Video might have killed the radio stars again within the Nineteen Eighties, however podcasts have introduced them again – albeit in a barely totally different means. Podcasts (or ‘episodic on-demand audio content material’ in order for you them to sound medical and unappealing) are enormous proper now, and so they’re one thing you possibly can simply make at house, both alone or with a couple of like-minded pals.
To attain a professional-sounding pod, all you want are some fascinating concepts, a pleasing sufficient voice (though even that’s debatable) and some key items of apparatus. We will’t assist with the primary two factors (that’s all on you, child), however for the final one we’ve assembled the listing beneath. Learn on, begin procuring after which get recording.
512 Audio Limelight
The appears to be like might hark again to yesteryear, however this XLR mic may be very a lot constructed for the fashionable world. Its super-directional hypercardioid setup zeroes in on the speaker slightly than choosing up background noise and it has a satisfying proximity impact that offers your voice added weight should you get nearer.
£110 | 512audio.com
Yamaha AG06MK2
This compact, high-quality six-channel mixer hyperlinks as much as your pc or iPad by way of USB-C, and due to its bus energy provide it’s ultimate for cellular studio setups. It has tons of connectivity, together with two XLR microphone inputs, and the on-board DSP results permit you to form your audio on the fly by tapping a button.
£199 | uk.yamaha.com
RØDECaster Professional II
If you need a extra podcast-focussed audio interface, this highly effective all-in-one resolution deserves an extended look. Capable of settle for 4 XLR mics, USB, smartphone and Bluetooth inputs, it could document to microSD card in addition to a pc, is powered by way of USB (which means it may be used out within the subject, not simply at house) and options eight programmable sound pads for results, jingles and extra. The superb on-board audio processing is a spotlight too, permitting you to form every channel’s sound with a bunch of voice-improving results – together with the legendary ‘Aural Exciter’ and the epic ‘Huge Backside’. Cease guffawing on the again.
Learn our full Rodecaster Pro II review.
£699 | rode.com
Focusrite Vocaster One
Should you’re flying solo and recording your pod on the hoof, this tiny audio interface is good. With one mic enter, out headphone output and far of the controls accessible by way of a companion app, it’s a stripped-back choice however with over 70dB of achieve it delivers broadcast high quality sound.
£190 | focusrite.com
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
Beloved {of professional} sound engineers and broadcasters everywhere in the globe, these hard-wearing wired cans (additionally out there in a Bluetooth-equipped model) produce impeccable sound throughout the vary due to highly effective 45mm drivers, and are constructed for serving up accuracy slightly than bass-heavy ‘vibes’. They’re prime class audio workhorses that’ll final you for years.
£145 | audio-technica.com
Professional-coustix Ultraflex Wedge tiles
A bed room isn’t fairly pretty much as good as a studio with regards to recording crisp, resonance-free audio, and that’s largely due to the acoustics: arduous surfaces trigger sound to reverberate across the room, leading to undesirable ‘color’. You may keep away from this by (a) recording your podcast wrapped in a cover inside a wardrobe or (b) giving your room some acoustic remedy to deaden the reflections. This pack of dense foam tiles is affordable (there are 25 300 x 300mm tiles) and straightforward to suit.
£35 | pro-coustix.com
Hindenburg Professional
Sure, you might document, edit and grasp your podcast utilizing Storage Band, Audacity or one other free audio app, however in order for you one thing a bit meatier Hindenburg suits the invoice fantastically. Designed particularly for podcast and broadcast radio manufacturing, it’s lean and focussed, trimming off the fats you’d discover on music-centric DAWs. You may import audio or document straight onto it, and it adjusts audio particularly for voice – which makes every part sound much more skilled.
From £8/month | hindenburg.com
BuzzSprout
For podding newbies on the lookout for a internet hosting service, we recommend BuzzSprout. Regardless of having solely been round for a couple of years, it’s vastly widespread resulting from its easy, fast nature: simply add your podcast and it’ll do many of the legwork for you, submitting it to directories and (should you use the paid model) giving it a sonic sharpening with its Magic Mastering characteristic. You may as well add chapter markers and pre- and post-roll content material, the latter being relevant to your previous episodes in addition to new ones.
From £Free | buzzsprout.com
