Guide to Podcast Equipment from Beginner to Advanced Levels

Podcasts draw growing, dedicated audiences. According to Edison Research, 55% of Americans aged 12 and up now listen monthly. That’s roughly 158 million people in the US alone—an all-time high. 

A podcast can be a cost-effective way to showcase your expertise, create relationships through interviews, and promote your brand or other ventures. However, you do need some equipment to get started. The good news is you don’t need to be an audio engineer to produce your own show, and you may already own some of the gear you need. 

Here’s the basic equipment required to start podcasting, plus how to set it up for a high-quality show.

Best podcast equipment for beginners

• Mics
• Headphones
• Audio interface
• Software
• Recording environment
• Hosting platform
• Accessories

You don’t need a full studio to launch your podcast. Start with the basics, keep costs low, and upgrade as your show grows. Here are the core categories of podcast gear you’ll need to start creating audio content.

Mics

Two types of microphones are generally used for recording podcast audio: dynamic and condenser. These can both produce the high-quality audio associated with professional podcasts.

Dynamic mics are less sensitive to ambient noise, making them the safer choice for untreated home spaces. Condenser mics are more sensitive and capture more vocal nuance—breath, subtle inflection, warmth—but also pick up background noise like the hum of your fridge or the click of your keyboard, so they’re best in a quiet, soft-surfaced room. Condensers also require phantom power, which an audio interface provides.

You also need to choose how your mic connects to your computer. USB mics plug in directly and skip the need for an interface in your podcast setup. The Samson Q2U ($99) and Behringer D2 Podcast Pro ($109) are solid budget dynamics. An XLR mic is the professional standard and gives you more flexibility to upgrade later, but you need an audio interface. The Shure SM58 ($98) is durable, handles a wide range of voices well, and rejects background noise; the Audio-Technica AT2020 ($119) is a well-regarded entry-level condenser.

Headphones

Headphones let you monitor issues like echo, clipping, or background noise as they happen. Closed-back headphones (which seal around your ears and keep sound in) or earbuds are fine—choose whatever you find comfortable. Avoid open-back headphones (which have perforated ear cups for a more spacious sound). They’re popular among audiophiles, but leak sound that your mic could pick up.

The Sony MDR-7506 closed-back headphones ($113) have a flat, accurate sound profile—what you hear is close to what your listeners will hear. The Audio-Technica ATH-M20x—for roughly half the price ($59)—may work just as well for most beginners.

Stick with wired headphones for recording. Bluetooth options can introduce minor latency (lag time) or drop connections mid-session.

Audio interface

An audio interface is a small piece of hardware that converts the analog signals from your microphone into digital code for a computer, phone, or tablet. Some mics plug directly into digital devices via USB, but most professional podcasters use XLR microphones, which require a digital audio interface.

Focusrite’s Scarlett line is a top-seller in this category, starting at $159. For a budget option, check out the Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 ($40). Both are bus-powered, meaning they draw power directly from the USB port on your recording device (e.g., a computer). You’ll also need XLR cables to connect your microphone to your interface. A three-foot XLR cable, which may be suitable for a tabletop setup, can be as cheap as $4 when purchased in a pack. Longer cables cost more; expect to pay $8 to $10 for a 10-foot XLR cable.

Software

You need software on your recording device to capture audio. This platform usually doubles as editing software, so you can splice clips, add reverb and compression, and layer in music and sound effects.

Free entry-level options include Audacity and, for Apple users, GarageBand. Paid options like Pro Tools (starting at $99 per year) and Logic ($199 to own outright) are used by many professional musicians. 

Podcasters can also benefit from tools like Riverside and Descript, which transcribe your recording and link the text to the audio. Delete a sentence in the transcript, and the corresponding audio is cut too. This makes editing spoken-word recordings as easy as editing a document. Both start at $25 per month, with Descript offering a limited plan for $17 per month.

Recording environment

Sound quality depends on more than just your recording equipment. For best results, record in a room free of extraneous noise. A little natural reverb (a mild echo) can help, but when in doubt, choose a quiet room with little to no echo.

The best free podcast studio may be in your clothes closet—hanging clothing is a perfect, natural sound absorber. (That said, it’s not ideal for video podcasts.)

Simple accessories can also help you achieve studio-quality sound at home. Mount your podcast mic on a boom arm to position it properly and keep it off your desk, and use a shock mount (an elastic cradle that holds the mic) to isolate it from any vibrations that travel through the stand. A mesh pop filter prevents plosive sounds (like hard “p” sounds) from popping on your recording.

All of this gear is portable, so you can pack it up and take it to another location if you want to be in the same room as a co-host or guest. Ask remote guests to record themselves on their own setup. This gives you more flexibility in the final mix.

