How to Start a Podcast: The Minimum Setup for Professional Sound

Podcasting has become the most accessible broadcast medium ever created. Here's the minimum equipment and process to start one that sounds professional.

The Minimum Viable Setup

A USB microphone, a quiet room, and free recording software. That's genuinely all you need to produce listenable audio. Everything else is an upgrade.

Microphone Choice

USB Microphones (Easiest)

Blue Yeti, Audio-Technica ATR2100x, Rode NT-USB Mini. Plug into computer directly. No additional equipment needed.

XLR Microphones

Require an audio interface. Better quality ceiling. Shure SM7dB or SM58 are industry standards. For beginners, USB is sufficient.

The Most Important Variable: Room Treatment

A professional microphone in an untreated, echoey room sounds worse than a budget microphone in a soft, treated room. Record in a room with carpet, curtains, and soft furnishings. Blankets on walls, a closet filled with clothes, or a dedicated portable booth all work.

Recording Software

Audacity (free, PC/Mac), GarageBand (free, Mac), Adobe Audition (paid). For remote interviews: Riverside.fm or Squadcast.

Basic Audio Processing

1. Noise reduction (remove background hiss)
2. Compression (evens out volume)
3. EQ (reduce boominess around 200-400Hz)
4. Normalize (set consistent volume levels)

Distribution

Buzzsprout, Spotify for Podcasters (free), and Anchor are the most accessible starting points.