Need advice? Let's talk.

Get straightforward guidance from your broadcasting partner. Schedule a call to chat with the team about your radio station.

Book Demo

What is a Radio Studio?

Discover what is a radio studio, find the appropriate space to record in, what equipment you need to broadcast, and how it all fits together.

by Jamie Ashbrook in Production

Last updated 31.07.2024

This is an image of a busy radio studio. There is a lamp on the left, warm lighting, and radio mixers and interfaces in silver on the lift. In the centre is a man from behind with greyish hair looking at a computer monitor.

What is a radio studio? Whether you are here because you want some ideas on how it all works or you are thinking of building your own radio studio then you’re in the right place. The resources below will teach everything you need to know on finding the right space, figuring out what equipment you need, and how it all fits together.

What is a Radio Studio?

A radio studio is a place to live broadcast or record audio professionally. Often it’s a soundproofed room which gets rid of unwanted noises that would often get mixed into broadcasts. However, studios vary depending on location and use, for example here’s the very talented TM Studios in Dallas recording a jingle for us:

Bigger spaces like this are ideal for vocal songs because of the room’s acoustics. Although most radio studios tend to go with a much more compact space. This way audio doesn’t get mixed in so the microphone just picks up your voice. At the Radio.co offices we set up our own radio studio which you can check out below:

3 Different Types of Radio Studios

Building a radio studio can be challenging. No two studio setups are the same. The good news is there are plenty of existing studios to model yours on. We recommend these 3 different types of radio studios.

1. Basic Radio Studio

A basic radio studio may not have all the bells and whistles of a professional studio, but it does have everything you need to broadcast online.

Choosing the Best Location

Imagine trying to read a book in a noisy library or talk to a friend in a crowded elevator. It’s not impossible to do, just very difficult. Having your own dedicated space gives you a major sense of creative freedom. Broadcast your shows without noisy distractions. Organise your studio the way you want it. Best of all, be at home in your own radio studio.

Now when it comes to actually choosing a space you often hear bigger is better. That’s not always true. Large rooms with high ceilings tend to echo audio. You either need to absorb that sound or find a smaller room.

This is a black and white image of a Small Office with a Low Ceiling. A man with short dark hair from behind works at two computer monitors in a desk chair. On the wall are popart prints.

You might not have much of a choice if you’re broadcasting from home. In which case choose the best spot that has minimal noise.

Minimising Noise

It’s easy to forget just how noisy everyday life can be. Car doors slamming outside, loud next door neighbours, or even a rainy afternoon. All could potentially get picked up on your broadcasts or recordings.

When finding the right spot pay attention to which rooms are the best at minimising noise, for example, a basement is ideal. It has small windows and underground, so it’s out of the way from most everyday sounds.

Improving Acoustics

Ideally, the room you choose is acoustically perfect, which means when you talk or clap there are no echoes. If that’s not the case then try laying down carpets or hanging up dense blankets. These should minimise reverberations, that way you don’t get distorted background noise on your broadcasts.

Try a few other techniques. Remove hard surfaces like a large coffee table which can bounce sound waves. Add furniture and decor to reduce those sound waves like couches and bookshelves.

Using the Right Equipment

Where would a radio studio be without a computer? They are the essential hub to manage and mix shows together. Most will do the job as long as they have spare USB ports, a headphone jack, and run relatively quickly.

This is a white backdrop with white radiators. It shows a Mac Computer Desktop with a purple and blue desktop screensaver.

The Samson C01U is a good entry-level microphone for beginners. It’s easy to hook up via USB to get broadcasting or recording in minutes. Audio quality wise it isn’t too bad, as long as you aren’t too quiet or distant during our shows. If you want the simplest possible mic then it doesn’t come much more straightforward than this. Buy it on Amazon US or Amazon UK.

Microphones are really sensitive. For examples vibrations from footsteps can be picked up from just walking around your studio. With a stand and shock mount holding your mic in place, it reduces these types of noises. Buy it on Amazon US or Amazon UK.

This is a stock image of a Basic Shockmount on a white backdrop. The shockmount is triangular at the top.

Long periods listening to your shows requires a good pair of comfy headphones. Luckily the affordable Sony MDR-ZX100 is just what you need. Lightweight and foldable, they are your best friend for in and out the studio. Buy it on Amazon US or Amazon UK.

This is a stock image of a pair of black Sony MDRZX310 Headphones against a white backdrop.

2. Advanced Radio Studio

Radio studios evolve over time. First start off simple and cheap, then add and upgrade as you grow.

