Build a Clean-Sounding Podcast Setup for Under $100 (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: So you want to start a podcast, but your entire gear budget is only $100. Well, the good news is that's actually more than enough to get started. Maybe not for the dream studio setup with fancy arms, mixers, cameras, and acoustic panels, but it is enough to start recording a podcast that sounds clean, clear, and professional. And for this setup, we're keeping it pretty simple. There's no camera, there's no lighting, there's no complicated audio interface. All you need is your computer, a USB microphone, an optional pair of headphones, and Riverside to record and edit everything. Because if you're starting an audio only podcast, the most important thing is not how your setup looks, it's how you sound. Now, before we get started, let me preface by saying there is a ton of different options to start an audio only or video podcast. And most likely all of them will be fantastic options. This is what I would pick after years of experience, but take this video with a grain of salt. To get started with a $100 budget, most of that money should go towards the microphone. And the mic I would personally put at the top of the list is the FDUCE SL40. This microphone is kind of like the budget-friendly Shure MV7 style microphone. And honestly, it sounds way better than it probably should for the price. It's a dynamic USB microphone, which is great for podcasting because it does a better job of focusing on your voice and rejecting the extra sounds around it. Now, we talked about how important that is a couple of videos ago, but the SL40 is so simple that you just plug it into your laptop or computer over USB. Select it as your microphone in Riverside, and you're ready to record an audio only podcast, which is exactly what I'm doing right now. That means you don't need an audio interface, you don't need extra gear unless you want to add a simple pair of over the ear headphones. And because it also has an XLR port on it, you still have room to grow later if you eventually want to upgrade into a more advanced setup. But for right now, USB is all you need, and I think it works great. Honestly, the sound of this microphone is not bad for a budget microphone, and it only costs about 50 US dollars. Now, if for some reason you can't find the FDUCE SL40, or you want a couple of other options to choose from, the Samsung Q2U, the Fifine USB, the Blue Yeti or Yeti Nano, or the Sennheiser Professional Profile, all of those have been popular beginner podcasting microphones for a long time. And that's because they're affordable, simple, and flexible. The Samsung Q2U is probably the safer all around beginner pick, especially if you find a bundle that includes a small stand and cables to go along with it. But if I had to build the best audio only setup, in my opinion, under $100, I would probably spend around half the budget on the FDUCE SL40 and use the rest for headphones or maybe subscriptions or something like that. And this is where people tend to overthink it. Your headphones don't need to be fancy. They just need to let you hear yourself and hear your guest. They also help prevent your computer speakers from feedback coming into the microphone. That is the biggest reason to wear headphones. If your guest's voice is coming out of your laptop speakers, your microphone is most likely going to pick that up. And now you're not only recording your own voice, but you're also recording the voice of your guest, which can cause a pretty serious echo. So my recommendation is even a cheap pair of wired headphones is better than using your speakers. You can be as simple as Apple EarPods. Those work great, and they're usually around $20. Another solid option that I really like is something like the Sony MDR-ZX110. Those are some wired headphones, and they're really inexpensive, lightweight, and more comfortable if you prefer an on-ear headphone instead of earbuds. But again, the headphones are not the star of the setup here. The microphone matters a lot more. So if you're recording a solo podcast and you don't need to hear a guest, you could honestly skip the headphones at first and put the full budget into the microphone, like the Samsung Q2U system. But if you are interviewing guests, co-hosting, or recording remotely, you should probably wear some headphones. Now, once your microphone and headphones are plugged in, this is where Riverside becomes the rest of your podcast setup. You can open Riverside on your laptop, create a studio, choose your microphone, and record either by yourself or with remote guests. And because Riverside is more than just a recorder, you can also edit the episode after you finish. You can clean up the audio, cut out mistakes, remove filler words, use text-based editing, and turn your recording into a finished episode without needing a complicated editing program. And once it's all ready to share, you can even host and publish your podcast episodes right inside Riverside. So instead of spending your first $100 on a bunch of random accessories, I think the better move is to keep the gear simple and use software that makes the whole workflow a lot easier. Now, your computer becomes the recording device, your USB microphone becomes the main audio source, and your headphones keep the recording clean. And Riverside handles the recording and editing process. Now, one last thing I want to mention is that if you eventually want to turn this into a video podcast, you still don't need to buy a camera right away. The best camera for beginner video podcasts is most likely in your hand right now or in your pocket. There is a really good chance that your phone is already better than a cheap webcam, and it's basically free because you already own it. So start audio only if that's what your budget allows. Then, when you're ready, add your phone as a camera and keep building from there. Because the goal isn't to build a perfect studio on day one. The goal is to start recording and start publishing. Now, if you want to try this setup for yourself, you can try Riverside for free using the link in the description. And if you want more videos on how to improve your podcast audio, I'll link a few more up here and down below. Hopefully, you enjoyed this video. And if you did, make sure to like and subscribe for more content just like this. And if you have any questions about this setup or anything else podcast related, feel free to drop them in the comments. I'll be happy to answer them personally. Thank you so much for watching, and we can't wait to see what you create. Transcribed by https://otter.ai