Podcast Equipment For Mac

Equipment for Podcasting: Go here and opt-in to receive several emails that further explain what equipment to buy depending on your situation and needs. Podcast Bytes: This is Jeff's newest podcast where he answers your podcast questions one episode at a time. Oct 2, 2017 - The Best Podcasting Equipment for a New Podcaster. Microphone: Blue Yeti USB Condenser Microphone. Blue Yeti USB Condenser Microphone in Vintage White. Editing Software: Adobe Audition. Adobe Audition logo. Guest Microphone: Logitech H390 USB Headset. Logitech H390. Podcast Hosting Service: Libsyn. If you're serious about starting a podcast, this list of equipment is what you will need to get your program off the ground. 'To-Do' Checklist; Podcast Equipment; LOGIN. PODCAST EQUIPMENT. BEFORE YOU SHOP THIS LIST, I RECOMMEND YOU TAKE MY TUTORIAL ON HOW TO START A PODCAST. This even goes for Mac users. There's no telling whether Apple.

Microphone(s) The quality of your recordings start first with you—your voice, mic technique, and speaking style. But the first piece of equipment that picks up your voice and affects the recording is your microphone. The ideal spot for most microphones is 4–6 inches (10–15 centimeters). This ensures that the microphone picks up more of your voice than reverb and other noise.

Because most podcasters are not in soundproof, acoustically treated studios, a large-diaphragm, dynamic microphone is usually the best choice. Get a microphone that will grow with your podcasting needs. USB-only microphones don't scale well, which is why I always recommend against using them.

For example, combining multiple USB microphones, remote cohosts, live sound effects, or live-streaming can all be difficult or nearly impossible, unless you make some big sacrifices. As of 2015, there are only three microphones I can confidently recommend:. —Usually $50–$60 (and sometimes as low as $35), this mic can connect directly to any PC and mobile devices via USB, but it can also connect to professional audio equipment via XLR. It's the only microphone of its kind with a lifetime warranty. And the sound is quite good!

The kit comes with the mic, a long USB cable, a thick XLR cable, a mic clip, and a small mic stand. If you can't get the affordably in your country, try the or the.

These two mics have the same features and general quality of the, but they have only one-year warranties. or —Both of these mics are $300–$325 and produce superior sound. I think the RE320 is a little more universal for most voices, but the PR40's frequency response can be great for non-sibilant, higher-pitched voices. The RE320 is designed to reduce the proximity effect (bassy response when you get closer to the mic), and the PR40 is designed to better reject off-axis noise. (Sidenote: I can sell either of these microphones!) 2. Microphone accessories A microphone, alone, is usually not enough for recording well. In order of priority, here are some of the accessories you might need.

Mic stand or boom—You need something to hold your mic within 4–6 inches (10–15 centimeters) from your mouth. A mic stand is similar to what you see on stages; it sits on the floor (or desk). A mic boom is like a robot arm that allows you to more easily place the mic exactly where you want it. My favorite mic boom arm is the. Pop filter or windscreen—A pop filter is the disc-shaped mesh that sits between you and the mic and it's best for in studios. A windscreen is the sock-like foam that fits over the microphone and it's best in portable or outdoor environments. Shock mount—Vibrations, such as typing on your keyboard, bumping your desk, or touching the mic or mic stand, can cause low-frequency noise in your recordings and sound amatuer.

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A shock mount suspends the microphone in a sort of spider-looking cage that absorbs the vibrations. Preamp—If you don't already have a good preamp in your recording chain, you may need to add a dedicated one. The preamp is what amplifies the microphone's signal (gain) before passing on through your audio chain. A cheap preamp will introduce a constant hiss. Quality preamps can be found in many mid- and high-end mixers, or you can add your own with a, or a.

