Recommended Gear
Below, you will find links to the gear that we, as podcast producers, have curated and recommended to you.
Of course, these aren’t the only options available, so if you are thinking of buying something that is not on this list and you’re wondering if it might be the best option, please feel free to reach out!
Please note that some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something we may earn a commission and we greatly appreciate it.
Microphones
This is a new category of microphone that came out in 2020, as podcasting popularity exploded at the start of the Covid 19 pandemic.
These mics offer the greatest amount of flexibility and future setup expandability. They can be used as a simple setup by utilizing the USB output directly into your computer. If, in the future, you decide to expand your setup to a multi-mic recording rig, you can simply add more of them and switch to the XLR input plugged into an audio interface or portable recording device, such as the Rodecaster Pro.
This is our number 1 overall pick for a versatile podcasting microphone. When using the USB output on a computer or iOS device, it also has companion software that allows you to adjust EQ and Dynamic settings, giving you more control over your sound. Highly recommended!
This mic is Samson’s answer to the Shure MV7. It also sports USB and XLR connections, although it has no companion software. The XLR output sound is slightly superior to the MV7, whereas the MV7 wins in the USB department.
The Samson Q2U is the least expensive mic on this list. It is certainly not the best sounding mic by any means, but would be a noticeable step up from just using your laptop microphone.
USB mics are your simplest option. You won’t need to buy any extra “recording” gear to connect to your computer, but the downside is that if you want to record 2 mics at the same time, you will need a computer for each mic. These are great for podcasts where there is only 1 host and all interviews are recorded remotely.
This is the USB version of the Rode Procaster, so it is an excellent choice for a USB mic.
What podcast mic list would be complete without the Blue Yeti? This mic sounds great when used correctly (speak into the side, not the top!), but we only recommend it if you are recording in a soundproof and acoustically treated room. It is a condensor microphone (not dynamic like all the rest in this list), so that means it will pick up everything in your environment that makes noise (your laptop fan, refrigerator, neighbour’s tv, etc). It’s popularity and pricetag might make the Yeti seem appealing to you, but steer clear of it if you can.
The XLR connector is the industry standard for microphones. This is the best type of microphone to get if you plan to have more than one microphone in the room at the same time. However, keep in mind that you cannot just plug it into your computer for recording or for remote recording. This means you will need to also purchase microphone XLR cables and either an audio interface (for recording on the computer or conducting remote recordings) or a portable recording device. Scroll down if you want to know more about these.
The Shure SM7B is the most popular radio/podcasting mic in the world. It has great tone and rejects outside sounds very well, It’s not the cheapest or simplest setup, but we recommend it as our #1 choice for no-compromise multi-mic setups with a large budget.
The next best option to an SM7B is the Electrovoice RE320. Another popular mic in radio studios around the world, the RE320 boasts similar tonal characteristics to it’s more expensive cousin, the Electrovoice RE20, but at a more reasonable price tag.
The Procaster is Rode’s clone of the Electrovoice RE20. It costs roughly the same as the RE320, but has a slightly more subdued (less exciting) tone and great off-axis rejection. Still, a very worthy mention in this category and highly recommended.
The least expensive of all of our suggestions, the Rode Podmic has great tone, but doesn’t boast the same level of off-axis rejection as the others. This means that you will hear more of the room and more of the other speakers in that room over your recordings, adding to the overall noise level. This is less of a concern if you are willing to acoustically treat your recording environment.
The PD-70 is Presonus entry into the podcast mic market. This is intended to be a lower-cost of the Shure SM7B. While it’s not quite as smooth on the high end and the off-axis rejection isn’t as aggressive, it certainly comes close it’s pricetag is less that 1/3 that of the SM7B.
Recording Devices
The Rodecaster Pro is the current “gold standard” of podcast recording devices. We use it at the Podfather studio and we love it because it has great sounding preamps, top-quality onboard effects, all the inputs you could ever need (including USB and Bluetooth), 4 separate headphone outputs, and soundpads that you can fill with your own custom podcast sounds! It also allows you to record to your computer and an SD card backup simultaneously, which is a huge bonus!
Plus…it makes your podcast studio look really cool.
The Zoom Podtrak P4 is another great option for podcast recording.
This device was designed specifically for podcasting and like the Rodecaster Pro, it also features 4 mic inputs and 4 headphone outputs. The preamps and onboard effects aren’t quite as good as on the Rodecaster and it can’t be used as an audio interface on your computer, but for less than half the price of the RCP, the P4 is a steal of a deal.
The Tascam DR-07X is a great choice as s portable recording device for a solo or remote podcaster. You can plug either an XLR mic or a TRS lavalier mic into it for full control over your audio quality and you can choose to either record to a micro SD card or run it into your computer to use it as a high-quality USB mic.
For less than $200, it punches above its weight class!