The Pro Audio Suite

The team breaks down what "acceptable audio" really means for voice actors recording from home, from reflections and noise to mic placement, editing, clothing rustle and using reference recordings. What actually counts as acceptable audio when you're recording voiceover from home? That question came up after Robbo spoke with a group of aspiring voice actors in Perth. The advice was simple enough, don't overprocess, don't gate everything, and send clean raw audio when asked. But one student asked the thing every beginner wants to know: how do I know if what I'm recording is actually good enough? In this episode, Robbo, Robert, George and eventually AP unpack the answer. They talk about why reflections are often a bigger problem than background noise, why "boxy" booth sound is so hard to fix, and why a great recording is usually more about the room than the microphone. The crew also gets into mic technique, the danger of editing yourself into oblivion, clothing noise, hair rustle, inconsistent recording levels, portable booths, the value of reference recordings, and why sometimes "consistent but flawed" is much easier to work with than audio that keeps changing from take to take. There's also a detour into rare microphones, a surprise AP entrance, and Robbo discovering that the PASport VO may have just made phone patching easier than expected. Thanks to our sponsors, Austrian Audio, making passion heard.

Apple has not always been known as the bargain option, but the latest Apple Silicon Macs might be changing that conversation. In this episode, the team gets into the surprising value of the M4 Mac Mini, why even a base model can be serious overkill for many voice actors, and how smaller machines like the MacBook Air and MacBook "Neo" style systems compare for remote sessions, Source Connect, Pro Tools, and travel rigs. The conversation also wanders into classic Pro Audio Suite territory, including old Macs that refuse to die, running Linux or Windows on ageing Apple hardware, right to repair, weird manufacturer lockouts, obsolete cables, Shure MV88 bargain hunting, Pro Tools archiving disasters, and why keeping your sessions self contained still matters. There is also a very important chainsaw story. Obviously. Thanks to our sponsors, Austrian Audio, making passion heard for supporting the show. 00:00 Intro and sponsor mention 00:33 Talking Macs before the show 01:20 The M4 Mac Mini and Apple's surprising value 02:29 Apple Silicon price to performance 03:38 Why older M1 machines still hold up 04:02 Using a Mac Mini as a road computer 05:22 Is the Mac Mini overkill for VO work? 06:38 MacBook Air, external monitors, and display quirks 09:04 Apple cables, chips, and control 10:04 The end of Lightning and the move to USB C 12:09 Audio interfaces on iPhone and iPad 12:30 Shure MV88 bargains for older iPhones 14:43 Right to repair 16:11 Robbo's old chainsaw story 18:21 Repair restrictions and replacement culture 19:29 Mac longevity 20:18 Running Windows on an old iMac 22:03 Linux on old Apple hardware 25:29 Old drives, CDs, DVDs, and lost archives 26:12 Mezzo and old Pro Tools backups 27:13 Missing Pro Tools audio files 28:33 Pro Tools archiving tip, sort by file path 29:54 Wrap up and credits

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, things go gloriously off the rails. AP has been rebuilding his studio, and is talking reclaimed timber and custom desks, George is showing off weird vintage Apple gear, and somewhere in the middle, the boys fall down a rabbit hole involving Korg M1s, old ISDN boxes, retro synths, ancient Macs, and why audio people can never throw anything away. There's also a surprisingly deep discussion about why the physical studio environment matters creatively, why a tidy desk changes your mindset, and how modern workflows are reshaping how studios are built and used. Plus: • Studio rebuild ideas and workflow tweaks • Reclaimed timber stories from Australia and the US • Vintage synths and old gear suddenly becoming valuable again • Apple Neos, fanless laptops, and remote session setups • PASport VO in real world workflows • Why old Macs refuse to die • The weird psychology of creative spaces • 80s and 90s music production nostalgia • Why nobody seems to jam together anymore It's part studio therapy session, part gear archaeology dig, and part pub chat between audio nerds. Thanks to our sponsors: Tri-Booth and Austrian Audio.  

