Self-Recording Guide RØDE NT-USB Microphone & Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Headphones For authors recording narration at home on Mac or PC, using Audacity  ·  Version 04

1 Record your narration following this guide

2 Export clean WAV files and send them to us

3 We handle all sound editing & post-production

4 We may send a short pickup list for quick re-records

5 Return your kit once everything's complete

Contents

1	Welcome	10	Naming & Saving Your Files
2	What's in Your Kit	11	Exporting Your Audio
3	Setting Up Your Recording Space	12	Quality Checklist Before You Send
4	Setting Up the Equipment	13	Sending Us Your Recordings
5	Setting Your Input Level	14	What Happens After You Send Your Files
6	Setting Up Audacity	15	Caring for Your Equipment
7	Microphone Technique	16	Troubleshooting
8	What to Record — File Structure	17	Need Help?
9	Using the Intro/Outro Template

1

Welcome

This guide will walk you through setting up and using your recording kit to narrate your audiobook at home, using Audacity on your own Mac or PC.

Your job is simply to give us the cleanest, most natural-sounding recording you can — we'll take care of the technical polishing afterwards.

2

What's in Your Kit

• RØDE NT-USB Microphone
• Tripod stand + mic mounting ring
• Pop shield/filter
• USB cable
• Sennheiser HD 280 Pro Headphones
• This Self-Recording Guide

If anything is missing, please contact us before you begin.

3

Setting Up Your Recording Space

Where you record matters as much as the equipment. Before plugging anything in:

• Choose a quiet room with soft furnishings — carpet, curtains, soft furniture. Avoid rooms with bare walls and hard floors, which create echo.
• Turn off background noise sources: air conditioning, fans, fridges, fluorescent lights (they hum), anything with a motor.
• Be aware of outside noise — traffic, birdsong, neighbours — and try to record at a quieter time of day if needed.
• If you have a recording shield/reflection filter, set it up behind and around the microphone to reduce room echo further.
• You'll need a table and chair near a power outlet, with your computer set up close enough that the USB cable comfortably reaches.

4

Setting Up the Equipment

4.1 Mounting the Microphone

1	Screw the mounting ring onto the tripod stand.
2	Place the microphone into the ring from above (pop shield optional at this stage) and thread it in.
3	Turn the dial at the base of the mount clockwise until snug.
4	To reposition the mic angle later, loosen the adjustment lever first — don't force it, as this can damage the stand.

4.2 Connecting the Microphone to Your Computer

1	Plug the USB cable into the microphone, then into a USB port on your Mac or PC.
2	The microphone is "plug and play" — no drivers needed.
3	A blue LED inside the mic cage will light up when it's receiving power.

TipIf the light doesn't come on, your USB port may not be supplying enough power. Try a different port, or use a powered USB hub.

4.3 Connecting Your Headphones

Plug the HD 280 Pro headphones into the headphone jack on the microphone — it's the bottom port on the side panel, just below the two control knobs.

4.4 Understanding the Microphone's Controls

The microphone has two knobs on its side:

• Top knob — Monitor Mix: Blends between the live mic signal and your computer's audio. Start centered so you hear an even balance.
• Bottom knob — Headphone Volume: Controls how loud playback is in your headphones. Adjust to a comfortable level — this doesn't affect your recording.

5

Setting Your Input Level on Your Computer

The NT-USB's internal gain is already set well, but it's worth confirming your computer recognises it correctly.

On a Mac

1	Apple menu → System Settings (or System Preferences) → Sound.
2	Open the Input tab.
3	Select RØDE NT-USB from the device list.
4	Adjust the input level slider — aim for the meter to move comfortably without maxing out when you speak at normal narration volume.

On a PC (Windows)

1	Right-click the speaker icon in your taskbar → Sounds (or go via Control Panel → Sound).
2	Open the Recording tab.
3	Double-click RØDE NT-USB, then go to the Levels tab.
4	Adjust the slider similarly — comfortable, not maxed out.

6

Setting Up Audacity

If you haven't already, download and install Audacity (free) on your computer.

6.1 Select Your Microphone in Audacity

• In the Audacity toolbar, find the microphone/recording device dropdown and select RØDE NT-USB.
• Do the same for your playback device if you want to monitor through your headphones via Audacity.

6.2 Project Settings

Set your Project Rate (Hz) to 44100 Hz (bottom-left corner of the Audacity window). This matches our delivery requirement of 44.1kHz directly, so there's no resampling needed later and less room for confusion.

6.3 Recording a Clean Take

We'll handle final levels, EQ, and noise cleanup in post-production — your focus is just on capturing a clean, natural performance:

• Speak at a natural, consistent narration volume and distance from the mic.
• Watch for clipping (red/flat-topped peaks in the Audacity waveform). If you see this, lower your input level slightly and re-test.
• If something happens mid-take, it's fine to pause, take a breath, and re-read the line — you don't need to stop the whole recording.

6.4 Checking You're Not Recording Too Quietly

The single most important thing to get right is recording at a healthy volume — not too quiet. Here's how to check, both while you record and afterwards:

1	Watch the recording meter while you talk. It's the level bar at the top of the Audacity window. Your voice should move the meter well into the upper-middle area — not just flickering near the bottom.
2	Look at the waveform. A healthy recording should comfortably fill a good portion of the track's height. If it looks like a thin, flat line, you're recording too quietly.
3	Use the Amplify check after recording. Select your recorded clip, then go to Effect → Amplify. Audacity will show how much boost is needed to bring the loudest point up to 0dB. If it's suggesting more than about +12dB, your take was likely too quiet — increase your input level (Section 5) and re-record.

