Podcast FAQ

podcast equipment list

by Janae Kautzer Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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  • A computer. A computer is essential to podcasting because you’ll want to use a digital audio workstation (DAW) to produce your show.
  • An XLR or USB microphone. A podcasting microphone is probably the most critical piece of equipment. It affects your sound quality and can save you time in post-production.
  • Mixer. Mixers are used to improve audio quality and offer multi-channel recordings for those with co-hosts or guests.
  • Pop filter or windscreen. Pop filters or windscreens both reduce the plosive sounds we make when saying words with hard P or T sounds like “please”.
  • Podcasting headphones. When it comes to headphones, almost anything will do in the beginning. ...
  • Microphone stand. A mic stand or boom mount is a great solution for getting the mic up off the desk, and closer to mouth level.
  • Acoustic treatments. Recording in a space purposefully set up to capture crisper audio is a lifesaver during post-production.
  • Podcast hosting provider. It’s a common misconception that podcasters upload their shows directly to listening apps like Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

A Complete List of Podcast Equipment for Beginners
  • A computer.
  • An XLR or USB microphone.
  • Mixer.
  • Pop filter or windscreen.
  • Headphones.
  • Microphone stand.
  • Acoustic treatments.
  • Recording and editing software.
May 24, 2022

Full Answer

What is the best equipment for a podcast?

Must-Have Podcast Tools

  1. External Microphone. Anyone who is even remotely familiar with the concept of sound recording will vouch for the importance of a good microphone.
  2. Microphone Stand & Boom Arm. Microphone stands, despite being relatively affordable, are often ignored by novice podcasters. ...
  3. Shock Mount. ...
  4. Pop Filters. ...
  5. Audio Interface. ...
  6. Headphones. ...
  7. Headphone Amplifier. ...

What equipment will be needed to start a podcast?

The 10 Technology Items You'll Need to Start a Podcast

  • 1. A good microphone Audio is one area that you won’t want to cut corners with. ...
  • 2. Headphones Your headphones don’t have to be top of the line, but you will want something that’s up to the job. ...
  • 3. A pop filter When talking directly into the microphone, your b’s and p’s will sound amplified. ...
  • 5. ...
  • 6. ...
  • 7. ...
  • 8. ...
  • 9. ...
  • 10. ...

What equipment do you need for a podcast?

What equipment do you need for a podcast? To start podcasting you'll only need a USB microphone, a pop filter, headphones, and a computer. More advanced users may want to buy an XLR microphone, audio interface, mixer, and a microphone stand.

How much does podcast equipment cost?

Summary: How Much Does Podcast Equipment Cost? Most people don't need to spend more than $100 on their podcasting equipment. A USB mic will suit you if you're recording solo or online/remote conversations. For the other bits and pieces, if you need them, you can be anywhere from $20 to $100+.

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What is an Alitu podcast?

Alitu is a tool that takes your recording, polishes it up, adds your music, and publishes the episode, all automatically. Learn more about Alitu. Finally, we get to the publishing stage. In order to upload your podcast for the world to hear, you need to sign up to a media host.

What is a dedicated digital recorder?

A dedicated digital recorder is a great option for someone who wants to podcast on the go but is looking for a level of sound quality above what you'll get with a smartphone. On top of that, digital recorders offer a lot more settings and options for creating audio, because that's what they're literally built for.

Can you use a rode smartlav+ to record podcasts?

The Rode SmartLav+ setup is ideal for on-the-go recording and location interviews.

Why use a mixer for podcasts?

Mixer. Mixers are used to improve audio quality and offer multi-channel recordings for those with co-hosts or guests. It’s also a required piece for anyone using an XLR microphone. Adding a mixer to your podcast setup creates a new opportunity to record live episodes with AUX features.

Why is it important to have a computer for podcasting?

A computer. A computer is essential to podcasting because you’ll want to use a digital audio workstation (DAW) to produce your show. That means using a recording and editing software to make the final episode sound cleaner and more professional. Computer wise, Mac or PC work just fine. Same for desktop or a laptop.