In this episode of The Pro Audio Suite, we dive into the results of our recent Facebook group poll on favorite microphones. From the Shure SM7B to the Sennheiser MKH 8060, we discuss the mics you love and why. Robbo, George, AP, and Robert share their insights on the top picks, including some surprising mentions like the Austrian Audio OC18 and the affordable Audio-Technica AT875R. We also touch on some great customer service stories from Sennheiser and explore the nuances of various microphone features and performance. Join us for a passionate discussion about the tools that shape our sound! Episode Highlights: Introduction and shout-outs to our sponsors: Tribooth and Austrian Audio. Overview of the Facebook group microphone poll. Detailed discussion of popular microphones including the Shure SM7B, Rode NT1A, Neumann TLM103, Audio-Technica AT2020, and the Sennheiser MKH 416. Insights into user preferences and experiences with these microphones. Special mention of the Austrian Audio OC18 and its popularity among listeners. George's recommendation of the Audio-Technica AT875R as an affordable shotgun mic alternative. Stories of exceptional customer service from Sennheiser. Discussion on the Sennheiser MKH 800 Twin and its advanced features. A big shout out to our sponsors, Austrian Audio and Tri Booth. Both these companies are providers of QUALITY Audio Gear (we wouldn't partner with them unless they were), so please, if you're in the market for some new kit, do us a solid and check out their products, and be sure to tell em "Robbo, George, Robert, and AP sent you"... As a part of their generous support of our show, Tri Booth is offering $200 off a brand-new booth when you use the code TRIPAP200. So get onto their website now and secure your new booth... https://tribooth.com/ And if you're in the market for a new Mic or killer pair of headphones, check out Austrian Audio. They've got a great range of top-shelf gear..  https://austrian.audio/ We have launched a Patreon page in the hopes of being able to pay someone to help us get the show to more people and in turn help them with the same info we're sharing with you. If you aren't familiar with Patreon, it’s an easy way for those interested in our show to get exclusive content and updates before anyone else, along with a whole bunch of other "perks" just by contributing as little as $1 per month. Find out more here..   https://www.patreon.com/proaudiosuite     George has created a page strictly for Pro Audio Suite listeners, so check it out for the latest discounts and offers for TPAS listeners. https://georgethe.tech/tpas If you haven't filled out our survey on what you'd like to hear on the show, you can do it here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZWT5BTD Join our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/proaudiopodcast And the FB Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/357898255543203 For everything else (including joining our mailing list for exclusive previews and other goodies), check out our website https://www.theproaudiosuite.com/ “When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional.” Hunter S Thompson (0:00) Y'all ready to be history? Get started. (0:02) Welcome. Hi.   Hi. Hi. Hello, everyone.   (0:05) To the pro audio suite. These guys are professional, they're motivated. (0:09) Thanks to Triboose, the best vocal booths for home or on the road voice recording.   (0:14) And Austrian Audio, making passion heard. (0:17) Introducing Robert Marshall from Source Elements and someone audio post Chicago. (0:22) Darren Robert Robertson from Voodoo Radio Imaging, Sydney.   (0:25) Next to the VO stars, George the Tech Whittem from LA. (0:28) And me, Andrew Pinkers, voiceover talent and home studio guy. (0:32) Line up, man.   Here we go. (0:36) And welcome to another pro audio suite. Thanks to Triboose.   (0:39) Don't forget that code, T-R-I-P-A-P 200 to get $200 off your booth. (0:45) And Austrian Audio, making passion heard. (0:48) We've had a bit of a passionate response to our new Facebook group, (0:52) which is the pro audio suite podcast group.   (0:56) And Rubbo threw up a survey about microphones, (1:00) which one people would like to use and do use and don't use. (1:04) Yeah, I just, I kind of figured a robust discussion about microphones is always well received. (1:10) So I figured I'd start one and it's only a small sample because we've only just started the group.   (1:15) But some of the results sort of had me thinking a bit. (1:18) So basically what I did was I did a poll. (1:20) And I didn't go with my favorites.   (1:23) I just went with the microphones that as a freelance audio engineer, (1:27) when I'm walking into other studios, I come across a lot. (1:30) And I stuck them up there with an option for people to put their own up there as well. (1:34) So the ones I put up were the SM7B, the NT1A, the TLM103, AT2020, 416, of course.   (1:43) And that was about it. (1:44) And then left it open for people to sort of put their own up. (1:48) And the question was, which one's your best mate? (1:51) So what's the microphone that you choose in your studio? (1:55) Now, I've got to be honest, I kind of did figure that the 416 would feature fairly heavily and it has.   (2:02) I mean, the 7B sort of comes in fairly close and the TLM103 are exactly the same in terms of response. (2:11) But then some of the ones in the comments were sort of interesting as well. (2:15) Well, the one I thought was interesting was someone jumped on to Bill.   (2:21) Now I've got to try and get his name right. (2:25) Bill Answa. Is that right? (2:26) Answa.   (2:27) Yeah, I think it's Bill Answa. (2:28) Anyway, sorry, Bill, if I got your name wrong. (2:31) He is using the Austrian audio OC18 into an SSL2.   (2:36) Well, someone's been listening to our podcast. (2:38) And is he using the 4K button? (2:40) He says. (2:41) Yes, he does.   (2:42) Yeah, he goes, yes, indeed. (2:44) Thanks for teaching me that. (2:44) Yeah, and Phil writes on the Lewitt, which doesn't feature fairly.   (2:49) Yeah, we mentioned it on the show, but I don't see it a lot. (2:55) What else was the other one? (2:56) What's the 875R? What's that, a shotgun? (3:00) It's an excellent, excellent bargain shotgun mic. (3:05) Is it? (3:05) Right.   (3:05) It's the one that you recommend, George, isn't it? (3:07) It's so good. (3:08) Like, it's only Achilles heel is that it's not the quietest mic. (3:12) Self-noise is, you know, not as good as a 416.   (3:15) But it's a damn good substitute. (3:18) You know, it sounds similar. (3:20) I have one.   (3:21) So one of these days we'll pull it out and we'll compare it. (3:23) Yeah, I'd love to hear it. (3:25) But it sounds similar.   (3:26) It's not quite as large. (3:28) It's sort of like a short shotgun. (3:30) Is the polar pattern as tight as a 416? (3:32) I would say no.   (3:33) I would definitely say it's not as tight at all. (3:37) It's a more, nowhere near sophisticated mic. (3:40) It doesn't have that very complex line tube interference design.   (3:45) Yeah. (3:45) So anyway, it's a very simple mic, but it just sounds good. (3:49) And they're always under 200 US, 175 maybe.   (3:53) So that one's a... (3:54) 169 B? (3:55) That one's a great value. (3:56) And we've been recommending it a lot to folks who want a stunt mic. (4:00) Well, this is an interesting one from Jeff Berlin.   (4:03) Obviously the obligatory 416. (4:06) But he also has a Bosch or Soundalux U195. (4:10) I don't know that microphone.   (4:12) What do you say? (4:12) I have a Soundalux U99. (4:15) And it is basically a clone of a U67 using an actual EF86 tube. (4:22) And the Soundalux mics became Bach.   (4:25) Yeah, that's right. (4:27) Yeah. (4:28) And they are pretty high-end mics.   (4:30) They got bought by Universal Audio. (4:32) Yeah, that's correct. (4:33) Oh, really? (4:33) Yeah.   (4:33) Wow, that's too bad? (4:35) Is that too bad? (4:36) I don't know. (4:36) I don't know. (4:37) I mean... (4:38) It's kind of weird.   (4:38) I thought they bought Sphere microphones. (4:40) They had to buy all of them microphone companies. (4:42) So I threw all the mics that were in the comments, I think, into the survey.   (4:46) So it's easier to see. (4:49) And it's going to make it easier for people to continue voting. (4:51) But did you see anything that surprised you here? (4:55) Not me.   (4:55) Nothing really. (4:56) I mean, there's certainly plenty of ones that you don't see regularly in professional studios, (5:01) not that that means jack shit. (5:02) Because in a professional studio, you're looking for a workhorse that will do a whole bunch (5:07) of things, I guess, especially in post-production houses, as opposed to music studios.   (5:13) There's just no representation of a PZM mic here. (5:16) Come on. (5:17) There's no crown PZMs? (5:19) Oh, man.   (5:21) Like, turn my wall into the microphone. (5:22) Yeah, that's