Podcasting Guide | Gear4music

Good podcasting involves capturing your voice with studio-quality sound ready to broadcast to the world. With the right gear, you can get pro results from the comfort of your home.

The equipment that gets you into podcasting is the same gear that can improve the quality of your vocal recordings, streaming, gaming, and video calls. Here’s what you’ll need.

Computer or no computer?

Our podcast recommendations are based on you having a computer. With the right gear, you can turn your computer into a studio solution capable of capturing sounds ready to edit and broadcast.

Don't have a computer? Check out our alternate honourable mention below.

Microphones

Capture your voice with studio-quality sound. Many podcast microphones come complete with a desktop stand and onboard controls so you can get the perfect sound in the optimal position.

USB microphones plug straight into your computer. Once you’ve got your computer and the right software, you won’t need anything else to get studio-quality sound. You can also find microphone with USB-C or Lightning connections. These are all great for podcast setups with a single microphone.

If you want to record more than one microphone, you may need an XLR microphone.

XLR microphones need to be plugged into an audio interface or mixing desk before you can get the sound inside your computer.

Once you’ve got a USB interface or mixer, though, it’s much easier to connect multiple microphones and record more people.

You’ll also find a range of microphones specially built for smartphones and portable devices. They are ideal for vlogging and capturing ideas quickly with your phone.

Shop now | Podcast Microphones

Mixer

A mixer blends different sound sources together. You can connect multiple microphones, headphones, and other studio gear.

Mixers offer lots of control over your sound and some even have built-in effects.

USB Mixers connect directly to your computer via USB. Once you’ve loaded up the right music software, your computer will ‘see’ multiple sound sources, letting you blend them together independently.

Podcast-specific USB mixers may also include buttons to trigger sound bites, as well as handy 'on air' buttons to give you an instant radio ready production.

Shop now | Podcast USB Mixers

Audio Interface

Audio interfaces are similar to mixers – they blend different sound sources together, ready to be sent to your computer or recording device via a USB connection (or Thunderbolt).

The difference to an audio mixer is that interfaces have fewer buttons and controls to adjust your sound. You'll be able to adjust mic and headphone monitoring level, but interfaces generally rely on the computer software to add effects and other sounds.

You'll want to note how many preamps the interface has. The number of mic preamps equates to the number of microphones you can connect.

The benefit of interfaces is that they are much more compact than mixers – ideal for podcasting on the move.

Shop now | Podcast Audio Interfaces

Podcasting Packages

Get everything you need to podcast in one convenient bundle.

These range from a single USB microphone to connect to your computer, through to a complete bundle with several mics, interface, headphones & accessories.

With one single purchase you can turn your computer into a complete podcast production studio.

Shop Now | Podcasting Packages

Things to consider

Don't forget about your essential podcasting accessories and tools.

Headphones

Closed-back headphones are essential for podcasting. They let you monitor microphone sounds and hear what your audience is hearing.

The closed-back design means sound can't escape, so you won'tget audio leaking back into your microphone.

Shop now | Closed-back headphones

Headphone amps

Headphone amps raise the volume of an audio signal to power your headphones.

Some headphone amps have multiple outputs, meaning you can power several sets of headphones from a single output of your interface/mixer.

Shop now | Headphone amps

Acoustic treatment

Acoustic treatment helps you control the sound in your room.

With foam panels, speaker mounts, bass traps, and vocal reflection filters, you can solve a range of problems.

Prevent overly booming bass, treat reflective walls, isolate monitors from interacting with a surface, and isolate your vocals - there's a huge range of possiblities.

Shop now | Acoustic treatment

Microphone stands

Some microphones have built-in desktop stands, but you may want to consider a separate microphone stand.

Adjustable stands let you get the perfect position, with some designs allowing you to hang the microphone directly in front of your face for clear voice capture.

Shop now | Microphone stands

Video mixers

Looking to add video to your podcast? With a video mixer, you can blend multiple camera inputs, add FX, and create broadcast ready productions in real-time.

Shop now | Video mixers

Honourable mentions

Multi-track recorders

If you don't have a computer available, you could consider a multi-track audio recorder.

These enable you to record podcasts anywhere directly to SD cards, allowing you to later transfer it to a computer, edit, and upload to the internet. You can either plug in your own microphones, or find a recorder with built-in mics.

Shop now | Multi-track audio recorders