VO Studio: Balancing The Need For New Gear

When it comes to new gear in my voiceover studio, I’m very much averse to change.

Nothing is as frustrating as trying to get things “back” to the way they worked before you tried to fix something.

It happens in both software and hardware. I’ve spent hours undoing application “upgrades” just to get back to the core functionality which existed before clicking on that enticing “Upgrade”/“Update” button. Of course, sometimes you can’t backtrack to an earlier version and instead forced to limp forward missing key functionality or previously efficient workflows.

Two Studio Approaches – Early Adoption vs. Never Updating

This is why I tend to be fairly conservative on any change to my VO recording studio setup. You’ve probably heard me encouraging voice actors to run what works rather than be enticed by the newest/latest/greatest version. There is seldom a significant benefit from being an early adopter. We always need to get work out the door reliably. Our studio needs to work every day.

The alternate risk is that by changing nothing, you end up with an outdated and isolated system. There are examples of studios running older (like possibly before you were born) operating systems in order to support their outdated version of a given recording software setup. I’m not holding that up as a virtue. The truth is that the longer you wait, the more painful the transition. Delay your upgrade long enough and you’ll likely find that a new computer demands other immediate hardware and software investments as well.

There’s a balance in all things, upgrades included.

The corollary is that much of the transitional pain has to do with the “retraining”. Using any new equipment feels cumbersome. No matter what hardware you replace, it takes a while until it no longer acts as a barrier to your creativity. Changing to new software redefines frustration as your fingers keep toggling keyboard shortcuts which no longer work.

Balancing New and Proven Gear in your VO Studio

I’ve been thinking about all of this over the past few weeks while swapping mics in and out of the booth for the Voiceover Microphone series and playing around with new interfaces. There’s always a vague feeling that if mic/interface/software/cables or whatever were upgraded, things would improve. It’s helpful to boil that down to specifics.

The Presonus Revelator io24 USB audio interface caught my interest because some voice actors prefer direct control of their interface while in the booth. It has specific features which allow that. Then, the ability to add digital inbound processing might solve other challenges for higher dynamic range recording situations like video games or even certain types of audiobook work. It’s got some compelling features, certainly.

But I have to admit, when I return my Mojave to the mic stand and patch things back through my SSL2, it just feels “right”. I like the way that mic sounds and appreciate the tactile simplicity of the interface (except for the minor head shake that I have every time I turn on the phantom power… I mean seriously, would it have cost that much more to add a 48V status LED to the panel?)

It gets back to the fact that what works for me in my studio is not necessarily the best choice for anyone else. That’s one of the reasons I’ve always tried to resist blanket recommendations for equipment or software. Your studio setup should feel good for you once past the initial learning curve. I’m always trying to notice where improvements can be found and improve my workflow and what I’m able to deliver.

In the end, it comes down to a setup which allows you to get quality audio to your clients or agents with the least amount of fuss and nonsense.

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