Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Pro Audio Suite

AI is killing voiceover.

Or is it?

An email to George kicks off a much bigger conversation this week about what artificial intelligence is actually doing to voiceover and audio production right now, rather than what everyone thinks it might do sometime in the future.

There's no question some areas have already been hit. IVR, phone prompts, repetitive information reads and other work where consistency matters more than performance are obvious targets. In some cases, AI may simply be a faster and more practical way of doing the job.

But what happens when performance, judgement, direction, taste and creativity matter?

Robbo talks about putting a real commercial script through ElevenLabs and trying repeatedly to coax a usable performance from it. The result was nowhere near the performance that ultimately went to air. The guys also discuss an experiment where someone reportedly spent hours directing an AI voice to achieve something a good human performer could deliver in minutes.

That leads to the bigger question.

Are we actually replacing creative people, or are we mostly automating the work that required very little creative interpretation in the first place?

The conversation moves through advertising, radio, post production and sound design, including the danger of companies judging AI purely by the immediate saving on a spreadsheet. Robbo raises the possibility that reductions in quality may take years to become obvious in audience behaviour, much like cost cutting in radio can take time to show up in ratings.

There's also another side to AI that rarely gets discussed.

Could voice actors eventually license their own synthetic voices?

Could agents represent both the performer and an authorised AI version of that performer?

And if they do, how do you protect the voice once it leaves your control?

That brings the conversation to contracts, watermarking, voice cloning, the story of the original Siri voice, unauthorised voice use, and why performers need to understand exactly what they are signing before handing over the raw material required to recreate their voice.

AI is clearly changing the business.

The interesting question may not be whether humans disappear, but which jobs change, which jobs vanish, and which ones become even more dependent on human judgement, performance and taste.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Why some voice actors are already feeling the effects of AI

• IVR and repetitive reads as obvious targets for synthetic voices

• Why low cost advertising is adopting AI faster than major creative campaigns

• Robbo's experiment directing an ElevenLabs voice

• Why directing AI can sometimes take longer than directing a performer

• Whether technological change actually destroys industries or reshapes them

• AI generated sound design and the continuing importance of human taste

• AI in radio traffic, weather and news

• Whether audiences should be told when AI is being used

• Short term savings versus long term damage to content quality

• Licensing your own AI voice

• Contracts, ownership and voice cloning

• The story of Siri's original voice

• What happens when a cloned voice escapes into the wild

After finishing Part One with bikes, the team takes a fairly sharp turn into microphone physics.

What makes a microphone directional? How does an interference tube reject sound? Why can the Sennheiser MKH 416 sound fantastic in one booth and thoroughly ordinary in another?

Prompted by tours of the Neumann factory, George, Robert, and AP explore shotgun microphones, cardioid patterns, off axis coloration, acoustic treatment and the physics that manufacturers use to control what a microphone hears.

The discussion includes the Sennheiser MKH 416, MKH 8060, RØDE NTG5, Earthworks Ethos, electret capsules, true condensers and MEMS microphones.

There is even a detour into the oldest captured human voice before everything eventually winds up on Electric Avenue.

 

What actually makes a microphone directional?

In Part One of this seriously nerdy microphone discussion, the team dives into interference tubes, polar patterns, room reflections and the physics behind shotgun microphones.

Prompted by a tour of Neumann's anechoic chamber, George, Robert, AP and Robbo examine whether microphones labelled hypercardioid are always what they claim to be. They explore how the Sennheiser MKH 416 achieves its familiar focused sound, why that same microphone can sound horrible in the wrong booth, and what manufacturers such as RØDE and Sennheiser have done differently with newer designs.

There is also a surprisingly revealing look at acoustic foam, low frequency room modes, the enormous wavelength of a 20 Hz signal, and how combining microphone capsules creates different polar patterns.

Yes, it gets technical. No, the maths does not completely derail the show. Mostly.

This is Part One of a two part episode.

Thanks to Tri Booth and Austrian Audio for supporting The Pro Audio Suite.

Recorded using Source Connect.
Edited by Andrew Peters.
Mixed by Robbo.

Find out more at The Pro Audio Suite.

 

If somebody deleted your entire plugin folder and told you that you could only put five back, what would you choose?

That's the challenge this week on The Pro Audio Suite.

Robbo, George and AP start stripping their setups back to the tools they genuinely rely on, from stock Pro Tools and Apple plugins through to Waves F6, H Reverb, SSL X Limit, TDR Nova, iZotope RX Mouth De Click and plenty more.

But the conversation quickly gets bigger than simply naming favourites.

Do stock plugins make more sense when you need old sessions to open years later? Do you really need a dedicated loudness plugin? Is a channel strip the smartest way to cheat the five plugin limit? And are we spending money automating jobs that are actually faster to do manually?

The guys also get into Serato Pitch 'n Time Pro, Pro Tools time compression, Cvox, Hush, Waves DeBreath, TwistedWave's click repair tools, LM Correct and the strange satisfaction of still doing certain jobs the long way around.

Then the rules change for AP.

Forget five plugins. He can only keep three microphones.

That leads to the 416, the 818, the NTG5, microphone lockers, U87s and eventually one of those classic Pro Audio Suite detours involving Betamax, VHS, Aston Martins, Triumphs, Ferraris and a lifetime of choosing the technically interesting option instead of the one that becomes ridiculously valuable.

So, if you could only keep five plugins, what survives?

The Pro Audio Suite is proudly supported by Tri Booth and Austrian Audio.

AP records the same voice through four very different microphones and sends the files around without revealing what they are. George, Robert, Robbo and a bunch of trusted audio ears rank them purely on what they hear.

Then the mics are revealed.

The result is a pretty good reminder that price, reputation and specifications only tell you so much. What matters is how a microphone actually sounds on the voice and for the job you need it to do.

And just to make the point beautifully, Robbo put the overall winner dead last.

LIBSYN FULL DESCRIPTION

It's time to Guess That Mic.

AP started out making a sample of one microphone for someone. As tends to happen around here, that simple job turned into four microphones, multiple preamps, a pile of audio files and a blind listening test involving ten people.

The idea was simple.

Listen to four mystery microphones on AP's voice. Don't worry about the badge, the price or what you think you're supposed to like. Just rank them.

The result?

Almost nobody agreed.

George liked 3, 4, 2, 1.

Robert went 4, 3, 2, 1.

Robbo went 2, 1, 4, 3.

And the more people AP asked, the more interesting the results became.

Once all ten votes were scored, the final result was:

1st, Mic 3, 27 points
Equal 2nd, Mic 2, 25 points
Equal 2nd, Mic 4, 25 points
4th, Mic 1, 23 points

So what were they?

THE BIG REVEAL

Mic 1
Microtech Gefell M 92.1 S tube condenser with M7 capsule
Recorded through a Grace m101

Mic 2
Microtech Gefell M 930 art

Mic 3
Austrian Audio OC818

Mic 4
AKG C414 EB with nylon CK12 capsule

Mics 2, 3 and 4 were recorded through a Neve 1073.

No processing or high pass filtering was deliberately added to the comparison.

And yes, the Austrian Audio OC818 won the overall vote.

Robbo ranked it last.

Which rather neatly sums up the entire episode.

This was never intended to be a scientific microphone test. It was about something arguably more useful, what happens when people actually listen without knowing the name or price printed on the microphone.

A mic one person describes as smooth and full, someone else hears as dark. One person hears useful presence, someone else hears too much top end. One listener's first choice becomes another listener's fourth.

HOW EVERYONE VOTED

George Whittam: 3, 4, 2, 1
Robert Marshall: 4, 3, 2, 1
Robbo: 2, 1, 4, 3
Chris Gates: 2, 3, 4, 1
Simon Murphy: 1, 2, 4, 3
AJ: 4, 3, 2, 1
Matt McKenzie Smith: 3, 4, 2, 1
Paul Baxter: 3, 1, 2, 4
Matty from Sonic Playground: 1, 2, 3, 4
Mike Aiton: 1, 4, 3, 2

MORE COMMENTS FROM THE SHOOTOUT

Mike Aiton

Mic 1: Sounds really good. Not over hyped anywhere with a good natural midrange. Mike guessed it might be a 416 and picked it as his favourite "by a country mile".

Mic 2: Sibilant around 7.5 kHz, less lower mids and consequently less full sounding. Definitely not Mike's cup of tea.

Mic 3: Subdued top end with a very full bottom end. Mike wondered whether it might be a ribbon.

Mic 4: Mike thought this sounded like a TLM 103, noting the bass lift and saying he would probably reduce some of that for AP's voice.

Matt McKenzie Smith

Mic 1: Matt heard harmonic resonances around 470 Hz and 980 Hz, plus some additional energy around 2.5 kHz.

Mic 2: "Sounds lovely", with a little more prominence around the 4 to 5 kHz area.

Mic 3: Hotter in the low end and sounding great, although Matt noticed a prominent phase offset.

Mic 4: Similar phase offset, along with great low end extension.

Matt's final ranking was:

3, 4, 2, 1

And perhaps that is the real conclusion of the whole exercise.

