We're often asked what our setup is when it comes to recording the weekly Windows Central Podcast. We use a variety of different audio equipment and software, so we decided to put together a collection of everything we use to record our popular podcast every week.
Premium audio quality
This microphone is what all the professionals use. It's an excellent microphone with great stereo sound and is small and light so it doesn't get in the way if you're doing a video podcast. We use the XLR version, which requires a dedicated mixer.
Easy audio
If you don't want to use a mixer, the Blue Yeti is your next best choice. It's a plug-and-play microphone, meaning it runs only off USB to function. You still get great audio quality, which should be more than fine for podcasting.
High-quality video
Since we do a video podcast, we need cameras! We use the Logitech BRIO 4K, one of the best webcams on the market today. It's a 4K camera, meaning video quality is excellent, but it also has support for HDR and different fields of view. It's great for when you're in a tight spot.
Broadcast away!
To film and record the podcast, we use a program called XSplit Broadcaster. This allows us to set up our webcams in the same scene, and broadcast those images out onto platforms like YouTube and Mixer. We also record our audio separately using Windows 10's voice recorder app.
Mixer magic
If you are planning to use an XLR microphone like the Audio-Technica AT2020, you will need a mixer. We use the Behringer UMC22, which provides simple control over volume, gain, and more. This gets a strong recommendation from us!
Sound-proofing on the fly
This magical ball sits around whatever microphone you use and acts as sound-proofing so noise doesn't bounce around or echo into the mic. While this won't save you in a super loud environment, it should help muffle out any smaller noises that might be coming from elsewhere.
Some of the equipment we use is a little bit expensive, but when it comes to audio quality you should never settle for anything less than great. Both the AT202 and Blue Yeti microphones offer great sound. And if you need extra sound-proofing, the Kaotica Eyeball is a great way to ensure that echoes and other smaller sounds like a PC fan won't affect your recording.
Oh, and don't forget to check out our podcast page and tune in live every Friday!
