Voice Over Equipment List: What You Actually Need (and What You Don’t)
Updated: 7 days ago
This list has been going since 2022 and I've given it a proper spring (autumn) clean for 2026. Not just new gear, but a few new sections too. There's some budget build stuff if you want to know what this lot might cost, and also a list of things I'd skip if I was starting again. Oh and OF COURSE a bit about AI voices, because if you're getting into voiceover right now, you need to know how to stand out from the robots. Spoiler: your VO kit is part of it.
I'll start off by saying that if you're just getting into voiceover, don't rush out and buy every piece of gear you might need further on down the line. Fight that urge to buy a voice over equipment bundle! Go as far as you can with what you have before investing - you need to be sure that voiceover is the right career path for you.
What equipment do you need for voiceover?
It's actually pretty simple to start off. You need something to talk into and something to record into. You can start off by recording into your phone to practice the craft. In fact, you can start off just by reading out loud, so all you need is a magazine or a book! Here's something to read while testing.
When you do get a bit more serious, wanting to book work and do auditions, you'll need more than the latest iPhone. You'll need a microphone, an audio interface, headphones, and a quiet, treated space.
So, let's take a look at the necessities and some good to haves. Here is the definitive voice over equipment list.
(Some of the links on this page are affiliate links and will take you to the product on Amazon. If you buy through them I might get a few pennies, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend stuff I've actually used or would happily use. Those pennies go straight into a dust-removal fund.)
Where to start vs what I use now
If you want the short version, look at this table. Yes, a table. In 2026.
It's a list of gear with where I started and what I use now.
Item | Where to start | What I use now | Why? |
Microphone | Rode NT1A | Sennheiser MK 4 | The NT1A is great value but the MK4 is warmer and better suited to my voice. |
Audio interface | Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 | Solid State Logic SSL2+ | The 2i2 is great but I had to ditch it because Zoom ruined it! |
Headphones | Cheap Tesco ones! | Beyerdynamic DT 770 | Cheap headphones can cloud the sound. |
Pop filter | Budget mesh option | Stedman PS101 | You can get away with mesh for a long while. The PS101 helps even more. |
Shock mount | Whatever fits the mic | Nothing! | The mic/stand combination I use doesn't need a shock mount. |
Mic stand | A cheap option | Rode PSA1 boom arm | Strength and move-ability! |
Acoustic treatment | Blankets, pillows, DIY plugs/acoustic panels | Kube vocal booth | At the start don't get a booth, just make do until you're ready. |
Speakers | N/A | KRK Rokit RP5 | As above, you don't need EVERYTHING to start, but the KRK monitors are very good and reasonably priced. |
Jump to: Voiceover microphone: condenser, dynamic or USB
Audio interface for voiceover
Headphones for voice recording
Microphone shock mount
Do you need a vocal booth?
Studio monitors
The Essential Voice Over Equipment
Voiceover microphone: condenser, dynamic, or USB?
I suppose this is probably the most obvious of the lot. But what might not be so obvious is the type of voiceover mic you should have.
Don't get a dynamic microphone. You'll probably be familiar with the look of these as they're used in live music settings. Something like the Shure SM-58 is brilliant for a singer belting out hits on stage and for mic'ing up drums and even guitar cabs. It can take a hefty beating and show no signs of loss in audio quality. However, it isn't a sensitive soul like a condenser microphone. And, bizarrely, despite its name, has an inferior dynamic range.
Don't get a USB mic. Although extremely popular, and useful for various applications, you'd be better off putting your money towards a condenser. Yes, USB mics like the (admittedly decent) Fifine K688 have made voice recording more accessible but for a little bit more money you could get a great condenser. A USB mic is exactly what you'd expect - you plug it in and it works. So it's easy to use, but lacks range. They're ideal for podcasting as you can chuck it in your bag with a laptop and go anywhere with it!
Best Value Voice Over Microphone 2026
Ideally, your voiceover microphone should be a condenser. They will give you a much more detailed sound due to its increased sensitivity. You can get started fairly inexpensively with a Rode NT1A. Only slightly more expensive than the Blue Yeti, you'll be hard pressed to find a better mic for this price. Due to its sensitivity, you'll need to start thinking about the space you're recording in. Can you hear the fridge? A car driving past?
