Let’s take a look at three of the best microphones available for podcasting. Each microphone provides a unique set of features that will make your podcast sound fantastic.
What Makes A Great Podcast Microphone?
- Diaphragm Type: For podcasting microphones, we prefer dynamic microphones. Dynamic microphones offer better noise rejection and that classic “radio” or “broadcast” tone.
- Polar Pattern: A microphone with a tight pattern will offer better noise rejection and fewer distractions to your podcasting audience. Generally speaking, we recommend cardioid polar patterns for podcast mics.
- Flat frequency response: picking a microphone with a relatively flat frequency response will produce a more accurate and natural podcast recording.
- Sensitivity: We prefer low-sensitivity microphones to help reject the ambient noise during a podcast recording.
- Proximity effect: This depends on what you’re wanting. The proximity effect can help give your recording more presence, or it can be distracting if it’s not used properly.
- Protection from plosives: Nobody wants to hear a plosive (“p” and “b” sounds). Always angle your microphones slightly off-axis and use a pop filter or windscreen!
All of our top podcast microphones are XLR microphones. This means you will need a mixer, interface, or digital recorder to capture these mics’ audio. They will not plug directly into your computer as a USB microphone does.
Best Podcast Microphones
Our favourite podcast microphones are:
- Good: Shure SM58
- Better: Electro Voice RE20
- Best: Shure SM7B
Good: Shure SM58 Dynamic Microphone
The most affordable and most popular microphone on our list.
This microphone started as a broadcast studio microphone (SM58 = Studio Microphone 58) and eventually became the world’s most popular microphone. This could be the first and last microphone you ever own. It is built to take a beating and will literally last for generations.
It features a full frequency response, rugged durability, low handling noise, and an integrated pop filter.
This should be the first microphone that everyone buys. If you don’t yet have a Shure SM58, we recommend adding it to your collection before any other microphone.
Check current Shure SM58 price: https://currentprice.io/shure_sm58
Better: Electro-Voice RE20 Dynamic Microphone
This cardioid dynamic microphone is a favorite in the broadcasting world.
The RE20 exhibits no proximity effect, has excellent plosive protection and has low sensitivity (that’s a good thing).
The Electro-Voice RE20 minimizes pops and sibilance for podcasting, even at close range, which helps minimize distractions and keep your audience focused.
The RE20 is a podcasting favorite for a reason. It sounds great; it has an even frequency response and requires minimal tweaking to make it “sound just right.”
Check current Electro-Voice RE20 price: https://geni.us/qLuHBRc
Best: Shure SM7B Dynamic Microphone
This cardioid broadcast dynamic microphone is extremely popular in modern podcasts and has become the microphone that all other podcasts and broadcast microphones are compared to. The warm tone of the Shure SM7B and inherent noise rejection make it absolutely perfect as a podcast microphone.
The Shure SM7B has an adjustable yoke mount that is easy to position exactly where you want it in your studio.
The integrated pop filter effectively eliminates plosives (“p” and “b” sounds), meaning you can speak comfortably without worrying about the perfect mic position.
The internal air suspension of the SM7B reduces mechanical noises and rejects electrical interference that can be commonly found in podcast studios with laptops, phones, and other playback devices nearby.
This microphone is featured on podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience.
Check current Shure SM7B price: https://currentprice.io/shure_sm7b
Best Podcast Microphone Pricing
To check the current price of our recommended podcast microphones, please visit:
- Good: Shure SM58: https://currentprice.io/shure_sm58
- Better: Electro Voice RE20: https://geni.us/qLuHBRc
- Best: Shure SM7B: https://currentprice.io/shure_sm7b
