Rob's first studio was a purpose built space converted from a sauna. It was great in terms of isolation from outside noise and was a tad larger in width and length than the typical Whisper Room or similar vocal booth one can order from the web. Even so, Rob knew if he ever built another studio, he wanted more space to move when performing.
Flash forward to Rob's new studio in Las Vegas. This time the site planner (Rob's wife Deb) reserved a large bedroom for the build out. The room had its challenges, but with a solid budget to work with it was well treated acoustically and continues to receive periodic improvements for sound isolation. The size allows for full range of motion, video recording when necessary, and room for instruments. Internet connectivity is hard wired to a low latency (~6ms), 1GB bidirectional fiber service for no fuss live sessions.
The Gear
As one my imagine from someone who had a long career in and was a best selling author in tech, Rob is a bit of a gear geek. That said, he is a realist and likes his gear to be practical. If there is a particular sound you're looking for and would like a specific mic used, please let Rob know at the start of the project.
Mics
WA87 R2: This large condenser mic from Warm Audio was designed to match the profile of a Neumann U87. It is Rob's "go to" mic for most short form work - particularly in cases where a given character or situation can benefit from dynamic use of the proximity effect.
MKH 416: This shotgun mic from Sennheiser is the industry standard for most video shoots and a common mic for home vocal booths. It is Rob's mic of choice for most long form work, as it is less sensitive to changes in mic distance or other small position changes. Using this mic provides the consistency of sound needed in multi-session projects such as audiobooks. This or the MKE600 listed below is also used fro Rob's travel kit.
Other: Several other mics are available on request. The current list includes....
Sennheiser MKE400 Shotgun
Sennheiser MKE600 Shotgun
Stellar TK2 Large Condensor
Rode Procaster Dynamic Stage
Synco D2 Shotgun
Interfaces
UFX II: A leading commercial studio interface from RME, this is the primary interace used in the studio. Like most of the RME line of interaces, it is known for ulta low latency and for great built in pre-amps when direct connected to mics needing phantom power.
RME BabyFace Pro FS: Essentially a baby brother to the UFX II, This is the primary interface for Rob's travel rig.
Other interfaces from Focusrite and Native Instruments are available on request.
Pre-Amps
WA273 dual channel
DBX 286 (Run both wet or dry depending on the project)
Computers
Mac Studio (M4 Max): This is the primary host in the studio
MacBook Pro M4 (M4): Used in the travel rig
Software
LogicPro is the primary DAW and is used unless other arrangements are made
Live sessions can be done through Zoom (Recommended) or Meet
SourceConnect 4
For Other Gear Geeks...
SSL UF-8 DAW Controller
Arturia KeyLab 61 MkII Keyboard/Controller
Roland FP30X Electric Piano
Maschine Mk3 Production and Performance Controller