UPDATE: I've recently changed the microphone I use for voiceover work. I still use the Rode NT1A for online meetings/calls but for VO I now have a Sennheiser Mk 4. This has a fuller, warmer sound. The NT1A can sometimes be overly crisp if you're a bit of a sibilant person! The Mk 4 isn't that much more expensive and in my opinion, is a better all round mic.
The reel below was recorded using the Sennheiser and the SSL2+ I mention next.
Audio interface for voice over
What's an audio interface then? Well, if you get a USB mic, you won't need one. But if you're at the point of getting or upgrading to a condenser, then you'll also need one of these.
PLEASE IGNORE THE DUST!
It might be good to mention where your voice goes after you speak into your condenser microphone. When you talk, the mic generates an electrical signal and sends it down the XLR (mic cable) into the audio interface. The interface converts the electrical signal to a digital signal so we can record it on a computer.
The interface also controls levels for mic inputs and for outputs to the computer. On the computer we can process the audio using software such as Cubase. The computer then sends the audio back into the interface and you can hear it through headphones or speakers.
An industry standard for voiceover artists is the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. Again, it's fairly inexpensive but when coupled with a condenser, you can see how it quickly starts to add up. However, you can get some pretty decent voice over equipment packages that come with the interface, mic and leads, so shop around. For example, this Focusrite bundle comes with mic, interface, leads, boom stand, shock mount and pop shield.
AUDIO INTERFACE UPDATE
I started having some issues with my sound while on Zoom meetings, so I bought a new interface. After I bought it I worked out that the problem was having two wireless USB keyboards plugged in at once, the Focusrite was not the bad guy (and it's now become part of my travel set up).
Anyway, ultimately I'm dead chuffed with my new Solid State Logic SSL2+.
Here it is, with a small Bart Simpson that pretty much captures the essence of how I like to work.
Headphones for voice recording
There's a couple of reasons why I'm bringing up headphones so soon in the home voice over equipment list.
I mean, it's pretty obvious that you'll need to listen to what you've recorded so you can self-direct and edit before sending. But also, it's a much cheaper option than diving straight in and getting studio monitor speakers.
Some voiceover artists like to record while wearing headphones so they can hear exactly how they sound. They're also essential in a studio environment where you're being directed.
On the flip side, other VOs choose not to wear them (like me). I find they can take me out of the zone while recording.
It's extremely important that you don't buy any old pair of headphones. You need ones that aren't coloured for listening to music - you know the sort, those that have bass boost, that sort of thing. You need headphones that will allow you to hear the audio exactly as it was recorded. Otherwise you may end up editing the audio until it sounds "correct" in those coloured headphones, which will make it sound BAD MAAAAAN in studio headphones or speakers.
Listening for long periods on coloured headphones can leave you with very hot, throbbing ears! Not good.
Best Value Headphones for Voice-over
Another industry standard recommendation here are the Beyerdynamic DT 770 Headphones. When I moved to these from a bass heavy £20 set from Tesco, my ears really did thank me.
Recording software (your DAW)
This is what you use to record, edit and export. You don't need to spend a fortune here.
Free: Audacity does the job and loads of people start on it (and use it forever).
Cheap and brilliant: Reaper. Tiny price, massive capability, and a free trial too!
What I use: Cubase. I've used it forever but it's a bit pricey.
Also popular: Adobe Audition, especially if you're already paying for Adobe stuff. Ugh.
Pick one and learn it properly. Using shortcuts will save you time.
Microphone Accessories
Is a Pop shield/filter necessary?
A pop shield or pop filter sits (well, hangs really) in front of your microphone and helps to filter out or direct "plosives" away from the microphone. Plosives are caused when excessive air is released with words that start with P's and B's. If the air hits the microphone, it just sounds rubbish!
There are plenty of cheap ones out there which diffuse the airflow, that you could probably make yourself - stretch an old pair of tights out and hey presto! Obviously there's a bit more structure involved but most of them are just that - a couple of layers of very thin material. These work well for most people but if you have strong plosives, a model that changes the direction of the air might be better.
