What Do I Need to Start a Podcast?

The essential guide to getting your podcast up and running.

Starting your own podcast is easier than ever. But it can be confusing to figure out what equipment you actually need to get started.

Podcasting: The Basics

A simple podcast setup could consist of as little as a phone, tablet, or laptop with a built-in microphone. But these alone won’t give you clear, professional sound.

Choosing the right equipment will improve your recordings, attract a bigger audience, and keep them engaged longer.

Below is a step-by-step guide to recording a professional-sounding podcast, no matter your skill level or budget.

Podcasting Best Practices for Any Level

Regardless of your gear, here are some tips that will give you better quality recordings.

Gain Staging is Key

Whether you’re recording directly to your phone, or using a dedicated microphone and audio interface, gain staging is crucial for getting clear, distortion-free recordings.

This means setting your recording level high enough that your voice is picked up clearly, but not so high that you overload the input and get distortion/clipping.

Using a device without adjustable input gain? Try moving the device further away from your source to lower the recorded level.

Just like in the old days of VU meters, gain staging still matters.

Optimize your Space for Better Recordings

Professional podcasts are recorded in acoustically treated spaces that are designed to minimize reverb and reflections for clean, dry vocal recordings.

Adding acoustic treatment like foam, absorption panels, and diffusers can make a huge difference in the quality of your recordings.

But if that’s out of your budget, try recording in the middle of your room, as far away from walls and other reflective surfaces as possible.

Also, turn off noisy devices such as fans and air conditioners and close windows to prevent outside sounds from entering.

Tips to Get Comfortable

Make sure you and your guests feel at home while recording. This keeps the conversation flowing and allows for more natural recordings.

Comfortable seating — such as padded chairs or a couch — will allow guests to feel relaxed during the conversation. Tripod or boom stands keep the microphones at a consistent mouth-level, ensuring you're capturing it all clearly.

Headphones make it easy for guests to hear each other. This setup allows everyone to focus on the discussion instead of the equipment.

Level 1: A Beginner Podcast Setup

Volt easily connects to iOS devices.

To record a podcast, you need a microphone, audio interface, and a device to record into — either a computer, tablet, or phone — and recording software.

The audio interface connects to your device and provides higher quality audio inputs and outputs where you can plug in microphones, monitor speakers, and headphones.

There are tons of audio interfaces to choose from. Make sure to pick one that’s compatible with your device and has enough inputs for your needs. To use microphones, the interface will need to have built-in mic preamps with adjustable gain.

For instance, to record two people simultaneously with separate microphones, you'll need an interface with at least two preamps.

The Volt 2 Studio Pack is a great option for getting started, quickly. It includes a USB audio interface compatible with Mac and Windows computers as well as iOS devices like iPhones and iPads, a condenser microphone for studio-quality vocal recordings, closed-back headphones so you can hear yourself and your guests, and the cables you’ll need to connect it all.

All Volt interfaces include software to get you started, including Ableton Live Lite, a great option for easily recording and editing your podcast.

If you’re using an iOS device, we recommend Garageband or Logic Pro for iPad.

The Volt 2 has two built-in microphone preamps, so you can easily add a second microphone to record two people at once, although you’ll need a TRS splitter to connect a second set of headphones.

With your mic, audio interface, and headphones taken care of, you’ll just need a couple of other pieces of gear to complete the setup — a mic stand or boom arm to mount the mic to, and a pop filter to go in front of the mic to minimize plosives — hard-sounding consonants like p and b — while recording vocals.

Don’t have a pop filter? Positioning the mic farther back at a slight angle and above or below your mouth can help reduce plosives in a pinch.

Volt 2 Studio Pack includes all the essentials to start recording on Mac, Windows, or iOS.

Level 2: Intermediate Podcast Setup

If you’re ready to upgrade from the beginner setup, the best place to start is with a microphone that’s designed for podcasting like the UA SD-1.

Professional podcasters often use this type of dynamic mic because it sounds good on vocals. It also reduces background noise with its cardioid polar pattern — meaning it picks up sounds in front of the mic and rejects sounds that are behind the mic.

Additionally, it has a built-in windscreen to eliminate the need for a separate pop filter. This gives a cleaner appearance on camera.

The SD-1 also has built-in switches for boosting clarity and cutting out low-end rumble, plus an integrated bracket perfect for mounting it on a boom arm like the pros use.

The SD-1 dynamic mic is perfect for voice, giving you a great sound in any environment.

You may also want to upgrade to an audio interface with more features like the Volt 276, which includes a built-in analog compressor to control the level of your voice while recording, giving you a more polished and professional sound.

If you want to record with more than two microphones at a time check out a larger interface like the Volt 476P, which features four mic preamps and two discrete headphone outputs.

Volt interfaces come in all sizes for any experience level and budget.

Level 3: Professional Podcast Setup

With an Apollo Twin X you can record through UAD plug-ins and apply professional post-production touches.

If you’re looking for the most professional sound quality possible, getting a great recording using a quality microphone and audio interface is only half of the equation.

Professional podcasts are mixed using EQ, compression, de-essing, noise reduction, and other processing to make them sound great and easy to listen to.

This is often done after recording in the post production stage, but applying this processing while recording can save time and streamline your workflow so you can get on to recording the next episode.

Apollo audio interfaces are perfect for this type of work. Not only do they feature world-class preamps and converters for pro studio sound quality, they also let you record through industry standard UAD plug-ins in realtime with near-zero latency, giving you broadcast-ready vocals with less post-production work.

Plus, you get other pro features like separate headphone mixes for each guest and loopback functionality so you can easily record system audio — from Youtube or Spotify for example — along with your voice.

Apollo interfaces are compatible with Mac and Windows computers and come in many different models to meet any need. The most popular choices for podcasting include desktop models like Apollo Solo or Apollo Twin X, which feature two preamps and one headphone output, or the Apollo x4, which features four preamps and two headphone outputs.

Apollo Twin X and Apollo x4 give you pro sound with a small footprint.

Most Popular Plug-Ins for Podcasting

Looking to put the finishing gloss on your podcast? Below are a few UAD plug-ins used by professional podcasters.

Teletronix LA-2A Silver: Originally designed for broadcast use, the LA-2A is the original two knob set-it-and-forget-it compressor that sounds great on any voice.

C-Suite C-Vox: Realtime noise and ambience reduction tailored for vocals and perfect for removing background hiss, computer fans, and unwanted room sound.