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

The microphones are plugged directly into the mic-inputs of the Aphex 107, and out of that into the Urei compressor. The output of the compressor is wired into the line-inputs of the first two channels of the Mackie 1202. The Mackie is used to combine the signals from the microphone input-chain and from the sample player. The Mackie 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 the former Victor's House Of Music in New Jersey, for taking really good care of me when I bought the Masterlink and other assorted accessories for this project. I say former because they were subsumed by Guitar Center. The store location is still there, except now it's called Guitar Center's House Of Music.