Podcast Recording Equipment -

The goal of this post is to provide the most inexpensive list of podcast recording equipment that provides for optimized source recordings.

I’m going to list 2 options:

1. PRO ($700)

You can start podcasting with the microphone that came with your iPhone. If you are just testing the water, it’s not necessary to go out and get heavy duty equipment. That being said, there will be a cap to your audience growth unless you get your hands on a quality microphone. Either of these microphones will get you a great source recording.

My podcast requires that I carry my equipment with me. Having a mixer, a microphone arm and everything else is simply impossible due to my travel lifestyle. So I seek a mobile microphone that I can take with me. If you require mobility in your recording studio, go with the Budget High Quality podcasting microphone.

1. PRO Podcast Recording Equipment List:

This podcast recording equipment provides the highest cost/benefit ratio of sound quality to price. With this gear, your sound quality will be in line with the best of iTunes. It’s a small investment if your serious about having an excellent podcast.

Lewis Howes uses this PRO Podcast Recording Equipment and you can hear the quality by listening to it here.

Heil Sound PR 40 Microphone

This is a high performance microphone that is perfect for podcasters and other voice over applications. It’s made of steel which protects it from interference via video monitors and unexpected electrical interference. It can manage a wide range of sound pressure levels (SPLs) from a shotgun blast to a baby’s whisper. This thing rocks and it’s assembled in the USA. This is the centerpiece for your ideal podcast recording equipment.

Scarlet 2i2 Mixer

The mixer provides the power that the microphone needs to get the highest quality source recording. Since you just want to podcast, you don’t need a mixer with 50 channels. This mixer will provide you with the sound quality you need at a price that isn’t going to be restrictive.

The microphone connects to the mixer, the mixer connects to your computer. It’s that simple.

Pop Filter

The pop filter is inexpensive icing on your sound quality cake. Even with the best microphone, you need a pop filter to create a physical barrier between you mouth and the podcast recording equipment. These cost around twenty dollars so there is a attractive cost/benefit ratio.

One of the most common complaints from podcast listeners is that they “hate” the host or guest breathing into the microphone. Pop filters alleviate the risk of this, plus they improve the overall source recording.

Shock Mount

Shock mounts insulate your microphone from low frequency rumbles, impacts and any normal movement from the podcaster while recording. When rocking the mic for 15-20 minutes or longer, the podcaster needs to be able to shift the mic without trashing the sound quality.

This piece not only gives you excellent sound quality, it also helps with branding and just looking like a rock star. Install some graphics on the head of your shock mount with your show art and you can make videos that will seem as if you’re recording from a top of the line recording studio.

Arm Mount

The arm mount and the shock mount work together to allow movement while podcasting. We recommend podcasting while standing up because it gives you a more dynamic sound.

You can use zip ties to run the XLR cable from the microphone to the mixer in a clean, organized manner. The shock mount connects to your desk for support. After this is all installed, you can rock the mic without worrying about the recording being jacked from moving the mic around.

Cables

XLR Cable – This will connect your microphone to your mixerconnect all this new equipment to your computer, you will need the following cables:
RCA Cable – For pluggin your mixer into your computer via the microphone jack
1/4″ Stero Jack – For plugging your headphones into your mixer

Putting it all Together

Putting the Gear Together Goes Like This:

Pop Filter goes over the Microphone
Microphone connects to Shock Mount
Shock Mount connects to Arm Mount
Arm Mount connects to your table
Microphone connects to XLR Cable
XLR Cable connects to Mixer
Mixer connects to RCA Cable
RCA Cable connects to the Computer