
Chris Corfield
Chris Corfield is a journalist with over 12 years of experience writing for some of the music world's biggest brands including Orange Amplification, MusicRadar, Guitar World, Total Guitar and Dawsons Music. Chris loves getting nerdy about everything from guitar and bass gear, to synths, microphones, DJ gear and music production hardware.
Latest articles by Chris Corfield

“A versatile and durable dynamic microphone suitable for a range of applications”: Universal Audio SD-1 review
By Chris Corfield published
Affordable dynamic microphone bringing professional sound from a top-tier brand

Best home studio mixers 2025: analogue and digital mixing desks for all budgets
By James Grimshaw last updated
A comprehensive look at the best home studio mixers on the market today – from compact consoles to podcasting heavyweights

Best podcasting microphones 2025: our expert picks for every budget and level, with audio demos
By Chris Corfield last updated
Record your next podcast or stream your heart out with the very best podcast mics, including our recommendations under $100/£100 – plus full reviews and expert buying advice

“One of the most versatile, feature-laden mics for podcasting”: Shure MV7+ review
By Chris Corfield last updated
Shure’s latest is an evolution, if not a revolution, in premium podcasting mics

“Its robust construction, low self-noise, and ability to emulate a range of classic microphones make it a valuable asset”: Universal Audio SC-1 review
By Chris Corfield published
Classy condenser with top-shelf tricks but a bargain price tag

"I can clearly see how quickly things can come together when you have the right tools at your disposal": I tried both face-to-face lessons and Pianote to learn the piano in 8 weeks - here's how I got on
By Tess Burgess published
Will combining online learning with face-to-face lessons be just what I need to become the piano player I've always wanted to be? Let's find out

Best microphones for recording 2025: My top studio mics for instruments, vocals and more
By Matt McCracken last updated
These are the best recording microphones from the biggest brands including AKG, Rode, Audio Technica, Neumann and more

Best studio monitors 2025: Studio speakers for musicians and producers on any budget
By Andy Jones last updated
My comprehensive guide to the best studio monitor speakers for home studio recording, whether you’re a beginner or pro producer

Best external hard drives for music production 2025: Back up your music and boost your computer's performance
By Chris Corfield last updated
Store recording sessions, video files, and sample libraries with our expert pick of the best external hard drives for Mac and PC

Best budget audio interfaces 2025: Cheap USB interfaces for home recording, streaming, podcasting, and more
By Matt McCracken last updated
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

Best budget studio monitors 2025: Make your mix sing with these wallet-friendly home studio speakers
By Chris Corfield last updated
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 synthesizers 2025: Top analogue, digital, mono and polysynths
By Andy Jones last updated
From mini monosynths, through to mighty polyphonic workstations, our experts have hand-picked hardware synth recommendations for every budget

Best cheap MIDI keyboards 2025: Inexpensive MIDI controllers starting at just £39/$49
By Chris Corfield last updated
Start making music for less with our selection of affordable MIDI keyboards from Arturia, Akai, Nektar, Novation, and more

Best budget USB microphones 2025: Get creative and sound better for less
By Chris Corfield last updated
Our expert pick of the top cheap USB mics for streaming, podcasting, recording, gaming, work calls, and more

Best studio desks 2025: budget-spanning options for organising your recording studio space
By Chris Corfield last updated
Streamline your production setup and bring order to your creative space with one of the best desks for music production

Best DJ headphones 2025: Booth-ready choices from budget to pro-level
By Chris Corfield last updated
Our expert pick of reliable headphones to suit any type of DJ, including options from Sennheiser, Technics and Pioneer

Best acoustic guitar for beginners 2025: Strum your first chords with our choice of beginner acoustic guitars
By Chris Corfield last updated
Start playing today with beginner acoustics from Taylor, Fender, Epiphone, Martin and more – hand-picked by experts

Best MIDI keyboards 2025: Mac, PC and iOS keyboards for players, composers and producers
By Andy Jones last updated
Our expert guide to the best MIDI keyboards of all sizes and budgets to integrate with your home studio

Best PCs for music production 2025: Apple Macs and Windows machines for your home studio
By Chris Corfield last updated
Discover the power that a desktop PC or Mac can bring to your music-making, with our expert pick of the best desktops for music production

Best vocal mics 2025: Our top vocal microphones for stage and studio
By Chris Corfield last updated
Add some sheen to your vocals with the best dynamic and condenser mics from Shure, AKG, Rode, Aston, Telefunken, Neumann, and more

Best reverb pedals 2025: Our pick of reverb effects for your pedalboard
By Chris Corfield last updated
From subtle to extreme, these are our reverb top picks right now

“As production becomes more cloud-oriented, many are questioning whether desktop DAWs are beginning to show their limitations”: How online DAWs are ushering in a new era for music making
By Chris Corfield published
Can browser-based digital audio workstations match up to traditional offline DAWs? We take a look

Best earplugs for musicians 2025: hearing protection for the practice room to your next gig
By Chris Corfield last updated
Our rundown of the very best earplugs for concerts, band practice, and more to give your ears the protection they deserve
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