Voice over equipment guide

A categorized reference for building a voice over setup, at home or on the road. Each entry lists the core specs and links to a purchase page.

Home Studio

Pro XLR Microphones

  • Shure SM7B - ~$399-499 - Dynamic cardioid, 50Hz-20kHz, integrated pop filter, dual-band switchable EQ. Needs 55-60dB clean gain or an inline booster.

  • Shure SM7dB - ~$499-549 - Same capsule as the SM7B, with a built-in switchable preamp (+18dB/+28dB).

  • Neumann TLM 103 - ~$1,495 - Large-diaphragm condenser, cardioid, low self-noise, capsule derived from the U87.

  • Neumann TLM 102 - ~$765 - Smaller-format cardioid condenser with an integrated pop screen.

  • Neumann U87 Ai - ~$3,695 - Large dual-diaphragm condenser, three selectable polar patterns (omni, cardioid, figure-8).

  • Sennheiser MKH 416 - ~$999 - Short shotgun interference-tube mic, tight pickup pattern, widely used in VO booths.

  • Rode NT1 5th Gen - ~$249 - Large-diaphragm condenser with dual XLR/USB-C output.

  • AKG C414 XLII - ~$1,299 - Multi-pattern condenser, nine polar patterns, peak-hold LED.

  • Audio-Technica AT2020 - ~$99 - Cardioid condenser, entry-level price point.

  • Roswell Mini K87 - ~$439 - Cardioid condenser, “high-output” edition tuned for VO signal levels.

  • Aston Spirit - ~$379 - Multi-pattern condenser with built-in stainless-mesh pop filter.

  • Headphones

  • Audio-Technica ATH-M50x - ~$169 - Closed-back studio monitor headphones.

  • AKG K371 - ~$159 - Closed-back, foldable, tuned to AKG’s reference response curve.

  • Beyerdynamic DT 990 Pro - ~$169 - Open-back design (bleed risk with sensitive mics at higher volume).

  • Sony MDR-7506 - ~$99 - Closed-back circumaural, broadcast/studio standard.

    Preamps, Converters & Interfaces

  • Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (4th Gen) - ~$220-230 - 2-input USB interface, up to 69dB gain, Auto Gain, Air mode.

  • Universal Audio Apollo Twin X - ~$999 - Thunderbolt interface, Unison preamps, real-time UAD plugin processing.

  • Universal Audio Apollo Solo - ~$699 - Compact desktop version of the Twin X.

  • Audient iD24 - ~$463 - USB-C interface, console-style preamps, ADAT expansion.

  • RME Babyface Pro FS - ~$999 - Compact interface, low-noise preamps, high-precision conversion.

  • Neumann MT 48 - ~$1,975 - High-end desktop interface, high-resolution conversion.

  • Solid State Logic SSL 2 MkII - ~$229 - 2-input interface, SSL preamps, 4K enhancement mode.

    Acoustic Treatment & Booths

  • Studiobricks booth - Custom pricing - Prefabricated isolation booth, 45dB+ isolation rating, multiple size options.

  • VocalBooth.com booth - Custom pricing - Single- or double-wall isolation booth, multiple form factors.

  • Acoustic foam panel set - ~$50-150 - Absorbs mid/high-frequency reflections; does not block outside noise.

  • Sound-absorption sheet - ~$69 - NRC 0.85 rated hanging panel for in-room reflection control.

  • Sound-blocking sheet - ~$118 - Mass-loaded barrier material for reducing sound transmission through a surface.

    Software (DAW)

  • Audacity - Free - Open-source multi-track audio editor; records and edits WAV/MP3.

  • Adobe Audition - Subscription (Creative Cloud) - Multi-track and waveform editing, restoration tools, batch processing.

  • TwistedWave - One-time purchase or subscription (Mac/iOS/web) - Waveform editor built around a single-track VO workflow.

  • REAPER - ~$60 (discounted license) - Full-featured DAW, one of the lower-cost paid options.

  • Pro Tools - Subscription - Industry-standard DAW for studio and post-production work.

  • Hindenburg Narrator - Subscription/license - DAW built for long-form narration and audiobook workflows.

    Plug-ins

  • Accusonus ERA 5 Bundle - Varies - Audio repair suite with a noise-reduction plugin.

  • Klevgrand Brusfri - ~$49 - Noise-reduction plugin, desktop and iOS versions available.

  • SSL X-Comp - Varies - Compression plugin modeled on an SSL bus compressor.

    Remote Connections

  • Source-Connect - Subscription - Software for real-time remote recording sessions.

  • ipDTL - ~$15/day pass or subscription - Browser-based ISDN-replacement for remote connections.

  • ISDN - ~$2,000 hardware + line fees - Legacy dedicated digital phone-line connection between studios.

    Travel Studio

    USB Microphones

  • Shure MV7+ - ~$319 - USB-C and XLR dual connectivity, Auto Level Mode, onboard noise reduction.

  • Shure MV88+ USB-C - ~$159 - Compact stereo mic, plugs directly into USB-C devices.

  • Rode NT-USB+ - ~$169 - USB condenser with pop filter and desktop stand included.

  • Audio-Technica AT2020USB-X - ~$169 - USB-C cardioid condenser with onboard noise reduction and auto gain.

  • Apogee Hype Mic - ~$349 - USB condenser with analog compression, 24-bit/96kHz.

  • Apogee MiC Plus - ~$259 - USB condenser, 46dB preamp gain, zero-latency headphone output.

    Travel Preamps & Interfaces

  • Shure MVX2U - ~$139 - XLR-to-USB adapter; converts any XLR mic to USB output.

  • CEntrance MicPort Pro 3 - ~$350 - Portable XLR interface, 48V phantom power, built-in limiter, rechargeable battery.

  • CEntrance PASport VO - ~$350 - Portable interface with VO-specific routing features for remote sessions.

  • Apogee Duet 3 - ~$649 - 2-channel USB interface, up to 65dB gain, 48V phantom power.

    Sound Dampening (Travel)

  • Portable reflection filter (e.g. Aston Halo) - ~$299 - Lightweight, foldable, mic-mounted reflection filter for on-the-road treatment.

    Travel Apps

  • Audacity (mobile-compatible workflow) - Free - Same as home studio version.

  • TwistedWave (iOS/web) - One-time purchase or subscription - Mobile-friendly version of the desktop editor.