The Stedman Pop Filter
The Stedman PS101 diverts, rather than diffuses the air. The "filter" is made from metal which has angled holes. So, in theory, no air will hit the mic. Or at least, much, much less than its material counterparts.
Microphone Shock mount - What is a good shock mount?
Condenser microphones don't slide easily into the top of a generic mic stand clip like dynamic mics do. So you'll have to spend more money; this time, on a shock mount. They're like a cradle for the mic to sit in and it's highly likely you'll need a specific model for your mic to sit in. They give good isolation from factors that could cause unwanted vibrations that might travel up the mic stand from the floor. It screws onto to the top of a mic stand or a boom arm.
The Rode SM6 is designed to hold the Rode NT1A mic mentioned above but is very heavy, so if your mic is on a cheap boom on a cheap mic stand, it might not like it! Which leads me nicely onto the next thing you might want...
Mic stand or boom arm?
You can't hold a condenser microphone or its shock mount in your hand while you do voiceover work. It would create far too many problems in terms of consistency, fatigue, noise, etc etc.
So you need a pretty sturdy mic stand. I can't recommend anything specific here as I don't use one (more on that next), but something like this Tiger MCA68-BK would suffice. You can spend much, much more, so do some research and see which best fits your needs.
Like I said, I don't use a mic stand. I used to, but when I moved into my permanent vocal booth, I was able to get what I'd always wanted. An adjustable boom arm that twists, turns, swivels, goes up, down, left, right and holds the weight of my mic and shock mount with ease.
Of course, I use the Rode PSA1 because it works perfectly with my Rode shock mount. It's strong and stays in position no matter how far you extend it.
The beauty of this is that you can attach it to a shelf, or other surface which means you can free up floor space, allowing you to flail your arms and legs around while working, if that's your thing. I'd never go back to a mic stand after using this.
Treating your recording space
Acoustic foam tiles: treatment, not soundproofing
When working with sound you need to be careful of your voice bouncing around the space you're recording in. This is where lots of bits of foam come in handy.
It's important to remember that acoustic foam tiles are for sound TREATMENT and not sound PROOFING. They're not dense enough to keep sound out/in unless you have a billion of them. Their job is to stop reflections. Put them on the walls of your booth, put them on the wall behind you where you edit.
They come in packs of 24 and each one is a square foot. The bigger your recording space, the more you'll need so the price can soon add up.
If your space is a cupboard which has clothes or blankets in it, then you probably won't need these. Flat, exposed surfaces are where the reflections bounce.
Other things that could help are soft furnishings in the room - a rug, heavy curtains, throws, lots of cushions, blankets, you get the idea. Speaking of blankets...
Acoustic Blankets
There's a website called Vocal Booth To Go that sells AMAZING acoustic blankets. They weigh 5kg and are very good at absorbing noise. My first (temporary booth) had these in there and they undoubtedly helped get a pro sound in a less than optimal setting!
Do you need a vocal booth?
Pretty much all voice over artists start the same way - finding the quietest place in their house and stuffing it with blankets and pillows to make a fort they can hide in to record. Some extremely famous pieces of voice work have been recorded in cars, on cruise ships, in bathrooms and in wardrobes.
However, these aren't always practical and some don't last forever. So you might want to think about a dedicated, sound proof vocal booth.
I've written an extensive review of my Kube vocal booth here. It's safe to say that if you want convenience and the ability to record at any time of day, no matter what other people in the house are doing, then a booth is right for you... but may not be right for your bank balance. They can get very pricey! I would never be without one now, I love my voiceover box!
If you were ever in doubt about the structural integrity of a proper booth, watch this video.
Upgrades for working voice actors
Studio monitors (speakers)
You can get by for a long time with a decent pair of headphones but when you start editing longer projects, monitors can give your ears a rest. Also, when you're mixing voice with music and effects it's pretty awesome to whack the volume up and listen to what you've been creating.
They can be pretty expensive and I don't have a recommendation here as my set (by Dynaudio) aren't made any more.
You can get either passive or active monitors. Active means they are powered all by themselves, whereas passive models need a separate power amp for them to work!
UPDATE: I do have a recommendation now! I recently bought myself some KRK Rokit RP5s and they are very good speakers for a very reasonable price! Crisp, clear and loud if you need them to be!