There isn't a microphone that everybody is going to prefer.

The expensive one isn't automatically better. The one with the flattering frequency response on paper isn't automatically better. And a microphone that sounds gorgeous solo might not necessarily be the one you'd choose when that voice has to fight its way through a commercial mix.

Pick the microphone that works for your voice and your job.

What a bloody novel concept.

Thanks to Tri Booth and Austrian Audio.

Recorded using Source Connect.
Edited by Andrew Peters.
Mixed by Robbo.
Tech wisdom from George the Tech Whittam.

Got your own audio issues? Visit justaskrobbo.com

Don't forget to subscribe to the show and join the conversation on our Facebook group.

Leave a comment, suggest a topic or simply say g'day at theproaudiosuite.com.

Is there actually such a thing as the best voice-over microphone for women?

It sounds like a simple question, but once the Pro Audio Suite starts pulling it apart, things get much more interesting.

This week, George, Robert, and AP look at why choosing a microphone based on whether the talent is male or female probably misses the point entirely. What matters far more is what the voice is actually doing.

Is it bright or dark? Sibilant? Mid forward? Deep and chesty? Does it have a lot of mouth noise? And does the microphone complement those characteristics, or simply exaggerate them?

The crew gets into why a bright voice may benefit from a smoother or darker microphone, why a big baritone does not necessarily need even more bottom end, and why certain microphones can sound fantastic on one voice and downright horrible on another.

Along the way they get into the Sennheiser 416, RØDE NTG3 and NTG5, Austrian Audio OC818 and CC8, Audio Technica AT4047SV, Neumann U47, U67, U87 and TLM 149, ribbon microphones, the Gefell M930, Grace M101 and even the dark art of matching microphones with preamps.

They also look at how much you can fix with a little sympathetic EQ, why ribbons can sometimes be a brilliant solution for bright or aggressive voices, and why auditioning a few microphones on your own voice, in your own space, still beats buying something because somebody on the internet called it "the best".

In this episode

• Why there really isn't a "male mic" or "female mic"

• Matching the microphone to the characteristics of the voice

• Bright and sibilant voices versus darker microphones

• Why deep voices don't necessarily need more bass

• The 416 versus the RØDE NTG3 and NTG5

• Why the Austrian Audio OC818 makes a compelling desert island VO mic

• The AT4047SV and transformer character

• Why an expensive U87 can sound awful on the wrong voice

• Using ribbon microphones for difficult or aggressive vocal tones

• Condenser versus dynamic microphones for voice over

• How microphone transient response can expose mouth noise

• Matching microphones and preamps

• Why auditioning microphones is still the smartest way to choose

Sponsor and Production Credits

Thanks to our sponsors

Tri-Booth
The portable VO booth that works. Save $200 with code TRIPAP200.

Austrian Audio
Making Passion Heard.

Recorded using Source Connect.
Edited by Andrew Peters.
Mixed by Robbo.
Tech support from George the Tech Whittam.

Got your own audio problems?
justaskrobbo.com

Join the conversation, suggest a topic or just say g'day at:

theproaudiosuite.com

How do you build a voiceover audition setup when the room is tiny, space is precious, and you really don't want to pull the whole thing apart every time you're finished?

AP's daughter has moved into a share house in Melbourne and needs something permanent enough to give her consistent audition audio without taking over the room.

The gear is already pretty capable: a RØDE NTG3, CEntrance MicPort Pro, Porta Booth, TwistedWave, Source Connect and a trusty old pair of AKGs. The question is how to put it all together so it actually works.

That gets the guys talking about mic placement, portable acoustic treatment, desk stands versus boom arms, why positioning can matter more than buying a better microphone, and Robert's recent experience trying to record someone through a remarkably cheap USB mic.

Then the conversation turns to a bigger issue for working voice actors. When did having a broadcast quality home studio become something clients simply expected talent to provide for free?

Plus old AKG headphones, MRI headphones, sagging boom arms, remote studio costs, subtle compression and the engineers who can hear processing you thought nobody would ever notice.

Featuring George Whittam, Robert Marshall, Andrew Peters and Robbo.

Recorded using Source Connect.
Edited by Andrew Peters.
Mixed by Robbo.

Got an audio problem of your own? Visit justaskrobbo.com

Join the conversation at theproaudiosuite.com

Do voice actors really need in ear monitors?

They offer excellent isolation and can sound fantastic, but they can also feel uncomfortable, create an unnatural sense of pressure, and make it harder to hear your own voice unless your direct monitoring is set up properly.

In this episode, George, Robert, Robbo and AP look at when headphone isolation genuinely matters, including WALA sessions, radio interviews, music driven reads, remote recording, pickups and situations where headphone bleed can end up permanently embedded in the recording.

They also consider the complete opposite approach. Rather than blocking everything out, could lightweight open headphones give voice actors a more natural performance while still providing enough cue audio for punch and roll recording?

Robbo shares how headphone bleed unexpectedly saved part of a previous Pro Audio Suite episode. A damaged recording contained a missing line from Robert, but a faint version had leaked into another host's headphones. After gaining it up, processing it and running it through Waves ReGen, Robbo was able to slip the repaired line back into the episode.

The team also discusses reading to music, reading to picture, custom in ear monitors, cheap Koss headphones, modular AIAIAI headphones, and Robert's experimental plan to eliminate Source Connect echo with a ribbon microphone, a loudspeaker and some carefully aimed figure-eight rejection.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Why voice actors consider in ear monitors
• When headphone bleed actually causes problems
• Why WALA sessions require serious isolation
• Radio interviews and remote recording echo
• Recording pickups when music has leaked into the original take
• Reading voiceover scripts with music underneath
• When music improves a performance
• Reading to picture and visual timing cues
• How headphone bleed helped rescue a damaged podcast episode
• Using Waves ReGen to reconstruct missing dialogue
• Robert's figure eight microphone experiment
• Why sealed in ears can make some performers feel uncomfortable
• The importance of direct monitoring with IEMs
• Open headphones for punch and roll recording
• Affordable Koss headphones for voice actors
• Custom moulded in ears
• Modular AIAIAI TMA headphones

What is the cleanest way to connect several microphones, preamps and audio interfaces without constantly crawling behind the rack?

AP starts with what sounds like a simple question about expanding the line-level inputs on his Audient iD44. That sends the team down a glorious rabbit hole involving passive switchers, mic splitters, USB converters, matrix routers, the Heritage Audio Synth Buddy, ESI interfaces, Broadcast Tools, Source-Nexus and the Passport VO.

Eventually, one decidedly old-school solution keeps winning the argument: the humble patchbay.

The team discusses quarter-inch, Bantam and TT patchbays, normalled and half-normalled connections, passive mic splitting, phantom power, transformer isolation, corrosion, loose connectors and why adding another preamp stage may not be the sonic disaster people imagine.

Along the way, George mourns the disappearance of simple line-level audio interfaces, Robert explains how passive splitters survive real concert recording jobs, and Robbo demonstrates his remarkable ability to make a straightforward signal path impressively complicated.

In this episode:

• Switching several microphones and preamps into one interface
• Passive line-level switchers versus audio interfaces
• Why a patchbay may be the simplest solution
• Normalled, half-normalled and open patchbay configurations
• Quarter-inch patchbays versus TT and Bantam systems
• Passive microphone splitting and phantom power
• Transformer isolation and troublesome ground loops
• Keeping the signal path clean without overengineering it

The Pro Audio Suite is hosted by George Whittam, Robert Marshall, Andrew Peters and Darren "Robbo" Robertson.

Thanks to our sponsors:

Tri-Booth
Austrian Audio, Making Passion Heard

Leave a comment, suggest a topic or simply say g'day at theproaudiosuite.com.

The Neumann U87 may be one of the most recognisable microphones in the world, but does that make it the right microphone for voiceover and animation?

This week, the team digs into the reputation, sound and real world value of the U87. Andrew is considering one for Somerset's animation work, which sparks a much bigger discussion about why certain microphones become industry standards and whether producers genuinely require them.

We compare the U87 with alternatives including the Neumann TLM 103, TLM 193, U89, Sennheiser MKH 416, Microtech Gefell models and the Austrian Audio OC818.

The conversation covers:

• Why animation studios sometimes record with both a U87 and a 416
• Whether microphone requirements are about sound or repeatability
• The differences between older U87s and newer U87 Ai models
• Why a great microphone can still sound ordinary in a poor room
• The U87 compared with the Austrian Audio OC818
• Transformer and transformerless microphone designs
• Whether the mic, preamp or converter makes the biggest difference
• Why performance and room acoustics still come first
• Processing, reverb and the engineer's role in the final sound

Is the U87 still the ultimate voiceover microphone, or has its reputation become bigger than the microphone itself?

Thanks to our sponsors:

Austrian Audio
Making Passion Heard.

Find out more about the team and the show at theproaudiosuite.com.

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, the crew dives into the weirdly perfect world of AI fixing AI.

