Rack Equipment Analog (non DAW)

































A good microphone is key to making this work. It is where it all starts and sets the stage for all that is to come. There are many good microphones out there that are inexpensive. Say $60-150. Choose a mic that will fit your voice well. It's virtually impossible for me to recommend one so please don't ask. Determine your price point. Try and find some good reviews and do plenty of research on mics you may be interested in. Determine what type of voice you have. There are some very good dynamic mics out there too. Your mic will be an important piece to this puzzle.
I would recommend a direct box such as this to keep ac voltage off of the shield as well as matching the impedence to what the rig wants to see at the input:






















Below is an equipment list in order of importance: 

1. Mic-condenser/dynamic
2. Preamp w/phantom power if using a condenser mic
3. Equalizer (parametric or graphic)
The above 2 alone will give you a substantial upgrade whether using SDR or Superhet.
4. An exciter/enhancer like Aphex 204/104 w/optical big bottom (No substitute for this amazing piece of gear). Although the Aphex is one of a kind, the next best option is the Behringer Sonic Exciter. VERY good and a great option if the Aphex is unavailable.
5. Compressor/Limiter/Gate (stay clear of using an expander)
6. If using the analog mic input on the front of your rig, a Heil cable or equivalent will be needed to patch the output of the rack to the input of your transceiver. 
*A direct box (above) may be needed as well as a 15dB pad may be needed as there will be a gross impedance mismatch between the rack and the mic in on the rig.

Lastly, I would not skimp on connections. Use high quality cables and if needed, use Star Quad cabling. The connection between the rack and the rig is important. I recommend doing it right with a Heil cable which is "rig specific" if not using the "virtual" route to the rig. Even then, the cable from the rack to the soundcard is equally important.

As you can see there is a lot of gear to consider and can be expensive not to mention having all those connections which are subject to RF ingress. This gear was never intended to be used in a rf rich environment.

There is another option that is much cheaper and less susceptible to interference. See below......

Equipment/Hardware for DAW's

For SDR's like Flex Anan Sun/Expert or any rig that uses a "usb audio codec," you can use just 1 soundcard(how I do it) and Voicemeter Banana. You can also go the "Dual Soundcard" route. "Virtual Audio Cables" are an option as well but have found the increase in latency is not worth it in most cases. If using 2 cards, remember  YOU CANNOT USE TWO IDENTICAL CARDS UNLESS THEY SPECIFICALLY STATE "YOU CAN" ON THE MANUFACTURER'S WEBSITE! 
Think "aggregate drivers"

1. Microphone
2. Soundcard with phantom power if using a condenser mic
3. Microphone cable

This configuration will do everything a rack will do and more for free. You will need a computer of course. This will process audio in real time with almost no noticeable latency.

See Master Blaster series for detailed instructions.
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