Headphones A good pair of headphones is important for recording for three reasons:. Hear yourself—It's important to know how you sound in the microphone. This will help you know when you're too loud, too quiet, too close, or too far. Hear what is and isn't picked up by the mic—This helps you to know whether the microphone picks up the dog outside, your sniffle off-mic, your typing, that bump on the desk, or any other nearby sound. You may sometimes be surprised what does and doesn't make its way into your recordings.

Hear what you're supposed to hear—Each participant in the podcast needs to hear each other and hear any sound clips you may use. A recorder The audio from your microphone needs to be recorded somewhere. Here are my recommendations, in order of quality, stability, and reliability. An external digital recorder—A standalone device dedicated to recording. This could be a smartphone, but you can a lot more reliability and quality from something like a. Standalone recording software on your PC—Any app on your PC that can record, such as Audacity, or even QuickTime Player.

You may need to virtually mix things with (Windows), (OS X), or one of the (Windows). VOIP recording software on your PC—Software that connects directly to Skype or whatever other voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) tool you're using. Consider (Windows), (OS X), (OS X), or (iOS and Android). Live-streaming recording software on the Internet—Most live-streaming tools also allow you to simultaneously record, but this usually has to reduce the audio quality for the sake of bandwidth. Consider Google+ Hangouts on Air, Blab, and Mixlr. If you have remote guests or cohosts, then your recorder must be able to capture all of those sources. I recommend splitting yourself from your remote participants (even with a simple left-right separation for recording, but mixdown to mono for publishing).

A mixer A mixer isn't mandatory for a successful podcast. But a mixer can make a lot of complicated things much simpler, or enable you to do things a little better. Most mixers give you the same basic mixing abilities:. Combine sources—Multiple microphones, soundtrack, and other inputs.

Adjust volumes—Make real-time tweaks to the audio levels of any input or output. Provide preamps—Adjust the sensitivity of your microphones. Combine or separate outputs—Output to a recorder, headphones, live-streaming interface, audio-processor, VOIP or phone option, and more.

Add some effects—Tweak the equalization (EQ), add some compression, or add special effects. A live-streaming interface If you want to live-stream your show over the Internet while you're recording, then that adds an extra layer of complexity. As for your equipment, you should be able to feed all of your audio sources (you, your participants, and the soundtrack) to a single output.

If your live-streaming tool is also integrating with your remote participants (such as Blab, Hangouts on Air, etc.), then you may not need a separate interface. An audio processor Depending on your other equipment choices and live-audio needs, you might need to consider additional audio processing. Better preamps—Some mixers or recorders will introduce hiss on your microphone tracks, but a good preamp can reduce that. Compression—Smooth out the dynamic range between loud and quiet spots. Limiting—Protect the audio from getting too loud and causing distortion. Gating/expanding—Prevent noise from being captured when you're not talking.

Addition processing—De-essing, EQ, and other effects could also be done on your audio in real-time before going to your recorder. Thank you for the podcast reviews!. iPad 4 Work from Canada said, “I went from being a mere fan of podcasts to launch ready because of this podcast. Extremely helpful.” Your written iTunes reviews encourage me and they help other people find the podcast. If you appreciate the podcasting information I share, please write your own review on!

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About Daniel J. Lewis As an award-winning podcaster, Daniel J.

Lewis gives you the guts and teaches you the tools to launch and improve your own podcasts for sharing your passions and finding success. Daniel creates resources for podcasters, such as the, the, and the. As a recognized authority and influencer in the podcasting industry, Daniel speaks on podcasting and hosts his own podcasts covering, and the, all under the umbrella of and having received nearly 20 award nominations. Daniel and his wife, Jenny, live near Cincinnati with their newborn son, 'Noodle Baby.'

In our illustrated guide, you heard that is super simple. It really is, but there are a few decisions you have to make before you can make it happen. One of the big ones - as you may have guessed – is what studio and podcast equipment your recording space will have in it.

