Choosing audio gear for podcasting from the hundreds of possibilities and endless opinions can be extremely overwhelming, especially for the beginner. Fortunately, you can put together a podcasting setup with professional, reliable, high-quality gear at affordable prices. This is a list of podcasting gear that we recommend to our clients and use ourselves every day.
FOR RECORDING REMOTELY OVER ZOOM
USB Mics:
Shure MV7
https://amzn.to/3vMrlJh
This mic will require the purchase of a separate mic stand. See below for recommendation.
AT-2020 USB
https://amzn.to/2A4iawa
Blue Yeti USB mic
https://amzn.to/3Gt4x7e
Pop filters for above mics
https://amzn.to/3FrOPrq
https://amzn.to/2QdZVK3
AT-2100
https://amzn.to/2zml9zM
Pop filters for AT-2100
https://amzn.to/3iUzgTK
Apogee Hype Mic USB
https://amzn.to/31qXSsn
Apogee MiC plus
https://amzn.to/2Vurq4A
More robust mic stand
http://amzn.to/1MEWWVv
The Mv7 does not ship with a mic stand. The stands that are included with most mics are flimsy. An upgrade to a heavy stand is a good, cheap investment.
XLR to USB adapter:
http://amzn.to/1qlqKMO
If you already have a professional mic with and XLR plug, this device will let you connect an XLR mic into your computer via USB.
Headphones:
ATH-M50x
https://amzn.to/3iQURIC
ATH-M40x
https://amzn.to/3iUH6bK
ATH-M30x
https://amzn.to/3r13xPk
ATH-M20x
https://amzn.to/3clwhyj
Recording App
Piezo
https://rogueamoeba.com/piezo/
This is a sturdy, easy-to-use little app that works great as a primary recording source or as a backup.
FOR RECORDING LIVE IN PERSON
This list is for a live, in-person recording scenario, as opposed to a recording with remote guests, such as over Zoom. All of this gear is professional, compact and portable.
DIGITAL RECORDER & MICS
Zoom PodTrak P4 Podcast Recorder:
This is a reliable, compact and easy to operate four track recorder that will work great in your studio or in the field. It’s powered by a wall outlet via USB or by 2 AA batteries.
For lengthy field recordings or use in remote locations, you can even power it with a USB power bank: http://amzn.to/2rUH7BV.
Compact USB wall plug to power Zoom P4:
https://amzn.to/3FKuoJH
An existing USB charger will work fine, but it’s a best practice to have an adapter that is dedicated to your Zoom, so you don’t have to go chase it down.
SD Cards:
http://amzn.to/1Y2ERkL
Choose as big of a card as you can Also buy a backup or two. You can never have too much storage on a card. And you can never have too many SD cards.
Shure SM58 hand held mics, as many as needed:
http://amzn.to/1UG24fa
These are rugged and reliable mics that deliver very good quality at a good price. You should have one mic for each person speaking during an interview. There are lower cost microphones available, but we do not recommend any of them.
Windscreen (One for each mic):
http://amzn.to/1qlqihH
ALTERNATE, MORE PRO STUDIO SETUP:
NEW! Zoom LiveTrak L-12:
http://amzn.to/2GQwgzg
A very exciting new device from Zoom! This is a 12 track recorder and mixer all in one. It has built-in preamps, which will make mics like the Shure SM58 (http://amzn.to/1UG24fa) sound brighter. The preamps also allow you to upgrade to studio mics like the Shure SM7 (http://amzn.to/2HPLQN9) or the Electro Voice RE20 (http://amzn.to/2EVzDbK) which require a preamp, without having to buy a separate preamp.
This unit also has five separate headphone outputs, each with an independent, programmable mix. This is a very nice extra and eliminates the need for a headphone splitter or amp, as would be needed with many portable recorders. Plus, it has USB audio interface connectivity. This unit delivers so much bang for the buck, yet is small enough to be used in the field, if needed.
Shure SM7
http://amzn.to/2HPLQN9
Electro Voice RE20
http://amzn.to/2EVzDbK
If you have the budget to buy studio mics, these are fantastic studio mics that we have used and have proven themselves over the test of time. (These, and most studio mics will require a separate preamp to work well with the Zoom H6.)
XLR cables (One for each mic. This is a two-pack):
http://amzn.to/1MX8rlZ
Don’t buy more cable length than you need. Six or 10 foot cables will suffice in most cases. Shorter cables pick up less interference and are more compact on your tabletop or in your portable kit. Buy extras for backup and if need be, these extra XLRs can be daisy-chained to make a longer cable.
Studio mic stands (one for each mic):
http://amzn.to/1MEWWVv
These are solid and sturdy for studio use, but they are extremely heavy and bulky. If you’re going to do interviews outside of the studio, portable stands may be a better option. But these will transmit less handling noise from the tabletop to the mic.
Portable mic stands (one for each mic):
http://amzn.to/1TlUXH5 or http://amzn.to/2otUlHG
These are not very sturdy, but they are lightweight, easy to carry and cost nothing. If they break, just buy new ones. Double-check for any loose screws, nuts or bolts before use.
Headphones:
For host:
Audio Technica ATH-M30
http://amzn.to/2brgu1R
These are high-quality headphones, that will serve you well for recording, editing or personal use. You’ll want to spend more on better quality headphones for yourself because you need to clearly monitor the quality of the audio while you’re recording or editing.
For guests:
Sony MDRZX110
http://amzn.to/2b35qUF
For guests, more budget-minded headphones will suffice. Guests don’t need to monitor recording quality. They just need to be able to hear everyone talking on the show and any audio playback. Headphones also help the guest to tell if they are talking on-mic.
Headphone splitter:
http://amzn.com/B00E9W11QM
For attaching multiple headsets to a digital recorder.
ALTERNATE: Four-Channel Headphone Amplifier
http://amzn.to/2qk53gz
This could be used in place of the simple headphone splitter with the Zoom H6. It gives each person the ability to adjust their overall headphone volume. This is a nice option for a permanent studio setup, but may be cumbersome for field recordings. There are lower-priced headphone amps available, but we do not recommend any of them. They are of poor quality and typically require the use of headphone adapters, which results in a lot of fiddling.
OPTIONAL
Rolling Backpack:
https://amzn.to/3uHV4ob
https://amzn.to/3VPEz5j
It’s a best practice to keep all of your gear together in a kit. Even a small kit gets heavy quickly, so this rolling backpack will save your back by letting you wheel your equipment around on location. Since it’s a backpack instead of a travel suitcase, you have the option of carrying it on your back in bad weather or rough environments. It includes a padded inner sleeve that will fit most 17″ laptops.
AA Batteries & Charger:
https://amzn.to/3WfKRLD
For the Zoom recorder. Whatever kind you like.
Anker Vertical USB Mouse:
http://amzn.to/2eY2z2N
This mouse is the recumbent bike of input devices. It looks weird, but works great for editing and general computing use.
USB boom headsets:
Jabra UC 550:
http://amzn.to/2jfPhmX
Sennheiser PC 36
http://amzn.to/2it1x2b
These are an option for Zoom, Skype or other VOIP calls. The quality will not be as good as professional mics, so expect to need some cleanup work on the recording.
Often, we will ship a headset to a guest, rather than relying on the unknown quality of their available earbuds or the mic built into their computer. This ensures that remote audio will be of a consistent quality.
The headset mic is also helpful for people who are not professional speakers and might tend to drift away from a stationary mic on a stand. The boom arm-mounted microphone keeps the mic near the guest’s mouth at all times.