Want to create your own at-home audio set-up but don't know where to start? Here is a list of equipment you will need to get started.
Buying the right microphone for you depends on what you'd like to use it for. Are you recording instruments, voices, ambience, or sound effects? Are you wanting to be a music producer, audio engineer, sound designer? All these questions will affect your decisions in getting the right equipment for you. For just starting out, I would recommend buying budget-friendly good quality dynamic microphones, such as Shure SM48s, SM58s, or SM57s. They're durable, easy to use, and have good sound quality for their budget-friendly prices ranging from $50-$100. If you're looking for field recording mics, the Tascam DR-05x is the best choice for beginners or people who would like to experiment with field recording. It's easy to use and the sound quality is good for its price being just under $100.
When working with sound, headphones that have the least amount of coloring is best, as you want to hear the most accurate version of your mixes as possible. Therefore, headphones that are noise-canceling or noise-isolating are a no-go, as they most often mess with the actual mixes of your audio. The best headphones for beginners would be the Sony MDR-7506 or the Sennheiser HD280. The audio quality is high for its price and they last a long time if you take care of them. They usually sell for around $50-$100.
Audio Interfaces are needed in order to connect your mics and other equipment to your computer. It translates the audio data into digital data that your computer understands. Audio interfaces are basically the communicator between your audio inputs and computer outputs. Any basic 2-channel USB interface is good for beginners, but I personally recommend the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for beginners as it works well and is budget friendly. I recommend the 3rd generation ($100-$150), however, if you feel like upgrading and spending a little more money, the 4th generation is also a good option ($150-200).
Speakers are a very important part of an audio set-up. Just like your headphones, you want speakers that accurately playback sound as much as possible as to not distort your mixes. Studio monitors are specifically designed for this purpose. If your set-up is at home, near-field studio monitors are best since they are designed to be heard directly in front of the listener. The Yamaha HS5 are good starting studio monitors. They have even sound and are quite powerful. They are priced around the $200-$250 range.