Source Connect
The industry-standard remote recording solution for professional voice sessions
Overview
Source Connect is the industry-standard software for real-time remote recording sessions, used by voice actors, studios, and producers worldwide. It enables studio-quality audio transmission over the internet with minimal latency.
Voice actors install the software in their home studio and connect directly with remote studios and clients for directed sessions. The tool integrates with major DAWs and supports high-quality uncompressed audio.
How It Works
Source Connect is considered essential equipment for professional voice actors working with agencies and major clients. Many casting specs and job postings list Source Connect capability as a requirement.
Plans range from approximately $10 to $40 per month depending on the tier. Source Connect Standard covers most professional use cases, while the Pro version adds advanced routing and backup recording.
Who Uses It
A near-mandatory investment for professional voice actors doing directed sessions with agencies and studios. Start with the Standard tier and upgrade only if your workflow demands the additional features.
Pricing & Plans
Source Connect offers several subscription tiers to match different professional needs and budgets. Source Connect Now, the entry-level browser-based option, is available for free and provides basic remote recording capability sufficient for many session types. Source Connect Standard, the most popular tier for professional voice actors, costs approximately $9.99 per month and provides reliable, high-quality audio transmission that meets the expectations of most studios and clients. Source Connect Pro, designed for high-end studio environments, costs approximately $39.99 per month and adds advanced features including backup recording, multi-channel support, and enhanced routing capabilities. All paid plans include technical support and regular software updates to maintain compatibility with evolving studio configurations worldwide. The subscription model replaced an earlier one-time purchase pricing structure, and existing lifetime license holders were grandfathered into continued access, though new users must choose a subscription plan.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
Source Connect is the undisputed industry standard for remote directed voiceover sessions, and having it installed and tested in your home studio signals to clients, agents, and studios that you are a serious professional equipped for high-level work. The audio quality is exceptional, transmitting studio-grade uncompressed or lightly compressed audio with minimal latency, ensuring that remote sessions sound nearly indistinguishable from in-person studio recordings. The software integrates seamlessly with all major digital audio workstations including Pro Tools, Logic, Audition, and Reaper, allowing talent and engineers to work within their preferred recording environment without compromises. Source Connect's global adoption means that virtually any professional studio or production house you work with will have the infrastructure to receive your signal, eliminating compatibility concerns that plague less established alternatives. The backup recording feature in the Pro tier provides an essential safety net, automatically creating a redundant recording at the receiving end that protects against any transmission interruptions during a session. The company provides responsive technical support and detailed setup guides that help voice actors optimize their configuration for the best possible session quality.
What Could Be Better
The ongoing subscription cost, while modest for working professionals, adds up over time and represents a fixed overhead expense regardless of whether you use the software regularly in a given month. The initial setup process can be technically challenging for voice actors who are not comfortable with audio routing, DAW configuration, and network optimization, and a poorly configured installation can cause session-ruining audio issues that reflect badly on your professionalism. Source Connect requires a properly treated recording space and professional-grade equipment to deliver the quality that clients expect when they request a directed session, meaning the software is only one component of a larger infrastructure investment. The Standard tier, while sufficient for most use cases, may lack features that certain high-end clients expect, creating pressure to upgrade to the more expensive Pro tier for specific projects. Some voice actors report occasional compatibility issues when connecting with studios using different Source Connect versions or non-standard configurations, requiring troubleshooting that can delay session start times. The shift to subscription-based pricing frustrated some longtime users who had purchased lifetime licenses under the previous model and felt the recurring cost was an unwelcome change.
Our Recommendation
Source Connect is an essential investment for any voice actor doing professional-level directed sessions with studios, agencies, and major clients — it is not optional if you want to work at the highest levels of the industry. Start with Source Connect Standard, as it covers the vast majority of professional use cases and provides the quality and reliability that clients expect. Upgrade to Pro only if you regularly work with studios that specifically request Pro-level features or if you need the backup recording capability for mission-critical sessions. If you are new to voiceover and not yet booking directed sessions, start with the free Source Connect Now to familiarize yourself with the technology, then move to Standard when your career reaches the point where clients request directed sessions. Voice actors who work primarily through marketplace platforms, self-tape auditions, and non-directed recordings can defer the Source Connect investment until their career trajectory warrants it, as the software is specifically designed for real-time directed sessions rather than self-directed recording and submission.
Pro Tips
Test your Source Connect setup thoroughly before your first client session by running test connections with a friend or fellow voice actor — the worst time to discover a configuration issue is during a paid session with a client and studio engineer waiting on the line. Invest in a stable, wired internet connection rather than relying on Wi-Fi, as even minor network fluctuations can cause audio dropouts and latency spikes that disrupt the session flow and frustrate everyone involved. Create a Source Connect session checklist that includes audio levels, sample rate matching, buffer size optimization, and a pre-session test tone, and run through it before every session to ensure consistent quality. Keep your software updated to the latest version, as Source Elements regularly releases patches that address compatibility issues with new DAW versions and operating system updates. Have a backup plan for every session — whether that is Source Connect Now in a browser, a phone patch through your interface, or a Cleanfeed link — because the ability to pivot seamlessly when technical issues arise is what separates reliable professionals from talent that causes session delays.