The Pro Audio Suite
This week on The Pro Audio Suite, the team dives into a question every engineer, producer, and voice actor has wrestled with: is outboard gear still worth the space and the spend? From vintage LA-2As and Neve compressors to Avalons, VariMus, and the rise of clones and plug-ins, we break down: Whether classic hardware really goes up in value Why collectors, commercial studios, and voice actors see things differently The surprising role of AI in modeling old gear When plug-ins are “close enough”… and when they’re not Tales of gear that doubled in value (and some that didn’t...
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We’re busting some of the biggest myths still floating around VO and podcast studios. From noise gates that wreck your takes to USB mics that promise “pro quality” but rarely deliver, we cut through the nonsense and share what actually works. In this episode: Noise gates: why they usually cause more harm than good Noise reduction: AI vs old-school fingerprint NR USB mics: when they fail and why they’re limiting Expensive mics: shiny gear doesn’t fix a bad room Coaching: how much do you really need once you’re working? Booths & acoustics: why treatment matters more...
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George heads out on a time-sensitive PSA to capture wild VO lines at an actor’s house — and rebuilds a lean, one-case kit on the fly. We dig into what made the rig work, why he chose an onboard recorder for redundancy, mic choices (NTG-4 vs NTG-5), and a stack of road-tested tips from our early days hauling DA-88s, DATs and Franken-booms. What we cover: Packing everything into a Pelican 1510 (laptop, interface, mic, stand, boom) Primary vs backup: PortCaster with onboard record + laptop DAW Why the NTG-4 worked (once the low-cut was off) and when the NTG-5 is nicer Quiet-room...
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Ever been caught in a panic when Source-Connect 3 won’t talk to Source-Connect 4? You’re not alone. In this week’s Pro Audio Suite, the team dives into the Source-Connect Bridge—what it is, why it exists, and how it can save your session. Robbo shares a real-world case of a talent stuck between versions, Robert explains how the Bridge works behind the scenes, and George breaks down when it’s the best option (hint: travelling VO talent on Windows, we’re looking at you). We also get sidetracked on long VO sessions, Apple’s memo banning typewriters in 1980, and why agencies...
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This week on The Pro Audio Suite, the team open up their plug-in folders and share their favourites — from free finds to trusty old processors and some surprising new AI tools. Robbo kicks things off with TDR Nova, a free dynamic EQ/multiband compressor that’s perfect for VO artists working in home studios. Robert digs back into his bag of tricks with Waves C4/C6, still unbeatable for multiband control after all these years. George brings Acon Extract Dialog to the table, showing how modern AI can pull voices cleanly from noisy recordings. Along the way, we debate noise reduction chains,...
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Latency, it’s that tiny, annoying delay between what you say and what you hear back. In the studio, online, or even in your own headphones, it can trip you up, wreck your timing, and make you feel like you’re talking to yourself in slow motion. In this episode of The Pro Audio Suite, Robbo, AP, George, and Robert dig into: What latency really is (and why it’s not just a tech buzzword) How it sneaks into your recording chain The difference between “good” latency and “bad” latency Fixes you can do right now without buying a new rig When hardware or interface upgrades...
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This week on The Pro Audio Suite, Robbo and AP pull apart one of the most alarming AI voice contracts we’ve ever seen. An offer of $2,500 USD for perpetual, irrevocable rights to your voice? Sounds tempting… but here’s why this could destroy your career. We dig into: The fine print that locks your voice away forever How AI voice deals strip away future earnings Why SAG-AFTRA and other bodies are pushing back The long-term cost of a short-term payday Before you sign anything, listen to this episode. Your career might depend on it. 🎧 Join the conversation: ✅ Sponsors: 👉...
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AI voices are popping up everywhere , from audiobooks to YouTube explainer videos, but SAG-AFTRA has just drawn a line in the sand. In this episode, the team dives into the union’s new “no contract, no work” order against companies using AI voice replicas without being signatories. We unpack: What the new SAG-AFTRA policy means for voice actors. Why YouTube is demonetizing AI-driven “headless” channels. The growing issue of AI-generated bands and synthetic music on Spotify. The human factor: Will art survive if AI takes over the creative process? Plus, a few old-school...
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This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we pit two Austrian Audio mics head-to-head: the compact CC8 pencil mic versus the classic OC18 large diaphragm condenser — both run through the PASport VO interface. The results? Surprisingly close. AP takes the CC8 for a spin in his booth and on the road, while George and Robert weigh in on specs, noise floors, travel setups, shotgun myths, and why mic placement matters more than mic price in many situations. We also dig into the legacy of the Sennheiser 416, explore the quirks of mic voicing, and chat about some esoteric models only mic nerds will...
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When Should You Process Your Audio—and When Should You Leave It Clean? Description: This week on The Pro Audio Suite, we’re tackling a topic that trips up a lot of voice talent: processed voice over. What does “processing” really mean when a client asks for it? Should you send your files squeaky clean, lightly polished, or fully mastered? And how do you avoid overcooking your audio before it even hits the mix? George Whittam, Robert Marshall, Andrew Peters, and Robbo break it all down, including: 🎙️ What basic processing actually involves 🔊 The difference between a gentle...
info_outlineLike it or not AI is here, and it will only get better. Where does that leave Voice Artists, Podcasters and Content Creators who currently have no protections in terms of owning their voice?
Tim Frielander is an award winning, voice actor, studio owner, advocate, and educator. Tim is also the Founder and President of NAVA, The National Association of Voice Actors as well as co-owner and editor of The Voice Over Resource Guide. His work with NAVA puts him at the coal face of negotiations with the like of voices.com and the AI seeding debate. We have him on the show next week to give us an insight into where we might be headed in terms of a compromise, what protections we might be able to put in place, and most troublininly the short amount of time we have to get it done before it may effectively be too late.
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 the Pro Audio Suite, we explore the intriguing topic of copyright laws around AI voice impersonation. We discuss the current legal state, revealing that there are no protections yet in place against turning someone's voice into an AI replica without their consent. We highlight our collaborative efforts with a European group aimed at contributing to the EU AI act. This episode brings to light the challenges faced by voice actors who, despite providing their work for specific projects, unknowingly hand over the copyright and potential misuse to the receiver. Tune in to the Pro Audio Suite, brought to you by Tripoos and Austrian Audio, on your preferred podcast platform to delve deeper into this complex and evolving issue.
#VoiceAI #CopyrightLaw #ProAudioSuite
Timestamps
(00:00:00) Copyright Law & AI
(00:01:01) Pro Audio Suite
Transcript
Speaker A: Coming up. Coming up.,Speaker B: Next, the Pro Audio Suite.,: Sneak peek.,Speaker A: So to give this some perspective, is there any sort of copyright law or anything in place at the moment that protects someone from having their voice turned into an AI voice without their permission?,Speaker B: That's a great question. Short answer is no. We've been working with the Cop office. I gave a presentation to the FTC last week at a roundtable. I've spoken with multiple lawyers and people across the country and across the world. We're working with a group in Europe to help with the EU AI act. Most actors, voice actors, we give away our files as a work for hire, and the understanding is that that audio will be used for this very specific big project. Unfortunately, that also basically gives the person we've given the audio file to the copyright and the ability to do whatever they want to with that.,: The Pro audio.,Speaker B: Suite. Thanks to Tripoos.,: And Austrian audio. Listen now on your favorite.,Speaker B: Podcast provider.