The Ultimate Podcast Equipment Guide: Must-Have Microphones

Many podcasters are ready to launch the podcast of their dreams, but they are unsure what type of equipment to purchase. To eliminate this frustration, Misty Phillip, the founder of Spark Media, created a useful guide. Today, we are going to share our knowledge of the technical side of podcasting. More specifically, we will provide our insight into the best microphones on the market. Here, we will help you discover why you need a high-quality microphone, which microphone is right for you and discuss the features of our favorite mics. 

So, let's get to it! 

Why do we need high-quality microphones for our podcasts? 

It is essential to have excellent sound quality and microphones on our podcasts because our shows sound impacts whether we, as hosts, are seen as professional. It is imperative to remember that podcasting is a very personal medium. Our shows are often being played directly into the headphones of listeners who have busy lives and hectic schedules. If your sound quality is not up to par with that of others, chances are, listeners will become impatient and turn to another host to answer their questions or to help them address the issues they are facing. Our job as podcast hosts is to step into our listeners' lives and provide them with value. Typically, this is easier to do when we are being heard and understood by way of our sound equipment. Microphones can be tricky to select. 

We're here to help! 

What podcast microphone is right for me?

The microphone that will work the best for you depends mainly on your own unique circumstances.The first question you need to ask yourself is do I need an XLR or a USB mic? An XLR mic will require an audio interface that accepts the XLR type connection. A USB mic will work if you record to a computer and a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) We will go into the advantages of the XLR vs USB mic in future posts, but for now you need to decide what your setup will be and then make the mic choice from there. 

These are our own personal favorites and the ones that we, ourselves, have utilized. 

Our primary mic is the Rode Podmic.

Rode Podmic - An amazing microphone made just for podcasting and at a fantastic price. This is an XLR mic, but Rode does make USB podcasting mics as well.

What are some features of the Rode Pod Mic? 

The PodMic is a broadcast-quality dynamic microphone optimized for podcasting. It has a rich, balanced sound, with an internal pop filter to minimize plosives and internal shock-mounting to reduce vibration.

The PodMic is optimized for use with the RØDECasterTM Pro Podcast Production Studio and offers exceptional results with any high-quality microphone interface.

◦ Broadcast-quality dynamic capsule

◦ Optimized for speech applications

◦ Internal pop filter to minimize plosives

◦ Robust, all-metal construction

◦ Designed for use with RØDECasterTM Pro Podcast Production Studio

◦ XLR connection only

Our Travel mic is the Shure MV 51.

Shure MV 51 - This is our traveling mic; it is all-metal construction, supports USB and Lighting for use with an iPhone (Motiv app required). It has a kickstand or can be mounted.

What are some features of the Shure MV 51?

◦ Digital large-diaphragm condenser microphone for Mac, PC, iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Android devices

◦ Real-time monitoring

◦ Five DSP presets.

◦ 24-bit/48kHz digital recording

◦ Vintage styling and the durability of all-metal construction

◦ Touch panel for gain, mute, and headphone volume on front of the mic

◦ Positioning flexibility via the built-in kickstand.

Another great mic is ATR2100x-USB. This mic supports both USB and XLR connections. This is a great starter mic. It is remarkably affordable and expandable. This handheld dynamic microphone has a smooth, extended frequency range is perfect for podcasting.

Thank you for joining us on the blog today! Stay tuned for more posts in our podcast equipment series.

For more Christian podcasting resources, make sure to follow along by subscribing to the Spark Media mailing list!