Podcast Equipment Guide: From Microphones to the Room

Decide this before choosing equipment

Most people who get stuck choosing equipment have not yet decided how many people will speak, where, and how they will record. Will one person talk from home, will two or three people sit in the same room, or will you connect with someone remotely? Once that is settled, the list of equipment you need gets much shorter.

Just as important: equipment is not the only thing that decides audio quality. Distance between mouth and microphone, the room's acoustics and how evenly speakers' voices are matched all make a big difference. Improving the recording space often helps more than buying expensive gear. If your show's format is not settled yet, read How to plan a podcast first.

Choosing a microphone

Dynamic vs condenser

Microphones fall into two broad types.

• Dynamic microphones pick up sound close to the mouth well and are less sensitive to distant sound. They pick up less air-conditioning noise, street sound and room echo, which makes them well suited to podcasts recorded in untreated homes or meeting rooms.
• Condenser microphones are more sensitive and capture fine detail in the voice. They also pick up more of the surroundings and the room, so they assume a quiet room with little echo.

If in doubt, start with a dynamic microphone. It is less affected by the environment and tends to produce listenable audio even when conditions are not ideal.

USB vs XLR

There are also two connection types.

• USB microphones plug straight into a computer and work immediately. They suit solo recording and getting started quickly. Running several USB mics on one computer at the same time can be tricky to set up, though.
• XLR microphones use the professional connection and run through an audio interface, mixer or recorder. Each mic's level can be adjusted separately as you add people, and setups are easy to reconfigure.

Some microphones support both USB and XLR. You can start solo on USB and switch to XLR when more people join, so they are worth considering if you expect to grow.

Polar pattern

Microphones pick up sound from particular directions. For podcasts, a cardioid (unidirectional) pattern that focuses on the front is standard. Several people can share one microphone, but their levels rarely match and editing becomes harder. Plan on one microphone per person.

What else you need

• Audio interface: Brings XLR microphone signals into a computer. The number of microphone inputs sets the maximum number of people you can record at once.
• Headphones: Let speakers hear themselves and each other. Closed-back headphones that leak little sound work best. Listening on speakers while recording means the mics pick that sound up.
• Recorder: Records without a computer. Models that accept several microphones directly are useful for location recording and as a backup against computer trouble.
• Mic stand or boom arm: Keeps mouth-to-mic distance constant. Handheld mics tend to pick up handling noise and uneven distance.
• Pop filter or windscreen: Softens plosives and breath hitting the microphone.
• Cables: Keep a spare XLR cable on hand so a bad connection on the day does not derail the session.

Remote recording

If you rely on a video-call app's audio for a remote guest, the sound can drop out or be heavily compressed depending on the connection. These approaches protect quality:

• Each person records locally: Everyone records their own microphone and the files are combined later. The original quality survives even if the connection is unstable.
• Use a remote recording service: Some services record each participant separately at high quality.
• Ask guests to use a mic and headphones too: A laptop's built-in mic will always capture the room. Sending guests simple equipment, or telling them what to use in advance, helps a lot.

Treat the room

Room acoustics can matter more than equipment, and many fixes cost little.

• Avoid large, hard rooms: Bare walls and floors make voices echo. Rooms with curtains, rugs, bookshelves and sofas echo less.
• Move away from the wall: Speaking directly at a wall adds reflections.
• Turn off noise sources: Air conditioning, extractor fans, fridges, computer fans. Switch off whatever you can during recording.
• Add some absorption: Placing absorbent panels or thick fabric in front of and behind the speaker makes a noticeable difference.

If it is hard to get a good space at home or in the office, a studio is another option. See Recording a podcast in a studio for how to compare.

Setups by tier

Thinking in three tiers keeps things simple.

Minimum setup

• One USB microphone (dynamic)
• Closed-back headphones
• Mic stand and pop filter
• A computer with free recording and editing software

Good for solo shows or for trying out a few episodes.

Standard setup

• One XLR microphone (dynamic) per person
• An audio interface with enough inputs
• Closed-back headphones for everyone (a headphone splitter or amp helps)
• Boom arms and pop filters
• Some acoustic absorption

This is the usual target for a two- or three-person conversation show published regularly. Separate level control for each person reduces editing work.

Full setup

• Microphones chosen for the purpose (condensers become an option in a quiet room)
• A multi-input mixer or multitrack recorder
• Monitor speakers and headphones
• Acoustic treatment and soundproofing for the whole room
• For video: cameras, lighting and video recording gear

For shows that host guests often, film video at the same time, or record several episodes a week. At this point it is worth comparing building your own setup with using a studio.

If you want help with production

Choose equipment after deciding how many people, where and how you will record, and treat the room before upgrading the microphone. Start with the minimum setup and move up to standard and full once the show has momentum, and you will avoid wasted purchases. If you would like advice on equipment and recording spaces, or want to start without buying gear at all, get in touch via Podcast production enquiries.