🧮 Studio Budget Calculator
Build a Home Studio Within Your Budget
Set your budget and pick a use case — we'll auto-build a complete gear setup from the highest-rated products that fit, with live pricing and one-click Amazon buying.
Use Case
Recommended for Podcasting · 5 items selected
M-AUDIO
M-Track Duo USB Audio Interface for Recording
beyerdynamic
DT 770 PRO
InnoGear
Boom Arm Microphone Mic Stand
Buy the whole setup on Amazon
Opens an Amazon search for all 5 recommended items at once.
Budget Calculator FAQ
How does the budget calculator work?
Set your total budget and choose a use case. The calculator walks through each essential category — audio interface, microphone, and headphones — and picks the highest-rated product that still fits within your remaining budget. Scoring uses rating × log(review count), which balances quality with real-world popularity. If money is left over, it adds a boom arm and a pop filter automatically.
What's included in a home studio setup?
A complete home studio needs three essentials: an audio interface to convert your mic signal, a microphone to capture sound, and headphones to monitor it. Boom arms and pop filters are optional accessories that improve ergonomics and reduce plosives in vocal recordings.
Which microphone type is right for me?
For podcasting and voiceover, an XLR microphone paired with an interface gives you the best upgrade path and sound quality. For streaming, a USB microphone is the simplest plug-and-play choice. For music production, a condenser microphone captures the detail needed for vocals and acoustic instruments — so the calculator prefers condensers when that use case is selected.
Can I build a studio for under $200?
Yes. At lower budgets the calculator prioritizes the three essentials and skips optional accessories. If even the essentials exceed your budget, you'll see an "over budget" warning showing the gap — increase the slider to add a boom arm and pop filter, or to step up to higher-rated gear.