Hey podcasters, chasing that professional audio quality? We hear you! But before you jump into grabbing the first microphone you see, let’s talk about avoiding shortcuts. Cutting corners on equipment might seem tempting initially, but it can hold you back from achieving that polished, pro sound you crave.
This isn’t to say you need to break the bank. There are fantastic options available for all budgets. However, taking the time to choose the right tools for your setup is crucial. We’ll delve into some helpful considerations before diving into some gear suggestions that will help you avoid common pitfalls and elevate your podcast’s audio game. Stay tuned!
Considerations
Building Your Pro Podcast Studio: Beyond the Gear
Crafting a professional-sounding podcast goes beyond just having a fancy microphone. While equipment plays a role, a successful home studio considers several factors to create a clean, engaging listening experience. Here’s a breakdown of key considerations for building your pro podcast setup:
Recording Environment:
This has to be the first thing you consider, whether you’re gong for pro equipment or just getting started. Start with where you intend to record.
- Space: Choose a quiet, dedicated space for recording. Unless your podcast is about being around the kitchen table, or outside walking in a field. You may consider factors like noise from outside, roommates, pets, but also think about household appliances. And that’s not just the AC or dishwasher, but also electrical sounds from lighting and monitors – they can each create interference with cabling and microphones.
- Furniture: Opt for comfortable seating that promotes good posture. A dedicated podcasting desk with a pop filter and microphone Boom arm stand optimizes your setup. Aim to face towards soft furnishings (behind your set up).
Acoustics:
- Soundproofing: Actually that should be sound dampening. We’ve built studios for radio stations that don’t have sound proofing, and those that do – and we’ve won more awards with those that didn’t have a perfectly sound proofed room. We believe in garbage in and garbage out – so we did sound treat them, and that’s the key. Mitigate for unwanted noise from outside or cohabitants. You can miss the sound of the car driving past, or the people in the space next to you. You could go all in by soundproofing your recording space, but we’re talking silly money. Yes you could consider treatments like acoustic panels, using curtains on walls, and sealing gaps around doors and windows. I recall one voice over artist who used to record in the cupboard under the stairs, and another who would record under a duvet.
- Room Treatment: The items we talked about above, acoustic tiles, curtains all help reduce echo and reverberation of sound within the room. Invest in acoustic foam panels, in our studio we have wall panelling, see affiliate link here > , it looks great but also helps dampen the room. You can also use natural furniture in the space, pillows on comfy chairs, bean bags on the floor and curtains – think soft instead of hard. We’ll touch on recording space in a few moments for other considerations.
Equipment:
- Microphone Choice: While condenser mics can offer that radio sound, a dynamic mic excels at noise rejection. That’s what you need to remove those pesky background sounds. Choose based on your recording environment and budget (see our microphone review guide for options!).
- Microphone Placement: Once you buy your lovely mic, learning how to use it is important. Position your microphone close to your mouth (4-8 inches) to capture clear vocals and minimize room noise. Consider a boom arm for optimal placement flexibility. We’re not fans of desk stands, they can place the mic below your field of speech, and increase the opportunity for room tone. If you’re working as a podcast with several people in one space, get matched microphones of the same model and type. One person per microphone.
- Cables: Do not go for cheep microphone cables if you are spending over 300 on the microphone, buy the best you can afford.
- Preamp (for Dynamic Mics): If using a dynamic microphone, a preamp can boost its signal strength for cleaner audio.
- Audio Interface: Acts as a bridge between your microphone and computer, allowing digital audio recording. Choose one with high-quality converters and features like phantom power (needed for condenser mics).
- Portable Recorder: Record direct into your portable recorder via your chosen microphones.
- Headphones: Studio-grade, closed-back headphones are essential for monitoring your audio during recording and editing. No, not IPad in ear, and if you don’t want your headphones to be seen on the video side of your podcast, you need a producer, who will wear headphones. Opt for comfortable models for long sessions. Honestly we have heard some absolute howlers where people have been wearing earbuds, or no headphones at all.
Software:
- Digital Audio Workstation (DAW): You’ll either record direct to your DAW or via a digital recording platform as such a Riverside, Squadcast, or Zoom for private streaming of guest interviews. DAWs can range from the free in Audcacity, to keenly priced Reaper, and to the full on yearly cost of Adobe Audition. Choose here what will be best for your workflow.
Additional Considerations:
- Backup System: Protect your precious recordings with a reliable backup system. Consider cloud storage or external hard drives.
- Podcast Editing Skills: Learn basic editing techniques to remove unwanted noise, add intro/outro music, and adjust audio levels for a polished sound.
- Practice and Experiment: Record practice sessions to get comfortable with your equipment and workflow. Experiment with different microphone placements and audio settings to find what works best for your voice and environment.
- Create a workflow: And stick to it. Creating regular podcasts take time and effort, having a workflow will help you create a stream of work you can stick to.
By carefully considering these factors, you can build a pro podcast studio at home, laying the foundation for capturing high-quality audio and creating a podcast that sounds as good as it is informative.
Podcast Studio Pro Kit
This section contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase items through any of these links, we may earn a small commission that helps support Mics Live.
Microphone
Shure SM7B – Superb dynamic mic, great noise rejection, will need a mic pre-amp. $380 – https://amzn.to/3VBR5Zg (Amazon)
Mic Pre-Amp
Triton Fethead – inline microphone pre-amp. $60 – https://amzn.to/498ufLT (Amazon)
Mic cables
Don’t scrimp, buy well – Those below use Mogami cable and Neutrik connectors. All between $20 and $25.
WORLDS BEST CABLES 1 Meter – https://amzn.to/3x9DuxX (Amazon)
WORLDS BEST CABLES 1.5 Meter – https://amzn.to/3Tz6JBO (Amazon)
WORLDS BEST CABLES 3 Meter – https://amzn.to/3TQUSR0 (Amazon)
Audio Interface
Rodecaster Pro 2 – All in one production studio – https://amzn.to/3TSKFDv $650 (Amazon)
Rodecaster Duo – Smaller form factor version of the Pro 2 – $ 450 https://amzn.to/3TBWDQx (Amazon)
Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen – audio interface – $120 https://amzn.to/43CawD5 (Amazon)
Headphones
DT770 80ohms (you can use these with pro kit and your laptop) If you go for 250ohm you’ll need to amplify the signal, so stick with 80ohms versions – $120 https://amzn.to/3vkz5YB (Amazon)
Monitor Speakers
IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor Speaker. These compact speakers get rave reviews, and they are tiny. – $250 – https://amzn.to/4awzm9O (Amazon)
Boom Arm
RØDE PSA1 Professional Studio Arm – traditional style. $80 https://amzn.to/4awzm9O (Amazon)
Elgato Wave Mic Arm LP – low profile style. $90 – https://amzn.to/4aqYcro (Amazon)
Elgato Wave Mic Arm classic style. $90 – https://amzn.to/49caFOH (Amazon)
Extras if you want them
Rodecaster Pro Cover – version 1 and version 2 – provides protection against unwanted dust and spills. Expensive at $40 for a bit of plastic.
DBX 286s Mic Processor – helps to create compression, de-ess, and can control unwanted noise through the noise gate feature.
DBX 131s Graphic EQ – You can adjust the EQ within your recording, add and remove mid, low and high frequencies.
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