Podcast Equipment Guide for Beginners

If you are planning to start podcasting you will need a basic essential kit. You will need a good quality microphone. A good microphone will enable you to record your voice accurately. You will need a mic that will be Plug and Play with your existing computer or mobile device. As you progress in podcasting you will need additional gear. An adjustable boom is needed to place the mic comfortably for the user. A good quality headset is essential to listen clearly to the sound that you are recording. We have mentioned below in our podcast equipment guide for beginners the top equipment that you need for hosting a successful podcast. Our main focus in this podcast equipment guide for beginners is microphones. Having a good microphone plays a crucial role in the success of your podcast.

Podcast Equipment Guide for Beginners in 2020

Audio-Technica AT2020PK Vocal Microphone Review

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JM5FLVF

This podcasting microphone for beginners is brought to you by Audio-Technica. This is one of the best Podcast mics available at a relatively reasonable price. This set consists of the AT 2020 condenser microphone, ATH M20X headphones, and an adjustable boom.

These microphones are highly sensitive and pick up a wide range of sounds. It has technology that eliminates background noise. This allows only the sound to be picked up from the desired source. The diaphragm of the microphone is of low mass which enables a greater range of sound frequencies to be picked up. The boom arm that comes along in the package is highly adjustable. With the boom you can set the microphone at the height and distance you desire from your mouth. This helps the user to sit up straight and speak comfortably while podcasting. The arm can be rotated by 360 degrees and also manipulated easily at its joints for achieving the desired setting.

The boom can be conveniently clamped on to any desk or table. For secure attachment, the thickness of the attachment area should not exceed 2.2 inches. The ATH M20X is a premium quality headphone. This is required to listen to the voice that you are recording through the microphone.

You will have the ability to monitor the quality of the recording in real-time. The headphones are of very high quality. The magnets used in the earpiece are very strong and the drivers used are of 40mm. Copper coated aluminum coils are used within. The contoured design of the ear cups enables the best sound insolation for the user. Overall, it is the best podcasting microphone that we have reviewed in our podcast equipment guide for beginners.

BLUE Condenser Microphone Review

https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Yeti-USB-Microphone-Blackout/dp/B00N1YPXW2/

The Yeti Blue is an excellent microphone for any podcaster. It is made using quality material and has a very premium build and finish. You have the option to record high-quality audio directly to your computer with this microphone. The Yeti comes with a stand on which the mic can swivel back and forth. The Yeti has simple to use controls on the device itself. There are controls for activating the different microphone modes, a mute button, pattern selection, gain control and a headphone volume control. These give the user better control of the recording in real-time and make instant changes if required.

There are 3 microphones inside the device which can pick up sound from different directions. These get activated as per the selection of the mic mode. The 4 modes are Cardioid, Omnidirectional, Bidirectional, and Stereo. Cardioid mode is best for podcasting, interviews, video calls, vocals and recording musical instruments. It gives a clear and full sound. Omnidirectional Mode is when you want to capture the surrounding sound. This is great for conference calls or recording all sounds sources surrounding the mic. Bidirectional Mode records sound behind and in front of the mic. This is great for recording two people conversing with each other. Stereo Mode allows you to capture multiple sounds clearly when in front of the mic. A 3.5mm headphone jack can be connected directly to the mic. You can easily remove the mic from the stand and fix it on to a boom or a shock mount.

Samson Go Mic Portable USB Condenser Microphone Review

https://www.amazon.com/Samson-Mic-Portable-Condenser-Microphone/dp/B001R76D42/

Go Mic is a small and compact portable microphone brought to you by Samson. Its small and light design is great for a podcaster as it can be easily taken on the field for recordings. The microphone can easily fit in your laptop case or your pocket. The Go Mic features 2 modes of recording. The Cardioid mode only captures the sound from the front of the mic. It rejects sounds coming from the other sides. This is great when you are podcasting by yourself. In the Omnidirectional mode, the microphone will capture sound from all directions surrounding the mic. This is great for recording a group of people together.

The Go Mic can be used directly with different operating systems such as Windows or Mac without the need for additional drivers. You simply need to connect the microphone to the computer via a USB cable to get started. A headphone can be connected directly to the mic via the 3.5mm jack. This will enable you to monitor your recordings in real-time without any lag. This microphone is also great for video calls, gaming, and recording of music.

One unique feature is that it can be directly connected to an Android or Apple phone through the micro USB port and the lightning port respectively. Even though the device is small there is no compromise on the quality of the sound recording. You can expect professional quality from this particular device. You can plug the device to a regular mic stand with the provided adapter. Overall, it is the most reasonable microphone in our podcast equipment guide for beginners and is excellent for travel podcasters.

Conclusion

We have selected essential gear keeping a beginner podcaster in mind. The microphones that we have selected have very good sound recording features. Some of these microphones have different modes that can be selected as per the recording environment. These microphones are of high quality and should last you for a long time. These microphones can be directly plugged into a computer or mobile device. This saves you money as you don’t need to buy expensive editing equipment. Other than podcasts these mics can be used to record music, vocals, gaming, live streaming, and VOIP calls. The microphone boom can be added to accurately position the microphone near the sound source. This can work with a shock mount for sound insulation. A quality headset must be connected to the microphone for latency-free sound monitoring. This will give you live feedback as you record. All these recommended devices will empower you to start podcasting right away. We hope you liked our podcast equipment guide for beginners.