The holiday season is a great time to pick up some new podcast gear and there are plenty of deals to be had. Over the years GFQ has used it's fair share of audio equipment. So here is a list of just some of the gear we recommend and even use in the GFQ studio.
Audio-Technica ATR2100 / AT2005
The Audio-Technica ATR2100 microphone is one of our top recommended mics for podcasters. Why is that? You simply cannot beat the value to quality that you get. For just around $50 (cheaper when on sale), it is the best sounding mic in it's price range. If you are just getting started with podcasting, or looking for an inexpensive, but still great sounding spare mic, this is the one to get.
The AT2005 is also a great inexpensive mic for under $100. In fact, it's largely the same as the ATR2100, with the only noticeable difference being the aesthetics. If you are looking for a mic under $100, but don't like the silver styling of the ATR2100, you can pick up the AT2005 just for a few bucks more.
DBX 286s
Let's face it, most podcasters aren't in a professional studio that has been acoustically treated. Often we're just in spare room in our home where there are distractions and outside noises. The DBX 286s is an inexpensive piece of equipment that you can add to your podcast studio to help reduce unwanted noise from being picked up by your mic, but also add a little processing to your voice thanks to it's de-esser and compressor.
Sony MDR7506 headphones
The last thing you want when recording a podcast is to have audio from your computer feeding back into your microphone. The Sony MDR7506 headphones are great for podcasters. They provide great over the ear sound isolation while giving you a flat, unprocessed sound. Why is that important? Having a flat sound allows you to hear your audio is it truly sound which is necessary if you plan to add any EQing.
MEE M6 Pro in ear monitors
If you plan on being on video during your podcast, you may not like wearing giant over the ear headphones and want something less noticeable. The MEE M6 Pro in ear monitors are well suited for video podcasters thanks to it's behind the ear design, just like you see TV reporters wearing. And what's nice about the MEE M6 Pro monitors is you can choose whether you want both ears, or just one in ear.
Shure SM7B
The Shure SM7B microphone is a staple in the broadcasting industry. You'll find one in almost every radio station studio. And with good reason. The Shure SM7B is a work horse that sounds great with just about anyone's voice. If you're looking to step up to a better sounding mic, give the Shure SM7B a consideration.
Shure X2U XLR-to-USB
Let's say you bought an XLR microphone, but aren't really wanting to plop down cash on a mixer. If you are recording solo, it may not even make sense to have a mixer. But you still need something to get the audio from that XLR mic into your computer. The Shure X2U does just that, by converting XLR to USB. It also provides +48V Phantom power for use with condenser microphones and a monitor mix to plug your headphones into.
Behringer XENYX X1204USB
The Behringer XENYX X1204USB is a great mixer for podcasters with a small studio. It's a premium 12 channel ultra-low noise mixer with 4 mic preamps, 4 studio-grade compressors and 2 aux sends per channel. And for just $150 it's super affordable.
Acoustic Wedge Foam Absorption Soundproofing Tiles
As mentioned earlier in this article, many of us podcasters record from a spare room or bed room in our home with little to no care given to the room's acoustics. Acoustic wedge foam is an inexpensive way to address the acoustics of your room. The foam absorbs the waves and flutter of reverb that bounce of walls giving your recording less of an echo.
Polaroid 72-inch ProPod Tripod
If you happen to record your podcasts like GFQ, you probably need some sort of tripod for your camera. The Polaroid 72-inch ProPod Tripod extends a full 6 feet yet can be made as short as 28 inches and has double bubble levels to make sure your tripod is perfectly level.
LED Light Strip
We've all seen those sweet set ups of TVs and shelves lined with LED lighting. Did you know it's not very expensive to do LED lighting yourself? You've see this same product used in the GFQ studio. The LED light strip comes with multi-color RGB LEDs that you can cut to length and stick anywhere thanks to it's self-adhesive back.