A second mic for calls
I mentioned this earlier, but it's worth repeating. I use my old Rode NT1A for Zoom calls and meetings. That way my VO chain stays set up exactly as I like it and I'm not messing about with buttons and knobs before every session.
Portable mic for auditions on the go (Rode VideoMic Me-C)
This is a really nifty piece of kit if you ever need to record quick auditions on the go or for creating a bootiful voicemail. It's a relatively cheap, plug straight into your phone mic. The quality is great for the price and will sound infinitely better than something that is straight from the phone. You can read a full review of the Rode VideoMic Me-C here.
Macro keyboard
I can't believe I lived for so long without one of these. It's saved me literally minutes over the past few weeks. (I know I know but I'm getting to the point where the inefficiencies I find are very small now!)
Think of all the shortcuts and macros you have set up in your computer software. Then think about how they can be a bit cumbersome. See exhibit A.
Well. This little macro keyboard from Vaydeer can stop the game of Twister (finger edition) before it gets out of... hand. Geddit? HAND?!
Whatever.
You can program a single button to do the job of many. Seriously, some macros I have in Cubase are a 3 or 4 finger job. Not any more!
I've also been using it to save time when email marketing. You can program a single key to store parts of text that you might otherwise copy and paste from a template. Eg. I have a word doc where I have to copy an email subject line into the email, then go back and copy the email bulk and paste that in.
NOT ANY MORE BABAAAAY! See exhibit B.
DON'T JUDGE ME FOR THAT DUST!
Wireless remote
This might seem like a trivial piece of gear but I don't know how I ever existed without one of these. I have a remote control on my desk that I have linked to a light and a monitor that are both in my vocal booth. I switch them on before I go in so that I'm ready to work straight away.
I have another remote that's for a set of lights around my "editing station" (that's just a cool way of saying "desk"). The purpose for these? My studio has limited natural light, so I flick these on to see the dials and knobs on my interface without having to leave my chair to put the main room light on. Lazy? No. Efficient? Very!
And that's why I advocate for these things. Down the line, you'll be looking for any way you can to become more efficient in your processes. A remote control. A monitor inside your booth. An extra mic on your desk for calls.
This particular model controls plug sockets that come with it. Whatever you plug into can be turned on and off with the wireless remote.
Office Chair
You're going to be spending a lot of time at your desk editing... marketing... editing... marketing... ad infinitum. So it goes without saying that you need a comfortable chair with good all over back support. And a head rest. Definitely get one with a head rest.
The one I have is fun - it's actually a gaming chair. It swivels, obviously. It goes up and down, obviously. But it also reclines.
And that's not even the best part... it has a foot/leg rest so you can catch a nap between auditions.
Backups, Broadband speed and remote session tools
Backups
One day, a client will email asking for a pickup on a script you recorded eight months ago. You will need that file, so keep backups!
An external hard drive for local backups
Cloud storage as well, in case the house falls over.
If a file only exists in one place, it doesn't really exist.
Broadband speed
Very important. Big files need to go out fast, and live sessions need a stable connection. Plug in with an ethernet cable if you can (I still do this!). Wi-Fi is the enemy of a directed session.
Remote session tools
A lot of voiceover work is directed live. The client, producer or director listens in while you record, and gives notes in real time. For that, you'll need one of these:
Source-Connect: the industry standard for studio-quality remote sessions
ipDTL: browser-based, popular with UK studios and broadcasters
SessionLinkPRO and Cleanfeed: easy for clients to join from a browser
Zoom, Teams, Google Meet: perfectly fine for the client listening in, while you record locally
You don't need all of them. Start with Zoom plus local recording, and add the pro tools as clients ask for them. (Some are free, and for some you won't need to install anything. A client will often send you a link to click and that's it!)
How much does a voice over setup cost? (UK budget builds)
Here's roughly what you're looking at, depending on how deep you want to dive. These are ballpark prices for the UK, so shop around (and keep an eye out for bundles and second-hand bargains).
Starter build: around £230
Focusrite Scarlett bundle with mic, interface, headphones and cables: £180-£200
Cheap mesh pop filter: £10
Basic mic stand: £20
Duvets, pillows and the quietest cupboard in your house: free!
