you in the direction of a mic that's worth auditioning for your voice is the frequency response chart. But what do they show? How do you know what sound that will translate to when you get behind it? And what should you be looking for in the first place? We take a look at the ins and outs (or should that be ups and downs?) o...

Given that version 3.9 is not available for PC, and version 4 is just around the corner, there has been some confusion amongst PC users as to how they should upgrade their Source Connect software. We got hold of Robert to give you the inside scoop on the best way to go about upgrading and be ready for version 4 which is on the shelves later this year

Every week we use audio terms and technical phrases that can go over some people's heads. Especially if you're new, or just not so technically minded. So this week, thanks to a letter from Bob Leedom, we take a look at a few of the more common ones and what they mean.

 The Acousta LE03 is a high-resolution audio interface designed and made in Austria by Innovative Audio. It's ideal for Voice Artists and producers who want a high-quality audio interface that they can take on the road, all the way up to the engineer who wants a second audio interface, making use of its high-quality analog-to-digital converters. This week Robert and Robbo unpack the LE03 and talk...

Interfaces are super easy to use, but mixers give you more flexibility when it comes to routing audio around your studio. So what's best, in what circumstances? This week we investigate your options...

Everyone has their preference for headphones. Open, closed, in ears, and some you may never have heard of. We opened this episode with the intent of discussing just Open v Closed, but in the usual Pro Audio Suite tradition, the conversation ends up a lot deeper... 

From treatment on the walls to computer monitors, iPads, and more. What is necessary and what is optional in your booth if you really want to be prepared for what may come at you from the other end of the line during a session?

So you jump in the booth at home, and with the client on the line, lay down a bunch of takes. Then, down the line, you hear them say, "we haven't been recording here, could you cut takes 2 and 6 together, with the third paragraph from take 12?"... Is this a reasonable request? After all, you're just the voice guy, right? Well, this week we bounce it around and come up with our own answers. See if...

Diffusion and Absobtion. Both completely legitimate ways to treat your room and booth, but which one is better, and most importantly, which one should you be using? This week, Robbo, George, Robert, and AP break down the ins and outs of each technique and chat about how and where you may want to use them. Plus ways to achieve both on a budget..

We all love the smell of a new car, but did you know it's actually a nasty gas that creates that new car whiff?? Well, it's the same with studio foam, and if that's not enough, what those same particles of foam can do if they get into your lungs as they degrade is even scarier. This week we take a look around a typical recording studio and sniff out the potential health hazards..

In the early 1920s, Drs. Walter H. Schottky and Erwin Gerlach co-invented the first ribbon microphone. By turning the ribbon circuit in the opposite direction, they also invented the first ribbon loudspeaker.  This week Andrew has got his hands on the Sure KSM353, and George pulls out an old "Lip Mic" for a listen. Meanwhile, on the other side of the Glass, Robbo takes the Ribbon Tweeters in Adam...

Just a few weeks ago on the show, we broached the subject of VOICE AI and your rights.  Well, it didn't take long for things to come to a head. Just this week (May 2021) Canadian Voice Actor Bev Standing launched legal action against global Social Media giant Tik Tok, claiming they have used sound files that she recorded for another job without her permission and without compensation to create an...

Thanks to your feedback on our recent poll, we've begun planning more episodes that feature gear, gear setups, and room tuning tips n tricks. The first cab off the rank is this week's episode. We asked each of our panel members to come up with something new that they have been playing with over the past few weeks. And what we got was a great diversity of NEWNESS...

They're thought of as "The Dark Side" of Audio, long hours behind the mic for some, and hours of painstaking editing on the other side of the glass. This week we speak with Simone Feiler (Brisbane Audio Books Owner/Engineer) and Scott Brick, Audio Book Voice Artist with a stack of credentials. We take a dive down the rabbit hole of questions about this little know artform and have a few laughs alo...

"The NT-USB Mini brings the pristine sound quality of RØDE’s world-class studio mics to a compact, easy-to-use USB microphone. Designed to deliver crystal-clear, professional-quality audio direct to a computer or tablet, it’s the perfect microphone for gamers, podcasters, musicians, streamers, and content creators who want to be heard in full definition.'' That's what RODE have to say about their...

This week, we get some definitive answers on whether you can Trade Mark your sound! Stuart Green is an Australian Trade Mark lawyer, and he joins us to give us the lowdown on most of the above. TBH some of his answers sound a warning bell for both the industry and its workers! DON'T MISS THIS!!

If you follow our show, you will absolutely know who Bill Drescher is. 50 Years behind the console at studios like Sound City, A & M and many others make him a household name in the Music Biz. In Part two of our interview with Bill, we look back at the later part of his career, and Charles Manson, Drum Mic Setups, His Vocal Chain setup, tips and tricks, and a whole lot more...

50 Years behind the console at studios like Sound City, A & M and many others make Bill Drescher a household name in the Music Biz. In Part One of our interview with Bill, we look back at the early years of his career. The building of the Sound City legend, his production/engineering work with the likes of Neil Young, Barry Manilow, Rick Springfield, INXS, and (believe it or not) Evil Knievel. We...