Studio.
Welcome to the voice over inner sanctum, where the rubber meets the road, the air strikes the cords, and the sound waves rush to the microphone shore.
See below for a list of the toys in the audio sandbox.
Gear.
Just like with kids, everyone has their favorites (oh, come on - you can admit it), and voice over artists are no different.
For microphones, there are three in the Les Campbell collection that get used more than any other: A Neumann TLM103, a Sennheiser MKH416, and an AKG C414 XLII. The Sennheiser is great for deep, serious sound, like for a movie trailer or heartfelt talk with Dad. The AKG is the go-to for a bright and light sound, and does an outstanding job with how-to videos and elearning, among other things. And the Neumann is super-sensitive (just like its owner) and will pick up the delicate nuances that can bring copy to life. But seriously - don't think too loud or the TLM103 will pick it up.
And there's another triumvirate that rises to the top for an interface to get the sound from the mic to the computer. A Universal Audio Apollo Twin X and a PreSonus Quantum 2626, both using ultra-fast Thunderbolt connections, get used in about equal proportion. But indispensable for the travel kit, when recording on the road is necessary, is the Focusrite 4i4.
Finally, there's the software to record and edit all the gifts that the mics and interfaces bestow. The favorites there are Adobe Audition and Twisted Wave, plus magic tricks from plug-ins from Izotope and Waves.