What is the Best Microphone for a Podcast?
Many people have asked us what our choice of microphone is for recording a podcast. The answer is two-fold. The reason is it is two-fold is because we record both in our home studios and on the road. Hands down, the best quality is obtained with the Shure SM7B. The Blue Yeti USB Microphone is the best choice if you’re moving around.
Buy the Blue Yeti USB Microphone if it’s your first microphone.
The Blue Yeti USB Microphone was my first microphone and it took me a while to maximize it’s potential. It really makes no sense to jump straight into a Shure SM7B o equivalent microphone if you can squeeze sound quality with accessories and most importantly your environment.
One of the great things about the Yeti is its multi-mode versatility. It has multiple pattern selection – cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional & stereo. It also allows you to directly connect headphones to the microphone to monitor without any lag. Another useful feature is the mechanical mute button.
The sound quality recording with a Blue Yeti can be greatly improved with three accessories: The stand, the pop filter, and the shock mount.
The above accessories are a must if you are already spending the money on a mic like the Blue Yeti. However, the single biggest factor in improving the sound quality of my recording was improving the acoustics of the room.
Buy the Shure SM7B Microphone once you have mastered your environment.
The Shure SM7B is a superb mic that can take your recording to the next level. However, you need the right setup to take advantage of its capability and sound quality. If you have a limited budget I suggest targeting accessories and the acoustics of the room first.
One of the big differences between the Shure SM7B and the Blue Yeti USB Microphone is that the Shure requires a sound mixer such as the XENYX 1202FX. you can view this as a disadvantage because it’s not as quick and direct as using the plug and play Blue Yeti USB Microphone with basic physical controls right on the mic. However, the mixer allows you to refine the sound and apply basic filters. The mixes will be a must if you’re recording with multiple microphones in the same room.
In summary, go with the Blue Yeti USB Microphone if you’re starting out and are looking for a quality recording with little fuzz. Go with the Shure SM7B if you already have some experience under your belt and are committed to focusing on much more than the microphone to obtain a professional-grade recording.
