Kallaway 4 Recording Studio Setups (Gear Lists)
Recording Setups
Four Main Recording Setups
●​ Setup 1: Beginner (Max Budget Setup) - Total Cost ($0-$60)
○​ Audio:
■​ Wired Apple Headphones ($20) that come with old iPhones [make sure to
get the pair with the right adapter based on your phone port (USB-C vs
Lightning)]
■​ Use mic within smartphone (holding up to your face and recording into
Voice Notes app)
○​ Lighting:
■​ Natural light (record facing a big window) [you face the window, the phone
faces you, light from window hits your face evenly]
○​ Video:
■​ Smartphone
■​ (Optional) Smartphone tripod ($40) (can go on desk or standing)
■​ (Optional) Elgato Desk Mount Stand ($34) (clamps to desk)
■​ (Optional) Ulanzi Phone Grip Mount ^ for Elgato Stand ($11) (holds
phone)​
●​ Setup 2: 80/20 (Most beginners with really tight budgets should start here) - Total Cost
($80-$450)
○​ Audio:
■​ Wired Apple Headphones ($20) that come with old iPhones [make sure to
get the pair with the right adapter based on your phone port (USB-C vs
Lightning)]
■​ Small Lav Mic ($10) [make sure to get the pair with the right adapter
based on your phone port]
■​ DJI Wireless Mic Mini ($169) plug receiver directly into your phone
○​ Lighting:
■​ Main Key Light
●​ Alix Earle Light (Clips to Phone) ($31)
●​ Elgato Key Light (on desk) ($139)
●​ Amaran COB 60X S (on stand or desk mount) ($200)
○​ Amaran LightDome Mini SE ($69)
○​ Smallrig Desk Clamp Stand ($30)
○​ Ulanzi Light Stand ($35)
■​ Accent Lights
●​ Any cool lamp you have lying around can help
●​ Govee Floor Lamp ($99)
●​ Ulanzi Light Wand ($30)
■​ Black Out Curtains (find some on Amazon that fit your space)
○​ Video:
■​ Smartphone
■​ (Optional) Smartphone tripod ($40) (can go on desk or standing)
■​ (Optional) Elgato Desk Mount Stand ($34) (clamps to desk)
■​ (Optional) Ulanzi Phone Grip Mount ^ for Elgato Stand ($11) (holds
phone)​
●​ Setup 3: Recommended (This is all you’ll ever need) - Total Cost ($3-4K)
○​ Audio:
■​ DJI Wireless Mic Mini ($169) plug receiver directly into your phone
■​ DJI Wireless Mic Kit (Gen 1) ($250) I’ve used this on my last 200 videos.
1B+ views on this mic
○​ Lighting:
■​ Main Key Light
●​ Amaran 100X (on stand or desk mount) ($250)
○​ Amaran LightDome Mini II ($129)
○​ Smallrig Desk Clamp Stand ($30)
○​ Ulanzi Light Stand ($35)
○​ Floor Light Stand ($90)
■​ Accent Lights
●​ Any cool lamp you have lying around can help
●​ Govee Floor Lamp ($99)
●​ Amaran Tube Lights ($199)
●​ Philips Hue Go ($90)
■​ Black Out Curtains (find some on Amazon that fit your space)
○​ Video:
■​ Smartphone
●​ (Optional) Smartphone tripod ($40) (can go on desk or standing)
●​ (Optional) Elgato Desk Mount Stand ($34) (clamps to desk)
●​ (Optional) Ulanzi Phone Grip Mount ^ for Elgato Stand ($11)
(holds phone)
■​ Mirrorless Camera
●​ Sony ZV-E1 ($1,900)
●​ 35mm 1.8 lens ($648)
●​ Elgato Desk Mount Stand ($34) (clamps to desk)
●​ SmallRig Mini Ballhead ($34)
●​ Elgato Camlink 4K ($97)
●​ HDMI cable ($9)
●​ Sony Dummy Battery ($35)
●​ Memory Card ($30)
●​ Anker 8 in 1 port adapter ($40)​
●​ Setup 4: My Full Setup (This is overkill and accumulated over a long time) - Total Cost
($5K+)
○​ Audio:
■​ DJI Wireless Mic Mini ($169) plug receiver directly into your phone
■​ DJI Wireless Mic Kit (Gen 1) ($250) I’ve used this on my last 200 videos.
1B views on this mic
■​ “Podcast Look Setup”
●​ Shure SM7B Mic ($400)
●​ XLR Cable ($18)
●​ Low-Profile Desk Boom Arm ($99)
●​ Rode Procaster 2 ($700)
○​ Lighting:
■​ Main Key Light
●​ Aputure 300X (on stand or desk mount) ($1000)
○​ Aputure Light Dome ($100)
○​ Impact Folding C Stand ($180)
■​ Accent Lights
●​ Govee Floor Lamp ($99)
●​ Nanlite PavoTube ($300)
●​ Philips Hue Go ($90)
●​ Amaran 150C ($350)
●​ Amaran Spotlight SE Mount ($335)
●​ K&F Concept Light Stands ($99)
■​ Black Out Curtains (find some on Amazon that fit your space)
○​ Video:
■​ Mirrorless Camera
●​ Sony A7III ($1,800)
●​ 35mm 1.8 lens ($648)
●​ Polar Pro Variable ND Mist Filter ($223)
●​ Elgato Desk Mount Stand ($34) (clamps to desk)
●​ SmallRig Mini Ballhead ($34)
●​ Elgato Camlink 4K ($97)
●​ HDMI cable ($9)
●​ Sony Dummy Battery ($35)
●​ Memory Card ($30)
●​ Anker 8 in 1 port adapter ($40)
○​ Wall Treatment:
■​ Wood Veneer Hub Panels ($215/piece)
■​ Cool Wall Prints (Various)​
●​ Other Things in Studio (Misc) - you don’t need any of these but people always ask!
○​ Uplift v2 Standing Desk ($500-$1000)
○​ Editing Headphones ($400)
○​ Nathan James Floating Bookshelf ($140)
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Photo Camera [FujiX100V] ($2,190)
Desk Management [Balolo] (Various)
Ikea Alex Desk Drawers ($150)
Retractable Elgato Greenscreen ($160)