How many microphones does a MG10 mixer have?

The MG10 mixer has a 10-channel console that allows 4 microphone inputs. It includes 1 AUX send to incorporate additional sound effects or music while recording. Or try the MG06 option if you only need two mic inputs and don’t need the AUX live podcasting features.

What is a pop filter?

A pop filter is typically a foam or mesh screen fixed in front of the microphone while a windscreen fits over the top of the mic. If your podcast microphone doesn’t come with either built-in, this piece of equipment doesn’t break the bank and results in a much smoother sound.

How many channels does a Focusrite mixer have?

This mixer has 8 channels that allows 4 XLR mics, one USB-C port, and dual headphone outputs with independent volume controls. You can monitor all input levels in real time with the Direct Monitor circuit to reduce clipping. Best of all, it’s equipped with Focusrite’s switchable Air mode that gives every voice a brighter sound.

How much does a DAW license cost?

This is an affordable DAW that’s as easy to use as Audacity but has more advanced features. Licenses start at $60 and it’s compatible with Mac and PC computers. Import audio files or record directly with the software then use the built-in editing tools to create a polished episode.

Do you need headphones for podcasts?

When it comes to headphones, almost anything will do in the beginning. While we think they’re a non-negotiable part of a podcast setup, you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars right away. The standard Apple headphones or anything that you use to listen to music, are fine to start. One important note is everyone who is recording should wear their own set.

What is a podmic?

The PodMic is a small dynamic cardioid end-address microphone designed to be used for podcasting and streaming. It is tuned for speech and broadcast use, and works great whether you are recording in a professional studio or a noisy office. It has a rich, warm, and crisp sound.

Is the Blue Yeti a good microphone?

The Blue Yeti USB microphone has been the most popular USB microphones in the last several years, but I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone.

What are the obstacles to starting a podcast?

A common obstacle to starting a new podcast is figuring out the proper podcast equipment, especially finding the right balance between cost and quality. Although you can certainly create a podcast with little to no gear that you don’t already own, creating content that stands out and is not held back by audio quality can be a challenge ...

What is a rode mic?

Rode is a top name in audio, and this mid-level mic is built especially to record clear, warm voice tones. The mic itself is in a sturdy metal shell that can handle heavy use, and internal pop filters and shock mounting reduce the need for extra accessories.

Is Audacity good for podcasts?

The pro of Audacity is how basic it is , but at the same time it can be a negative for podcasters that want to do a bit more with their audio. The editing tools that Audacity does provide can be a bit hard to navigate and getting the hang of it can be a challenge. Pro Tools First.

A typical Podcast Equipment list

There are so many things that you can buy for your podcast. Question is Do you need all this equipment ? and if Yes at what stage of your podcast you need it ?

Computer for podcasting

Computer for podcasting is no different from what most creators need. The most important feature for a podcasting computer is single core performance. You will need i7 or at least an i5 processor to get the work done.

Podcast Microphone

This is by far the most important part of the podcast equipment. You always want to buy the most expensive microphone that your budget can allow.

Audio Interface for podcasting

Audio interface is a simple device which connects your microphones (generally 2 microphones) to your computer. It records , processes , converts the audio to digital format and send it to your computer.

Audio mixer for podcasting

A mixer or a podcast mixer is a device that you put all of your different inputs in so let us say you have multiple microphones; for this example, we are just going to go simple. Let us say you are recording a podcast with a friend and you have 2 microphone inputs.

POP filters and Windscreens

Now that we have the basic gear in place , we can move to the gear which will help you to improve the quality and fine tune your audio.

High quality cables

An XLR cable may not appear to be the most crucial thing however, it’s often considered to be the “weak link” in your audio’s signal chain.

Comprehensive Podcast Equipment List

Computers allow you to use digital audio workstations or editing software to record and produce a more professional show.

Digital Audio Workspace (DAW)

Now that you have every piece of podcast equipment, it’s time to invest in a digital audio workspace (DAW). This means getting a software program that will record your audio interface and provide pro-level editing.

