The Hidden World of Loopers: Voices Behind the Scenes
The Pro Audio Suite
Ever watched Spider-Man swinging across the city and heard crowds gasping, yelling, or whispering in the background? Those voices don’t record themselves—loopers do that. In this episode, we meet voice actors who specialize in looping and learn how they bring background scenes to life. They share stories from the studio, tips for aspiring loopers, and insights into why this small community is so important to every production. 🎤 In This Episode: What is looping, and why does Hollywood rely on it? How loopers are cast and directed The difference between looping, ADR, and Foley How...
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Noise Floor Madness: What the Numbers Actually Mean
The Pro Audio Suite
This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we're diving deep into a topic that sparks endless debate (and confusion) in VO forums everywhere: the noise floor. What does "-74 dB" even mean if you don't know how it was measured? And why are voice actors obsessing over numbers that might not matter? Join AP, Robbo, George The Tech, and Robert Marshall as they break down: What noise floor really is (and what it isn't) Why context, weighting, and window size matter RMS vs Peak vs LUFS – and why it all depends How your mic, preamp, plugins, and power can mess with your readings Whether your...
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Microphones for Voiceover – Which Ones Really Deliver? | The Pro Audio Suite
The Pro Audio Suite
This week, it's all about the front end — microphones for voiceover. George recently ran a live webinar comparing a wide range of mics from the Audio-Technica AT875R to the mighty Austrian Audio OC818, and we’re diving deep into the results. From self-noise to low-end roll-off, polar patterns to punchy midrange, we break down what makes a great mic for VO, including: 🎧 Why the AT875R punches above its weight 🎙️ The OC818 and CC8 — why Robbo and AP love them 💡 What makes the Mojave M50 a hidden gem 💥 The big-name mics like the 416, U67 and beyond 🔬 How capsule design and...
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The Tiny Audio Interface That Shocked the Pros | The Pro Audio Suite
The Pro Audio Suite
This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we dig into the lab-tested results of our very own PASport VO, the portable audio interface designed for voice talent and podcasters. George took it to a respected LA repair shop for an independent bench test, and the results? Minus 89 dB of self-noise. Translation: it's dead quiet. The Jasmine™ preamps inside impressed the pros, even when compared to far more expensive gear. And the design? Tough, tiny, and travel-ready. But here's the kicker: unless there's enough demand, there won't be another production run. If you missed out the first time, now’s your...
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The Tiny Audio Interface That Shocked the Pros | The Pro Audio Suite
The Pro Audio Suite
This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we dig into the lab-tested results of our very own PASport VO, the portable audio interface designed for voice talent and podcasters. George took it to a respected LA repair shop for an independent bench test, and the results? Minus 89 dB of self-noise. Translation: it's dead quiet. The Jasmine™ preamps inside impressed the pros, even when compared to far more expensive gear. And the design? Tough, tiny, and travel-ready. But here's the kicker: unless there's enough demand, there won't be another production run. If you missed out the first time, now’s your...
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Is It Time for a VO Conference in Australia?
The Pro Audio Suite
This week, it’s just AP and Robbo flying the plane—and they’re kicking around an idea that’s been brewing for a while: 👉 Should we launch a voiceover conference right here in Australia? We know there are VO events in the US and UK, but barely anything for Aussie or Kiwi talent. So… what would it look like if we ran one? Who would show up? What would we cover? We chat about: The gap in the local VO scene Robbo’s Home Studio Rehab webinar (coming up June 12th — $30, and 5 attendees get their audio personally reviewed) Remote recording tools like Source Connect and Twisted...
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Exploring Plugins with Matthew Kleinman from KIT Plugins & NoizHub
The Pro Audio Suite
This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we’re joined by Matthew Kleinman from KIT Plugins and the newly developed NoizHub. We dive into the current plugin landscape, what makes Kit Plugins stand out, and how NoiseHub is aiming to change the way audio professionals collaborate and manage assets. Join George ‘The Tech’ Whittam, Robert Marshall, Darren ‘Robbo’ Robertson, and Andrew Peters as they explore the tools and trends shaping the audio post-production industry today. A big shout-out to our sponsors, Austrian Audio and Tri Booth. Both these companies are providers of QUALITY Audio...
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The Battle for Your Voice: Cissy Jones & Larissa Gallagher Take on AI | The Pro Audio Suite
The Pro Audio Suite
Award-winning voice actors Cissy Jones and Larissa Gallagher have seen their voices stolen by AI. Literally. In this hard-hitting episode of The Pro Audio Suite, they join us to share the shocking reality of finding their voices on AI platforms — being sold, shared, and synthesized without consent or compensation. But they’re not just here to sound the alarm — they’re here with solutions. We dive into: How they discovered their voices were being used The legal and ethical grey areas of AI voice cloning Their fight for control through advocacy with NAVA (National Association of...