Robert shares a corporate video job about AI adoption that was, rather beautifully, rescued by AI audio cleanup. Robbo jumps in with his own tale of a big corporate shoot where the lapel mics were fitted, but somehow the camera mic was what got recorded. Enter Source Elements ReGen.

The team talks through where tools like ReGen sit in the real world of audio post. Not as a first choice, not as a magic button, but as a serious get out of jail option when the recording is so far gone that traditional noise reduction is not really the answer anymore.

From there, things take a sharp left into AI watermarking, audio disclosure, stealth metadata, digital rights management, and whether AI voices on radio should be clearly labelled. Is the problem AI itself, or is it the lack of honesty around how it is being used?

There is also a brief but important discussion about using AI cleanup for auditions, why bad audio can affect casting decisions before anyone even realises it, and whether Robbo should launch his own service called RoboGen.

In this episode:

• Source Elements ReGen in real post-production jobs
• Fixing badly recorded corporate audio
• Why ReGen is different from normal noise reduction
• AI audio cleanup for voiceover auditions
• Watermarking AI images and audio
• Disclosure around AI voices on radio
• Why honesty may matter more than the tool itself
• The birth of RoboGen, unfortunately

Thanks to our sponsors Austrian Audio, making passion heard.

Got your own audio issues? Just Ask Robbo.

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, George brings out a little show and tell with the SSL One, SSL's compact single mic preamp interface aimed squarely at the same world as the Scarlett Solo and other simple home studio boxes.

The team gets into what actually matters for voice actors and home studio users, including physical gain knobs, direct monitoring, high pass filters, 4K mode, USB-C connections, headphone control, auto gain, clip protection, and why simple interfaces are sometimes the best interfaces.

There is also a little live testing with Twisted Wave, a quick look at Source Elements Recorder on mobile, some PASport VO phone patch chat, and the usual collection of detours involving Jack FM, trap doors, yacht rock, and turntables that apparently survive being moved while playing.

If you are a voice actor, producer, podcaster, or home studio owner trying to choose an audio interface without accidentally buying a puzzle box, this one is worth a watch.

Thanks to our sponsors, Austrian Audio.

Recorded using Source-Connect, edited by Andrew Peters, and mixed by Voodoo Sound.

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, the crew dives into one of the biggest traps in audio production: trusting what you think you're hearing.

Robbo talks about working in an unfamiliar studio and being reminded how much your room, routing, monitoring chain, headphones, templates and habits shape the way you work. The conversation moves into headphone mixing, crossfeed, SPL monitoring, virtual control rooms, Sonarworks, Waves room emulation, EQ Mac, old school graphic EQs, and the fine art of not destroying your mix because your room has a 120Hz attitude problem.

There's also a proper old school tangent involving INXS, cassettes, car checks, Chernobyl, 1980s hi fi EQs, and the horror of someone flattening your carefully rung out live sound graphics.

If you've ever mixed in a strange room, questioned your headphones, or wondered whether your monitors are telling the truth, this one's for you.

Thanks to our sponsors, Austrian Audio.

The team breaks down what "acceptable audio" really means for voice actors recording from home, from reflections and noise to mic placement, editing, clothing rustle and using reference recordings.

What actually counts as acceptable audio when you're recording voiceover from home?

That question came up after Robbo spoke with a group of aspiring voice actors in Perth. The advice was simple enough, don't overprocess, don't gate everything, and send clean raw audio when asked. But one student asked the thing every beginner wants to know: how do I know if what I'm recording is actually good enough?

In this episode, Robbo, Robert, George and eventually AP unpack the answer. They talk about why reflections are often a bigger problem than background noise, why "boxy" booth sound is so hard to fix, and why a great recording is usually more about the room than the microphone.

The crew also gets into mic technique, the danger of editing yourself into oblivion, clothing noise, hair rustle, inconsistent recording levels, portable booths, the value of reference recordings, and why sometimes "consistent but flawed" is much easier to work with than audio that keeps changing from take to take.

There's also a detour into rare microphones, a surprise AP entrance, and Robbo discovering that the PASport VO may have just made phone patching easier than expected.

Thanks to our sponsors, Austrian Audio, making passion heard.

Apple has not always been known as the bargain option, but the latest Apple Silicon Macs might be changing that conversation.

In this episode, the team gets into the surprising value of the M4 Mac Mini, why even a base model can be serious overkill for many voice actors, and how smaller machines like the MacBook Air and MacBook "Neo" style systems compare for remote sessions, Source Connect, Pro Tools, and travel rigs.

The conversation also wanders into classic Pro Audio Suite territory, including old Macs that refuse to die, running Linux or Windows on ageing Apple hardware, right to repair, weird manufacturer lockouts, obsolete cables, Shure MV88 bargain hunting, Pro Tools archiving disasters, and why keeping your sessions self contained still matters.

There is also a very important chainsaw story. Obviously.

Thanks to our sponsors, Austrian Audio, making passion heard for supporting the show.

00:00 Intro and sponsor mention
00:33 Talking Macs before the show
01:20 The M4 Mac Mini and Apple's surprising value
02:29 Apple Silicon price to performance
03:38 Why older M1 machines still hold up
04:02 Using a Mac Mini as a road computer
05:22 Is the Mac Mini overkill for VO work?
06:38 MacBook Air, external monitors, and display quirks
09:04 Apple cables, chips, and control
10:04 The end of Lightning and the move to USB C
12:09 Audio interfaces on iPhone and iPad
12:30 Shure MV88 bargains for older iPhones
14:43 Right to repair
16:11 Robbo's old chainsaw story
18:21 Repair restrictions and replacement culture
19:29 Mac longevity
20:18 Running Windows on an old iMac
22:03 Linux on old Apple hardware
25:29 Old drives, CDs, DVDs, and lost archives
26:12 Mezzo and old Pro Tools backups
27:13 Missing Pro Tools audio files
28:33 Pro Tools archiving tip, sort by file path
29:54 Wrap up and credits

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, things go gloriously off the rails.

AP has been rebuilding his studio, and is talking reclaimed timber and custom desks, George is showing off weird vintage Apple gear, and somewhere in the middle, the boys fall down a rabbit hole involving Korg M1s, old ISDN boxes, retro synths, ancient Macs, and why audio people can never throw anything away.

There's also a surprisingly deep discussion about why the physical studio environment matters creatively, why a tidy desk changes your mindset, and how modern workflows are reshaping how studios are built and used.

Plus:
• Studio rebuild ideas and workflow tweaks
• Reclaimed timber stories from Australia and the US
• Vintage synths and old gear suddenly becoming valuable again
• Apple Neos, fanless laptops, and remote session setups
• PASport VO in real world workflows
• Why old Macs refuse to die
• The weird psychology of creative spaces
• 80s and 90s music production nostalgia
• Why nobody seems to jam together anymore

It's part studio therapy session, part gear archaeology dig, and part pub chat between audio nerds.

Thanks to our sponsors: Tri-Booth and Austrian Audio.

 

What happens when audio is so bad… even the best plugins can't save it?

In this episode of The Pro Audio Suite, we're joined by Michael "Gomez" Pearce-Adams from Waves Audio to talk about Voice Regeneration, a new AI-driven tool designed to rebuild poor-quality dialogue into something actually usable.

And this isn't just noise reduction or EQ… it's a complete rethink of how broken audio gets fixed.

We dig into:

• Why this will never be a plugin
• How AI is actually "rebuilding" voice recordings
• Real-world use cases, from podcast disasters to phone interviews
• What this means for audio engineers and post-production
• The limits of AI audio, and where it still falls over

There's also a bigger conversation here about where the industry is heading, and whether tools like this are helping or hurting the craft.

If you've ever been handed unusable audio and told "can you fix this?", this one's for you.

🎙️ What You'll Hear in This Episode

• Why traditional tools fail on truly bad audio
• The rise of content creators as the biggest audio market
• Cloud processing vs plugin workflows
• Ethical concerns around AI and audio data
• Accent bias in AI models and why it matters
• Real examples of voice regeneration in action
• How fast AI processing is changing expectations

🔗 Links & Resources

• 🌐 Waves Voice Regeneration: https://www.waves.com/voice-regeneration
• 🎧 More episodes: https://www.proaudiosuite.com
• 💬 Join the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/357898255543203

🙌 Sponsors

Thanks to our mates at:

• Tri-Booth – Portable vocal booths built for voice pros.
  Use code TRYPAS200 for $200 off.
• Austrian Audio – Making passion heard with world-class microphones like the OC818 and OC18.

TwistedWave has dropped updates that feel like they were built for anyone smashing through a pile of auditions or VO edits every day.

George walks through what's new in 32.3 and 32.4, including the ability to apply a Batch directly to your currently open file and map that Batch to a single keystroke. That means you can normalise to a target level, then apply a processing stack, all in one hit, without the old multi step workflow.

Then there's the new Repair tool, a quick "auto heal" style fix for little clicks, mouth noises, and short waveform anomalies. Select the problem area, hit a key, and TwistedWave smooths it out. No fiddly sample drawing required.

Also included, a friendly rant about software developers changing things that don't need changing, and why options matter.

