Podcast Microphones

Podcast Microphone - Create Your Own Podcast

Here on the page you will find our selection of podcast microphones, which allow you to create your own podcast with really good sound.

Podcasts have become incredibly popular for sharing your opinions, discoveries, or simply passing on your knowledge to other interested parties.

It doesn’t require much equipment besides a computer and a good podcast microphone, so it’s easy to get started once you’ve found the idea for your podcast.

There are many different podcast microphones that are specifically developed for podcasts, and with the large selection, it can be difficult to know which podcast microphone is absolutely right for your setup.

If you are unsure about what to look for in a good podcast microphone, you can read on below, where we have gathered some useful knowledge that can help you narrow down the selection a bit.

7 Things You Should Know When Looking for a Podcast Microphone

The most important element when you are going to create a podcast, besides a good idea, is the sound. Many people don’t want to listen to a booming, crackling or indistinct sound when they are listening to a podcast.

Therefore, it is important to choose a good podcast microphone for your setup. Below you will find some knowledge that can help you find the podcast microphone that gives you the best sound for your surroundings and setup.

#1 - Type of Podcast Microphone

There are 3 main types of microphones:

• Dynamic microphones
• Condenser microphones
• Ribbon microphones

The types capture sound in different ways and are therefore suitable for different purposes.

The most commonly used type of microphone is the dynamic microphone, which you will often come across in daily life. It is indeed the type that is often used in headsets, webcams, and in the built-in microphone of computers and phones.

This type is however not very suitable for podcasts or studio recordings, as they are not as sensitive.

When you are looking for a good podcast microphone, you should consider the so-called studio microphones, which are respectively condenser and ribbon microphones.

Condenser microphones have a high sensitivity and a flat frequency response, making them very good at capturing both low and high frequencies.

The condenser microphone can thus provide a clear and more realistic sound than the dynamic microphone.

The ribbon microphone is considered by many professionals to be the most accurate type of microphone, delivering the most realistic sound.

Ribbon microphones are often used in professional sound studios and are also the most expensive of the three types of microphones, but if the budget allows, the investment in a ribbon microphone can be worth it all.

The ribbon microphone captures sound via a ribbon of, for example, aluminum, that is submerged in a magnetic field.

Condenser microphones have 2 plates that are parallel to each other, and the front plate is called the diaphragm, capturing the vibrations from sounds, which change the distance between the two plates, and this change is what is sent on as a signal.

The dynamic microphone also has a diaphragm, and behind it is a magnet placed in a core that captures the vibrations from the diaphragm and sends these on as an electronic signal.

When you are going to create a podcast, you can use the microphone in your computer, but you will experience a more spacious sound if you choose an external condenser or ribbon microphone.

#2 - Connection of Podcast Microphone

Connecting the podcast microphone typically occurs via a USB cable or an XLR cable. The most common connection nowadays is however USB, as the connection is easy and resembles a plug-and-play solution.

However, the XLR connector provides the most stable connection if you want to connect multiple microphones to the computer at the same time, or if you have an external sampler with an XLR input.

USB is not very suitable if you need to connect multiple microphones to the same computer at the same time, as the quality of sound may become distorted.

But if you sometimes have guests in your podcast, you can advantageously choose a USB microphone with a pickup pattern that allows recording from multiple angles and with an adjustable directional pattern.

USB connection is a fast connection option and is also relatively inexpensive compared to XLR connectors.

#3 - Diaphragm of Podcast Microphone

The diaphragm of the podcast microphone is the part of the microphone that captures sound vibrations and converts these into an electrical signal that can be transmitted via the computer.

The diaphragm can vary in size from model to model, and it can affect the microphone's application possibilities and sound.

A smaller diaphragm is often more frequency linear than a larger one and therefore often more neutral in sound, but it is an old wives’ tale that the size of the diaphragm has an effect on how deep frequencies are reproduced.

A larger diaphragm is often used when one wants to have more sound to work with, and thus has more options to adjust the sound.

The diaphragm of the podcast microphone is often slightly larger than the diaphragm of a dynamic microphone.

#4 - Placement of Podcast Microphone

When you create a podcast, it is your voice that should be in focus, so it is important to think about speaking clearly and distinctly, as well as the placement of the podcast microphone in relation to your mouth.

If you want to achieve a professional sound like on the radio, the placement of the podcast microphone is an important parameter, along with the subsequent editing of the sound.

Most podcast microphones can be advantageously placed about 15 cm away from the mouth, but slightly to the right or left of the center, so that you avoid sharp sounds like S sounds and smacking, also known as popping.

#5 - Pickup Patterns for Podcast Microphone

Pickup patterns for a podcast microphone are often different than for other types, and you will often have the option to change the pickup pattern depending on which model you acquire.

The pickup patterns are also often referred to as polar patterns, recording patterns, and characteristics, but regardless of which word is used, it refers to the type of field the microphone captures sound from.

Typically, there are 3 different pickup patterns for microphones:

• Cardioid
• Bi-directional
• Omni-directional

Cardioid

The cardioid pattern is often referred to as a kidney, heart, or bean pattern, and is characterized by the microphone capturing sound in a single direction. This pattern can be more or less directionally focused, depending on the microphone.

The cardioid pattern is the most common pickup pattern for directional microphones and is the only directional pattern for dynamic microphones.

Bi-Directional

Bi-directional pickup pattern for the podcast microphone is also often referred to as an eight pattern, as the pattern resembles the number eight.

Bi-directional microphones capture sound from 2 directions and make it ideal for recording interviews and podcasts with a single guest.

Omni-directional

Omni-directional microphones can capture sound in a 360-degree angle around the microphone and are most often used in condenser microphones.

Many omni-microphones can be set to several different pickup patterns that are more or less directional, providing a great deal of flexibility in the podcast microphone's application possibilities.

#6 - Podcast Microphone for Interviews

When you start your podcast, you can advantageously consider whether you will need to have guests in the studio for interviews, and whether these guests should have their own microphone or if you should share.

Podcast microphones for interviews are often condenser microphones with omni-directional pickup patterns, which can be set to multiple pickup patterns.

This makes it possible for you to use the microphone when you are just yourself, with cardioid pickup pattern, and with bi-directional pickup pattern when there is a single guest, or omni-directional when there are several in the studio.

#7 - Accessories for Podcast Microphone

You can get a variety of equipment for your podcast setup, which not only makes it easier but also improves the sound for your podcast.

Accessories for podcast microphones can for example include a boom arm to hold the microphone at the desired angle and distance from your mouth; the arms can often be clamped onto a table or mounted on a wall.

It could also be a pop filter, which reduces noise from S sounds or smacking sounds, which often become very pronounced through the microphone.

If you are recording podcasts outdoors, you may need a so-called windscreen, which is a small fur hat placed over the microphone to prevent the wind from making the diaphragm in the microphone vibrate.