Our recording rig is simple by studio standards, but very complex by home computer user standards.

It consists of:

• Mackie MS-1202 mixer
• Alesis ML-9600 2-track master recorder
• Urei LA-22 stereo compressor
• dBX 266XL stereo compressor
  
• Behringer HA-4700 4 channel headphone amplifier
• Shure KSM-27 condenser microphone (x2)
  
• Electrovoice PL-10 dynamic microphone (x2)
• Rack mount surge suppressor
• AKG K-271, and AKG K-55 (x3) closed ear headphones
  
• Software based sample player
  
• Assorted custom cables to hook everything up
• Mic stands, pop filters, bungee cords, cattle prods, etc...

The Mackie 1202 is used to combine the inputs from our microphones, and from the sample player. It also has two free mic inputs if we ever want to do interviews in the future. The balanced stereo main outs of the Mackie go to the balanced inputs of the ML9600, and the outputs on the ML-9600 are wired to the inputs of the headphone amplifier. We each get our own set of headphones and because the HA-4700 has four channels, we have very precise control over our individual headphone cue mixes. The software sample player is used to play our intro/outro music, and any other bumper/cue sounds we require.

Where people often get lost in audio production, is with using devices like compressors. This is simply a device that can be set to attenuate the peaks (loud parts) of the signal passing through the compressor, to make the volume of the program more uniform. If one of us accidentally (or purposely) says something very loud, the compressor will reduce the height of that transient and make the signal more uniform, not distorting the input of the Masterlink. Devices like compressors are typically wired to a console's Insert Points, of which the Mackie has four. One for each mic input.

I would like to thank my friends at Victor's House Of Music in New Jersey, for taking really good care of me when I bought the Masterlink, the Behringer, and other assorted accessories for this project. Drop by their web site some time.

-Rich