Sponsors, Tribooth and Austrian Audio, Making Passion Heard.

Recorded using Source Connect. Edited by Andrew Peters. Mixed by Robbo.

 

Loopback is one of the most common and misunderstood problems in home studios.

In this episode of The Pro Audio Suite, the team breaks down how the new Nexus Suite, specifically Nexus Review, makes it dramatically easier to capture system audio, create proper mix-minus setups, and send playback to clients without complicated routing.

If you have ever wrestled with UA Console routing, virtual drivers, Chrome output quirks, or Mac system audio conflicts, this one is for you.

We cover:

• Why traditional loopback setups get messy fast
• The UA console routing method and its limitations
• How Nexus Review captures system audio automatically
• Why this eliminates feedback loops
• Whether you still need an Apollo
• Chrome finally fixing its output bug
• What this means for USB interfaces and simpler setups

If you are podcasting, live streaming, directing voice talent, or running remote sessions, this episode will save you time and headaches.

Thanks to our sponsors:

Tri-Booth
Professional vocal booths that keep your recordings clean and controlled. Use the code TRIPAP200 for $200 off yours...

Austrian Audio
Makers of the OC818, OC18 and more. Making passion heard.

In this episode of The Pro Audio Suite, the team dives into some major shifts in the audio industry.

Audio Tonics has acquired DPA, Austrian Audio, SSL, Harrison and more. What does this wave of consolidation mean for boutique brands and the future of innovation?

Then we unpack the developing Native Instruments insolvency proceedings. With Kontakt, iZotope, Plugin Alliance and Brainworx under that umbrella, what could this mean for producers, composers and post professionals? And does this reignite the subscriptions versus perpetual debate?

We also wander into:

• Neumann U47 reissue rumours
• The real value of vintage microphones
• Why old music keeps resurfacing
• 8-tracks, cassettes, DAT and the democratisation of audio
• LimeWire confessions and plugin hoarding

A wide ranging conversation about where audio has been and where it might be heading.

Thanks to our sponsors:

🎧 Austrian Audio – Making Passion Heard
🎙 Tribooth – Use code TRIPAP200 for $200 off

Find out more at https://theproaudiosuite.com
Watch on YouTube and subscribe for future episodes.

In this episode of The Pro Audio Suite, the team digs into a large-scale remote recording with Robert Marshall, capturing a full orchestra and 100-plus voice choir performing Handel's Messiah inside a church.

Robert breaks down his microphone choices, including Neumann KM184s, Austrian Audio CC8s, Schoeps mains, and why ORTF still delivers a convincing stereo image in complex acoustic spaces. We also talk about spot mic placement for piano and soloists, blending ambience naturally without artificial reverb, and the realities of recording live with zero second chances.

The conversation drifts into mobile recording rigs, spinning-disk backups, FireWire laptops, remote recording trucks, and the kind of gear paranoia that only comes from doing this work solo for decades.

It's a proper deep dive into classical capture, stereo technique, redundancy, and why "old-school" workflows still hold up in 2026.

Sponsors:
Thanks to Austrian Audio – Making Passion Heard
And Tri-Booth
Use code TRIPAP200 to save $200 on your Tri-Booth.

A fascinating piece of gear quietly surfaced ahead of NAMM, and it sent us down a deep rabbit hole.

In this episode of The Pro Audio Suite, the crew digs into the Carno Sepia system, a digitally controlled, fully analog modular hardware platform that feels like a modern reimagining of the 500 series concept, minus the knobs.

We unpack how it works, who it's really for, and whether this kind of hybrid approach is genuine innovation or just another expensive way to chase "analog purity." Along the way, we talk NAMM expectations, Sweetwater leaks, digitally controlled analog routing, redundancy, reliability fears, scratchy pots, touring rigs, and whether DSP has already caught up anyway.

This one is equal parts curiosity, scepticism, and hard-earned industry perspective.

In this episode:

• A NAMM-bound product that surfaced early on Sweetwater

• Digitally controlled analog hardware with no physical controls

• How Carno Sepia compares to traditional 500 series systems

• Routing, redundancy, and remote control advantages

• Real-world concerns around longevity and software dependency

• Analog obsession vs modern DSP reality

• Who this gear actually makes sense for

• Why some innovation feels brilliant and ridiculous at the same time
  
  Thanks to Tri-Booth and Austrian Audio for supporting The Pro Audio Suite.

2025 has been a big year for The Pro Audio Suite, so this episode is a full end-of-year wrap up with Robbo, Andrew Peters, George "The Tech" Whitham, and Robert Marshall.

We look back at the biggest moments, the most downloaded episodes, the conversations that sparked the most reaction, and the industry shifts that actually mattered.

From the launch of the PASport VO and real-world use cases, to persistent Source-Connect confusion, to the realities of AI in voiceover and audio production, this episode ties together the themes that defined 2025 for working audio pros.

We also talk gear myths, room realities, video versus audio podcasting, career curveballs, and why experience still beats prompts every single time.

If you've followed the show this year, this is the episode that puts it all in context.

 

Key Topics Covered

• The biggest Pro Audio Suite episodes of 2025

• PASport VO real-world workflows and lessons learned

• Source-Connect 3 vs 4, and why the bridge episode mattered

• Why AI still struggles with direction, nuance, and repeatability

• Gear matters less than people think, but understanding it matters more

• Room setup and monitoring mistakes that keep catching people out

• Audio-only vs video podcasting, what's worth the effort

• Career curveball gigs from the hosts this year

• Why experience still wins over automation

Thanks to our sponsors:

• Tri‑Booth

• Austrian Audio

Recorded using Source-Connect
Edited by Andrew Peters

Mixed by Voodoo Sound

This week the team dives into one of the strangest mics we've ever had on the show.
A client of George's sent through a full placement test of the Aston Element, the active moving-coil oddball with its own made-up technology name, the Rydion capsule. Aston claims it blends the bottom end of a dynamic, the clarity of a condenser, and the smoothness of a ribbon. Big call.

We compare it directly against a 416 and a TLM103, and the reactions in the room say everything.
Does it punch above its weight?
Is it just a quirky USB-era gimmick?
Does it actually compete with entry-level VO mics?
And most importantly, would any of us actually buy one?

We also wander into proximity effect, capsule placement inside shotgun mics, and George literally dismantles an NTG4 on air. Good fun.

If you're a mic nerd or you love oddball gear, you'll enjoy this one.

Brought to you by Tri-Booth and Austrian Audio.
Tri-Booth discount code: TRIPAP200 for 200 bucks off.
Austrian Audio, making passion heard.

Episode recorded and produced by The Pro Audio Suite.

Listen, explore, connect at proaudiosuite.com

This week we're digging into the skills that used to define the studio, back when audio wasn't just about tools and tech but the craft behind the session itself. Punch-ins, drop-ins, reading along with yourself, directing talent, matching pitch on the fly, using feel instead of formulas… so much of this has disappeared from the modern workflow.

Robbo, AP, George and Robert swap stories from the tape era, pick apart why many of these skills are fading, and talk about what VO talent and engineers can learn from the old way of doing things. From casting realities to coaching blind spots, and even how quickly a demo gets skipped in a session, it's equal parts fun and brutally honest.

We also touch on Toby Ricketts' blog on breath control and unseen punctuation
https://www.tobyrickettsvoiceover.com/blog/unseen-punctuation-how-breath-control-engages-eardrums

Thanks to our sponsors TriBooth and Austrian Audio.
Use code TRY200 for 200 dollars off your TriBooth.

Recorded using Source Connect, edited by Andrew Peters, mixed by Robbo.
Join the chat in our Facebook group.

Breaths — they're natural, emotional, and sometimes downright necessary. But should they always stay in your voice tracks?

This week, the crew dives into the great de-breathing debate, inspired by a post from voice actor Toby Ricketts on how breaths act as "unseen punctuation."

Robbo, AP, George the Tech, and Robert Marshall discuss when removing them improves clarity and when it strips away the performance.

Along the way, they touch on AI voices, happy accidents, and the fine art of keeping things human — from Sting's laugh on Roxanne to Chad Smith breaking a drumstick mid-take.

They also chat about Austrian Audio's new CC8 Supercardioid — a small-diaphragm beauty George currently has in front of him.

Is it time to stop editing the life out of your sound? Tune in and take a breath.

🧠 Episode Keywords / Hashtags

#ProAudioSuite #VoiceOver #AudioEditing #DeBreathing #VoiceActing #AIvoices #SoundDesign #Mixing #PodcastProduction #GeorgeTheTech #AustrianAudio #Tribooth

🏷 Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by TriBooth and Austrian Audio.
Use the code TRIPAP200 to get $200 off your TriBooth.
Austrian Audio — Making Passion Heard.

🌐 Links

• Toby Ricketts' Blog: "Unseen Punctuation – How Breath Control Engages Eardrums"

• Austrian Audio CC8 Supercardioid

• The Pro Audio Suite Website

• YouTube Channel

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts

• Amazon Music

Finally! Apple's latest iOS 26 update gives users control over which mic their iPhone or iPad apps use. Whether you're recording with AirPods, a PASport VO, or your favourite external mic, you can now select your input per app — a massive leap for voice actors, podcasters, and mobile content creators.

