The Best Mid-Range Podcast Equipment Setup for 2021

Good, better, best.  

There’s a lot of podcasting gear out there, and it can be hard to strike the right balance between quality and value. Here we present our pick of the best gear that offers the most bang for your buck, whether you’re brand new to podcasting or you want to upgrade your existing setup.

Covered in this article

Best Mid-Range Podcast Gear

- Laptop
- What’s the best microphone for podcasting?
- The right pair of headphones
- Pop filter for clean audio
- A soundproof recording space

Mid-range software you will love
- Recording Software
- Editing Software
- Podcast / Website Hosting

The best mid-range setup for podcasters

Summary

Best Mid-Range Podcast Gear

Laptop

First of all, you will need a laptop to record and edit your audio files. The two most important factors that affect your computer’s ability to process sound are the amount of RAM (memory) it has and the CPU’s speed (processor).

Your laptop should have at least 8GB of RAM. If you have plans to become a professional podcaster, a computer with 16GB of RAM would be a smarter investment. 

Concerning the CPU, you won’t need a quad-core processor unless you're working on Avid ProTools. A dual or triple-core processor should be enough for your audio processing needs.  

Now that we’ve got that part covered let’s move on to the next most important item of our list: a microphone.

What’s the best microphone for podcasting?

To record professional-sounding audio, you need a microphone that enhances your voice. 

There are two types of microphones: dynamic and condenser.

Dynamic microphones are better for loud, intense sounds (like drums), so you would be better off with a condenser microphone. Condenser microphones capture more delicate sounds and higher frequencies (studio vocals, for example), which is why they are mostly used for podcasting.

We recommend: Blue Snowball ICE

To avoid picking-up unwanted vibration noises, or having to continuously adjust your microphone position, you will need a stand. 

A reliable microphone stand

A microphone stand is an excellent addition to your setup as it lifts your show’s sound quality and protects your gear simultaneously.

Below are two great stands that we think you will appreciate.

Table Stand, Arm Stand.

To detect any problems in your audio recording, you need to be able to hear it while it’s being recorded. For that, you’ll need the right pair of headphones.

The right pair of headphones

Headphones are essential to prevent you from making mistakes and having to record retakes. They help you determine whether or not there are any unwanted noises or if the audio is acceptable not. 

Closed-back headphones are highly recommended to record podcasts. The earbuds that you already own probably aren’t good enough. AirPods are a no-no for many reasons, including connectivity issues.

Avoid using open-back headphones for recording because your microphone will pick up the sound coming out of the headphones, reducing your audio quality.

We recommend: Audio-Technica ATH-M30x

Now that you are all set, you’re going to want to offer your guests and co-hosts a proper setup as well.

Headphone amplifier

If you want to have several podcast hosts and guests talking to each other in the same room, a headphone amp lets each person have a pair of headphones. It's like a headphone splitter and amplifier all in one.

Recommended headphone amplifier: Behringer HA400 (you’re going to need a TRS cable to hook it up)

Pop filter for clean audio

Musicians and podcasters swear by pop filters as they tend to improve audio sound without adjusting the way someone speaks. 

Without a pop filter, your podcast episodes may contain plosive pops and ultimately degrade your sound quality.

Here are some recommendations: Neewer, Elgato Wave

A soundproof recording space

If your setup room has a lot of echo, some acoustic treatment can really help to improve your sound quality.

Check this out: AGPTEK Microphone Isolation

You could also avoid the hassle of buying more equipment by choosing the right room to record in; try not to choose big rooms that have lots of flat surfaces. 

Mid-range software you will love

There are many different mid-range programs that you can use to record and edit podcast audio, but here are a couple of the best ones in 2021.

Recording Software

Rumble Studio

Rumble Studio is a new and user-friendly web app that features a unique asynchronous recording system. You pre-record your questions and invite your guests to reply. Then Rumble’s friendly A.I. host-bot interviews your guest, using your questions. Your guest records their answers at their convenience, with zero-pressure. 

Rumble Studio saves you time recording and editing, helping you to produce more audio in less time, and maintain a consistent output of content.

SquadCast

SquadCast is a user-friendly web application that provides excellent audio quality for remote recording. When it comes to choosing a remote recording service, audio quality is one of the most important factors. 

By choosing this recording software you won’t have to worry about losing data, mainly because it progressively uploads your audio files while you’re recording. So if your internet connection fails you at any point, it won’t be a problem since your content will be safely stored in the cloud. This is what makes SquadCast different from the rest. 

Editing Software

Once you’ve recorded your audio conversation, you may need to edit it to remove unwanted parts and just keep the best bits. There are many software options available to fit your budget.

Hindenburg

Hindenburg is a DAW optimized and designed for journalists, broadcasters, audiobook producers, and podcasters. It’s available on both Mac and Windows and it allows you to easily edit your data.

Hindenburg has several different programs and a great user interface. It will help you piece clips and interviews together to create a consistent track and work on your storytelling.

Podcast / Website Hosting

After you record and edit your podcast episode, you will need a place to upload it and make it available for people as a public podcast. Podcast hosts are essentially file servers that provide an RSS feed of all your audio files, which are used by podcast player apps. Podcast hosts often provide other things too, like download analytics and sharing tools.

Buzzsprout

Buzzsprout has a user-friendly platform and additional sharing features that look great and save a lot of time.

Buzzsprout will automatically give you a $20 Amazon gift card after you pay for your plan if you click on this link. Don’t miss it!

The best mid-range setup for podcasters

- Any computer that has a USB port.
- USB Microphone: Blue Snowball ICE
- Microphone Stand: Table Stand or Arm Stand
- Headphones: A-T ATH-M30x
- Pop Filter: Neewer
- Recording software: Squadcast / Rumble Studio
- Editing software: Hindenburg
- Podcast hosting: BuzzSprout

- Optional: Headphone Amplifier: Behringer HA400, Acoustic Treatment: AGPTEK - - - - Microphone Isolation & Acoustic Foam Panels

Estimated total price range: $250 to $350

Summary

It doesn’t matter whether you are recording in a studio or your bedroom; as long as you have the necessary tools, you can create a podcast that sounds great. Podcasts are very trendy right now, and a lot of people are launching their own. Using the right recording equipment and editing software to boost your sound quality can make your show stand out from the crowd, and enjoy the success it deserves. If you have any questions about which equipment to buy, or you’d like to share your setup, get in touch!