Hosting platform

While not technically equipment, podcast hosting platforms like Libsyn, Buzzsprout, or Spotify Podcasts enable you to broadcast your podcast across the internet—including on the most popular platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. These services all offer free tiers for beginners.

Accessories

Don’t overlook studio accessories like cable management systems, sturdy microphone stands, and plenty of desk space to set up your equipment.

Intermediate and advanced podcasting setups

As your podcast scales, you can upgrade your equipment to suit your needs. Here are potential upgrades to consider:

Intermediate podcasting setup

Going from a beginning to an intermediate podcasting setup often means upgrading your mic and software, and adding video:

• Microphones. If you started with USB microphones, make the switch to XLR, which opens up the full range of professional mics, lets you swap interfaces and mics independently as your setup grows, and delivers a cleaner signal over longer cable runs.

• Audio interface. Depending on how many co-hosts or guests you have, you may want a digital audio interface with more inputs. The TASCAM US-4x4HR ($249) offers four XLR inputs, making it a strong choice for multi-host shows.

• Software. Upgrade from free software like GarageBand and Audacity, which were not created with podcasting in mind. The more feature-packed Riverside and Descript are very popular among podcasters. If music and sound design play big roles in your podcast, you can opt for programs like Logic, Pro Tools, and Cubase, which are known for their multitrack capabilities, suite of audio effects, and AI-powered mastering tools.

• Video. YouTube has become the most popular podcast consumption service, so you may want to add video as you scale. You’ll need a camera—your webcam may suffice—a lighting instrument like a ring light, and video editing software like iMovie to edit clips for social posts and other purposes.

• Hosting. Paid podcast hosting unlocks monetization features, such as those that help you embed paid advertising into your podcast. For example, Libsyn’s advanced tier, which includes these features, runs $25 per month.

Advanced podcasting setup

If your podcast is drawing a large, monetized audience, you may want to invest in higher-end podcasting equipment to meet listeners’ expectations. Here are some upgrades to consider:

• Microphones. The Shure SM7B dynamic microphone ($395) has aggressive noise rejection and a built-in pop filter. It stays clean in untreated rooms and handles loud, close-up speaking without distorting. For a high-end condenser, the Roswell Mini K87 ($459) is a replica of the legendary Neumann U87 AI, which runs for $3,750.

• Compression. A rack compressor in your mic signal chain evens out your vocal level—bringing up quiet moments and taming loud ones—and adds fullness in the low-mids that makes voices sound rounder and less thin. Prices start at around $800 and climb into the thousands. The Warm Audio WA-1B Optical Compressor is a comparatively affordable entry point and offers a single XLR channel.

• Audio interface. Higher-end options like the Universal Audio Apollo x4 ($2,299) come with software plug-ins that digitally recreate the sound of expensive studio hardware.

• Video. Improve the video component of your podcast with a dedicated camera. The Sony Alpha ZV-E10 ($799) is designed for content creators and includes face-tracking autofocus. The Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera (starting at $1,095) has higher-quality recording formats and more cinematic footage.

How to set up your podcast equipment

• Setting the microphone
• Headphone monitoring
• Recording environment

With the right equipment, you’re ready to set it up and start podcasting. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Setting the microphone

How you position your mic is as important as how much you spent on it:

• Distance. Position the microphone six to 12 inches (about a palm’s length) from your mouth. If it’s too close, you’ll get distorted plosives (“p” and “t” sounds); if it’s too far, you’ll pick up room echo and ambient noise.

• Angle. Don’t speak directly into the center of the microphone. Angle it 45 degrees toward your mouth so air bursts don’t hit it directly.

• Stability. Use a boom arm or a heavy desk stand to prevent the microphone from picking up vibrations from your computer fan or accidental table bumps. 

Headphone monitoring

Wear headphones while recording to monitor your sound. This way, you hear what the microphone is actually capturing, not just what your ears pick up in the room, so you can catch problems as they happen. 

If your mic signal is too strong, the audio will “clip,” creating distortion that’s very hard to fix later. Lower the gain (the input level) setting on your interface or podcast recording software until your voice stays out of the red. 

Plug your headphones into the jack on your audio interface, computer, or USB mic (most have a built-in jack). This routes the sound directly to your ears and avoids the small delay that comes from the computer processing the audio, which can be disorienting to listen to while you speak.

Recording environment

A few general tips to help you capture the best audio, no matter where you’re recording:

• Soft surfaces beat hard ones. Tiles, wood floors, and bare walls reflect sound and create echo. Record in a carpeted room or near soft items like curtains, couches, clothes, or even a bookshelf to absorb reflections. 

• The 10-second test. Always record 10 seconds of silence before you start talking. Listen back to identify background hums you might have missed—like an AC unit or a computer fan—and turn them off before the real show begins.