The team also unpacks the new AirPods Pro 3 and their surprisingly usable mic quality, adaptive noise reduction, and hearing-aid features. As always, the conversation goes off the rails (in the best way) with plenty of laughs and gear talk.

🎙️ In this episode:

• Choosing your mic per app in iOS 26

• AirPods Pro 3 mic tests & live translation

• Adaptive noise reduction that actually works

• Using iPhones for auditions (and why it's fine in a pinch)

• iFixit teardown & the repairability debate

• Chaotica Eyeball + iPhone = quick VO setup

🎛️ Hosts:
Andrew Peters, George 'The Tech' Whittam, Robert Marshall, and Darren 'Robbo' Robertson

🎧 Sponsors:

• TriBooth — use code TRIPAP200 for $200 off

• Austrian Audio — Making passion heard

🔗 Join the conversation:
Facebook Group: The Pro Audio Suite Podcast Group
Website: www.proaudiosuite.com

This week, the crew takes a hard look at reflection filters — those curved bits of foam and metal you often see sitting behind microphones.

Do they really make your recordings sound better, or are they just clever marketing?

George "The Tech" Whittam, Robbo, Robert Marshall, and Andrew Peters break down what reflection filters actually do (and don't do), why they often make voiceovers sound worse, and what to invest in instead if you want to improve your room sound.

From the SE Electronics RF-X to the Aston Halo, the team compares designs, materials, and real-world results — and offers smarter, more effective alternatives for both travelling and home setups.

🎧 Recorded using Source Connect
🎚️ Edited by Andrew Peters. Mixed by Robbo.

🔊 Thanks to Our Sponsors

This episode is brought to you by:
🎙️ Tri-Booth — the portable vocal booth used by the pros.
💰 Use code TRIPAP200 for $200 off your Tri-Booth at tribooth.com.

🎧 Austrian Audio — Making Passion Heard.
Check out their full range of professional mics and headphones at austrian.audio.

🔗 Links & Extras

🌐 theproaudiosuite.com
💬 Join the conversation: Pro Audio Suite Facebook Group
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music

Ever wondered what those strange wooden grids on studio walls actually do? In this week's episode, the guys dive into diffusers — how they work, when to use them, and why your small booth might not be the best place for one.

We also chat about the brand-new Austrian Audio CC8 Supercardioid — the latest addition to their small-diaphragm condenser range — and how it performs in real-world sessions.

From quadratic and skyline diffusers to the mysterious Fresnel-style designs, we break down what each type does to your sound, and why diffusion is often misunderstood.

George shares insights from a beautifully treated garden-shed studio (yes, really), Robbo recalls diffusers hanging as ceiling "clouds" at Foxtel, and the crew even take a detour into restaurant acoustics — because if you can't hear your dining partner, maybe they need better room treatment too!

Whether you're building a home studio or just want your booth to sound a little bigger, this one's packed with real-world advice (and a few laughs along the way).

🎧 MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

• Austrian Audio CC8 Supercardioid (and upcoming release)

• Quadratic, skyline, and Fresnel diffusers

• Tube traps and hybrid panels

• Auralex and GIK Acoustics products

• RPG diffusers

• Blackbird Studios Nashville

• Soundprint App (for measuring restaurant noise levels)

🔊 SPONSORS

Tri-Booth — Get $200 off your Tri-Booth with the code TRIPAP200 at tribooth.com
Austrian Audio — Makers of the OC818, OC18, and the brand-new CC8 Supercardioid. Making passion heard.

🌐 LINKS

🎧 www.proaudiosuite.com
🎥 YouTube: @proaudiosuitepodcast
💬 Join the discussion: Pro Audio Suite Facebook Group

Levels mysteriously rising and falling with no changes in your setup? In this episode of The Pro Audio Suite, we go hunting for those dreaded signal-chain gremlins.

From flaky TRS connections that drop a balanced leg and cause sudden 6 dB losses, to patchbay switches that "moved themselves," to the quirks of send/return jacks on interfaces like the Audient iD series—we unpack the common culprits behind random level swings.

We also share a practical, step-by-step troubleshooting method called binary reduction: change one thing at a time, ideally from the middle of the chain, and halve your suspect list with every move.

What you'll learn:

• Why XLR usually outperforms TRS for reliable, balanced connections

• How to "exercise" or clean jacks to stop intermittent dropouts

• How the Return jack on the Audient iD bypasses the preamp (and why the Send is half-normalled)

• Why patchbays and inserts can be both lifesavers and headaches

• The simple logic of binary reduction for solving audio mysteries fast

Mentioned: Grace m101, Audient iD22/iD44, Mackie inserts, Apogee Duet, phantom power quirks, Behringer patchbay switches.

Sponsors:

• TriBooth — use code TRIPAP200 for USD $200 off your TriBooth

• Austrian Audio — Making passion heard.

Credits: Recorded via Source-Connect. Edited by Andrew Peters. Mixed by Robbo. Tech support by George "The Tech" Whittam. theproaudiosuite.com

This week the guys take a quick dive into one of the biggest factors that can make or break your booth sound: the room itself. From walk-in wardrobes to DIY blanket forts and even apartments in Rome, we talk about what really matters when it comes to room size, shape, reflections, and treatment.

Spoiler alert: bigger isn't always better, but dead is definitely good.

Thanks to our sponsors TriBooth (use code TRIPAP200 for $200 off) and Austrian Audio – making passion heard.

Edited by Andrew Peters. Mixed by Robbo. Recorded via Source Connect with tech support from George "The Tech" Whittam.

Got your own audio issues? JustAskRobbo.com. Join the conversation in our Facebook group or drop us a note at theproaudiosuite.com.

voiceover booth, recording booth, room acoustics, voice acting tips, home studio setup, soundproofing, Pro Audio Suite, George the Tech, TriBooth, Austrian Audio

#ProAudioSuite #VoiceOver #HomeStudio #RecordingBooth #TriBooth #AustrianAudio #SourceConnect

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, the team dives into a question every engineer, producer, and voice actor has wrestled with: is outboard gear still worth the space and the spend?

From vintage LA-2As and Neve compressors to Avalons, VariMus, and the rise of clones and plug-ins, we break down:

• Whether classic hardware really goes up in value

• Why collectors, commercial studios, and voice actors see things differently

• The surprising role of AI in modeling old gear

• When plug-ins are "close enough"… and when they're not

• Tales of gear that doubled in value (and some that didn't keep up with inflation)

Join Robbo, AP, George the Tech, and Robert Marshall as they debate if that rack of gear is an investment or just taking up space.

Recorded with Source-Connect, edited by Andrew Peters, and mixed by Robbo.

🔗 Find us online at proaudiosuite.com

Thanks to our sponsors:
🎤 Tribooth — use code TRIPAP200 for $200 off
🎙 Austrian Audio — Making Passion Heard

We're busting some of the biggest myths still floating around VO and podcast studios. From noise gates that wreck your takes to USB mics that promise "pro quality" but rarely deliver, we cut through the nonsense and share what actually works.

In this episode:

• Noise gates: why they usually cause more harm than good

• Noise reduction: AI vs old-school fingerprint NR

• USB mics: when they fail and why they're limiting

• Expensive mics: shiny gear doesn't fix a bad room

• Coaching: how much do you really need once you're working?

• Booths & acoustics: why treatment matters more than a box, and why high ceilings aren't the enemy

Hosts: Andrew Peters, George Whittam, Robert Marshall, and Robbo
Sponsors: Proudly supported by Tri-Booth and Austrian Audio

George heads out on a time-sensitive PSA to capture wild VO lines at an actor's house — and rebuilds a lean, one-case kit on the fly. We dig into what made the rig work, why he chose an onboard recorder for redundancy, mic choices (NTG-4 vs NTG-5), and a stack of road-tested tips from our early days hauling DA-88s, DATs and Franken-booms.

What we cover:

• Packing everything into a Pelican 1510 (laptop, interface, mic, stand, boom)

• Primary vs backup: PortCaster with onboard record + laptop DAW

• Why the NTG-4 worked (once the low-cut was off) and when the NTG-5 is nicer

• Quiet-room scouting at talent's home (carpet, bookshelves, sofa placement)

• Redundancy paranoia that saves the day (and the gig)

• Old-school sync and remote workflows: clapper slates, Boom Recorder, Reaper, DA-88s, DAT, Ramza/Fostex rigs

Gear & software mentioned:
Pelican 1510, Sentrance MicPort Pro, PortCaster, RØDE NTG-4/NTG-5, Grace Lunatec V2, Sony & Tascam DAT, Boom Recorder, Reaper, DA-88, Fostex 9624, Ramza 8-bus.

Sponsors:
TRI-BOOTH — use code TRIPAP200 for $200 off your Tri-Booth.
Austrian Audio — Making Passion Heard.

