James NugentThe best home recording studio package is exactly what you should be looking for as a beginner. Some of the best brands offer affordable studio starter kits that let you hit the ground running.
For most people, money is a bit tight early on, buying studio equipment bundles is a great way to get the most out of your budget. Whatever genre of music you want to record, you’ll need a good audio interface, a microphone, and some headphones/monitors.
These are the best recording studio packages to buy:
1. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio
The best all-rounder
It’s easy to see why the Scarlett 2i2 Studio bundle is a best-selling amongst home recording studio owners. It ticks every box; it delivers high-quality tracking, monitoring, it’s built to last, and it looks amazing. All for a great price, too.
The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio is one of the most popular starter kits on the market. Focusrite’s Scarlett 2i2 is the go-to budget audio interface for many musicians, thanks to its impressive 24-bit/192 kHz A/D converters and its distinctive image.
The 3rd gen model features two of Focusrite’s newly upgraded Scarlett preamps via two combo inputs. Each input has a halo LED level indicator and switchable Air mode for a more open sound.
This bundle includes the Scarlett Studio CM25 MkIII large-diaphragm condenser microphone and a pair of Scarlett Studio HP60 MkIII monitoring headphones.
The Studio microphone has a solid construction, a sleek look that’s typical of Focusrite, and delivers high-quality recording for vocals or acoustic guitar. The HP60 MkIII closed-back headphones feel incredibly well-made for the money.
You also get Pro Tools First, Softube’s Time & Tone Bundle, and access to Focusrite’s Plug-in Collective.
- Upgraded Scarlett preamps.
- Looks awesome.
- Switchable Air mode.
- Extremely well-built.
- Wired Analog Circuitry Protection.
- No complaints at under $300.
2. M-Audio AIR 192|4 Vocal Studio Pro
The best pound for pound
Overall, this bundle is fantastic. The combination and high-quality of the hardware and software on offer is hard to beat. One of the best recording packages around, any home recording studio will be better for having it.
The M-Audio AIR 192|4 is one of the best budget audio interfaces available. So, packaging it tother with a condenser microphone and a pair of monitoring headphones means that it has to make our top picks.
The AIR 192|4 is a 2×2 audio interface with some of the best A/D converters you can get for the money. M-Audio’s Crystal mic preamp is also amongst the most transparent in the budget price range. It has a line/XLR combo input on the back panel and a Hi-Z instrument input on the front. The high-speed USB bus-powered interface offers super-low latency of around 2.59 ms.
M-Audio’s Nova Black large-diaphragm condenser mic is perfect for recording vocals or guitars. It’s a rugged microphone that offers plenty of value for money. The HDH40 monitoring headphones have a flat response and over-ear design that makes them comfortable to wear over long periods.
- Excellent A/D converters.
- Transparent Crystal mic preamp.
- Solid build quality.
- Great software bundle.
- Headphones could be more robust.
3. Mackie Studio Bundle
The complete studio equipment bundle
The Mackie Studio Bundle might cost a little more, but it still delivers value for money, in a beginner-friendly bundle. It’s the complete home recording studio package that covers just about everything.
The Mackie Studio Bundle is a bit of a step up from the typical budget bundles. But, it’s easy to see where the extra money goes!
This bundle comes with the Mackie Big Knob Studio 3×2 audio interface, studio monitors, headphones, and two studio microphones. It’s the premium starter kit amongst the budget price range.
The Mackie Big Knob 3×2 is a very popular interface because it’s so easy to use. This dual interface/monitor controller offers dual Onyx preamps, three inputs, and two pairs of balanced monitor outputs. With the two sets of monitor outputs and two headphone outs, you have more monitoring options than any other on our list.
Mackie’s CR3-X multimedia monitors probably fall a little short in terms of being great studio monitors, but they are decent all-rounders as part of the bundle. Both the EM-91C large-diaphragm condenser and EM-89D dynamic vocal mic are impressive.
- Flexible I/O configuration.
- Great monitor controller.
- Condenser and dynamic microphones.
- Studio monitors.
- Comfortable headphones.
- More expensive than the other bundles.
- Monitors won’t blow you away.
4. Tascam Trackpack 2×2
Surprisingly versatile
The Tascam Trackpack 2×2 bundle might not be the most attractive home recording studio kits. It doesn’t look as good as the Scarlett 2i2 Studio or the M-Audio AIR Vocal Studio Pro; it looks a little bland. But, it’s a dark horse, and it will do a fantastic job for anyone.
Tascam’s Trackpack 2×2 bundle is one of the most versatile starter kits you can buy. Tascam has made sure that it’s compatible with Mac, PC, and iOS, which is excellent news for the traveling musician/producer.
The two-in/two-out interface provides studio-grade 24-bit/96 kHz audio. This well-built interface offers two XLR/line combo inputs, monitor balance, and independent headphone volume.
Tascam’s TM-80 condenser microphone has a larger diaphragm (18 mm) than you’ll find in most budget mics. It comes with a tabletop stand, elastic shockmount and delivers incredible quality and versatility. Even if it’s your only studio microphone, there isn’t much you can’t get done with the TM-80.
The TH-02 headphones might just be our overall favorites in any bundle. You get more accurate monitoring than you do with most others and a bass response that is rare for cheaper headphones. Perhaps most importantly, they are very comfortable, and you’ll find out soon how much that matters.
- Versatile audio interface.
- Rugged build quality.
- Awesome condenser microphone.
- Excellent (comfortable) monitoring headphones.
- Not the cheapest.
5. Audient EVO Start Recording Bundle
The portable choice
Audient’s EVO package is a solid bundle at a reasonable price. If desk space is hard to come by or plan on doing a lot of mobile recording, it could be the best choice for you. The compact audio interface delivers high-quality that can literally fit in a jacket pocket.
Audient’s EVO Start Recording Bundle is one of the newest studio equipment bundles on the market. The core of the bundle is the Audient EVO 4 USB audio interface that Audient describes as an interface for a new generation of artists.
We are used to talking about how much can be achieved from a home studio, but these days, recording artists want that same quality wherever they go. The EVO 4 interface is a portable, easy-to-use interface that delivers premium-quality sound.
The high-quality sound comes from Audient’s transparent EVO preamps and 24-bit/96 kHz sample rate. As well as two XLR combo inputs, you get a JFET instrument input on the front panel.
The SR1 condenser microphone is one of the best on our entire list. It’s a versatile microphone with superb off-axis rejection. The same can be said about the sound quality of the SR2000 headphones, although the on-ear design won’t be for everyone.
- Portable simple design.
- SR1 microphone is great.
- Fantastic EVO preamps.
- High-quality headphones.
- On-ear headphones can be very uncomfortable over time.
Conclusion
Every bundle that we have listed is a great starting point for any aspiring musician/producer. What they do is show you that you don’t need a high-end budget to create high-quality recordings.
Whatever one you choose, you’ll be ready to start making music from day one, enjoy it!
