I review home studio gear for a living - these are my must-see Presidents' Day bargains

Zoom H4n Pro: Was $199.99, now $169.99
Tired of resorting to the same old Splice sample packs or searching for shoddy free sounds online? The Zoom H4n Pro is perfect for creating your tones. It’s great for field recording, whether you’re capturing the miaow of your cat, the rumble of car tyres across cobblestone roads, or even just picking up the room ambience of an instrument. As well as being capable of X/Y stereo recording from 90 to 120 degrees, it also features two XLR inputs for adding your own microphones, making it a versatile piece of kit for getting sounds anywhere. 

Novation Launchkey Mini: $109.99, now $89.99
If like me you find drawing in MIDI notes via mouse and keys a drag, then a MIDI keyboard will massively enhance your workflow. With the Novation Launchkey Mini, you can play that drum beat or bassline in quickly, quantize to your preference, and move on to the next step of crafting your masterpiece, giving you more time to add variety and texture to your mixes. It’s got a $20 discount at Musician’s Friend which doesn’t sound like much, but that takes the price well below $100, which is great value for any MIDI keyboard. 

KRK Classic 5: Was $149.99, now $99.99
We can understand not everyone loves the silver colour of these KRK Classic 5s, but at just $99 each from Guitar Center, they’re an absolute bargain for what you get. Well known for their excellent bass response, a class A/B amplifier means you can push them hard without getting any distortion. Ordinarily priced at $149.99 each at Guitar Center, in their Presidents’ Day sale you can get a pair for just $200, making them a brilliant choice for budget studio monitors.

Cloudlifter CL-1: Was $149, now $126.65
Famous for typically being used with the notoriously quiet Shure SM7B, the Cloudlifter CL-1 is a versatile bit of studio equipment that any producer or engineer can find a use for. It delivers a 25dB boost to the signal of any dynamic or ribbon microphone, without colouring its natural sound. Great for vintage ribbon mics that need a boost, or modern dynamic mics where you don’t have a mic-pre to hand, this excellent value bit of kit has a 15% discount at Musician’s Friend at the moment, giving you a reduction of $22.35 off the regular price. 

Focusrite Scarlett 2i2: Was $189.99, now $119.99
Despite the recent release of the 4th Generation of Scarlett audio interfaces, the 3rd Gen is still a great option if you’re on a budget. This Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 has a phenomenal $70 discount in the Guitar Center Presidents’ Day sale, and it’s the perfect choice for a home studio or travel setup thanks to its compact size and rugged build quality. Housing two of Focusrite’s famously clean preamps, it comes bundled with an excellent software bundle to get you up and running quickly.

MXL 990 Condenser Mic: Was $99.95, now $84.96
One of our top picks for the best cheap microphones for recording, the MXL 990 Condenser Mic gives you a lot of bang for your buck even at full price. As part of the Musician’s Friend Presidents’ Day sale, it’s got a tempting 15% discount, reducing the price to just $84.96. Record vocals, drums, guitars, or pretty much anything else with this mic, and you’ll get a neutral and balanced sound. It also comes with a shock mount and a hard case, making it exceptional value for money. 

PreSonus Revelator io24: Was $179.99, now $99.99
Our pick as the best audio interface for streaming, the PreSonus Revelator has got an absolutely massive discount at Guitar Center at the moment, with an $80 discount taking its price down to just $99.99. Perfect for podcasting or live streams, the powerful accompanying software makes it a breeze to route multiple audio sources, delivering a high-quality sound for any production. We love the little display screen on the front, and it also does a cracking job for recording musicians too. 

Sony MDR-7506 Headphones: Was $99.99, now $85
The headphone of choice for Grammy-winning engineer Andrew Scheps, the Sony MDR-7506 is a legend in the world of studio headphones thanks to their rugged build quality and lightweight design. They’re super flat in terms of frequency response and give you a super detailed view of the mix, making them perfect for tackling a range of genres. With a 15% discount in the Musician’s Friend Presidents’ Day sale, they’re just $85 which is awesome value for money.