Thanks to the audio geniuses (genii?) at Function8.com for the generous use of their space. And their desk. And speaker stands. And Iggy Pop box set.

 

Just a few years back, the thought of buying enough equipment to record and mix your own music for under $1,000 - forget less than $500 - was unimaginable. But as time and technology march on, the prices have dropped to the point where the bang you can get for your buck is almost hard to believe. Let’s examine some cool studio gear for the Mac that can help get that song in your head out into the world (and the iTunes catalog).

 

Before we dive into the two studio options - based on budgets of $1,000 and $500 - it makes sense to discuss some recording basics. Also keep in mind that we’re assuming you’ve already got a Mac. As with other multimedia work, the faster your Mac’s processor and the more memory it has, the better it handles audio production. Here are some other important considerations.

 

You’ll need to get your sounds into and out of the computer (Input/Output). Generally referred to as an audio interface, the input/output device, which is typically connected via USB or FireWire 400, allows you to route a signal from, say, a guitar or microphone to your Mac. Many audio interfaces also have the ability to return the signal, so you can hook it up to a set of headphones or a pair of monitors. You can also buy affordable PCI-based cards that connect to your Mac and have audio breakout cables attached. However, the all-in-one audio interfaces are usually easier to use.

 

You need audio software. It doesn’t get any simpler than GarageBand. You can record, edit, loop, and mix without much experience. But those who want more features could step up to Apple’s Logic Express 7 ($299) or take advantage of the “competitive crossgrade” option to switch to Steinberg’s Cubase 4 ($399.99 crossgrade, or $999.99 retail), which now runs on the Mac platform. For the popular M-Audio and Pro Tools apps, you’ll need an audio interface that works with those companies’ software (more on that later).

 

And an external hard drive. While you can do it, we don’t recommend recording straight to your computer’s internal hard drive. This point confuses some people, so here’s a simple way to think about it: Your music software will run on the internal drive, but your actual audio files should reside on an external drive. You tell the software, when setting it up, where the audio should go. Remember, the faster the RPMs of these drives, the better the audio performance. Also, avoid using USB external drives (their cable throughput is just too slow to effectively pass audio for our needs) and go strictly with FireWire 400 (referred to technically as IEEE 1394) at minimum. Check out www.buy.com for a huge list of cheap drives, or try Apple’s online store. If you’ve got a Mac that has multiple built-in hard drives, you can record to a secondary drive, as long as the audio stays off your main drive.

 

A microphone is recommended for better audio. Sure, you can sing or play into your Mac’s built-in mic, but you won’t like what you hear. The old adage applies when making records: “garbage in, garbage out” (GIGO for short). One reason to buy a decent audio interface is so you can plug a microphone into it and record like a pro. Most quality mics output through a three-pronged connector called an XLR (male) output. But that means you’ll need an XLR cable to get to your audio interface. Simply insert the cable’s XLR (female) end into the microphone and connect the XLR (male) end to the XLR (female) microphone (MIC) input on the audio interface.

 

Don't forget the preamp. In the home theater/consumer audio world, a preamp is a unit that lets you plug in various sources like CD players, DVD players, tape decks, and so on, so that the amplifier can make the signal loud enough to hear. In our case, a preamp takes a microphone/keyboard/guitar signal and amplifies it enough to be recorded by the music software. Most of today’s USB and FireWire audio interfaces have the preamps build right into them, and that’s where you plug in the XLR microphone cable. Then you adjust the mic level using the gain control.

 

For those who play bass, guitar, or keyboards, you plug into a different input. Instead of XLR, you’ll use what’s called a 1/4-inch cable. Unlike the XLR, which is referred to as balanced (because one of the three prongs has a ground), the 1/4-inch cable is referred to as unbalanced, since it has no ground. So these 1/4-inch cables get plugged into a direct interface (DI) input on your audio interface. Then the preamp will provide the signal with enough gain to be recorded - just like the XLR microphone. (Note that some audio interfaces have their DI inputs separate from XLR, while other audio interfaces use a special kind of combo connector that lets you plug in either one.)

