Want to record a great sounding podcast but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on microphones, boom arms, and expensive multi track recorders?
Of course!
Don't fall for expensive affiliate links or influencers trying to sell you on their sponsors!
Rode mics are great but you don't need them!
Podcast studios are unnecessary!
You don't need to soundproof your house!
This is a list of the podcast gear we've been using for years! And it is very affordable! If you want to upgrade after you start getting those sick download numbers go ahead! But why blow through your cash before your pod is making money?
The Recorder
We started with the big Zoom R16 then progressed to the H6n but Zoom has come up with a better, cheaper recorder perfect for podcasts and we love it! This comes in at just under 200 dollars.
The Microphones
These dynamic microphones from Shure are designed for speaking.They have a short area of pickup in front of them and really help reduce ambient room noise. Condenser mics pickup the entire room, but dynamic mics pick up just what is a couple feet in front of them. Pick up four of them for under 200 dollars - less than the price of one Rode mic!
Windscreens
Put these on your mics to cut down on some of that heavy breathing!
The XLR Cables
No need to buy expensive microphone cables - if the solder points are done correctly by the factory they all sound the same. Here are some cheap ones (yes, we use these, too!). Buy at least four of these (but we have more because sometimes they break and it is nice to have spares).
The Stands
We've used all sorts of stands, boom arms, and fancy desk mount scissor arms but nothing beats the plain old desktop stand. And guests fidget with these stands less than all the others combined.
Software
Get Audacity. It's free and easy to use. Install the Lame codec so you can export mp3 and you are done!
Hosting
Try Anchor.fm because it is free, too! If you start making those killer true crime dollars then upgrade to something like Libsyn or Pinecast but until then keep it simple, silly!