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This page will be kept up to date and worked on over time. It contains Will’s top pics for gear, software and services which he’s found to work particularly well for podcasters.
Where possible, a budget, mid-range and premium version of each product has been recommended to make it accessible for everyone.
Gear
Microphones
Premium – Shure SM7B
Mid-range – Rode NT1
Budget – Shure SM58
All three mics are use XLR as opposed to USB because of the flexibility they provide over USB options.
Both the Shure models are dynamic mics whereas the Rode is a condenser. The Shure’s would be more forgiving in an untreated room but in a room where sound treatment is in place to handle any echo, the Rode is a great value option especially in kit format found at various retailers (search for Rode NT1KIT). The SM58 is a great budget alternative to the Shure SM7B.
Audio Interfaces
Single XLR input – Focusrite Scarlett Solo (3rd Gen)
Two XLR inputs – Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen)
Four XLR inputs – Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 (3rd Gen)
All made by Focusrite, all within the Scarlett range. We have no association with Focusrite, we’re just happy to recommend their products because they just work and do the job needed for podcasters. OK if you’re using a dynamic mic that requires a lot of gain, the preamps will need cranking up which may introduce a little noise but if you’ve made the decision to invest in a good dynamic mic, you’ll have probably looked at separate preamps anyway and if not, any noise can be easily dealt with in post.
Headphones
Budget – Audio-Technica ATH-M20x
Mid-range – Sennheiser HD 280 Pro
Premium – Shure SRH1540
All these options are closed back and great choices at different price points. You can spend thousands on professional level studio monitoring headphones but for podcasting, you shouldn’t need more than any of these. The Sennheiser’s are a real workhorse and a really nice balance between price and quality.
Digital field recorders
Budget backup recorder – Zoom H1n
Recorder with 2 XLR inputs – Tascam DR-60Dii
Recorders with 4 XLR inputs – Tascam DR-70D or Zoom H6 Black
Computers
Mac laptop – MacBook Pro
Windows laptop – Dell XPS 15
Laptops recommended simply for the versatility, particularly when you regularly record your podcast on location. Both recommendations are premium laptops but are a joy to use in comparison to budget options and are a good investment. I produce my podcast using my early 2015 MacBook Pro and it’s still going strong.
Podcast hosting
Option 1 – Libsyn
Option 2 – Buzzsprout
Option 3 – Captivate
Choosing a good podcast hosting provider from the start will save you headaches later on. All three of these providers are solid choices. Libsyn’s support is particularly good.
Software/website
DAW, free – Audacity
DAW, paid – Adobe Audition
Tagging and algorithmic audio improvement – Auphonic
Email marketing, simple – Aweber
Email marketing, advanced – ActiveCampaign
Paid audio improvement plugins – iZotope RX Elements
Web hosting – Bluehost for general hosting or if you’re using WordPress WPEngine
Premium WordPress theme – GeneratePress Pro
WordPress page builder – Elementor
There’s a fair selection of different tools here for various use cases but all ones that you’ll probably need at some point on your podcasting journey.