 

Listen to yourself. Last but not least, you need to play back your hit song. The best way to go is to use a pair of headphones or set of speakers that hook up to the audio interface. On Macs, you can also plug speakers into the audio output jack, which is a 1/8-inch mini stereo plug. You could also use the built-in speakers on your Mac - if you’re really cheap. But if you go this route, you won’t be able to properly hear your music. And when we say properly we mean with a pretty flat frequency response, which we think is probably the most accurate audio representation possible and what you’re going to need to hear if you’re mixing and trying to tell up from down. Studio monitors, also called reference monitors, don’t kiss up to your ears like most stereo speakers that are just designed to make all music sound generally pleasing. Yeah, some people DO just plug into their home stereo and use that for monitoring (don’t do it). But hey, whatever works (don’t do it).

 

Making musical magic. OK, so we get ourselves an audio interface, and plug that into the computer using whatever cable it needs (USB or FireWire 400). Into that audio interface we plug our mics (using those XLR cables) or guitars, basses, or keyboards (using 1/4-inch cables). To get sound back out of the audio interface, we plug in our headphones and speakers, or just run a cable to our home stereo as a last resort. Then we install the software on the computer and hook up an external hard drive - again, preferably using FireWire 400 (or FireWire 800 if your Mac can handle it). Just remember to tell the software to record to the external drive, and you’re ready to rock.

 

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1. Exo 2.1 Stereo Monitors ($349, musiciansfriend.com); 2. Digidesign Mbox 2 ($450, digidesign.com); 3. LaCie Porche 320GB Hard Drive ($103, amazon.com); 4. Samson CO3U Condenser Mic ($89.99, shop.com); 5. KRK Systems VXT4 ($299.99, bizrate.com).

 

THE UNDER-$1000 SETUP

Now that you know which pieces of gear are essential for your home studio, it’s time to start pricing things out. Where? Well, one of the best ways to shop for gear, which is probably not a secret to anyone, is to simply search Google for it. For example, with the Mbox 2 mentioned below, a search brings up pricegrabber.com, zZounds.com, and SamAsh.com - just to start. This lets you find out more about the gear and check out the best prices. Then you might even go to your local store with a printout from the Net and negotiate an even better deal.

 

The Audio Interface

Digidesign’s Mbox 2 ($495 list/$450 street) is an extremely flexible audio interface that comes with a boatload of extras. You get Pro Tools LE software, which runs 32 simultaneous audio tracks and includes 37 DigiRack plug-ins (software effects that run with the app) such as EQ, delays, reverb, and so on. The sleek little Mbox itself connects to your computer via USB, which provides the power for the unit (meaning no extra power cable!). It’s got a headphone output with dedicated volume control, a studio monitor output control with stereo output jacks (on the back), MIDI I/O for hooking up keyboards or other MIDI devices, and digital I/O via Sony/Philips digital interface format (S/PDIF). You also get two mic inputs, two direct interface (DI) inputs, and two line inputs via TRS (which stands for tip, ring, sleeve cable). Digidesign also throws in a bunch of free extras like Ableton Live Lite 4, Propellerheads Reason Adapted 3, IK Multimedia software guitar amps and samplers, and even a Pro Tools Instructional DVD. The Mbox 2 Educational Version can be found for around $350, so get out your college ID and see if you can still pass.

 

You could also go with a Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) UltraLite audio interface ($595 list/$550 street), which has a total of 10 inputs and 14 outputs and connects to your Mac via FireWire 400. Housed in an aluminum alloy body, the UltraLite lets you record high-resolution audio (up to 24-bit/96KHz) and monitor the level meters on the front panel or with the provided CueMix Console software. With a portable product like this, you can use it to capture audio with an app such as Logic or Digital Performer on your laptop. It’s perfect for small live recordings or capturing band rehearsals.