This is enough to practice properly, send auditions that don't sound like they were recorded in a toilet, and find out if you actually love the work.
Serious build: around £900
Sennheiser MK 4: £290
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2: £150
Beyerdynamic DT 770: £130
Rode PSA1 boom arm: £90
Stedman PS101: £70
Acoustic blankets or foam: £100-£150
This is genuinely pro-capable. Plenty of working voice actors use exactly this type of set-up. The room matters more than the mic at this point, so don't skimp on treatment (acoustic blankets/foam)
Pro build: £6,500+
Everything above, with the SSL2+ instead of the 2i2: £980
KRK Rokit RP5 monitors: £300 a pair
A proper vocal booth like my Kube: £5,000
Most of that total is the booth which is a luxury, not a requirement. But if you're recording every day and the neighbours have just bought a leaf blower/sucker thing, it pays for itself in sanity!
And this, my dear VO friends (you've read this far so we're definitely best buds), is one of the reasons a free voiceover doesn't exist.
What I'd skip if I was starting again
I've wasted money on this journey and I did it for you! Here's what not to buy.
Cheap "music" headphones
I edited on a bass-heavy £20 pair from Tesco for far too long. Everything sounded fine to me, but probably sounded weird everywhere else. Get flat, honest headphones from day one.
Foam everywhere
If you're recording in a wardrobe full of clothes, you probably don't need 48 foam tiles. Soft stuff you already own does most of the job. Fill the gaps, cover hard surfaces.
USB mics as a "stepping stone"
A good condensor isn't much more than a USB mic, so just don't bother.
An expensive mic in an untreated room
A £1,000 mic in an untreated room will sound worse than a £150 mic in a well-treated room. Think space first and mic second.
Why your setup matters in the age of AI voices
Let's address the robotic elephant in the room. AI voices are everywhere. Some of them are... how can I say this? Better than before. And if you're thinking about getting into voiceover, you've probably had someone say "isn't AI going to take all those jobs?"
AI is very good at reading words out. It is still not very good at being a voice actor.
Why a real studio matters
Interpretation.
Someone who reads a script, works out what it's really trying to say, and makes choices and commits to them.
Direction.
Someone who can take a note like "a bit more smile, but less cheesy, and can you land the brand name like it's a secret?" and nail it on the next take. No fiddling with prompts and hoping for the best "that'll do" version.
Consistency.
Someone who can come back six months later for pickups and sound exactly the same, in the same room, on the same mic.
Accountability.
A real person who answers emails, fixes problems, and cares if the job goes well.
Your studio is what makes all of that possible. A consistent, treated space and a reliable signal chain mean you sound the same every time. That's something clients notice, and it's a big part of why they keep coming back.
All the gear on this page has been used on TV, radio, video games, e-learning, toys and more.
Not one of those clients asked me which mic I used. But every one of them heard the difference between a pro setup and a laptop in a kitchen. When the oven is on.
Where AI actually helps (and where it doesn't)
I'm not anti-AI. Some of it is genuinely useful in a voiceover workflow, and it'd be silly to ignore it. Here's where it earns its keep:
Noise repair.
Tools like iZotope RX can clean up a rogue mouth click or a bit of background hum in seconds.
Transcription.
Handy for checking your read against the script, or making captions for social clips.
Admin.
Drafting emails, sorting invoices, summarising long briefs. All the stuff that eats into recording time.
HOWEVER, AI cleaning is not a substitute for a decent room. One-click to "make it sound like a studio" tools are tempting (not for me). But push them too hard and your voice starts to sound thin, warbly and synthetic. Some bits can even get lost. Which is exactly what you don't want when you're trying to prove you're NOT a robot.
Think of AI processing as a plaster, not a cure. Get the recording right at the source (good room, good mic technique, sensible levels) and you'll not need it. That's why acoustic treatment still matters.
Live direction: a secret weapon?
If there's one thing I'd tell any new voice actor to get good at in 2026, it's being directed live. An AI voice can spit out a hundred versions of a line. What it can't do is sit on a call with a slightly nervous marketing manager, hear them say "I don't know, it just needs to feel more... silver?" and turn that into a take they love. That's a skill. And it's a very human one.
