You don't need thousands to record great audio. Here's the $500 setup.
The Essentials
USB microphone ($100-150): Audio-Technica AT2020 USB or Rode NT-USB Mini. Headphones ($50-80): Audio-Technica ATH-M40x (flat response for mixing). Pop filter ($10-15). Microphone arm ($20-30). Acoustic treatment ($50-100): DIY panels from rockwool and fabric.
Free Software
Audacity (recording/editing). GarageBand (Mac — full DAW). LMMS (Windows/Linux — music production). Our audio converter and noise reducer handle post-processing.