Choosing the Best Podcast Microphone

0 Views

On this article, I’m diving into the forms of microphones each podcaster ought to find out about.

As a podcaster, you’ve acquired an edge over different content material creators. In contrast to video, the place you’re scrambling to search out the right shot, frame, and lighting, podcasting is all in regards to the sound—the way you and your company are heard.

And that may both make or break your present.

Lately, there’s no excuse for poor audio high quality. Thankfully, tech advances have made nice microphones extra reasonably priced than ever.

However it’s essential to know which sort of microphone works finest for every scenario.

I’m right here to interrupt all of it down.

And the excellent news?

There are solely three primary forms of microphones to cowl.

By the top of this learn, you’ll have a strong understanding of what’s on the market and which one fits your wants.

Let’ get into it.

Kinds of Microphones

Choosing a microphone can appear overwhelming.

When somebody mentions a microphone, you in all probability image somebody holding a steel corded object—like a vocal ice cream cone.

Or maybe a tiny mic clipped to clothes, utilized in TV and movie—often called a lavalier or lapel microphone.

Even your cellphone has a built-in microphone.

Nevertheless, these aren’t the forms of microphones we’ll be discussing right here right this moment. When you can use them for podcasting, they’re not best.

For podcasting, the three primary forms of microphones to think about are:

Dynamic Microphones – Hottest sort of podcast microphone
Condenser Microphones – 2nd hottest podcast microphone
Ribbon Microphones – Least well-liked (however there’s a pair distinctive ones for pods)

These classes might be additional damaged down by diaphragm sort, polar patterns (how they seize sound), measurement, and value.

Let’s dive deeper into every.

Dynamic Microphones

Consider a dynamic mic like dessert—particularly, like a pie that Grandma cuts with a particular pie cutter, making evenly divided slices.

A dynamic microphone is nice at isolating the voice talking into it whereas rejecting a lot of the surrounding noise. That is due to their insensitivity to selecting up sound.

Dynamic microphones usually (however not all the time) use a cardioid pickup pattern, that means they seize sound instantly in entrance and somewhat from the perimeters, formed like a coronary heart.

They’re sturdy, can face up to tough dealing with, and produce wealthy sound with out selecting up an excessive amount of room noise or different distractions.

This makes them wonderful for podcasting, which is why they’re broadly utilized in radio stations {and professional} broadcasting studios.

Moreover, due to their lack of sensitivity they nonetheless sound good in rooms with tons of reverb and echo.

Dynamic microphones are the kind of mic you usually need in your podcasting kit.

Nice Dynamic Microphones For Podcasting

Shure SM7dB – A well-liked selection for podcasting, identified for its wealthy, clear vocal seize. It has a inbuilt Cloudlifter.

Electro-Voice RE20 – Widespread in radio and podcasting for its clear, pure sound and minimal proximity impact.

Rode PodMic – Designed particularly for podcasting, providing a sturdy construct, broadcast-quality sound, and affordability.

Condenser Microphones

Think about your Thanksgiving plate once more, with mashed potatoes, turkey, cranberry sauce, squash, and a recent roll—all neatly separated.

However while you pour gravy over all the things, it begins to combine collectively. This can be a metaphor for the way condenser microphones choose up sound.

They’re very delicate AF and can seize room tone and ambient noise.

Oh, and don’t even get me began on recording with a condenser microphone in the identical room as a co-host or visitor.

Condensers choose up a ton of microphone bleed from all of the mics within the room

Except you’re recording in a sound-treated area (and even then), a condenser microphone will doubtless choose up undesirable sounds, together with microphone bleed from co-hosts or company

Whereas they’re not IDEAL for podcasting, they’re really nice for recording music. All of them sound very distinctive and add shade and tone that make a variety of albums sound particular.

Condenser microphones will also be expensive, starting from a whole bunch to 1000’s of {dollars}. And sometimes, the cheaper fashions don’t sound nice, so that you’d have to spend money on a top quality one if you wish to use one.

Stick with condenser mics provided that you’re laying down music tracks and know tips on how to deal with their sensitivity.

Or in the event you’re an audio aficionado , like my pal Jay Yow.

Condenser Microphone Suggestions For Podcasting

If you wish to strive a condenser microphone for recording your podcast. These are my suggestions.

Lewitt Audio LCT 440 – Off axis sound suppression which is sweet for recording voices.

Rode Broadcaster – Low minimize characteristic and inbuilt pop-filter.

Neumann TLM 103 – A high-end studio condenser with an open, detailed sound, best for professional-quality voice recording.

Ribbon Microphones

Now let’s discover the distinctive case of ribbon microphones.

Ribbon mics are a lesser-known choice within the podcasting world however provide some distinctive advantages.

They use a skinny steel strip suspended in a magnetic area to seize sound, giving them a heat, pure tone with easy excessive frequencies.

In the event you’re aiming for a classic, broadcast-style sound with a contact of heat, ribbon microphones are value contemplating.

Ribbon Microphone Advantages

Ribbon mics present an “natural” sound that may make voices really feel nearer and extra intimate. This makes them nice for conversational-style podcasts.

They tame harsh highs, making them appropriate for voices that may in any other case sound overly sharp or sibilant.

Concerns Earlier than Utilizing Ribbon Microphones

They’re fragile and might be simply broken by loud sounds, wind, or tough dealing with. They’re finest utilized in managed, quiet environments.

Ribbon mics produce low output, so that you’ll want a high-gain preamp to carry audio to usable ranges. This may add value and complexity to your setup.

Many ribbon mics have a figure-8 sample, that means they choose up sound equally from the back and front whereas rejecting noise from the perimeters.

This may be okay for capturing two folks sitting throughout from one another but in addition means they could catch extra room noise than a cardioid-pattern mic.

Prime Ribbon Mics To Podcast With

Royer R-121 – A traditional ribbon mic identified for its balanced, pure sound and easy highs.

Beyerdynamic M160 – Gives a heat, detailed sound; nice for vocals and devices, and extra sturdy than many ribbon mics.

AEA R84 – Identified for its classic character, easy sound, and versatile use for vocals or devices.

Selecting the Proper Microphone for Your Podcast

To wrap it up, Dynamic microphones are your go-to for many podcasting conditions—they’re sturdy, versatile, and nice at isolating voices.

Condenser microphones might be an choice in the event you’re in a quiet, acoustically handled area, however they have an inclination to select up an excessive amount of room noise for many podcasters.

Ribbon mics, although not as generally utilized in podcasting, can present a novel, heat sound if utilized in the suitable situations.

By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of every sort, you’ll be well-equipped to decide on the best microphone in your podcast wants.

The Podcast Haven are a part of the Amazon Affiliate Program. If you buy something via our Amazon Product hyperlinks we earn a fee. This doesn’t value you something further and helps us crank out content material with the cash we earn.