There is no doubt that anybody can set up a cheap, effective recording studio at home. However, if it was that easy, wouldn’t professional recording studios be rendered useless? Many people still choose to utilise professional recording equipment so, there’s still a desire for the best kit – or is it the best kit?
It’s so confusing…
The good news is that in this article we have had a look at the differences between professional recording studio equipment and home recording kits, so you can be aware of the differences. By knowing this, you can know what your recording choices are whether you’re recording a video voice over, podcast or something else. It’s always good to know what’s possible so you can make the best choice for your project.
Let’s take a closer look at the difference between professional recording equipment and home recording kits:
You VS A Sound Engineer
There are multiple ways for you to learn how to utilise sound engineering kits and create great results. However, sound engineering is a skill, and the people who work in professional sound recording studios are usually highly educated in what they do. They have years of experience in their industry that cannot be replaced by your home learning.
So, can you create something decent with gear at home, especially good recording gear? Maybe, but it is unlikely to be as good as what you’ll get at a recording studio because of the skills of the person at the helm.
Home Acoustics VS A Professional Recording Studio
You can create a really good home recording studio with great acoustics. This example shows exactly how a huge setup at home can produce great results. But how much space, time and money do you have to commit to this kind of project? Realistically, most people will simply choose a quiet room in their home, which leaves the recording open to background noise and bad acoustics, which will ultimately reduce the quality of your recording results.
There are also options like DIY vocal booths which are less of a project than converting an entire basement or room is. These can be more compact and produce really good results. Again, though, this is against the convenience of multiple isolation booths at your fingertips in a professional recording studio.
This is one aspect of professional VS home recording gear where the investment you would need to make to get the same results at home – compared to what you get in a professional studio – mean that it’s generally never worth the investment unless sound recording is a primary part of your career, or part of a hobby you are seriously invested in.
All The Gear And No Idea?
There is a way to set yourself up with an excellent home recording studio when it comes to gear. A good computer, microphone, headphones, pop shield and software goes a long way to getting you great results. However, unless you have invested a lot of money and time, just like with the acoustics above, there isn’t a true comparison to be made. A professional studio makes money from creating exceptional results whether that’s from audio only, video or voiceovers, which means only the best equipment will do.
In addition, even if you did have the best possible recording equipment, the fact is that it is the person behind the gear who makes the magic happen. Who can get the best out of the best equipment, somebody who has been self learning for a year, or a person with 15+ years worth of education and experience in sound engineering?
You absolutely can get great results yourself, but if you want the best results you have to hire the best.
Many people can get stuck into thinking they need better equipment, and they keep upgrading equipment to work towards the best results. Whilst better equipment means access to better results to some degree, more often than not it is the skills behind the gear that are the missing piece, and no amount of professional kit can replace experience and skills.
The Little Extras
In addition to the kit available at professional recording studios, it’s also handy to know that they come with extras that you don’t get at home. Extras that could help you tap into the 19 million UK podcast listeners, or 78% of people who watch videos every week.
Professional recording studios offer extras like transcription services, foreign voiceover services, subtitling and voice acting that you can utilise to further boost your content. Whilst these extras are not essential to a project specifically, having them on hand at extra cost in addition to phenomenal equipment and engineering is valuable, particularly if what you are creating is an expensive project, or one with high stakes.
A Combination Of Factors
Although you can compare like for like when it comes to aspects of a home recording setup, the fact is that it is a combination of factors that mean you will never get the same results. These factors are:
- Who is using the equipment? Professionals always know how to get the best results
- What equipment is being used? Professional studios will always invest in the best gear
- Where is the equipment being used? The acoustics highly impact sound recording results
These factors are key in creating a combination effect that means using a professional recording studio will always be preferable to utilising your own home setup.
Will You Hire A Professional Recording Studio For Your Next Project?
For exceptional results, technicians on hand, and a multitude of extras all at your fingertips – you just cannot compare at-home recording kits with professional recording studios.
The fact is that it is great to have an at-home recording setup to learn and practise with, and to boost creativity. However, for the majority of professional projects, a trusted sound recording studio is always a smart idea with guaranteed results.