Podcast Equipment: Microphones, Interfaces, Recorders and Boom Arms
Podcast microphones, audio interfaces, portable recorders, boom arms and accessories from Shure, Focusrite, Zoom, Teenage Engineering, CAD Audio and Gator, for solo shows, interviews and video podcasts. Not sure where to start? Call 1-800-700-4542 and tell us how many people you record.
Related categories: Podcast Mics, Shure Podcast Microphones, Podcast Equipment Bundles, Audio Interfaces, Zoom Audio Recorders, Desktop Boom Mic Stands, Studio Headphones.
What do I need to start a podcast?
A microphone for each person, a way to get those mics into a computer or recorder, and closed-back headphones so you can hear yourself without the sound leaking back into the mic. A boom arm or desk stand and a pop filter or windscreen finish the setup. One host on a computer can start with a single USB microphone; two or more people need a microphone each and an interface, mixer or recorder with enough inputs.
Dynamic or condenser microphone for podcasting?
Dynamic, for most rooms. A dynamic microphone such as the Shure SM7B picks up the voice close to it and much less of the room, which suits spare rooms and offices with echo and background noise. A condenser microphone captures more detail but also more of the room, so it works best in a quiet, treated space. Compare them in Dynamic Microphones and Condenser Microphones.
Should I buy a USB or an XLR microphone?
USB plugs straight into a computer and is the quickest way to start for one person. XLR needs an interface, mixer or recorder, but it scales to several mics and lets you upgrade each part separately. Hybrid models such as the Shure MV7+ have both USB-C and XLR outputs, so you can start on USB and move to an interface later.
Which setup fits my show?
| Your show | What you need | Examples we carry |
|---|---|---|
| One host, recording to a computer | A USB or hybrid mic, or an XLR mic with a one-input interface | Shure MV7+; Shure SM7B with a Focusrite Scarlett Solo 4th Gen |
| Two people at one computer | Two XLR mics and a two-input interface or a USB mixer | Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen; the Shure Podcast Dual SM7B package with a Mackie Onyx8 USB recording mixer |
| Three or more people | An interface, mixer or recorder with one microphone input per person | Check the number of mic inputs on the product page; on a Focusrite Scarlett, the numbers in the name count every input and output, not only microphone inputs |
| On location, no computer | A portable recorder | Zoom P2 (two USB mic inputs, records to an SD card, runs on AA batteries or USB power), Zoom H5studio, Teenage Engineering TP-7 |
Is there a Shure SM7B with a built-in preamp?
Yes. The Shure SM7dB is a dynamic cardioid podcast and vocal microphone in the SM7B style with a preamp built in. The standard SM7B, the MV7+ and the MV7X are here too, along with SM7B and SM7dB packages that add a boom stand.
What else do I need besides the microphone?
A boom arm holds the mic in front of your mouth and off the desk: this collection has the Headliner HL90600 Sierra, the On-Stage MBS-LP1 low-profile arm and the CAD PM4200 PodMaster Boom+, and there are more in Desktop Boom Mic Stands. The Shure A7WS windscreen fits the SM7, SM7A, SM7B and SM7dB. Closed-back studio headphones let each person hear themselves, and XLR microphone cables connect each mic to the interface.
Are there podcast bundles?
Yes. Podcast Equipment Bundles pair microphones, interfaces and stands. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Studio 4th Gen bundle, for example, adds a condenser microphone and headphones to the interface.
Can you help me choose?
Yes. Tell us how many people you record, where you record and whether you use a computer, and we will put together a setup. Call 1-800-700-4542. Items stocked in our Los Angeles warehouse ship the same day when ordered by noon Pacific.