We Can Build a Studio for $9,000

My name is David Dault. I am a professor of religion, and I love radio.

Since 2011 I have produced a weekly radio show and podcast called Things Not Seen: Conversations about Culture and Faith. It's kinda like "Fresh Air" on NPR, but with a faith focus.

Up to this point, we have rented studio time and used other folks' equipment and facilities to produce the show. But we have been given the opportunity to go on the air here in Chicago starting in January on WYLL 1160AM, and that means it's time to build a functioning studio space of our own. 

This GoFundMe campaign is basic equipment for an audio production studio for radio and podcasting.

Because the broadcast is going on the air in January, it would be great to have these funds in place before the end of 2016 - or as early into 2017 as possible.

The plan is for four mic lines plus - up to four voices at once in the studio - plus ability to record at least one phone line. The audio will be at comparable quality to what we get recording at WBEZ or other local stations.

With this equipment, we can produce my show as a podcast and broadcast. But I also want to make make the studio available at a good affordable rate to local producers, like my pals Kat Banakis, Katie Klocksin, Colleen Pellissier, and others in this amazing Chicago radio community.

Over time, we also plan to develop and market some more podcasts that religiously-focused - in a more more "narrative" format than what we are doing on Things Not Seen.

But it starts with having the right equipment. After more than five years of doing this, I have a pretty good idea of how and what I need, and how to make it affordable. I own some of what I need already. Your donation gets us the rest of the way.

If we got the full $9,000, here is exactly how I will spend it:

1 Behrniger Xenyx UFX1604 mixer, $699
1 JK Audio Innkeeper PBX phone tap, $494
1 Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 audio interface, $499.99
1 iMac 3.3 GHz desktop computer, $2,299
1 Marantz PMD661 MkII field recorder, $599
2 Shure SM7B studio mics with stands, $386.10 per
1 ElectroVoice RE50-NDB field mic, $199
1 CloudLifter CL-1 signal booster, $149
3 Symetrix 528e voice signal processors, $889 per
1 subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud, $50/month

Check me on the math, but by my reckoning that gets us to a total of $8,979.18. If we get to that, the studio is built.

If we get beyond that, then we can spend some funds on acoustic treatments and power conditioning for the space, to get the sound even more clean and clear.

I have put more than five years of my life into building this show, and every step of the way I have found listeners who love the work we are doing, and who have pitched in to help. Some have become funders, and some have ended up producing segments for the show. 

I am so thankful for all our fans, old and new - and I want to involve you any way you are interested. If you can help fund this plan, thank you! If you want to pitch us an idea, or if you want help starting a podcast of your own, email me. You can contact me through this site, or through twitter @DaultRadio and @NotSeenRadio.

I look forward to producing excellent shows for many more years to come. With your help, that goal gets one step closer. Thank you always for listening.