ImportantIt's much easier for us to work with a slightly-too-loud-but-clean take than one that's too quiet — quiet recordings pick up more background hiss when boosted in post. When in doubt, record a quick 10-second test and check it before diving into a full chapter.

7

Microphone Technique

• Position the microphone directly in front of you, about 15cm (6") away, with the gold dot facing you (this marks the pickup side of the capsule).
• Always use the pop shield, mounted between you and the mic, to prevent "p," "b," "t," and "k" sounds from popping.
• Keep a consistent distance from the mic throughout a chapter — moving closer makes your voice sound more intimate/bassy; moving back adds more "room" sound.
• Feel free to experiment with the angle (off-axis) for a slightly different tone, but keep it consistent within a single chapter once you find what sounds best.
• Try to avoid touching the mic stand, desk, or shuffling papers near the mic while recording — these will be picked up.

8

What to Record — File Structure

Each of the following should be recorded and saved as its own separate file:

Item	Notes
Opening Credits / Intro	States title, author, and narrator. See template in Section 9.
Author's Note / Preface / Introduction (if applicable)	Recorded as a single standalone file.
Each Chapter	One file per chapter. If your book has no chapters, split recordings into segments of 30–120 minutes.
Closing Credits / Outro	States title, author, narrator, copyright info, and the required AudiobooksNZ tagline. See Section 9.
Sample	A 1–5 minute clip — you can simply trim and export a portion of an existing chapter; no separate recording needed.

9

Using the Intro/Outro Template

Please use the following structure when recording your opening and closing credits — fill in your own details:

Intro:

[Publisher] presents this unabridged reading of [Book Title] by [Author]. Narrated by [Narrator].

Outro:

We hope you enjoyed this unabridged reading of [Book Title] by [Author]. Narrated by [Narrator].
Source Copyright [Name] [Year].
Audiobook Copyright [Name] [Year].
This audiobook was brought to you by Audiobooks NZ, for more New Zealand audiobooks go to audiobooksnz.com.

10

Naming & Saving Your Files

For each recording session:

1. Save your Audacity project file (.aup3) for that piece (intro, chapter, outro, etc.) — this preserves your original multi-track recording in case edits are needed later.
2. Export the final audio file (see Section 11) using a clear, consistent naming convention, for example:

BookTitle_00_Intro
BookTitle_01_Introduction (if applicable)
BookTitle_02_Chapter01
BookTitle_03_Chapter02
...
BookTitle_98_Outro
BookTitle_99_Sample

Using leading numbers like this keeps everything in the correct listening order when sorted alphabetically. Keep both your .aup3 project files and your exported audio files organised in one folder per book.

11

Exporting Your Audio

Once a take is finished (no need for fine editing on your end — just trim off any major dead air at the very start/end if you like):

• File format: WAV (uncompressed) — please do not export as MP3 or FLAC; we need the uncompressed file for sound post-production.
• Sample rate: 44.1kHz (matches your project setting from Section 6.2)
• Bit depth: 16-bit minimum — 24-bit is also fine if you prefer, it doesn't matter either way.

Please avoid:

• Background music
• Extraneous noise (pages turning, chair creaks, etc.)

TipDon't worry about hitting exact loudness or noise-floor targets — that's handled on our end during post-production. Just aim for a clean, consistent, natural-sounding take that isn't too quiet (Section 6.4).

12

Quality Checklist Before You Send

Before sending us a file, quickly check:

	No clipping or obvious distortion
	Recording isn't too quiet (checked per Section 6.4)
	No major background noise or interruptions
	Exported as WAV, 44.1kHz, 16-bit (or 24-bit)
	File named correctly and in the right order

13

Sending Us Your Recordings

Once everything is recorded, exported, and checked, send your WAV files to us using one of the following:

• Google Drive — upload your folder of exported WAV files to the shared Google Drive folder we provide you.
• [Large file transfer service — to confirm] — for very large batches of files, you can also send via a file transfer service if needed; we'll confirm the exact service and any link with you.

14

What Happens After You Send Your Files

1	We do the sound post-production. Our team edits, cleans up, and finalises your recordings — you don't need to do anything further at this stage.
2	We may send you a pickup list. A short list of specific lines, words, or short sections that need to be re-recorded — usually for clarity, mispronunciation, or a technical issue we noticed during the edit.
3	Recording pickups. Use the same setup and settings as above (Sections 4–7, 11) to record any pickups, and send them to us the same way.
4	Returning your kit. Once all recording — including any pickups — is complete and confirmed with us, please pack up your kit (see Section 15) and return it to us. We'll confirm the return method and address with you at that stage.

15

Caring for Your Equipment

• After each session, wipe the microphone down with a soft, dry cloth and store it in its pouch with the moisture-absorbent crystals provided.
• Wipe down the pop shield after use to prevent moisture build-up.
• Fold the HD 280 Pro headphones flat for storage/transport when not in use.
• When it's time to return the kit, pack everything back into its original case/box where possible to avoid damage in transit.

16

Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely Fix
No blue light on mic	Try a different USB port, or a powered USB hub
Mic not showing up in Audacity	Check it's selected in your computer's Sound settings first, then refresh the device list in Audacity
Recording very quiet	Check input level slider in Sound settings and re-check mic distance/positioning (see Section 6.4)
Distorted/clipped recording	Lower input level slightly, move slightly further from mic
Hearing an echo/hollow sound	Check room setup (Section 3) — soft furnishings, reflection shield in place

17

Need Help?

If you run into any issues, contact us at [email protected] and we'll help you sort it out.

AudiobooksNZ  ·  Self-Recording Guide  ·  Version 04