The Best Podcast Equipment Guide for 2023

Podcasting can be complicated. Some podcasters have complicated podcast equipment configurations and you may think that you need a fancy sound treated studio with thousands of dollars in gear to get started. This is not true.

You can start a podcast that sounds great with an inexpensive USB Microphone. Assuming you already have a computer, you won’t need anything else.

Keep this in mind as we look at all the equipment you can use to create podcasts. You don't need all this gear... podcasting doesn't have to be complicated.

Podcasting can be simple.

If you don’t have a computer then you will need to invest in a decent laptop or desktop computer in order to run audio editing software and other programs.

You don’t need a supercomputer to run a podcast. Most new desktop or laptop computers will do the job. Just make sure you have a minimum 8GB of RAM (more is better) and a fast CPU (Intel i7 processor).

If you are going to be producing video then you will want an even more powerful system. A gaming PC will do the job with a good graphics card, fast CPU and lots of RAM.

If you already have a computer that doesn't meet these specs then try using your audio editing program of choice and see if it runs smoothly and renders audio without timing out or crashing.

If you prefer to use a laptop then there are a lot of options for podcasting. A MAC Book or Windows machine with minimum 8GB RAM and preferably an i7 processor.

What is the best microphone for podcasting?

This is a well-debated topic.

Before we get into the actual microphones, we need to look at the different types of microphones.

There are many opinions on what podcast microphones are the best.

Choosing a podcast microphone is a very personal decision.

You will like the sound of your voice more on certain microphones and you won’t on others.

Ribbon microphones are not commonly used for podcasting.

You need to be careful with phantom power because you can damage your microphone if you have phantom power switched on while your ribbon mic is plugged in.

Dynamic microphones don’t require phantom power but will not be damaged by it.

Shotgun microphones are typically used in video recording but some podcasters use them in their podcast studios.

Shotgun mics are front-load microphones that only pick up audio directly in front of the microphone.

If you want to record into your iPhone or iPad you can get a Lightning microphone. A Lightning Microphone is like a USB Mic but with a lightning adapter. They can come in either condenser or dynamic although most I have seen are condenser mics.

Or you can get an adapter like the iRig which connects to your smartphone allowing you to use a handheld microphone or a lavalier mic.

I have the iPhone camera kit and it works well for me and my ATR2100USB.

I plug in the camera kit to my iPhone and plugin the USB cable from the mic and record using Boss Jock Studio straight into the iPhone (or iPad).

If you are recording video and you don’t want a microphone in the frame then a Lavalier microphone is a good option. You can get lavalier mics that are condenser or dynamic and the quality varies.

Some people record their shows using a gaming style headset microphone. They aren’t the best quality audio but they are good enough.

I like headset microphones for inexperienced podcast guests who tend to move their mouth away from the microphone causing audio drop off. With a headset microphone you don't have to worry about this because as they turn their head the microphone remains the same distance from the mouth.

Some interview based podcasts send their guests a headset mic prior to the interview so they don't have to worry about poor audio quality.

To get started podcasting you don’t need any of this equipment. You can start recording your show with an inexpensive USB microphone and some recording software.

Even if you have a more complex show with remote interviews you can do so with VoiceMeeter (Windows) or Audio Hijack Pro (MAC).

You don't have to buy additional equipment although it can make your podcast production easier. If you don't have the budget for podcast equipment don't let that stop you from getting started podcasting.

If you want to have a complete podcast studio or if you are going to buy XLR microphones you will need to look at audio-interfaces or mixers.

If you have an audio interface that supports line inserts you can add audio processing equipment that will add compression, a hard limiter/gate, preamps and EQ.

DBX 286

The dbx286s Microphone Preamp and Channel Strip Processor is a popular device amoung podcasters because it has great preamps and an adjustable de-esser that reduces sibilance and distortion. The enhancer increases the detail and definition of the hish and low frequencies.

It can be expensive if you have multiple microphones because you need a separate dbx286 for each microphone.

MDX 4600

The Behringer MDX4600 MMULTICOM PRO-XL is a four channel compressor / limiter / gate.

You can use in line inserts to connect up to four microphones to this hardware processing device. You can add compression, expander / limiter and a gate to improve the sound of your show without using a digital audio workstation (DAW).

APHEX Aurel Exciter / Big Bottom

The Aural Exiciter is a rack mount audio processor that supports two microphones per unit. It brings out detail and clarity  that elevates your sound without adding level and enhances the quality of your recording better than using equalization.

The Optical Big Bottom adds a deep and powerful low frequency punch without the unwanted level boost you get from using an EQ.

It is a pricey add on to your studio but many people swear by the quality improvement they get from it.

The Elgato Stream Deck

The Elgato Stream Deck is a cool piece of hardware that has 15 LCD Keys that are fully customizable. You can program them to take virtually any action you want. For live video applications you can have a key switch scenes, launch an application, play media and more. Actions can be nested in folders so you can have as many actions as you need.

For podcasting you can program this unit to have your intro music, sound effects, voicemail feedback, out takes, and outro music. You can run a live show easier with this cool equipment.

Of course, this can be accomplished using software like PlayIt Cartwell, but if you want an all hardware podcasting solution then this is a great addition to your podcast studio equipment setup.

The RODE Rodecaster Pro

The RodeCaster Pro is an all in one podcast recording device that is a multi-track podcast mixer, digital recorder and audio interface in one.

It has a built-in audio cart, audio processing equipment, and audio effects. It is more expensive than a simpler audio interface or mixer but considering everything you get it is a good value for the money.

Look back at all the podcast equipment we'eve covered so far. We looked at digital recorders, audio interfaces, mixers, preamps, and audio processing gear like the APHEX Aural Exciter. The RodeCaster Pro has all of these functions in one simple to use device with cool extras like the audio cart buttons and the digital touch screen display.

Read my full article on The Rodecaster Pro

Zoom also has a dedicated device that is designed just for podcasters. It is the Zoom Podtrak P4 and it is a portable podcast audio interface and digital recorder with built in mix minus.

If your podcast recording space (podcast studio) in your home or office is not conducive to good audio recording then you may need to look into treating the room with acoustic tiles or alternatives.

If your room contains a lot of flat walls, windows and hardwood floors then you will have reverb in your recordings. A dynamic microphone with a fethead or cloudlifter can help to reduce the room reverb but there are some other steps you can take to make your recordings sound better.

Carpet is better for podcast recording because it doesn't reflect the sound as much. If you have hardwood floors look at getting a nice thick rug to put on the floor.

Bookshelves are great at diffusing the sound that otherwise would just reverberate throughout the room. If you can add bookshelves and other pieces of furniture that will help.

And finally, you can purchase acoustic tiles and place them on the walls which will deflect and absorb sound waves making a much cleaner sounding recording studio.

If you don't have the budget for acoustic tiles you can use moving blankets (or equivalent) and hang them on the walls while recording.

We used moving blankets at when recording the Bunker Project podcast in the back room of a bar in downtown Vancouver. It helped quite a bit.