What Is the Best Way to Record a Voice Over at Home?
The best way to record a voice over at home is a cardioid dynamic mic 1 to 6 inches from your mouth, in a small space lined with soft stuff, like a clothes-filled closet. When you're silent, the room should measure minus 60 dB RMS or lower. That noise floor is the limit ACX sets for audiobook submissions, and it's a solid target for any voice work.
Use a dynamic mic, close
A dynamic mic worked close keeps your voice far louder than the room. Shure's SM7B user guide says to speak 1 to 6 inches away to block off-axis noise, and its bass rolloff switch cuts hum from HVAC and traffic.
Want to skip the interface? The Shure MV7+ is a cardioid dynamic with both USB-C and XLR outputs. More picks are on best microphone for voice recording.
Record in a closet
Neumann's room guide calls an open closet full of clothes a large absorber. It works better behind you than behind the mic, because the cardioid mic then faces the clothes and rejects sound from its rear. Move the computer out or shut it down. Neumann notes its fan noise can reach the mic.
Hit the level targets
For delivery, ACX also requires 192 kbps or higher constant bit rate MP3 at 44.1 kHz. The full room build is on home voice over studio setup, booth options on vocal booths, and the wider workflow on how to record music at home.
Related questions
What noise floor do I need for voice over?
ACX, the audiobook publishing platform, requires a noise floor no higher than minus 60 dB RMS, with average levels of minus 23 to minus 18 dB RMS and peaks no higher than minus 3 dB.
Is a dynamic or condenser mic better for voice over at home?
In an untreated room, a dynamic mic worked 1 to 6 inches away keeps the voice far louder than the room. Shure designs the SM7B to be used that close to block off-axis noise.
Can I record voice over in a closet?
Yes. Stand with your back to the clothes so the mic faces them. Neumann calls an open closet of clothes a large absorber.
More answers: Home recording FAQ