Adding Acoustic Panels

Noise has a nasty habit of bouncing off walls. Microphones pick this up quite easily, for example clapping in a big empty room causes an echo. A way to get around this is by using acoustic panels AKA foam tiles.

This is a stock image of a pile of Foam Panels, stacked on top of one another.

They pad the walls and absorb sound. Having a few of these strategically placed on your walls can dramatically alter your room’s acoustics for the better. Buy a pack on Amazon US or Amazon UK.

Rolling Out the Red Carpet

Wooden floors are the worst. Creaky and easy to bounce off noise, they are bad news for any radio studio. Try laying down a rug or carpet tiles to absorb sound. Buy a pack on Amazon US or Amazon UK.

This is an image of a green Carpet that looks like grass or moss. There are silver chair legs visible in the image.

Improving Your Equipment

Take your radio broadcasts one step further. Improve and add new equipment like the Behringer B-1. It’s a great mid-range condenser microphone designed for professionals. Audio is captured much more easily due to its large diaphragm, so it’s ideal for multiple people if you a guest or two on board. Buy it on Amazon US or Amazon UK.

This is a stock image of the Behringer B1 microphone. It is silver. In the back is a black small suitcase in silver and black.

Condenser microphones like the B-1 need phantom power to run. Devices like an audio interface power and manage these types of mics. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 for example acts as both a preamp and power supply.

This is a stock image of a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. This is a red interface, a small rectangular box with various knobs and buttons on it.

Audio quality through the Focusrite is enhanced. The box has a processor within the unit, so it gives your voice a smooth sound. It comes with two XLR inputs for either you and a guest or a digitally connected instrument like a keyboard. As it’s an audio interface you can monitor and adjust connected devices. Use the gain control to tweak the volume levels during shows to stop issues like peeking. Buy it on Amazon US or Amazon UK.

3. Professional Radio Studio

In order to have the best radio studio, you need the best setup.

Building a Broadcasting Booth

A broadcasting booth is the best place to broadcast and record your radio shows. Padded with foam tiles on the inside, the booth is essentially a sound isolation box. This controlled environment reduces ambient noises from outside, so nothing unwanted gets picked up.

This is an image of the Radio.co Studio Sound Booth, but the Side View. The floor is wood panelling, and the sound booth box is grey with a window looking in. There is a wooden door in the corner.

Depending on your room’s size you can build a small one man booth or much larger one. Just be sure to get one that can fit in all your broadcasting equipment.

Choosing the Best Equipment

As you add more equipment to your radio studio you need to manage and sort everything without things getting chaotic. The Behringer DX2000USB is an analogue and digital mixer designed for large setups. It has 7 channels for multiple input devices. 2 are preamp phantom power that works with condenser microphones. The remaining 5 can be used to hook up other devices like CD players and microphone processors.

This is a stock image of a black Behringer Pro Mixer DX2000USB against a plain white background. It has various knobs and buttons visible.

Each channel has faders and dials to control the volume. For example, adjusting the equalisers either amplifies or reduces the quality and character of the sound. Overall the DX2000USB is a good mixer to manage your microphones and other devices from one place. Plus it connects directly to your computer via USB, so it’s really easy to setup. Buy it on Amazon US or Amazon UK.

The Neumann TLM 103 is widely used in commercial radio, but for good reason. Broadcasters like Howard Stern and many local stations here in the UK have several of these microphones for both presenters and guests. Using an XLR connector, you can hook up the TLM 103 with the Behringer DX2000USB mixer. Buy the 103 on Amazon US or 102 on Amazon UK.

This is a white backdrop with a silver Neumann TLM 103 Microphone in the centre. There is a red diamond in the middle of the microphone.

Microphones like this are very sensitive. Nudging the mic or knocking the edge of your desk can easily be picked up. Boom arms and shock mounts like the Rode PSA1 and Samson SP01 keep your microphone in place.

This is a plain white backdrop and in the centre is a black RODE PSA1 Boom Arm. It is tall and crane-like.

Using the arm, manoeuvre the position of the mic. Adjust its height for standing or sitting positions. When not in use move it out of the way to save space. The shock mount on the end works with the arm to secure the mic in place. It also can be rotated to have the mic facing up, down, or from the side depending on your preference. Buy the Rode PSA1 on Amazon US or Amazon UK.

The DBX 286S microphone processor is a necessary tool to enhance your vocals. It works by cleaning up audio, for example, it removes harsh “S” noises with a de-esser.