Q & A
Make Better Music

A Guide to Beginner Audio

By Consult QnA

Ready to build that studio but don’t know where to start? And how much is this going to cost anyway?

We created a guide for you!

This guide provides a list of factors to consider to get you started recording better audio. We didn't include any pricing because prices of equipment are constantly changing. Instead, we decided to focus on factors to consider to help you decide what gear will best fit your budget. Along the way, we’ll mention some brands to give you an idea of what to be on the lookout for.

There are two important things to understand when it comes to spending money on audio equipment:

There is literally no limit to how much you can spend on audio equipment.

And

Generally speaking, increased price means increased quality in construction, increased quality in signal output or both.

Let’s get started!


XLRs and cables

Decent cables are a must. Luckily, cables only have one job to do. XLR cables have a general price point, so be on the lookout for anything on the high or low sides of that price point: Too low of a price means there’s a compromise in material, too high and there’s a marketing push regarding “superior sound”, which debatably isn’t a thing.


Some “good to know” tips on cables:

  • Check online to learn how to properly wrap a cable coil. This is a very hot topic in the audio industry as it's a big red flag if you can’t wrap a cable properly. Cables can last pretty much forever if they are wrapped properly.

  • DON’T leave your cable coiled when you are using it. In electronics a wire coil of specifically tuned size and shape is called an inductor and inductors are the basis for some types of EQ filters (filters cause you to lose your low or high frequencies). By leaving your cable uncoiled you avoid inadvertently creating a filter that will limit the frequencies.

  • Be aware of your power cables (IEC cable) and your audio cables (XLR cable). Try to limit the crossing points by having them cross perpendicular to each other. The possibility of electrical crosstalk onto the audio cable exists and can be avoided by doing this.

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