Credits:
Recorded via Source-Connect. Edited by Andrew Peters. Mixed by Robbo. Tech support from George "The Tech" Whittam. Got an audio issue? JustAskRobbo.com

 

Ever been caught in a panic when Source-Connect 3 won't talk to Source-Connect 4? You're not alone. In this week's Pro Audio Suite, the team dives into the Source-Connect Bridge—what it is, why it exists, and how it can save your session.

Robbo shares a real-world case of a talent stuck between versions, Robert explains how the Bridge works behind the scenes, and George breaks down when it's the best option (hint: travelling VO talent on Windows, we're looking at you).

We also get sidetracked on long VO sessions, Apple's memo banning typewriters in 1980, and why agencies sometimes make a 10-second tag take two and a half hours.

Whether you're a studio, talent, or just someone who's had "version hell" ruin your morning, this episode is a must-listen.

🔗 Find out more at www.proaudiosuite.com

Sponsors:

• 🎙️ Tri-Booth – Get $200 off with code TRIPAP200 at tribooth.com

• 🎤 Austrian Audio – Making passion heard

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, the team open up their plug-in folders and share their favourites — from free finds to trusty old processors and some surprising new AI tools.

Robbo kicks things off with TDR Nova, a free dynamic EQ/multiband compressor that's perfect for VO artists working in home studios. Robert digs back into his bag of tricks with Waves C4/C6, still unbeatable for multiband control after all these years. George brings Acon Extract Dialog to the table, showing how modern AI can pull voices cleanly from noisy recordings. Along the way, we debate noise reduction chains, "less is more" processing, and why not every AI fix is the magic bullet people think it is.

If you're looking for plug-ins that actually help (without emptying your wallet), this one's for you.

🏷 Hashtags / Tags

voiceover, plugins, audio plugins, vst plugins, audio production, pro tools, audition, twisted wave, waves audio, izotope, acon digital, tokyo dawn records, tdr nova, waves c4, multiband compressor, de esser, noise reduction, clarity vx, source connect, home studio, podcast editing, pro audio suite

🙌 Credits

The Pro Audio Suite is proudly sponsored by TriBooth (use code TRIPAP200 for $200 off) and Austrian Audio — Making Passion Heard.
Recorded via Source Connect. Edited by Andrew Peters. Mixed by Robbo.
Tech support from George the Tech Whittam.

Got your own audio issues? 👉 JustAskRobbo.com

Latency, it's that tiny, annoying delay between what you say and what you hear back. In the studio, online, or even in your own headphones, it can trip you up, wreck your timing, and make you feel like you're talking to yourself in slow motion.

In this episode of The Pro Audio Suite, Robbo, AP, George, and Robert dig into:

• What latency really is (and why it's not just a tech buzzword)

• How it sneaks into your recording chain

• The difference between "good" latency and "bad" latency

• Fixes you can do right now without buying a new rig

• When hardware or interface upgrades actually make sense

Whether you're a VO artist fighting through a remote session, a podcaster dealing with talkback lag, or a studio pro chasing perfect sync, this is your guide to killing the delay and getting back in the groove.

Proudly supported by Tri-Booth and Austrian Audio, we only partner with brands we believe in, and these two deliver the goods for pro audio pros like you.

🎙 Listen now and get ahead of the delay.

Proudly supported by our mates at Tri-Booth and Austrian Audio.
Tri-Booth gives you a world-class recording space that fits in your spare room (or your suitcase), while Austrian Audio mics deliver the clarity and detail that make every take shine. We use them, we trust them, and we think you'll love them too.

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, Robbo and AP pull apart one of the most alarming AI voice contracts we've ever seen. An offer of $2,500 USD for perpetual, irrevocable rights to your voice? Sounds tempting… but here's why this could destroy your career.

We dig into:

• The fine print that locks your voice away forever

• How AI voice deals strip away future earnings

• Why SAG-AFTRA and other bodies are pushing back

• The long-term cost of a short-term payday

Before you sign anything, listen to this episode. Your career might depend on it.

🎧 Join the conversation: www.proaudiosuite.com

✅ Sponsors:

👉 TriBooth – Use code TRIPAP200 for $200 off: https://www.tribooth.com
👉 Austrian Audio – Making Passion Heard: https://austrian.audio

🎧 Subscribe to The Pro Audio Suite: www.proaudiosuite.com

AI voices are popping up everywhere , from audiobooks to YouTube explainer videos, but SAG-AFTRA has just drawn a line in the sand. In this episode, the team dives into the union's new "no contract, no work" order against companies using AI voice replicas without being signatories.

We unpack:

• What the new SAG-AFTRA policy means for voice actors.

• Why YouTube is demonetizing AI-driven "headless" channels.

• The growing issue of AI-generated bands and synthetic music on Spotify.

• The human factor: Will art survive if AI takes over the creative process?

Plus, a few old-school ideas about bringing back handwritten letters and board games!

Thanks to our sponsors:

• Tri-Booth — The portable VO booth that works. Save $200 with code TRIPAP200.

• Austrian Audio — Making Passion Heard.

Links & Resources:

• Join the conversation on our Facebook group

• Visit us at theproaudiosuite.com

Recorded using Source Connect, mixed by Robbo, and edited by Andrew Peters.

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we pit two Austrian Audio mics head-to-head: the compact CC8 pencil mic versus the classic OC18 large diaphragm condenser — both run through the PASport VO interface.

The results? Surprisingly close.

AP takes the CC8 for a spin in his booth and on the road, while George and Robert weigh in on specs, noise floors, travel setups, shotgun myths, and why mic placement matters more than mic price in many situations.

We also dig into the legacy of the Sennheiser 416, explore the quirks of mic voicing, and chat about some esoteric models only mic nerds will remember.

Whether you're a gear head, a travelling VO, or just mic-curious — this one's for you.

👊 Shout out to our sponsors:

• TriBooth – Get $200 off with code PASA200

• Austrian Audio – Makers of the OC18 and CC8 we tested today

🎙️ Recorded via Source Connect
🎛️ Edited by Andrew Peters
🎚️ Mixed by Robbo

🌐 More episodes and info: theproaudiosuite.com
📢 Join the convo on Facebook: The Pro Audio Suite Group

When Should You Process Your Audio—and When Should You Leave It Clean?

Description:
This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we're tackling a topic that trips up a lot of voice talent: processed voice over.

What does "processing" really mean when a client asks for it? Should you send your files squeaky clean, lightly polished, or fully mastered? And how do you avoid overcooking your audio before it even hits the mix?

George Whittam, Robert Marshall, Andrew Peters, and Robbo break it all down, including:
🎙️ What basic processing actually involves
🔊 The difference between a gentle clean-up and heavy-handed treatment
📂 How to ask the right questions so you deliver exactly what your client expects
🎧 Why your environment matters more than your plugins

Proudly sponsored by Tri-Booth and Austrian Audio.
We only endorse products we actually believe in—and these are two of the best in the game.

Don't forget to check out Tri-Booth (use code TRIPAP200) and explore the OC818 from Austrian Audio for your studio.

Links Mentioned:
🌐 The Pro Audio Suite Website
🌐 Tri-Booth
🌐 Austrian Audio

This week, the team tackles the most common myths about the Tri-Booth – the portable recording solution trusted by countless voice actors and audio pros. From misconceptions about its sound isolation, to confusion about setup and portability, we dig into what's real and what's just internet chatter.

Andrew shares his first-hand experience using a Tri-Booth on the road, Robbo explains how it compares to permanent studio spaces, and George breaks down the physics of why it works (or doesn't) in certain environments.

If you've been considering a Tri-Booth or wondering whether it's worth the investment, this episode will give you the clarity you need to make an informed choice.

Highlights:

• What the Tri-Booth can and can't do for your sound

• How real users set it up successfully

• Why some people expect miracles from any portable booth

• The biggest mistakes people make when judging its performance

• How it compares to purpose-built spaces

Episode Resources:
🔗 Tri-Booth Official Site

Sponsors:

• Tri-Booth – Record anywhere, sound amazing. tribooth.com

• Austrian Audio – Makers of the OC818 and other world-class microphones.

Connect with us:
🌐 proaudiosuite.com
📺 YouTube Channel
🎧 Listen on Spotify
🎙️ Listen on Amazon Music

Join Our Community:
👉 Facebook Group

A big shout out to our sponsors, Austrian Audio and Tri Booth. Both these companies are providers of QUALITY Audio Gear (we wouldn't partner with them unless they were), so please, if you're in the market for some new kit, do us a solid and check out their products, and be sure to tell em "Robbo, George, Robert, and AP sent you"... As a part of their generous support of our show, Tri Booth is offering $200 off a brand-new booth when you use the code TRIPAP200. So get onto their website now and secure your new booth...

https://tribooth.com/

And if you're in the market for a new Mic or killer pair of headphones, check out Austrian Audio. They've got a great range of top-shelf gear.. 

https://austrian.audio/

We have launched a Patreon page in the hopes of being able to pay someone to help us get the show to more people and in turn help them with the same info we're sharing with you. If you aren't familiar with Patreon, it's an easy way for those interested in our show to get exclusive content and updates before anyone else, along with a whole bunch of other "perks" just by contributing as little as $1 per month. Find out more here..

https://www.patreon.com/proaudiosuite


George has created a page that is strictly for Pro Audio Suite listeners, so check it out for the latest discounts and offers for TPAS listeners.

https://georgethe.tech/tpas

If you haven't filled out our survey on what you'd like to hear on the show, you can do it here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZWT5BTD

Join our Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/proaudiopodcast

And the FB Group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/357898255543203

For everything else (including joining our mailing list for exclusive previews and other goodies), check out our website

https://www.theproaudiosuite.com/

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional."

