Podcast Gear That Works!

One of the most stressful parts of creating a podcast is deciding on what gear you need to sound great and not break the bank! There are thousands of choices for mics, sound boards, mic stands, etc and some of them aren't great.

For my original podcast, I got the cheapest mic and mixer I could find and then ended up replacing them in less than a year because the sound was not good!

You'll find my recommendations for all levels of equipment in this post. Whether you're starting out on a tight budget or are ready to upgrade, this equipment is tested by me and will keep you from buying something that doesn't do the job of making your podcast sound fantastic!

Hey! I'm on a Budget Here!

I get it. You want the best equipment you can get without taking out a second mortgage out on the house! Here's the best budget equipment for all podcast scenarios:

Scenario 1: Single Person Podcast

It's just you telling your story. Great! All you need is a good mic. The Samson Q2U Podcasting Pack gives you a great mic that can be used in USB or XLR fashion (USB plugs right into your computer and XLR plugs into a sound board). I recommend going the USB route for a single-person podcast so you don't have to invest in a sound board. With this mic, you get a stand, all the cables you need to start, and a pop filter.

Since you're on a budget, you can download the free Audacity software and use that to grab your recordings. That makes your initial investment one mic and that's it!

Scenario 2: Two or More Person Podcast

If your podcast is going to have two or more hosts, your equipment needs change a little. You can technically use 2 USB mics on one computer but it doesn't work great and I've heard horror stories of echo, static, and voice bleed-over that made hosts re-record entire episodes.

With that in mind, it's best to use a mixer that allows you to plug in XLR mics and then plug the soundboard into your computer via a USB connection. This gives you independent control over each mic and separate audio tracks which makes editing much easier.

With this setup, you can still use the Samson Q2U mics as they can be used as an XLR mic and plug right into your mixer! That's why I love these mics as they can grow with your podcasting needs!

My budget pick for a mixer (some call it a sound board) is the Pyle brand. Pyle mixers are solid and feature-packed for low $$$! You can get the 2 mic Pyle Mixer for $87 on Amazon right now. You can get the 4 Mic Pyle Mixer for just $114. If you think you might have more than 2 people at any point, i recommend going for the 4 mic mixer. Here's what they look like:

Scenario 3: Mobile Podcast Gear

If you want to take your podcast on the road or you want to be free from need a computer to capture your podcast recording, you'll need some mobile gear. Now, the Samson mics mentioned above will work great for remote podcasts as they can be handheld as well as kept in a stand.

You need something to capture the audio, though. The Zoom PodTrak P4 is the perfect mobile studio! The PodTrak P4 can handle up to 4 XLR mics and you can even attach a phone for call-in guests! It will record separate tracks on an up to 512GB SD card which makes it easy to transfer to your computer for editing. There are tons of features in the PodTrak P4 but it is super simple to use. Here's a picture of the PodTrak P4:

Scenario 4: It's Time For an Upgrade!

Before we start talking about upgrading your podcast equipment, you should know that many great podcasts are produced with equipment just like mentioned above. You don't need to have the best & most expensive gear to make your podcast sound great. However, if you're a tech geek (like me), or want to have bells and whistles like the ability to add programmed music or sound effects to your podcast, there are some great upgrades to consider.

Let's look at mics first. Many podcast professionals turn to the Shure SM7B as the workhorse mic for their podcast. The Shure SM7B is s studio-grade mic that will make you and your guests sound great! It's not cheap at $400 but if you want what the pros use, this is it:

Note that this mic needs to be attached to a stand or boom arm. I'll talk about those later on.

There are a couple mics that are less expensive than the Shure but are also geared towards professional podcasters. The Rode ProCaster is the mic I currently use for all of my podcasting. It makes my voice sound great and has a built-in pop filter so I don't need to attach anything else to filter excessive noise and pops. I've been using the ProCaster for 3 years and it is a sold mic! The ProCaster is currently prices at $229 and is well worth it.

If the Shure SM7B or the Rode Procaster are still out of budget, Rode makes a great podcast-specific mic called the Rode PodMic The PodMic is used an a ton of professional podcasts an comes in at just $99! Like it's big brother, the PodMic has a built-in pop filter and offers great sound in a small package. If I was equipping a 3-4 mic studio, the PodMic would be my choice!

If you're using any of the above mics, you'll need a stand or boom arm. I always use a boom arm to keep my desk clean and have the ability to put the mic exactly where I want it. There are boom arms out there priced from $15-$300. I can tell you from experience that the $15 boom arms are noisy and don't hold the mic well. I can also say that I've never needed a $300 boom arm. After trying a few, I found the XTECH Premium Boom Arm which is much less than $300 and comes in at $80 on Amazon. It's quiet, holds my heavy mic very well, and is super sturdy. If you use a boom arm for your mic, I highly recommend this one!

The last item on the list for the ultimate podcast studio is your mixer or sound board. I've been using the Rode Rodecaster I for several years and love it. The Rodecaster is a behemoth of a mixer that adjusts to any type of mic to give you great sound. The Rode Rodecaster II has even more features and I can't wait to have the budget to get one. Here's the description Rode gave for the Rodecaster II:

The RØDECaster Pro II™ is the world’s most powerful all-in-one audio solution for podcasters, streamers, gamers, musicians and content creators. It features four studio-grade combo inputs with ultra-low-noise, high-gain Revolution™ preamps that deliver pristine audio quality with any microphones or instrument, plus studio-grade APHEX® processing for superior sound. Dual USB-C interfaces and advanced Bluetooth™ offers unrivalled connectivity with computers, smartphones and other devices. It is also fully customisable with nine individually assignable channels for creating personalised mixer configurations, eight programmable SMART pads, and so much more.

At $700 the Procaster II is not a small investment but if you are producing a professional podcast and/or live streaming, it is a great tool to make your job easier and make you sound great!

That sums up my recommendations for all the levels of podcast equipment that will make your podcast sound great. I wish you the best in your podcast journey and would love to hear about your show! Shoot me an email to scott@yourpodguy.com if you'd like and advice on how to get your podcast started or make your current podcast better!