Micme's Ultimate Guide To Podcasting Equipment

Acoustic Treatment

The most important thing you need to do to ensure a clean, quiet, high quality recording is acoustically treat your room. Below you'll find a link to a great video by Cinecom that outlines a cheap and easy way to treat a room to control echo and noise. If you don't have a dedicated room for recording your podcast you can find ways to control these problems by using heavy blankets, soft cushions or pillows. What you want to avoid is recording in a room with a lot of hard, reflective surfaces, like a bathroom, kitchen or garage. This is the best way to get a great recording. You can buy the best, most expensive recording equipment available. But if your room isn't acoustically treated, your podcast still won't sound it's best.

Click here to watch a great video by Cinecom on how to acoustically treat your room.

​Sound Proofing

Removing things that make noise from the room you're recording in will help the quality of your podcasts also:

• Use long cabling to move your computer outside the room your recording in.
• Unplug the fridge during the time you're recording.
• Turn off the air conditioner and furnace during the time you're recording.
• Record during quite times outside of your house or apartment.
• Invest in AC line conditioner to ensure the electricity running your audio equipment is clean and quiet (lights and appliances contaminate electricity, from the wall, with audible noise).
• Make sure all your audio cables are running parallel to themselves to avoid RF build up
• Remove jewelry and/or anything that may generate noise, from you person.
• Make sure everyone's phones are on silent (even your guest calling remotely)

Before looking at equipment, it is best practice to decide where you'll be recording and then taking the appropriate measures to make sure your equipment will perform at it's best.

Audio Interface

An audio interface is a piece of hardware that expands and improves the sonic capabilities of a computer. Some audio interfaces give you the ability to connect professional microphones, instruments and other kinds of signals to a computer, and allows you to output a variety of signals, as well. The audio interface will connect to your computer via a USB cable. You'll then have to open your audio editing software and set it up to work with the interface (more on audio editing software later). You need 1 channel and 1 mic per person.

​​Behringer U-Phoria UMC404HD Audiophile (click for interface)

​If you need the ability to record an episode while you're travelling, or on the road, look at the Zoom H series handheld recorder. It can also double as an interface since it has mic inputs and will connect to your computer. If you have one these, you won't need the U-Phoria interface suggested above.

​Zoom H Series Handheld Recorders

*Both suggested interfaces are also available in 2 channel models. You may want to choose a different model depending on how many people will be recording at once.

rMicrophones

Shure SM58: Of the many types of microphones available, dynamic microphones will be you best bang for your buck. The Shure SM58 is a classic, high quality, rugged mic. You'll need to make sure you have 1 mic (and cable) for each person recording and both mic's will be plugged into it's own input on the audio interface.

Audio Technica ATR2100 XLR: A cheaper option to the Shure SM58 is the Audio Tecnica ATR2100 XLR. Both are great options.

Pop Filter: You will also need a pop filter for your microphones. They cancel out loud bass frequencies caused by wind that is created when you say words with "P" and "B". 

Audio Editing Software

Audio editing software allows you to set up your mics to get them ready to record the audio. The software also allows you to control the audio after it's been recorded. Prices for software can be in the thousands, however there are low cost options that are perfect for recording you raw audio.

Garageband: If you have an Apple computer, you will also have Garageband. This is a free option that allows you record multiple channels of audio at the same time.

Reaper: is a low cost highly functional audio editing software. You can purchase this software for under US$100.00.

Adobe Audition: A full functioning professional level audio editor. You can purchase Adobe Audition for a monthly subscription.


What to do when you have a guest somewhere else in the world

Sometimes you'll need to record a guest that is somewhere else in the world. There are easy ways to use internet based options that will connect you to your guest.

Squadcast: Reliably record studio-quality audio with your guests from anywhere in the world

Cleanfeed: Cleanfeed is multitrack, multi-party live audio and recording using only a browser

Zoom: The original software-based conference room solution used around the world.


Other Useful Equipment

Headphones - Audio-Technica m20x: Headphones are one of the most useful pieces of gear you can have. Always listen to your levels and make sure they are right before recording. If you don't, you risk recording poor quality audio. 

​Modern design and high-quality materials combine to deliver a comfortable listening experience, with enhanced audio and effective isolation.

Microphone Stand: A compact table top mic stand is all you need. Make sure the base doesn't take up too much space and get in the way but is heavy enough to prevent tipping over and stay stationary.

Podcast equipment doesn't have to be complicated. With a little research you'll be able to choose the right space to record in, sound proof it and select the right gear to capture high quality audio. That way your expert guests can heard loud and clear when they're talking.

Once you've decided what equipment and software you need for podcasting, check out Micme's Editing and Launching services. Save valuable time editing and even more time launching your podcast, while avoiding costly mistakes.