Hunter S Thompson

Ever watched Spider-Man swinging across the city and heard crowds gasping, yelling, or whispering in the background? Those voices don't record themselves—loopers do that. In this episode, we meet voice actors who specialize in looping and learn how they bring background scenes to life.
They share stories from the studio, tips for aspiring loopers, and insights into why this small community is so important to every production.

🎤 In This Episode:

• What is looping, and why does Hollywood rely on it?

• How loopers are cast and directed

• The difference between looping, ADR, and Foley

• How voice matches work

• Why looping is hard to break into—and why it's worth it

• The impact of AI on this specialized craft

🔊 Sponsored by:

• Tri-Booth — The ultimate portable vocal booth

• Austrian Audio — Making passion heard

Subscribe, rate, and review if you enjoy the show.

A big shout-out to our sponsors, Austrian Audio and Tri Booth. Both these companies are providers of QUALITY Audio Gear (we wouldn't partner with them unless they were), so please, if you're in the market for some new kit, do us a solid and check out their products, and be sure to tell em "Robbo, George, Robert, and AP sent you"... As a part of their generous support of our show, Tri Booth is offering $200 off a brand-new booth when you use the code TRIPAP200. So get onto their website now and secure your new booth...

https://tribooth.com/

And if you're in the market for a new Mic or killer pair of headphones, check out Austrian Audio. They've got a great range of top-shelf gear.. 

https://austrian.audio/

We have launched a Patreon page in the hopes of being able to pay someone to help us get the show to more people and in turn help them with the same info we're sharing with you. If you aren't familiar with Patreon, it's an easy way for those interested in our show to get exclusive content and updates before anyone else, along with a whole bunch of other "perks" just by contributing as little as $1 per month. Find out more here.. https://www.patreon.com/proaudiosuite George has created a page that is strictly for Pro Audio Suite listeners, so check it out for the latest discounts and offers for TPAS listeners.

https://georgethe.tech/tpas

If you haven't filled out our survey on what you'd like to hear on the show, you can do it here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZWT5BTD

Join our Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/proaudiopodcast

And the FB Group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/357898255543203

For everything else (including joining our mailing list for exclusive previews and other goodies), check out our website

https://www.theproaudiosuite.com/

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional."

Hunter S Thompson

 

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we're diving deep into a topic that sparks endless debate (and confusion) in VO forums everywhere: the noise floor. What does "-74 dB" even mean if you don't know how it was measured? And why are voice actors obsessing over numbers that might not matter?

Join AP, Robbo, George The Tech, and Robert Marshall as they break down:

• What noise floor really is (and what it isn't)

• Why context, weighting, and window size matter

• RMS vs Peak vs LUFS – and why it all depends

• How your mic, preamp, plugins, and power can mess with your readings

• Whether your studio noise is actually a problem or just sounds nice

We even talk about whether it's OK to use a high-pass filter, what settings to use, and why some mics (looking at you, TLM 103) are just better at hearing ghosts.

If you've ever been told "your studio needs to be -60 dB or else," this episode will save you some sleepless nights.

🎧 Thanks to our sponsors:
TriBooth – Use the code TRIPAP200 to get $200 off your TriBooth.
Austrian Audio – Making passion heard

🔗 Links

• Join the conversation: https://www.facebook.com/groups/357898255543203

• Learn more: https://www.proaudiosuite.com

This week, it's all about the front end — microphones for voiceover. George recently ran a live webinar comparing a wide range of mics from the Audio-Technica AT875R to the mighty Austrian Audio OC818, and we're diving deep into the results.

From self-noise to low-end roll-off, polar patterns to punchy midrange, we break down what makes a great mic for VO, including:

🎧 Why the AT875R punches above its weight
🎙️ The OC818 and CC8 — why Robbo and AP love them
💡 What makes the Mojave M50 a hidden gem
💥 The big-name mics like the 416, U67 and beyond
🔬 How capsule design and manufacturing history still matter
📦 The surprising pros and cons of handheld condensers
🎤 And whether a kick drum mic could actually work for voice!

If you've ever wondered what mic is "the one" for VO, this is the episode for you.

A big shout out to our sponsors, Austrian Audio and Tri Booth. Both these companies are providers of QUALITY Audio Gear (we wouldn't partner with them unless they were), so please, if you're in the market for some new kit, do us a solid and check out their products, and be sure to tell em "Robbo, George, Robert, and AP sent you"... As a part of their generous support of our show, Tri Booth is offering $200 off a brand-new booth when you use the code TRIPAP200. So get onto their website now and secure your new booth...

https://tribooth.com/

And if you're in the market for a new Mic or killer pair of headphones, check out Austrian Audio. They've got a great range of top-shelf gear.. 

https://austrian.audio/

We have launched a Patreon page in the hopes of being able to pay someone to help us get the show to more people and in turn help them with the same info we're sharing with you. If you aren't familiar with Patreon, it's an easy way for those interested in our show to get exclusive content and updates before anyone else, along with a whole bunch of other "perks" just by contributing as little as $1 per month. Find out more here..   https://www.patreon.com/proaudiosuite     George has created a page that is strictly for Pro Audio Suite listeners, so check it out for the latest discounts and offers for TPAS listeners.

https://georgethe.tech/tpas

If you haven't filled out our survey on what you'd like to hear on the show, you can do it here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZWT5BTD

Join our Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/proaudiopodcast

And the FB Group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/357898255543203

For everything else (including joining our mailing list for exclusive previews and other goodies), check out our website

https://www.theproaudiosuite.com/

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional."

Hunter S Thompson

 

 

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we dig into the lab-tested results of our very own PASport VO, the portable audio interface designed for voice talent and podcasters. George took it to a respected LA repair shop for an independent bench test, and the results? Minus 89 dB of self-noise. Translation: it's dead quiet.

The Jasmine™ preamps inside impressed the pros, even when compared to far more expensive gear. And the design? Tough, tiny, and travel-ready. But here's the kicker: unless there's enough demand, there won't be another production run.

If you missed out the first time, now's your chance to change that. We want this thing back in production, and Michael at CEntrance needs to hear it from you.

👉 Want one? Email CEntrance. Harass Michael (nicely). Make some noise. mgoodman@centrance.com

LINKS
🎧 More on the PASport VO: https://www.proaudiosuite.com
🎤 Join the convo: Facebook Group
🎛️ Got audio issues? JustAskRobbo.com

Thanks to our sponsors:
🎙️ TriBooth – get $200 off with code TRIPAP200
🎧 Austrian Audio – Making Passion Heard.

A big shout-out to our sponsors, Austrian Audio and Tri Booth. Both these companies are providers of QUALITY Audio Gear (we wouldn't partner with them unless they were), so please, if you're in the market for some new kit, do us a solid and check out their products, and be sure to tell em "Robbo, George, Robert, and AP sent you"... As a part of their generous support of our show, Tri Booth is offering $200 off a brand-new booth when you use the code TRIPAP200. So get onto their website now and secure your new booth...

https://tribooth.com/

And if you're in the market for a new Mic or killer pair of headphones, check out Austrian Audio. They've got a great range of top-shelf gear.. 

https://austrian.audio/

We have launched a Patreon page in the hopes of being able to pay someone to help us get the show to more people and in turn help them with the same info we're sharing with you. If you aren't familiar with Patreon, it's an easy way for those interested in our show to get exclusive content and updates before anyone else, along with a whole bunch of other "perks" just by contributing as little as $1 per month. Find out more here.. https://www.patreon.com/proaudiosuite George has created a page that is strictly for Pro Audio Suite listeners, so check it out for the latest discounts and offers for TPAS listeners.

https://georgethe.tech/tpas

If you haven't filled out our survey on what you'd like to hear on the show, you can do it here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZWT5BTD

Join our Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/proaudiopodcast

And the FB Group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/357898255543203

For everything else (including joining our mailing list for exclusive previews and other goodies), check out our website

https://www.theproaudiosuite.com/

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional."

Hunter S Thompson

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we dig into the lab-tested results of our very own PASport VO, the portable audio interface designed for voice talent and podcasters. George took it to a respected LA repair shop for an independent bench test, and the results? Minus 89 dB of self-noise. Translation: it's dead quiet.

The Jasmine™ preamps inside impressed the pros, even when compared to far more expensive gear. And the design? Tough, tiny, and travel-ready. But here's the kicker: unless there's enough demand, there won't be another production run.

If you missed out the first time, now's your chance to change that. We want this thing back in production, and Michael at CEntrance needs to hear it from you.

