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Podomatic Tips: Equipment

Your podcast is only as good as the equipment you use. While there are plenty of great tools out there, here are some that we recommend.

Mics

Choosing a good podcasting mic is key. The audio quality is a big factor when people decide to listen to your show and there are many options that won't break the bank and still give you that great sound you need to take your show to the top! Here are a just a few.

The most used live vocal mic in the world is also great for podcasting. Why? It's sturdy, has a warm and clear tone and rejects a lot of background noise. For $100 new this is a great mic that a beginner can continue to use for a long time.

If you need a good mic and don't want to have to buy an interface as well, the Sampson CO1U is a great option. Under $80, this mic will make getting up and running easy as it plugs right into your computer through USB and has a cardioid pick-up pattern to eliminate that always pesky background noise.

The Blue Snowball Microphone is a great and popular podcasting mic for a few reasons. It's got a switchable pick-up pattern. With a quick switch you can have an omni-directional mic, great for picking up several voices, or a cardioid pick-up pattern for a single podcaster. It's also extremely portable and has a pretty solid sound for less than $100.

Audio interfaces

Once you have a good mic, the next step is to get that good sounding audio into your computer without losing a bunch of quality. With a USB mic that part is included but with most studio micas you will need an audio interface and a mic-preamp to get your audio into your digital recording software.

A simple way to get a single mic into your computer using USB, this little guy is extremely portable and for the price gives you fairly decent quality recording capabilities. Easy to use, it also features simple EQ and several outputs besides the USB for some flexibility. Also, the price can't be beat at around $50.

A simple interface with many of the same options, the biggest difference is that the Tascam company is known to produce better quality than Behringer. You can plug in a mic or a guitar and the hardware is built for very little latency. A slightly bigger price tag but a great little unit for about $70.

If you can use an analog input on your computer, then you can skip the USB thing all together and get a simple mic preamp. This little guy is cheap ($30) and has a meter, an output limiter and plenty of volume. If you are going for that analog sound then a dynamic mic plus this guy could be a great fit for you.

Other good accessories

Other things that can help you sound as good as you can and take your podcast to a professional level:

Pop Filter
Studio Headphones
Quality XLR cables
Quiet room with carpeting and curtains (avoid high reverb environments)

Good luck and keep making that great content that Podomatic podcasters are known for!