A few things that make you brilliant to direct:
Be ready on time, levels set, booth light on (cheers, wireless remote).
Take notes without ego. Try the weird suggestion. Sometimes it's the one.
Offer options. "Want me to try one a bit warmer?" makes you look like a pro, not a pushover.
Know your software, so you can play back takes and drop in pickups quickly without faff
If you want practice at this, it's exactly how I run my remote demo production sessions: directed live, in your own home studio, on your own kit. It's a great way to find out how you handle direction before a paying client is on the line.
Protect your voice (it's your most valuable tool)
You can replace a mic but you can't replace your voice, even if it's insured. And in 2026, that means thinking about where your recordings end up. So you need to be careful of free onlne tools that you upload your audio too. Check Ts and Cs! Read your contracts! Keep your raw files!
None of this is meant to scare you off. It's just part of running a voiceover business now, the same way invoicing and marketing are. Protect the voice!
Voice over equipment FAQs
What equipment do I need to start voiceover?
As little or as much as you like. But you'll definitely need something to record your voice and a way to listen back and self critique.
Do I need an audio interface for voice over?
If you intend on using a condenser microphone, then yes. If you go down a different route (USB mic), then they are plug and play.
Can I do voiceover with a USB mic?
You can, and lots of people start that way. But if you're serious about booking work, a condenser mic and an audio interface will give you a noticeably better sound with more reliability for not much more money.
Can I start voiceover with just my phone?
You can. Phones are great for convenience and most have a pre-installed bit of simpel recording software. You can use phones to practice on and if you're really stuck, for auditions. I know lots of VOs who have sent off files from their car using their phone!
What's the best microphone for voiceover?
There's no single "best", because it depends on your voice and your room. For value, the Rode NT1A is hard to beat. I now use a Sennheiser MK 4 because it's warmer and a bit kinder on sibilance.
What software do voice actors use?
There are so many differing packages to choose from. I use Cubase for voiceover and multitrack demo production because it's what I've known for years. There are vast swathes of VOs who use free software like Audacity for it's ease of use.
Do I need a vocal booth to start voiceover?
Nah mate. A wardrobe full of clothes, a duvet fort or a well-treated cupboard can all sound great. A booth is a luxury that gives you convenience and consistency, but it's not where you should start. Unless you're loaded.
How much does a home voiceover studio cost?
You can get going for around £250 with a bundle and some blankets. A properly pro-capable setup is more like 3 or 4 times that. Add a booth and you're into the many thousands. See the budget builds above for the full breakdown.
Should I wear headphones while recording?
Totally up to you. Some voice actors love hearing themselves in real time. I don't wear them as I find they take me out of the zone. You'll definitely need them for directed sessions though.
What should I buy first?
If you really do want to buy something before practicing, then a microphone and interface shows some pretty good intent!
Can I use AI to clean up my recordings?
A little bit, yes. Light noise repair is fine. But heavy AI processing can make your voice sound unnatural, so get the recording right at source. I believe photographers call it "in camera".
What I use (and what it’s been used on)
All of the voiceover equipment mentioned above that I own has been used in productions on TV, national and local radio, Youtube, video games, telephones, podcasts, my podcast editing service, e-learning, virtual reality, toys, games and more. It was also used to produce my award nominated commercial demo reel.
Once your kit's up and running, put it to work — my remote demo production sessions are directed live in your own home studio.
Remember, don't blitz all your quids before you know you've made the right decision to step into the wonderful (weird) world of voiceover.
You can see some more gear in an overly cinematic way in this video...
There's plenty more that you'll need on your journey down Voiceover Road that's not a cool gadget or piece of fun gear. This is your business, after all.
You'll need a website, marketing materials, headshots. You'll also need to know how to price your work as a voice actor.
Investing in your business should never stop, but you don't always need to pay for it. Practicing the craft is free. Do it. Then do it some more.
If you do have any questions, please do just drop me a line with the form on the contact page or the chat box. Or of course, visit the voice over FAQs page - loads of info over there.
Get out a calculator and do some rough sums on how much all the above costs. Then you'll know one of the reasons why a free voice over doesn't exist.
If you landed on this page looking for gift ideas for voice artists, click here!
