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VO Tips for the Non-VO Pro: Audio Interfaces

Welcome back to VO Tips for the Non-VO Pro where I’ll discuss audio interfaces.

Anyway, I’m a big believer in logical progressions when it comes to learning. Don’t head straight for the end boss when you’re a level 1 paladin, assign a 20 page historical essay in the first week of the semester, or offer performance tips before your recording setup is figured out. So, today we’re gonna talk about audio interfaces and next time we’ll cover your recording software.

What are audio interfaces? Last time I explained them as an essential component in the XLR microphone setup. The USB mic as I also mentioned has its audio interface built into the mic itself. If you’re fine with a USB mic, you can skip this video. However, if you want higher quality and greater versatility that comes with XLR, you’ll also need an audio interface (and an XLR cable).

What they do:

An audio interface does two main things: it powers your mic and it converts the analog signal from the mic into digital audio which is then transmitted to your computer. These features are the most important because the quality of your preamps (pre-amplifiers). The quality of your AD/DA converters (analog-digital/digital-analog) can greatly influence the end audio. Crappy preamps mean your mic may not receive enough gain (power) to get its full sound. A warm and rich mic could sound hollow or tinny–shrill. You may also hear a lot of white noise from poor-quality preamps, which makes you just want to turn whole damn thing off and cry. And then great AD/DA converters allow a great mic and great preamp to be accurately recorded on your computer quickly and without any blips due to slow conversion speeds.

Other features and examples:

There are other features to consider, such as how many mic channels it has, high pass filters to cut out any low rumble noise from your neighborhood, etc. Some even choose based on color—not even kidding! There are many audio interfaces out there with various features and prices. I started out in the very very beginning with a Behringer UMC202HD. This worked perfectly fine for me until I upgraded my mic and needed something cleaner with lower self-noise. That cost a whopping $45 on eBay. The go to for many voice actors is the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Focusrite also makes a single channel version called the Solo for about 40% less. These are popular because they’re affordable and offer a good clean sound. And they’re sexy red.

But there are lots of audio interfaces. Ultimately, what makes sense for you depends on your budget, the specific features you need (or don’t need), and the quality of the brand. What’s important is not to get overwhelmed. Try a cheaper option (not the cheapest!) and then go from there.

Just like with the mic discussion, audio interfaces can be overwhelming. If you need more help or would prefer to leave it to a millennial voice actor like yours truly, then email any time: joe@site3.webdnx.net

Alright, welcome back to VO Tips for the Non-VO Pro!

Last time we discussed condenser versus dynamic mics, and I thought it wise to continue the next logical topic: USB versus XLR. Aaaand what am I talking about?

What they are:

USB mics plug directly into your computer, tablet, etc. through a USB port. XLR mics require an XLR cable and something called an audio interface, which I’ll cover in a separate video. But essentially both of these do the exact same thing. They convert soundwaves into digital signals (1s and 0s) which your computer can then read and display as a 2D waveform. USB mics, however, are generally lower quality and more limited in their use.

Why USB mics are limited:

For example, last week we talked about condenser versus dynamic mics. Say I normally use a condenser mic like this but needed more external isolation and wanted to use a dynamic mic. I could simply swap them out easy-peasy. You’d have to adjust many settings on your computer if you wanted to swap out a USB mic because you swapped out the audio interface as well. Also any preamps and added signal processing tools, which I’ll discuss later, but essentially things to make the mic and therefore my voice sound much nicer, cleaner, louder—better—cannot be added to a USB mic.

Some great USB options:

There are some very powerful plugins that can do a lot to enhance mic signals, and USB mics ARE getting increasingly better in their quality. The Rode NT-USB is my personal favorite. Many voice actors unashamedly take pride in their Apogee MiC (M I C) USB mics, and then there are others like the Audio Technica 2020. The Blue Yeti is the ubiquitous mic for anyone looking to start their podcast and in general produces an OK sound. It’s likely good enough for you to start out. However, if the goal is to make better sounding audio, you’ll eventually want to upgrade to a dedicated audio interface and XLR mic.

And again, if you have a poor recording space—no sound isolation or acoustic treatment—a dynamic mic would be your best bet.

As always if this is too much to wrap your head around or you’d prefer a conversational, millennial voice talent to tackle the nuances of a good mic for you, then feel free to email me direct: joe@site3.webdnx.net