Latest articles by Chris Corfield
Best PCs for music production 2026: Apple Macs and Windows machines for your home studio
Discover the power that a desktop PC or Mac can bring to your music-making, with my expert pick of the best desktops for music production
Best cheap MIDI keyboards 2026: Inexpensive MIDI controllers starting at just £39/$49
Start making music for less with our selection of affordable MIDI keyboards from Arturia, Akai, Nektar, Novation, and more
Best USB microphones 2026: Plug-and-play mics for everything from streaming to singing
Capturing audio has never been easier, with these all-in-one USB microphones from Shure, Sennheiser and more
“If you are choosing one desktop mic to cover podcasting, streaming and clean home-studio voice capture, the PodMic USB makes a strong case”: Rode PodMic USB review
The flexibility of XLR and the simplicity of USB combine to create a versatile dynamic broadcast contender
“Rode spent the money where it counts, namely the preamp and conversion”: Rode NT-USB+ review
A sensible, well-thought-out USB mic with some clever tricks to elevate it above the competition
Best in-ear monitors 2026: IEMs for stage and studio
Our expert guide to the best in-ear monitors we've testedfor practice, performance and production, no matter your budget
Best small studio monitors 2026: Compact studio speakers
The best speakers for small studios and portable use, from KRK, Focal, IK Multimedia, Genelec and more
Best MIDI keyboards 2026: Find your perfect match for the home studio
My expert guide to the best MIDI keyboards of all sizes and budgets to integrate with your home studio
Best budget studio monitors 2026: Make your mixes sing with these wallet-friendly home studio speakers
The best cheap studio monitors for home recording, with my hand-picked and affordable options from Adam, IK Multimedia, M-Audio, PreSonus and more
Best studio monitors 2026: Studio speakers for musicians and producers on any budget
My comprehensive guide to the best studio monitor speakers for home studio recording, whether you’re a beginner or pro producer
Best studio desks 2026: budget-spanning options for organising your recording studio space
Streamline your production setup and bring order to your creative space with one of the best desks for music production
Best condenser mics 2026: My expert picks for home recording, no matter your budget
Capture every nuance of a vocal and high-fidelity detail of an instrument with my condenser microphone recommendations from Rode, Neumann, Audio-Technica, Aston, AKG and more
Best budget in-ear monitors 2026: My pick of cheap in-ears for every type of musician
My recommended budget IEMs for practice and performance – options starting from $45/£45
Best home studio mixers 2026: analogue and digital mixing desks for all budgets
A comprehensive look at the best home studio mixers on the market today – from compact consoles to podcasting heavyweights
Best vocal mics 2026: Our top vocal microphones for stage and studio
Add some sheen to your vocals with the best dynamic and condenser mics from Shure, AKG, Rode, Aston, Telefunken, Neumann, and more
Best DJ headphones 2026: Booth-ready choices from budget to pro-level
Our expert pick of reliable headphones to suit any type of DJ, including options from Sennheiser, Technics, and Pioneer
Best acoustic guitar for beginners: Strum your first chords with our choice of beginner acoustic guitars
Start playing today with beginner acoustics from Taylor, Fender, Epiphone, Martin and more – hand-picked by experts
Best synthesizers 2026: Top analogue, digital, mono and polysynths
From mini monosynths, through to mighty polyphonic workstations, our experts have hand-picked hardware synth recommendations for every budget
Best budget USB microphones 2026: Get creative and sound better for less
Our expert pick of the top cheap USB mics for streaming, podcasting, recording, gaming, work calls, and more
Best earplugs for musicians 2026: my fully-tested pick of hearing protection, for the practice room to your next gig
I road-tested a range of the best musician-friendly earplugs, from Alpine, ACS, Minuendo and more - these are my recommendations from budget to moulded
Best podcasting microphones 2026: my expert picks for every budget and level, including audio demos
Record your next pod’ or stream your heart out with the very best podcast mics, including my affordable recommendation under $100/£100
Best laptop for music production 2026: For home studios and mobile music-making - tested by experts
My pick of the best laptops for making music, plus hands-on reviews, stress testing, and what to look for when buying
Best budget audio interfaces 2026: Cheap USB interfaces for home recording, streaming, podcasting, and more
I’ve tested more than 20 options to bring you my expert pick of the best affordable audio interfaces for great quality recording on a budget