 

Add a Microphone - or Three

A good mic can boost the quality of your recordings. One of the all-time classic mics, the Shure SM58 Dynamic Cardioid Vocal Microphone, can be had for around $99. Many audio pros in the know call it (and/or its cousin, the SM57) their “desert island all-purpose mic.” Kicking it up a notch, you might check out the Rode Podcaster, a large-diaphragm mic that connects via USB and can be found at various online outlets for just over $225. If you want extras, like a guitar-recording mic, check out the Audio-Technica Artist Series ATM650 ($169 list/$100 street). Another versatile mic is the AKG C1000 S, which can be found online for around $230, or $300 packaged with AKG’s C2000 B condenser mic.

 

Time For a Listen

When it’s time to review your work, headphones come in extremely handy - mainly because they let you work into the wee hours without Johnny Law, or a sleep-deprived spouse, knocking at the door. Sony’s MDR-7509HD headphones are on the pricey side at around $220, but they deliver the goods. AKG headphones are also very popular with pros, and the K 240s can be had for under $130. Beyerdynamic’s DT 770 PRO headphones ($279 retail/$240 street) are designed for critical music and sound monitoring. Good headphones are essential tools that let you make sure your mix is well balanced in the low, mid, and high range.

 

If you’d rather skip the headphones and to hell with the neighbors, check out Yamaha’s MSP5 studio monitors, with a 40-watt 5-inch woofer and a 1-inch titanium tweeter. A pair can be had for just under $500. If that busts the budget, try out the Alesis M1 Active MkII, which have a 6.5-inch woofer and can be had for just under $300 a pair. Also check out the M-Audio Studiophile BX5a ($399.95 list/$299 street) 70-watt studio monitors. It’s always best to ensure that any monitors you buy have magnetic shielding, which allows them to sit near your screen without buzzing.

 

The cheapest way to go, of course, is to plug in a set of outboard consumer PC speakers. A quick glance at the Apple online store reveals a few choice selections. Harman Kardon’s SoundSticks II will run you $169.95, and include a pair of satellite speakers and a subwoofer. Klipsch Ultra 2.0 Pro Speakers have two magnetically shielded satellite speakers with 2.5-inch drivers and 1-inch metalized polymer tweeters. And they can be had for $99.95, which might leave you a little extra dough to spend on additional mics.

 

Of course, you’ll want that separate hard drive, too. Check out LaCie’s 7,200-rpm d2 Quadra Hard Drive, with 320GB of storage space for under $200. Hook it up with FireWire 800 if your Mac supports it.

 

THREE COOL THINGS YOU CAN DO IN YOUR STUDIO

1. Be a DJ. If you have any interest in mixing your preexisting iTunes music into wild mash-ups of party-esque material, you can probably do this with great ease with the sub-$500 studio (also see “Do It Like a DJ”). Using a free desktop DJ app like djay 1.2 with a USB mic, you can record every bleep and twiddle into something that someone, somewhere might want to listen to.

 

2. Produce a Podcast. Spending anything on studio stuff for podcasting seems a little like bringing a gun to a knife fight, but if given the choice between listening to something that sounds good and something that doesn’t, we’ll take the good-sounding thing every time. Taking the DJ stuff you’ve just recorded and laying it down as an audio track, and fading from your show bumper (the interstitial music that plays before you start talking) into your podcast can make the difference between the whole world listening to your podcast about, er, podcasting, perhaps, and just you and your mom listening.

 

3. Record a Soundtrack. If a picture’s worth a thousand words, a picture with a well-recorded soundtrack is the single most significant way to make nearly unwatchable footage of the kids’ soccer game seem like MTV. Or at least MTV back when it actually played music videos. Add music to slideshows, photo montages, anything and everything in iMovie. A good soundtrack can elevate the worst footage into something that at least rates as “interesting.”

 

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1. Shure SM58 Dynamic Cardioid Vocal Mic ($99, shure.com); 2. Exo 2.1 Stereo Monitors ($349, musiciansfriend.com); 3. Sony MDR-V6 Headphones ($59, craigslist.org)

 

THE UNDER-$500 SETUP

Even though you’ve halved your budget, there’s still some pretty good gear that will get the job done. You’ll definitely have to make tough decisions - if you opt for the higher-end audio system, for example, you’ll have less money to spend on mics and speakers. Again, hunt for those bargains online.

