I personally use an Audio-Technica ATR2100x-USB which retails for around £80. For your first microphone you likely want something plug-and-play through USB (rather than XLR with a separate interface) for less than £100. Microphone prices range drastically from double digits all the way up to thousands and a while lot of it comes down to personal preference you absolutely do not need to spend a lot.
This makes them perfect for use in a home "studio" where what's going on in the background can't be controlled in the same was a professional environment. While dynamic microphones do require you to get closer to them in comparison to a condenser microphone this actually means they don't pick up anywhere near the level of background noise a condenser microphone does. I would recommend a dynamic, cardioid microphone for most people wanting to start podcasting. This is a heart shaped pattern (hence the name) that only picks up audio from the front of the microphone and has good side and rear rejection. For podcasting, you'll want to look for something that supports a cardioid (or supercardioid) pattern. For example, an omnidirectional pattern is great for interviewing and allows the microphone to pick up sound on all sides of the microphone. The most iconic dynamic microphone is the Shure SM7B.Īnother thing you'll need to consider is a microphone's polar pattern which is essentially the direction that a microphone can recieve audio. The most popular microphone that falls in this category is probably the Blue Yeti.ĭynamic microphones do not require power and aren't as sensitive as condenser microphones. There are a few different types of microphone but the most common are dynamic and condenser.Ĭondenser microphones require power to work are much more sensitive than dynamic mirophones. The most important thing on your shopping list (if you don't already have one) is a microphone. Whilst starting a podcast is extremely accessible, there are a few pieces of equipment I would consider essential to creating something that sounds good, if not great.
One thing remains the same though – podcasting is a fantastic way to get your voice heard and the barrier to entry is lower than its ever been thanks to free software and hosting. There are more listeners than ever and production qualities have reached broadcast standards with big players like NPR and the BBC releasing their own podcasts. Since then, podcasting has grown significantly. Back then it was truly something new and I had a lot of fun messing around in my early teens with Blogger and Feedburner to release my own podcasts.
I have loved podcasting almost since its inception, before it was a part of iTunes and you had to download something like iPodder Lemon, find an RSS link and subscribe manually.