Great Gifts for Recording Engineers

Need the perfect idea for a gift for your favorite musician? If it’s someone obsessed with recording equipment (like we are at Sweetwater), this handy gift guide is here to help. We stock a vast array of recording gear, including microphones, studio monitors, headphones, software, and more, at competitive prices.

Recording enthusiasts are difficult to buy for — especially when you’re not a musician yourself. Never fear, we’re happy to help you navigate the recording gear jungle. Whether you’re shopping for a budding musician or a seasoned pro, we’ve got the gear you’re looking for and the expertise to help you find the perfect gift.

Royer R-121

Since its introduction in 1998, the Royer R-121 has become a bona fide studio staple. This ribbon microphone has a reputation for capturing silky-smooth sounds and handling SPLs up to 135dB with absolute ease. This mic is magic on brass, crazy good on guitar cabs, and delightful on drum overheads and so many more sources.

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Cloud Microphones CL-1 Cloudlifter

Recording engineers demand the best out of their mics, and the Cloud Microphones CL-1 Cloudlifter can take your mics to new heights. This handy mic activator squeezes every ounce of top-quality audio from low-output dynamic and ribbon mics for uber-clean recording — up to 25dB of extra gain!

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IsoAcoustics ISO-155

When it comes to enhancing sound, a great speaker can go a long way; but, without proper room placement, its superb audio can fall short. The IsoAcoustics ISO-155 monitor stand will have speakers positioned for tighter bass, solid imaging, and improved accuracy. A properly focused speaker can dramatically improve sound for informed decision making during mixing and mastering sessions.

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Neumann TLM 103

Another fantastic mic for the recording arsenal, the Neumann TLM 103 really struts its stuff in anything from vocal applications to acoustic guitar. Jack White has often favored this condenser mic in live situations to mic up amps. In short, it has tons of range for studio and stage.

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Max Your Mix E-book by Craig Anderton

Written by industry legend and award-wining engineer Craig Anderton, Max Your Mix is chock-full of tips and tricks that’ll help recording engineers really get the best out of their mixes. Home-studio amateurs and industry professionals both will benefit from this easily accessible e-book. And did we mention... free updated versions?!

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Native Instruments Komplete 14 Standard

With 86 virtual instruments, more than 43,000 presets, and 260GB of content, Komplete 14 Standard provides recording engineers with a smorgasbord of music-making tools. Whether a project requires soaring synths or cinematic suspense, Komplete 14 Standard has it all. Plus, it comes with a selection of seriously impressive effects to transform an ordinary track into something extraordinary.

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Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X

When spending long hours in the studio, comfortable headphones with high-quality sound are worth their weight in gold. Many engineers at Sweetwater rave about the Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X — and for good reason. These ‘phones pack a serious sonic punch that helps recording engineers and players hear the gamut of highs and lows from their mixes.

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Universal Audio 1176LN

Still crafted to specifications that made its forefather sound phenomenal on Stones, Zeppelin, and Michael Jackson records, the Universal Audio 1176LN offers dynamics processing that many at Sweetwater deem second to none. Equip your studio with one of these, and you’ll have the right tool to bolster vocals, make basses thump, drums thwack, and more with excellent dynamics processing.

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Rupert Neve Designs Dual Shelford

Make your recordings sound like the golden age of analog with the Rupert Neve Designs Dual Shelford. This rugged 1U chassis delivers two channels of legendary microphone preamplification that’ll take your recordings to breathtaking heights with gorgeous analog textures.

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Manley Core

Distilled down into Manley’s most prolific essence, the Core can take studio recordings from drab to engaging via its tube preamp, DI, 3:1 ELOP-style compressor, EQ, and FET peak limiter. The exceptional ease of use takes your focus away from fiddling knobs and back to performance. Musical and adaptable, this tube channel strip will become the nucleus of your engineer’s studio.

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Solid State Logic SSL2

The Solid State Logic SSL2 brings SSL’s iconic sound to any studio. This 2-in/2-out USB audio interface offers outstanding audio quality in a compact, travel-worthy chassis. It features Legacy 4K mode, which provides a musical sound with the tiniest hint of harmonic distortion when engaged. As an added bonus, the SSL2 also includes bundled software for extra versatility.

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Gift Cards: For the Engineer Who Has Everything

Not sure what to get for your favorite audio engineer this Christmas? Consider getting them a Sweetwater Gift Card! That way, they can choose their own gift or use the gift card to help pay for their next big gear purchase. Sweetwater currently offers both digital and physical gift cards!

Hopefully this guide gives you some great ideas about what to put in the stocking or under the tree this year. Also, don’t forget about Sweetwater Gift Cards! They make great stocking stuffers and will spread cheer to any musician. If you have any questions, feel free to call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700. We’ll be happy to help you out!

Sweetwater Gift CardsChoosing the perfect gift has never been easier than instant digital delivery and the freedom to choose from over 63,000 music products. A Sweetwater e-Gift is the fastest way to get the giving going. You choose the dollar amount, and the music maker in your life — or maybe even you — gets exactly what they want. The perfect gift is just a few clicks away!
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