 

The Audio Interface

You might start with an M-Audio Fast Track Pro ($199.95) audio interface. Compatible with most popular Mac music software, it connects via USB and has two Mic/Line inputs, a single MIDI I/O, and two 1/4-inch TRS outputs. It also comes with Live Lite 4 and GT Express software. The FastTrack Pro unit itself is really pretty light, fits nicely in a bundle with your laptop that you could take into the field, rehearsal studio (or a live setting), or just leave on your desk while recording. And it sounds great. As an extra bonus, it doubles as an audio interface for Pro Tools M-Powered software. For even less ($99.95), you can pick up the M-Audio Fast Track USB, but it doesn’t have inputs for a microphone. It’s primarily an instrument/line input for recording your guitar/bass or keyboard.

 

For around $99, you can pick up the IK Multimedia StealthPlug, which is a compact, cable-like USB audio interface for guitar and bass. It comes with Amplitube 2 guitar amp modeling software and will work as a plug-in or by itself. That means you can run it quite nicely with GarageBand, Pro Tools, Logic, or whatever else catches your fancy.

 

And don’t forget the external hard drive, if you can squeeze it in: Try the EZQuest Pro Audio FireWire 400 160GB model ($169.99 list/$139.99 street).

 

M-Audio's Fast Track Pro packs a power punch for just a hair under $200.

 

Add the Mics

The Samson Q1U is a pretty versatile handheld mic with a built-in USB interface and a desk stand that can be found for under $60: Plug it right into your Mac and record. The Audio-Technica AT2020 can be found for a street price of just under $100, and provides a wide dynamic range. This could make an excellent overall mic to cover your acoustic guitar or percussion. The Studio Projects B1 is a large-diaphragm condenser mic with a Mylar capsule that makes for some hardy and acoustically true sound capture. It also comes with its own shockmount, for about $125. Large-diaphragm mics generally sound better with vocals, as they produce audio that is “warm” by most standards.

 

Listen Up

For headphones in this category, check out the Sony MDR-7502s, which are perfect for DJs and home audio buffs at just over $50. Audio-Technica has the ATH-M3X headphones, an open-ear design with a decent amount of low end, coming in at just under $40. Yamaha’s $20 set, the RH2Cs, have isolated ear cups and an adjustable headband.

 

To round out the under-$500 package, the Tascam VL-S21s are a pair of cool flat-panel monitors with an 8-inch subwoofer. These are perfect for the desktop and cost around $100. Once again, M-Audio comes to the budget rescue with its Studio Pro 3 Monitors, offering up a 3.25-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter for just under $100. If you’ve run out of money at this point, just settle for those internal computer speakers and hope for the best - at least until you can save up a hundred more bucks to buy yourself some decent monitors.

 

DESKTOP SPEAKER GEAR THAT REALLY FITS

The difference between a pro studio and a home studio - outside of the cost - is usually the real estate footprint. We might record at home, but lots of us would love to actually live in a studio with its huge live rooms, tall ceilings, and, we guess, the ability to make noise whenever you wanted. In any case, getting the best gear onto your desktop means getting the best gear that will actually fit on your desktop. The laptop is a given. Mics and headphones are easy to fit. Speakers, complete with resonant cabinets that can be space hogs if allowed, are now coming in smaller, truer, and more powerful formats. Our two recent faves, at two different price points, fit on most desks:

 

EXO 2.1 Stereo Monitoring System ($399 list/$349 street) sports 3-inch two-way satellite speakers. Their presence on a desk is discreet, and the low frequency response we got while listening to some stuff we were mixing for our podcast was impressive too. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the 8-inch subwoofer - something you wouldn’t want to be without, especially if you’re mixing dance music - is, well, gigundo by comparison. But if the proof of the pudding is in the tasting, this sounds good enough to eat.

 

KRK Systems VXT4 powered reference monitors ($399 list/$299 street) are 4-inchers that are so good (and small) they’re better than your ears are ever likely to be. Half the stuff you hear on the radio? Yup, they were mixed with these. If they’re good enough for Christina Aguilera, they’ll work just fine for the soundtrack you’re composing for your trip up to the mountains.