The $200 home studio challenge — can I create a cheap recording setup for music and podcasting?

As a bedroom music producer, I'm always looking for ways to upgrade my home set-up. Inevitably, that means spending more and more on increasingly expensive interfaces, instruments, and plug-ins. I have been wondering, though - what's the cheapest possible set-up for someone getting started?

I initially set a budget of $100, and spoiler alert - I wasn't able to get a full set-up for that price. $200 though? Well, I managed to just about fit everything in. Everything in this case equates to an audio interface, a digital audio workstation (DAW), a microphone, and all essential accessories needed to set everything up. Assuming you already have a laptop or PC, this is a very basic setup that can nonetheless record instruments and vocals for music or podcasting.

You can check out my cheapo home recording setup just below, as well as some slightly higher-end (but still affordable) selections. I think you'll be surprised at how little you really need, though I've had to skip studio monitors in favor of budget-friendly headphones.

As previously stated, if you are looking to get started, you'll also need a DAW. I've included a few inexpensive beginner-friendly options at the bottom of the page.

The most basic setup

My super-basic setup from Amazon comes to $181.99. Perhaps that's not the cheapest I could have gone, but I've included a mic, a pop-filter, and an instrument cable. If you're just looking to record instruments, you can get the interface, cable, and headphones for just $98.87!

As you'd imagine, these are pretty basic products. We're not going for high-fidelity equipment here, but simple 'just works' models to get you started. With this set-up, you'll be able to record a guitar and a vocal with the audio interface, which provides phantom power, and an input for your headphones. We're limited to headphones here due to budget, but this audio interface does actually support studio monitors.

A bit more pro

These are slightly higher-end products that are good buys if you're more serious about your home recording. This selection, plus that cheap Amazon mic stand, comes to $512 in total. It's double the price of the super-budget setup, but these are models that are absolute bedroom recording staples.

I've used both the Focusrite Scarlett audio interface and the Beyerdynamic DT 990 headphones, so I can vouch that they're great if you're on a budget. The Audio-Technica AT2020 is another affordable classic, and great for both vocals and podcasting.

Again, I've chosen to forgo expensive studio monitors in favor of budget-friendly headphones, but included in my list are some super-cheap acoustic panels. These are particularly handy if you're recording vocals - plus, they look pretty cool as decor.

Free or cheap DAWs

The most essential part of your home recording setup? The DAW. Luckily, there are some great options if you're on a budget. Reaper is the obvious shout-out here since it's one of the most powerful DAWs on the market and costs just $60 for a basic license.

I generally recommend Traktion Waveform to beginners; however, as it features a really easy-to-use interface, doesn't cost a penny, and has strikingly few limitations for a free DAW. Finally, if you're a Mac user, then the best option might be to simply use GarageBand - a free first-party DAW from Apple that's designed solely for beginners.