Home Studio Setup on a Budget

The Minimum Viable Studio

Audio interface: Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 — reliable, great preamps, under $180

DAW: Reaper ($60 licence) or GarageBand (free on Mac) — both are more than enough to start

Headphones: Audio-Technica ATH-M50x — flat response, comfortable for long sessions, ~$150

XLR cable and a pop filter — basics that cost under $20 together

First Upgrades

Condenser mic: Audio-Technica AT2020 — the workhorse of home studios for vocals and acoustic instruments

Studio monitors: Yamaha HS5 — honest, flat sound that reveals problems your headphones hide

Acoustic panels: DIY rockwool frames covered in fabric — $50 worth kills flutter echo dead

Don't Buy Yet

Expensive plugins — stock DAW effects are fine until you hit their limits (you won't for a while)

Hardware synths — learn your DAW's built-in instruments first, then decide what's missing

Mixing desk — your audio interface IS your mixer at this stage, don't add complexity