👉 Want one? Email CEntrance. Harass Michael (nicely). Make some noise. mgoodman@centrance.com

LINKS
🎧 More on the PASport VO: https://www.proaudiosuite.com
🎤 Join the convo: Facebook Group
🎛️ Got audio issues? JustAskRobbo.com

Thanks to our sponsors:
🎙️ TriBooth – get $200 off with code TRIPAP200
🎧 Austrian Audio – Making Passion Heard.

A big shout-out to our sponsors, Austrian Audio and Tri Booth. Both these companies are providers of QUALITY Audio Gear (we wouldn't partner with them unless they were), so please, if you're in the market for some new kit, do us a solid and check out their products, and be sure to tell em "Robbo, George, Robert, and AP sent you"... As a part of their generous support of our show, Tri Booth is offering $200 off a brand-new booth when you use the code TRIPAP200. So get onto their website now and secure your new booth...

https://tribooth.com/

And if you're in the market for a new Mic or killer pair of headphones, check out Austrian Audio. They've got a great range of top-shelf gear.. 

https://austrian.audio/

We have launched a Patreon page in the hopes of being able to pay someone to help us get the show to more people and in turn help them with the same info we're sharing with you. If you aren't familiar with Patreon, it's an easy way for those interested in our show to get exclusive content and updates before anyone else, along with a whole bunch of other "perks" just by contributing as little as $1 per month. Find out more here.. https://www.patreon.com/proaudiosuite George has created a page that is strictly for Pro Audio Suite listeners, so check it out for the latest discounts and offers for TPAS listeners.

https://georgethe.tech/tpas

If you haven't filled out our survey on what you'd like to hear on the show, you can do it here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZWT5BTD

Join our Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/proaudiopodcast

And the FB Group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/357898255543203

For everything else (including joining our mailing list for exclusive previews and other goodies), check out our website

https://www.theproaudiosuite.com/

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional."

Hunter S Thompson

This week, it's just AP and Robbo flying the plane—and they're kicking around an idea that's been brewing for a while:
👉 Should we launch a voiceover conference right here in Australia?

We know there are VO events in the US and UK, but barely anything for Aussie or Kiwi talent. So… what would it look like if we ran one? Who would show up? What would we cover?

We chat about:

• The gap in the local VO scene

• Robbo's Home Studio Rehab webinar (coming up June 12th — $30, and 5 attendees get their audio personally reviewed)

• Remote recording tools like Source Connect and Twisted Wave

• Whether George Whittam and Robert Marshall would make the trek down under

• What agents used to do… and what they don't anymore

• And some early demo distribution tactics involving mini SD cards (true story)

🎧 Plus, here's that link Robbo promised in the episode—a quick test we did using Twisted Wave on iOS, recorded in the car:
📱 https://youtu.be/cWcLKq215-Q

📣 Tell us what you think!

Would you be interested in a VO conference in Sydney?

Take 2 minutes to fill out our quick interest form:
📝 https://forms.gle/KQ5YxHkLJyqcrjKK9

🧰 Robbo's Webinar – June 12

Home Studio Rehab – $30 for 90 mins of live guidance, plus 5 attendees get their audio reviewed
🔗 www.justaskrobbo.com/home-studio-rehab

🎙 Presented by:

The Pro Audio Suite – with Darren "Robbo" Robertson & Andrew Peters
Proudly sponsored by Tribooth (use code TRIPAP200 for $200 off)
and Austrian Audio – Making Passion Heard

💬 Join our Facebook group, subscribe to the show, and get in touch at:
🌐 www.proaudiosuite.com

A big shout-out to our sponsors, Austrian Audio and Tri Booth. Both these companies are providers of QUALITY Audio Gear (we wouldn't partner with them unless they were), so please, if you're in the market for some new kit, do us a solid and check out their products, and be sure to tell em "Robbo, George, Robert, and AP sent you"... As a part of their generous support of our show, Tri Booth is offering $200 off a brand-new booth when you use the code TRIPAP200. So get onto their website now and secure your new booth...

https://tribooth.com/

And if you're in the market for a new Mic or killer pair of headphones, check out Austrian Audio. They've got a great range of top-shelf gear.. 

https://austrian.audio/

We have launched a Patreon page in the hopes of being able to pay someone to help us get the show to more people and in turn help them with the same info we're sharing with you. If you aren't familiar with Patreon, it's an easy way for those interested in our show to get exclusive content and updates before anyone else, along with a whole bunch of other "perks" just by contributing as little as $1 per month. Find out more here.. https://www.patreon.com/proaudiosuite George has created a page that is strictly for Pro Audio Suite listeners, so check it out for the latest discounts and offers for TPAS listeners.

https://georgethe.tech/tpas

If you haven't filled out our survey on what you'd like to hear on the show, you can do it here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZWT5BTD

Join our Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/proaudiopodcast

And the FB Group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/357898255543203

For everything else (including joining our mailing list for exclusive previews and other goodies), check out our website

https://www.theproaudiosuite.com/

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional."

Hunter S Thompson

This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we're joined by Matthew Kleinman from KIT Plugins and the newly developed NoizHub. We dive into the current plugin landscape, what makes Kit Plugins stand out, and how NoiseHub is aiming to change the way audio professionals collaborate and manage assets.

Join George 'The Tech' Whittam, Robert Marshall, Darren 'Robbo' Robertson, and Andrew Peters as they explore the tools and trends shaping the audio post-production industry today.

A big shout-out to our sponsors, Austrian Audio and Tri Booth. Both these companies are providers of QUALITY Audio Gear (we wouldn't partner with them unless they were), so please, if you're in the market for some new kit, do us a solid and check out their products, and be sure to tell em "Robbo, George, Robert, and AP sent you"... As a part of their generous support of our show, Tri Booth is offering $200 off a brand-new booth when you use the code TRIPAP200. So get onto their website now and secure your new booth...

https://tribooth.com/

And if you're in the market for a new Mic or killer pair of headphones, check out Austrian Audio. They've got a great range of top-shelf gear.. 

https://austrian.audio/

We have launched a Patreon page in the hopes of being able to pay someone to help us get the show to more people and in turn help them with the same info we're sharing with you. If you aren't familiar with Patreon, it's an easy way for those interested in our show to get exclusive content and updates before anyone else, along with a whole bunch of other "perks" just by contributing as little as $1 per month. Find out more here.. https://www.patreon.com/proaudiosuite George has created a page that is strictly for Pro Audio Suite listeners, so check it out for the latest discounts and offers for TPAS listeners.

https://georgethe.tech/tpas

If you haven't filled out our survey on what you'd like to hear on the show, you can do it here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZWT5BTD

Join our Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/proaudiopodcast

And the FB Group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/357898255543203

For everything else (including joining our mailing list for exclusive previews and other goodies), check out our website

https://www.theproaudiosuite.com/

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional."

Hunter S Thompson

Award-winning voice actors Cissy Jones and Larissa Gallagher have seen their voices stolen by AI. Literally. In this hard-hitting episode of The Pro Audio Suite, they join us to share the shocking reality of finding their voices on AI platforms — being sold, shared, and synthesized without consent or compensation.

But they're not just here to sound the alarm — they're here with solutions.

We dive into:

• How they discovered their voices were being used

• The legal and ethical grey areas of AI voice cloning

• Their fight for control through advocacy with NAVA (National Association of Voice Actors)

• The groundbreaking tech tools being developed to protect voice actors

• What YOU can do to secure your voice and future

Whether you're a voice actor, producer, or just someone who cares about consent in the age of AI, this is a must-listen.

A big shout out to our sponsors, Austrian Audio and Tri Booth. Both these companies are providers of QUALITY Audio Gear (we wouldn't partner with them unless they were), so please, if you're in the market for some new kit, do us a solid and check out their products, and be sure to tell em "Robbo, George, Robert, and AP sent you"... As a part of their generous support of our show, Tri Booth is offering $200 off a brand-new booth when you use the code TRIPAP200. So get onto their website now and secure your new booth...

https://tribooth.com/

And if you're in the market for a new Mic or killer pair of headphones, check out Austrian Audio. They've got a great range of top-shelf gear.. 

https://austrian.audio/

We have launched a Patreon page in the hopes of being able to pay someone to help us get the show to more people and in turn help them with the same info we're sharing with you. If you aren't familiar with Patreon, it's an easy way for those interested in our show to get exclusive content and updates before anyone else, along with a whole bunch of other "perks" just by contributing as little as $1 per month. Find out more here.. https://www.patreon.com/proaudiosuite George has created a page that is strictly for Pro Audio Suite listeners, so check it out for the latest discounts and offers for TPAS listeners.

https://georgethe.tech/tpas

If you haven't filled out our survey on what you'd like to hear on the show, you can do it here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZWT5BTD

Join our Facebook page here:

https://www.facebook.com/proaudiopodcast

And the FB Group here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/357898255543203

For everything else (including joining our mailing list for exclusive previews and other goodies), check out our website

https://www.theproaudiosuite.com/

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional."

Hunter S Thompson