Note: Don’t let the term “Studio” throw you. The beautiful thing about a podcast is you can do it anywhere. Apart from your computer or tablet, these are the 3 main pieces of audio and podcast recording equipment you need:. Microphone. Headphones. Recording Software Before you start Googling microphones and reading reviews, there’s some good news. Podcasters are pretty unanimous in their recommendations for great podcast recording equipment, so we’ve compiled a small list for you to help you get on your way.

The podcasting software and recording equipment below are for your own benefit. Buzzsprout doesn’t make any commission from your purchase. To start, keep in mind that one of the most important questions you need to answer is: “Why am I podcasting?” Are you podcasting to:. Try it as a hobby?.

Market your business?. Make money? Answering this question will help you decide whether to invest a chunk of money upfront for great quality podcasting equipment, or start with equipment that’s a little more basic while you get the hang of it. It’s important to know at this point that the sound quality of your podcast pales in comparison to the quality of the content you’ll be providing your listener. Don’t get too bogged down when it comes to audio recording equipment and podcasting software. The best advice we can give you is to begin podcasting by getting what you need, and start recording. Once you’ve got solid audio content you know conveys your message, look into podcast hosting (insert hyperlink to the home page here), and start growing your audience – it’s that easy!

For the Hobbyist You’re here if you’re not sure how far you’ll take your podcast. You have a great idea, you want to produce it far into the future, but are just a little unsure.

You don’t feel you need the best quality sound, and you want to minimize cost to keep your options (and possibly dignity) intact. Hobbyist Package cost (Around $100) Headset About $50 from Amazon Microphone About $60 from Amazon For the CommittedPodcaster You are in this group if you’re looking to use your podcast as a tool for marketing a business or product, if you’re answering industry questions, or if you have a little bit of money and want to start out with great quality sound. For you, quality has to matter because you plan to put a lot of work into creating content and producing the audio – sounding professional is your primary objective, but you can’t afford to splurge too much. Professional Package cost (Around $420) Headset Around $70 from Amazon Microphone, Boom Arm, & Shock Mount About $350 from Amazon Podcasting Software ($0) Free podcasting software can’t get cheaper. But don’t let the price tag make you think it’s subpar. Podcasters love using Audacity to get a quality podcast by recording to the software and making their edits before exporting.

Cost = $0, and it works with both Mac and Windows operating systems. Check out our for more help. ($0-$15 - Mac only) GarageBand comes pre-installed on most Apple computers. If yours doesn’t have it, it’s a low-cost download and is perfect for recording and editing your podcast. Bonus: If you’re looking for a podcast music intro and you’ve got musical talent, GarageBand lets you play piano or guitar digitally, just by tapping. You can mix your music on the app, and you can even do it from your iPhone. Mixer (About $99) If you choose to buy a mic with an XLR connection, you’ll need a mixer to run the mic to.

The mixer then runs to your computer or digital recorder. This little mixer is perfect for you. It gives you the ability to plug in 2 separate XLR mics (hello co-hosting!), is light, easy-to-use, and durable. With it, you’ll have greater control over the sound you record than if you just plugged a mic into your computer. Digital Recorder (About $189) Although you can record, edit, and publish a podcast without a digital recorder, there are some great reasons for investing in this little guy.

Computers crash and software quits unexpectedly, but a digital recorder is always reliable. Record your podcast to this fine piece of studio equipment, and you’ll never lose an episode. Live interviews. If you’re planning on making live interviews part of your podcast, this guy will ensure that you have quality sounding interviews every time.

Of course, there are cheaper options out there, but this is by far the most recommended recorder for podcast producers. Looking for more? We could give you a breakdown of the best equipment out there, but A.K.A “The Podcast Answer Man” has put together a ($1,599) that could be perfect for you!

Now that you’ve seen a wide variety of options, take a moment to think about who you are and how podcasting fits into your life. Realistically assess what your budget is, and what your level of commitment is, then make your choice. You don’t have to spend a fortune to become a professional podcaster - but you do have to start out with a few basics.