If you plan on launching a successful podcast then the right podcast starter kit for your budget is essential.
Do you think a good mic, recording software, and a podcast host are overrated, let me share a quick podcast horror story.
I was on my way to a meeting and wanted to get in some learning while on the way. I decided against Blinkist and instead chose to listen to a short podcast episode recommended by a friend. I won’t name it here because I don’t want to bias you.
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After the intro rolled, the host started talking and I heard a bunch of static, harsh P sounds, and garbled speech. I lasted 20 seconds before I switched over to something more enjoyable.
For all I know, they had the best content in the world but I didn’t give it a chance because of the poor delivery.
Don’t be that podcaster. Invest in a good setup. Your listeners will thank you.
Essential Podcast tools/equipment.
I’m going to go through and share podcast kits you can get a hold of but, before that, let me just give you my recommendations for individual pieces of your podcast starter kit. You can use these to build your podcast setup from scratch and know you have something that’ll serve you well for years.
External podcast mic – The all black Blue Yeti Mic isn’t only functional, it looks pretty badass too. You can choose from different patterns depending on your setup, it’s compatible with most operating systems, and it’s durable to boot. One of the few pieces of equipment you may never have to upgrade.
Boom arm & mic stand – The Heil PL2T boom is a premium overhead boom arm that’ll give you control of your mic and make it easy to adjust it as you see fit or while moving around. It’s well-engineered and should last you for years if maintained properly.
Pop filter – This Auphonix 6-inch Pop Filter helps block those pesky plosives that sound horrible when recorded. Most thuds, wind sounds, “s” noises, and other plosives will be canceled giving you cleaner audio which allows your listeners to focus on the content.
Shock mount – Blue shock mount by Vocalbeat can protect your mic from damage but its main purpose is to cancel or reduce noise transmission. It’s specially designed to work with the Blue Yeti mic and will ensure you don’t discover any annoying interference during post-editing.
Headphones – The Audio-Technica ATH-M30x headphones deliver in multiple ways. Not only are they under $100, but they also produce sound quality far above what you’ll get from headphones more than double the price. The closed-back design prevents audio feedback without overwhelming your ears. The only drawback I can think of is that they don’t have a detachable cable.
Recording/mixing software – The basic recording software that comes with most computers leaves a lot to be desired. That doesn’t mean you should go out and splurge on a premium tool just because you can. Audacity is a free and open-source recording software that’ll help you mix your audio and churn out professional-quality sound.
Hosting software – You could upload your podcast to your web hosting but that comes with a number of problems. It’s better to choose a reputable podcast hosting platform like Buzzsprout or Transistor. You’ll get analytics, integrations with other tools, and an RSS feed so you can submit to directories.
The tools and equipment within this podcast starter kit will serve you well and you likely won’t have to make any changes for years. I do realize that many of the tools I mentioned are expensive and if you put together this entire kit then you’ll be spending around $500.
Not everyone has that kind of budget and even if they do, they’d want to compare some inexpensive options. Below, I’ve compiled budget-friendly podcast starter kits. Use them to get started and decide whether podcasting is right for you.
Best Budget friendly podcast starter kits
Even though these podcast kits are inexpensive, they still have high-quality equipment that’ll work well for years. Most of them have recording equipment, stands, pop filters, and other essentials to get started on the right foot.
Once you podcast begins to produce income, consider upgrading to the ideal podcast kit mentioned above or build your own.
FIFINE Studio Condenser starter kit
The Fifine studio condenser podcast starter kit is an absolute steal. It comes with almost every piece of equipment you need to get started with podcasting in a package that costs less than $100. Given, the individual equipment doesn’t have as high quality as my initial recommendations but I honestly believe no one will notice the difference.
It comes with:
- Boom arm
- Fifine USB condenser microphone
- Shock mount
- Double pop filter
- Bonus tripod stand
Fifine microphones aren’t as popular as some of the competitors like Blue and Rode and wouldn’t be able to compete with them. It’s not designed to either. For the price, you can’t go wrong and it beats many other mics in its price range without much trouble.
IKEDON podcast equipment kit
This is another solid equipment kit for podcasting that comes with all the essentials. It has an ikedon USB microphone, a shock mount, sturdy boom arm, table clamp that can be detached, long USB cable, pop filter, and foam wind guard.
For the price point, there’s not much you can complain about unless you want to nitpick over a minor detail. As long as you don’t expose this kit to the elements or otherwise handle it roughly, it’ll last for a long time. The only thing left is to choose your recording and hosting software and you’re good to go.
Piy Painting Podcast Kit
This is what I’d refer to as a hidden gem. The Piy Painting condenser microphone isn’t well known to most people but it packs a punch for its price point. It’s a Cardioid mic (picks up sounds from the front and sides) ideal for single-host podcasts.
The Kit comes with the USB mic, a boom arm stand, shock mount, pop filter, long USB cable, and a foam mic cover. You’ll be feeling, sounding, and looking like a professional podcaster without the hefty bill. Like the other starter kits designed for podcasting, the last things you’d need are podcast hosting and recording software.
Conclusion
Podcasting is becoming more and more popular. In 2019, over 50% of Americans know what they are and millions of them listen to at least one show a month. It has hit an inflection point where it’s widely accepted and can produce a sizeable income when done right.
Part of doing it right is getting equipment that’ll help rather than hinder you. This guide has shared the essential pieces of equipment every podcaster should have. Once you get it, all that’s left is creating a large body of work your audience loves.