Conclusion

Technically, you can record an episode with your iPhone, but that will have amateur written all over your show in bold capital letters!

What is the best microphone for podcasts?

You need to have a mic that is best suited for recording voice and which will best suit your recording environment. Overall Shure SM7B is the best dynamic microphone for podcasting.

How to make a podcast sound good?

Investment in the correct audio equipment is extremely important for podcasting. Your audio setup needs to be correctly selected to ensure: 1 Best possible capabilities to capture great audio and minimize time spent on editing 2 Reach in enough features and solutions to make your audio sound best as possible 3 Fit your recording environment and don’t capture noises 4 Just enough capabilities to ensure great podcasts and don’t be filled with features you won’t ever use. You shouldn’t have to overpay for unnecessary functions 5 Be good enough to last for years so you can focus on your podcast and not on upgrading your equipment 6 Durability and solid construction in case of physical hardware

How to reduce reverberation in podcast?

If the mic captures them you will end up with a lot of reverberations. An Isolation Filter is a very effective way to reduce reverberations and improve the audio quality of your podcast. It isolates the back and sides (depending on the size of the filter) from recording unwanted, reflected sounds.

What is a good filter?

A good filter is one of the simplest add ons to your recording kit which will greatly improve your audio quality by shielding your microphone from plosive consonants (popping effect is caused by voiceless, consonants like /p/, /t/, and /k/, or voiced, like /b/, /d/, and /g/) and from sibilance (often cause by the sounds /s/, /z/, and /f/).

What is a DAW for podcasts?

Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) is the music software to record and later edit your podcast. There are a lot of DAWs on the market developed for music producers and creators not all of them are best suited for podcasters.

Do USB microphones come with a stand?

By fixing the position of your mic and filters you get more consistent and even-sounding audio quality. Most of the USB microphones (including recommended by us) already come equipped with a stand. If you are going for a more professional condenser or dynamic microphone those won’t come with a stand.

Do mics come with cables?

Some of the mics (usually low to mid-budget) may come with a cable. But regardless if you already have a cable or not getting higher quality cable, premium cables improve the quality of the captured audio.

Headphones

I may have overdone it on these, but I wanted to hear what I really sound like without a bunch of outside noise coming in my ears, and these Audio-Technica ATH-M70x headphones get that job done very well.

Acoustics

Yes, it’s worth investing a bit to absorb sound in your recording space and and improve the acoustics, but there are a few tricks. The easy part is that you can buy pretty much any foam tiles and you won’t go wrong on those–they’re cheap and they’re all pretty much the same.

Dongles!

Just to be thorough, if you’ve got one of the new Macbook Pros, like I do, then you’ll need a USB adapter to plug your USB cable from the Focusrite Scarlett into your computer. BTW, don’t buy one of those new Macbooks until you watch this. Yeah, I thought it was funny too, then I bought one of those Macbooks–I’m not laughing anymore.

Software

So here’s the thing…YouTube is fast becoming the biggest podcasting platform. Yeah, yeah, iTunes is still the big one, but get ready for YouTube to be the next hot thing for podcasters. That doesn’t mean you have to put video up there, you can just put audio up there and people can play the audio and listen to it.

Hosting

Libsyn – Let’s just make this easy, there’s no other option worth considering at the moment. There are affordable versions, but you can go pro if you’re going to do a ton of episodes and you’re positive it’s going to be high traffic. I also use the Libsyn plugin for WordPress to put the audio on my website.

Webcam

Of course if you’re going to do video then you need a webcam and right now the best thing I’ve found is the Logitech C920 for about $60. It’s hard to beat the price and quality on this one.

Lights

If you’re going to do video then a little bit of good lighting goes a long way. I went with the Interfit F5 3-Head Continuous Fluorescent 5600K Daylight Lighting Kit and yes, it makes a big difference, but I sometimes wonder if I bought the right kit. They’re big, bulky, and not easy to transport. They’re also not super high quality.

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