• Recording Myths About Sample Rate and EQ



    Do you need a second mortgage for your home studio gear… or just better decisions? In this episode of Inside the Recording Studio, Chris & Jody take aim at some of the most stubborn recording myths floating around forums, YouTube comments, and that one friend who always says, “Yeah, but at 192k it just sounds better.”

    Let’s talk about it.

    Is the highest sample rate always the right move? Is that boutique EQ actually worth your rent money? Are you missing out because you’re not using “pro-level” converters? Or is the internet just really good at selling anxiety?

    Chris & Jody break down these recording setup tips with a mix of practical insight and dry humor. They’re not here to shame your gear choices, or worship them. They’re here to ask what actually matters in a recording setup and what’s just digital overkill.

    There’s some light shade thrown at gear snobbery. There’s perspective from industry names like CJ Vanston, Jeff Scott Soto, Eric Valentine, Dave Pensado, and even Sir George Martin. And there’s the quiet reminder that none of those legends built their reputations on spec sheets alone.

    If you’ve ever gone down a rabbit hole comparing amps, obsessing over EQ curves, or convincing yourself that one more plugin will fix everything, this episode is a gentle (and occasionally sarcastic) nudge back to reality.

    Because here’s the thing: great records don’t come from myths. They come from good decisions, solid fundamentals, and knowing when to stop chasing numbers.

    You’ll also get this week’s Friday Finds, because while we’re busting myths, we’re still discovering cool stuff.

    This conversation is for the home studio crowd trying to level up without lighting their bank account on fire. It’s for independent artists who want honest advice instead of marketing copy. And it’s for anyone who’s ever wondered if the rabbit hole has a bottom.

    Spoiler alert: it does. And it’s usually labeled “practice.”

    If you want practical recording setup tips without the hype, and maybe a little nonsense along the way, press play now.

    Subscribe so you don’t miss next week’s myth demolition.

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    Gear we used:
    Jody’s Mic & Voice Chain: Telefunken C12 – Groove Tubes Vipre – Apollo – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA Studer A800
    Jody’s Channel Strip: iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E

    Chris’ Mic & Voice Chain: Slate ML1 – Apollo – UA – Slate VMR (FG12, FG73, API Eq, SSL 4kE) – iZotope RX Voice – DeNoise
    Chris’ Channel Strip: Eventide Precision Time Align – iZotope RX Spectral DeNoise – iZotope RX Mouth DeClick – UA Neve 1073 – UA LA2A – UA 1176E

    Master: Oek Sound Soothe 2 – iZotope Ozone Imager – iZotope Ozone Maximize.

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    If you want to collaborate, sponsor a podcast, donate, or want us to review your product – contact us at: collaborate@insidetherecordingstudio.com

  • Tuesday Tip: Sample Rate Mistakes That Break Studio Projects


    Sample rates don’t usually break your session immediately. They wait. Quietly. Patiently. Then, right when you think everything’s fine, they cause chaos. In this Tuesday Tip from Inside the Recording Studio, Chris explains why ignoring sample rate is one of the easiest ways to trip yourself up.

    The setup is familiar. You import a loop. You grab files from a client. You lay down tracks for a producer. Everything seems fine—until it isn’t. Chris walks through what actually happens when sample rates don’t match and why the fix is never as simple as you wish it were.

    Instead of getting deep into theory, Chris focuses on workflow reality. Sample rate problems usually come from assumptions, not lack of knowledge. Someone didn’t ask. Someone didn’t specify. Someone figured it would “just work.” And suddenly, audio plays back wrong, timing feels off, or files need to be converted mid-project.

    For people working with home studio gear, this can be especially frustrating. Smaller systems don’t have endless headroom for fixes, and mismatched files can turn a simple session into a mess. Chris points out that these problems often show up when collaborating—especially when files are moving between different studios or producers.

    This Tuesday Tip is really about communication. Chris stresses the importance of knowing the sample rate before you start and making sure everyone involved is on the same page. These recording setup tips aren’t flashy, but they’re the difference between a smooth session and one that slowly unravels.

    The takeaway is refreshingly simple: ask the question early. Confirm the rate. Don’t assume. Sample rate issues are easy to avoid—and annoying to fix—so a little attention up front goes a long way.

    If you’ve ever wondered why a session suddenly didn’t behave the way you expected, this tip might explain it. Subscribe for more short, no-nonsense studio advice that saves you time and headaches.

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