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Read It Like You’re Dead Inside?! - VO Direction Gone Mad | Pro Audio Suite
The Pro Audio Suite
What’s the weirdest direction you've ever received in a session? "Read it more magenta"? "Give me rage, but lean toward anger"? "Sound like a potato"? In this week’s episode of The Pro Audio Suite, Robbo, AP, George, and Robert dive into the hilariously bizarre world of VO direction that makes absolutely no sense… and yet somehow still happens every day. Pulled straight from Robbo’s viral LinkedIn thread, this episode is packed with laugh-out-loud moments, real-life war stories, and a bit of therapy for anyone who's ever heard: “That was perfect. Let’s do one more.” 😵💫...
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Building Doors with Christy Harst | The Pro Audio Suite
The Pro Audio Suite
This week, The Pro Audio Suite breaks tradition — and smashes a few stereotypes along the way — as we welcome Christy Harst to the show. Christy is a voice actor and founder of Building Doors, a grassroots movement dedicated to creating opportunities for women in male-dominated sectors like sports, automotive, gaming, and tech voiceover. After years of hitting roadblocks, Christy decided to stop waiting for the industry to change — and started building her own doors. In this wide-ranging, real, and sometimes confronting conversation, we dive into: The harsh realities facing women in...
info_outlineThe Sennheiser 416 has become an industry-standard tool. Being a “shotgun” mic (or in tech terms a super-cardioid) the microphone is really sensitive in a very narrow space, in a line extending straight out from the tip. For this reason, it is often used on film sets where the mic needs to be a little farther away from the actor’s mouth (so it’s not in the frame), and the production team wants to capture the actor’s voice without capturing background noise in the room. These qualities also make it extremely versatile for use in home voiceover studios!
But who first decided a Shotgun would be great for Voice Over, and why is it now an industry standard?
Find out on next week's episode of the Pro Audio Suite.
A big shout out to our sponsors, Austrian Audio and Tri Booth. Both these companies are providers of QUALITY Audio Gear (we wouldn't partner with them unless they were), so please, if you're in the market for some new kit, do us a solid and check out their products, and be sure to tell em "Robbo, George, Robert, and AP sent you"... As a part of their generous support of our show, Tri Booth is offering $200 off a brand-new booth when you use the code TRIPAP200. So get onto their website now and secure your new booth...
And if you're in the market for a new Mic or killer pair of headphones, check out Austrian Audio. They've got a great range of top-shelf gear..
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“When the going gets weird, the weird turn professional.”
Hunter S Thompson
Summary
In this episode of Pro Audio Suite, we delve into an intriguing story about a paranoid voiceover artist who disliked using the booth, even in a professional setting. His preference to sit in the control area led to an unconventional solution - using a 41 six instead of the customary large diaphragm U87 microphones. This switch, made by one of the floor guys, not only satisfied the artist but also resulted in a unique sound that rapidly became the benchmark for what a voiceover should sound like. Don't miss this intriguing tale about breaking norms and setting new standards in the audio world, only on Pro Audio Suite.
#ProAudioSuite #VoiceoverEvolution #BenchmarkSound
Timestamps
- [00:00:00] Sneak Peek into the Pro Audio Suite
- [00:00:11] Innovative idea from the Brainstorming Floor
- [00:00:22] Emergence of 416 Sound
- [00:00:33] The Character of Voiceover Sound Revealed
Transcript
Speaker A: It's coming up. Coming up next, the Pro Audio Suite sneak peek. The story I heard was not like, I think he was a bit paranoid and he didn't like being in the booth because he thought people were talking about him. Right. And so he wanted to sit out in the control area. That's right. And he couldn't use a normal large diaphragm. Couldn't use a U 87 out there. Yeah. Every damn thing. So one of the guys on on the floor came up with the idea of using the 41 six. That's what I heard. Why don't you use this razor blade to record your voiceover? Yeah, it was probably a 415 or whatever they had at the time. Yeah, probably a T powered 415 at the time. Yeah. So that sound, for whatever reason, better, for worse, it's become the character of what a voiceover sounds like. It's become the word used. Robo, it's a benchmark. Benchmark, yeah. The Pro audio suite. Thanks to Triboos and Austrian audio. Listen now on your favorite podcast provider.