Podcast Equipment. Where do I start?
I started a podcast earlier this year, called Casual Nonsense. It has been such a great experience for me. Feel free to read that backstory if you are interested as to why, and how I got started.
To run a podcast you will need a few essential pieces of equipment. This will be both hardware and software. Allow me to run you down a few suggestions, and I’ll also tell you a little about what I use. My assumption in all this, is that you already have a computer. A laptop, desktop, or Macbook. Any of these will work just fine and will be compatible with whatever gear you chose.
Microphone Options
A good microphone is the most important piece of equipment that you can have. Skimping on this is not a good idea. This doesn’t mean that you need to spend an outrageous amount of money on a mic, but plan to spend about $50 -$100. If you don’t have any knowledge about microphones, I would suggest you do a little research before making a purchase. What does polar pattern mean? What is the difference between Dynamic vs Cardioid vs Omni. You could also reach out to a few podcasters who, you know sound good, and then ask them what they use. I went with the AT-2040 XLR mic. It runs for about $100. It is a dynamic microphone and contains a built in pop filter.
What is an Interface?
If you go with an XLR microphone, you will also need an interface to connect to your computer. This will also allow you to easily adjust the audio levels on the fly. Depending on your voice type, this could come in handy. If you plan to have other people in the room with you, an XLR interface will allow you to add additional microphones with ease. I started cheap with the CAD CX 2. It runs for about $60 and allows for 2 XLR mics. This got me by for a few months, but I knew that I wanted to add up to 4 mics based on the format of my podcast, so I went big.
I decided to upgrade to the RodeCasterPro 2. While it’s awesome, with amazing features, you don’t have to dive into the deep end like I did. There are other, less expensive options out there for podcast equipment. You can also look into the Focusrite Scarlett collection.
Recording Software
Also known as a Digital Audio Workstation, or a DAW. This is what you will use to edit your podcast. You can also use it to record, depending on your set up. I use Audacity for both most of the time. This is free on both Windows and Mac. I am fairly technical, and I still found myself watching a few Youtube videos to figure out a few things. Garage Band is a free program that comes with the Mac. If you want to pay for a program, Adobe Audition is one of the best programs on the market. I don’t know exactly what features it comes with to make it worth the cost, so if you want to find out, get googling!
Once you have your mic and software, and the basic podcast equipment set up, you are ready to start recording. But then what? What happens now? How does the world get to hear your magic
Hosting
This is another important part of your podcast. If you are looking for free, then Spotify for Podcasts (formally Anchor) would be your best option. The issue there is, that is all you get. If you want to reach as many people as you can, then you will want to be published on all the major platforms. Spotify, Apple, Amazon, etc. I chose Captivate as my hosting platform. Some of the features that stood out to me, was a custom website, auto distributes to the all major platforms, and the ability to host multiple podcasts. Any hosting service worth a damn will have solid analytics. The key is to find one that will support the number of downloads that you hope to get, for the right price. Captivate does come with a free 7 day trial. But again, do your research and find the host that bests fits your needs.
Other Ideas
If the mics that you choose don’t come with a built-in pop filter (like the AT-2040 does), consider picking one up for each mic you have. This will help with the sharp “P” and “B” sounds
A decent boom arm or mic stand, is more than nice to have. Be sure the mic is in a comfortable position so you can focus on the topic at hand, and not fiddley-futzing around with the mic
A quality headset could be great also. Find something comfortable, in the event that you will record some long sessions. You will also need them for the editing process. I went big on this also, as I recently upgraded to the Rode NTH-100. I love this headset.
Consider adding some acoustic treatment to your recording space. This will help minimize echo, reverb, and background noise. Some foam panels can be found fairly cheap
Finally
Try to remember that the quality of your podcast gear will directly affect the production value of your podcast. You don’t need to have the best quality and most expensive gear right from jump, but remember that if a listener’s first impression is not great, you risk losing them as a listener forever.
These ideas, are not the only ideas. They are mine based on the research that I did to fit my needs. I would highly suggest that you do plenty of research of your own, on each aspect of this and get comfortable. You don’t need to be an expert per se, but gather what information you can. This will get you off and running. There is more to running and maintaining a podcast than what I talk about here. Stay tuned for some additional suggestions into another article
If you agree or disagree with anything here, or have questions that I can answer for you, please let me know in the comments below.
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