One of the most important things to consider when making a new podcast is podcasting equipment and podcast hosting. The aim here is to acquire quality audio equipment at cost-friendly prices. This is also quite challenging as the best audio and/or video equipment for podcasting is also very expensive. Nonetheless, this is not to say that you cannot find quality audio and /or video recorders that will produce high-quality podcasts within your budget.
You will actually be surprised to find out that you only need two essential podcasting equipment to get you started on your podcast:
- Microphone
- Audio editing tool or transcription
Even so, you can choose to have a variety of podcasting equipment to best meet your quality podcasting needs. Among these podcasting equipment are:
- Recorders
- Preamps & Mixers
- Headphones
Personally, I say go with whichever recording device that gives you the best quality sound. You will find that most top rated smartphones have quality microphones set on their devices. Besides, you can also use the smartphone to air your podcasts. In fact, there are many podcasting providers who have software design to host your podcasts from smartphone devices.
Table of Contents
4 Podcast Equipment for Beginners
Microphone
If you prefer to use your PC, you will need an external microphone that will best capture quality sounds for your podcast. There are typically two categories of microphones that you can use to achieve this purpose: USB Microphones and XLR Microphones.
USB microphones could work just perfectly for your simple PC podcasting setup. In fact, the Blue Yeti USB Microphone is considered among the best for optimal sound quality.
Alternatively you could also use the Audio-Technica AT2005USB Microphone as a substitute for the Blue Yeti. It also comes with a tripod desk stand, a stand clamp, as well as a mini USB cable. It is actually credited with creating a warm and pleasant tone to listen to.
If you need a much clearer sound quality with extra features, you can use XLR Microphones. Even so, XLR Microphones need extra equipment to run them. You cannot simply plug it in into your computer. Instead, you will require connecting the XLR Microphones to a Preamp, a digital mixer or a digital recorder.
I have reviewed 10+ best microphones for podcasting.
Recorders
Recorders are very crucial in capturing quality sounds for your podcasting purposes. They could include devices with digital recorders mounted onto them such as your PC, your smartphone device, or even an actual digital recorder. Digital recorders are ideal for you if you are looking for sound quality beyond the scope of that captured by your smartphone device.
Preamps and Mixers
It is unnecessary to use mixers or preamps for your podcast hosting unless you have specific interest in capturing the best sound quality as part of your topic. You may want to run live podcasts, or even have multiple microphones across the podcast platform with other hosts, and/or guests.
Headphones
I have to add that Headphones are a crucial part of your podcasting equipment. This is because you will have to monitor the quality of your audio even when doing a solo podcast. It is very important that you listen to your podcasts yourself to make sure that the right content is aired to your target audience.
Headphones also come in handy during your audio editing process. Once you start a podcast, you will find that you need to edit the recorded audio in order to make the most out of the recording, as well as deliver the best quality sounds to the listeners. I would recommend using the Audio-Technica ATH-M20x as I have found it gives you a comprehensive sound feel for quality audio.
My name is Nate Reiner and I am the editor here at 10Webtools. I have 8 years of experience using 50+ different web tools ranging from podcast, web hosting, email marketing, and much more. I previously managed a team offering support services to a large conglomerate that utilized tens of software solutions. I now run this blog full-time and when I am not reviewing or testing software, I enjoy riding bikes and supporting my clients achieve internet success. You can reach me directly at [email protected]